The Place's Dance Industry Interviews: Temitope Ajose

In this new series, Industry Interviews, we have honest conversations with people within The Place's community of artists to map the current climate of dance today. The next video in this series is with Temitope Ajose where she talks about her choreographic practice, the current climate of the dance sector and her advice for other artists.
The Place exists to develop, nurture and celebrate dance ideas and experiences for all. We are committed to powering your imagination through dance. Supported by a culture of innovation, risk taking & collaboration we strive to create extraordinary experiences with and for you.
About Temi
Temitope Ajose is interested in psychology, myth and magic. Often playing between the sacred and absurd, Temitope’s process is intuitive, idiosyncratic and very human. She has staged works at venues such as The Royal Opera House, The Place, DanceXchange, RichMix, Dancebase and the Soho Joyce (New York).
As a dancer Temitope has worked with Punchdrunk, Director Carrie Cracknell at The Gate Theatre and The National, Theo Clinkard, Protein Dance Company, Lea Anderson, Frauke Requardt and David Rosenberg, Joe Moran, Seke Chimutengwende and Lost Dog to name a few. She performs for visual artists and makers, Florence Peake, Adelaide Cioni, Sam Williams and Megan Rooney.
Temitope also engages in movement direction (Old Vic and National Theatre) and for Artist Megan Rooney on her solo shows, at Kunsthalle Germany, Salzburg Kunstverein, Kettles Yard and the Lyon Biennale.
She continues to make her own work; My Name is my Own’ at The Southbank with director Jo Tyabji in collaboration with critically acclaimed writer Jay Bernard. And her solo work Lady M (at home with Lady Macbeth) was commissioned by The Place and premiered in 2023.
Temi is the co-founder of The Pastoral Care Offer, an initiative conceived of and developed with Grace Nicol since 2020. The project is an enhanced offer to support the well-being and needs of dancers both inside and outside of the work. The aim of the initiative is about all stakeholders (producers, curators, choreographers, dancers etc) taking equal and mutual responsibility for each other in negotiating a shared environment.
Footage includes
Extracts from Lady M (at home with Lady Macbeth) by Temi Ajose filmed and edited by Camilla Greenwell.
Footage from initial research of Seke Chimutengwende's new work The Last Quartet performed by Temi Ajose, Charlie Ashwell, Matthias Sperling and himself, with a live score by composer Jamie Mccarthy.