Turn


New North West dance.

Updated 28 March 2024

Turn is our annual platform for North West† dancers and dance-makers — an opportunity to engage with new dance in Greater Manchester each spring.

The eleventh edition, Turn 2024 took place at new home Company Chameleon Studios, and this time things were a little different as we used just the one studio to show eight short dance-works on Friday 22 March, 7.30pm.

Read 2024’s programme notes and look at images from the event — delve further with 2023’s programme and gallery of images.

Greater Manchester’s open call dance platform, Turn aims to be:
— a public micro-festival and open submission platform;
— an opportunity for artists to meet, show, and peer-review work;
— an artist networking event;
— a selection event for the Turn Prize commission (see below).

Turn 2024 Call for Proposals has Closed

North West† dancers and dance-makers (aged 18+) were invited to submit proposals of: short finished pieces of work, extracts or excerpts of longer works, or works-in-progress, for inclusion in this annual event.

Proposal Deadline: Friday 2 February 2024, 5pm

We’re experimenting with the form of Turn in 2024, to include:
— one evening of public performances on Friday 22 March
    (and we considered a potential second evening on Friday 15 March);
— followed by an artist day on Saturday 23 March from 2pm,
    incorporating a workshop or masterclasses, and feedback sessions.

North West England consists of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside; it does NOT include Yorkshire or Derbyshire.

Turn 2024 presented by Word of Warning + Company Chameleon; produced by hÅb; supported by Company Chameleon, Dance Consortia North West, Project Auske, and using public funding by Arts Council England.

Enquiries: turn@habmcr.org · TurnMcr.org · #TurnMcr

Turn Prize Returns in 2024

We are delighted to announce (29 January 2024) that a commission of £4,000 will be available to one artist/company, selected from Turn 2024 by a panel representing hÅb, Company Chameleon, Project Auske, Dance Consortia NW.
The Turn Prize will be for new work, or development of work currently at R&D stage, by North West-based dance-maker(s) where the panel recognises clear potential for onward development and distribution.

2024’s Turn Prize supported by Dance Consortia North West using public funding from Arts Council England, and by Company Chameleon and hÅb.

Past Editions

First held at greenroom in spring 2009, Turn moved to Contact in 2012.
The ninth edition trialled a new format, with a dozen short dance-works shown on 28 April 2017, followed by a day of professional development.
After a 6-year hiatus it returned to Contact on 10 March 2023 for a tenth edition with nine short dance-works, followed by an artist day.

Image: Lizzy Owen at Turn 2023 by Tamsin Drury.