“I am passionate about genre-busting work. My approach is rigorous and playful, driven by curiosity and craft.”
eleesha Drennan
Eleesha Drennan is an award winning choreographer and director, working across dance, theatre and music. Canadian born and based in London, she is passionate about creating theatrical experiences that connect people through laughter and tears. Her work is musically driven, bold and full of nuance.
Image credit (above): Jack Thomson
Eleesha’s distinctive choreographic voice was shaped by her unique childhood. Before moving to the UK in 1997, Eleesha grew up in rural Nova Scotia in the middle of nowhere next to the highest tides in the world. She lived in an alternative eco-community without electricity or television and her neighbour lived up a tree.
“My formative years were spent immersed in the natural world.
The extreme conditions unique to rural Nova Scotia where I grew up shaped my creativity. The vitality of the forest and violence of the sea is where I feel artistically rooted. The boldness and power of the Bay of Fundy must have seeped into my bones. When I create dance, it feels like that force of nature wants to come out to play”
“Flashy impossible-seeming choreography, near perfect in its execution”
The Reviews Hub on All the Time In The World at Sadler’s Wells
Drennan trained in dance, theatre and music from the age of four and graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance with a BA honours degree and the outstanding achievement award. She has a post graduate diploma in performing arts from London Contemporary Dance School.
As a performer, she has worked with renowned choreographers including Ohad Naharin, Christopher Bruce, Itzik Galili, Nigel Charnock, Stephen Shropshire, Stephen Petronio, Angelin Preljocaj, Andonis Foniadakis and Stijn Celis. Eleesha performed in ‘Betrayal: A polyphonic crime drama by I Fagiolini produced by The Barbican, London.
Photo credit: Jane Hobson
Eleesha was awarded the Sky Academy Arts Scholarship for Channel Rose which launched the formation of Eleesha Drennan Dance (EDD) in 2014 and received first prize for Whiskers at the International Solo Dance Theatre Festival, Stuttgart in 2012.
During her time as the inaugural house choreographer of National Dance Company Wales, Drennan created numerous works including Phantoms of Us, Virtual Descent and Imbue that have toured nationally and internationally to great acclaim.
Photo credit: Jane Hobson
As well as leading her own projects for Eleesha Drennan Dance, Eleesha has been commissioned to choreograph work for Tom Dale Company, Studio Wayne McGregor, National Dance Company Wales, Vanara The Musical, The Lost Estate (The Great Masked Ball), The Place, EDge (LCDS), London College of Fashion, Maiden Voyage Dance Company, Selfridges (The Body Studio Opening), Intoto (London Studio Centre), Fertile Ground, National Youth Dance Wales, RDC Youth, Grace & Growl Dance Company, Mathew Herbert, (Ron Arad’s Curtain Call at The Roundhouse, London.)
Creating connective experiences that aim to nurture people is extended through Eleesha’s teaching and facilitation practice.
Eleesha Drennan Dance aims to create open training opportunities for professionals and leads creative workshops for all levels and ages from young dancers on the national Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) programme to Company Of Elders at Sadler’s Wells.
Eleesha teaches professional, youth and adult classes at The Place and is a guest teacher for National Dance Company Wales, Rambert School and Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
Eleesha has also led dance workshops for Headway East London (adults living with brain injuries and Unique Feet (Children living with Rare Diseases).
She is hugely inspired by choreographers Crystal Pite and Pina Bausch and values regular support from her mentors Wayne McGregor CBE, Eva Martinez and Kerry Nicholls; including participation in the KND Creative Coaching Circle.
Image credit: Jack Thomson