Audition: DeNada Seeks Dancers for Creation of Edward II
Photo: Elly Well
DeNada Dance Theatre (Choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra) seeks three professional dancers for the creation of its new full-length production: a queer dance adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s play, Edward II.
The Project
Edward II narrates the true story of the medieval King of England who fell in love with his male court favourite. We are reimagining Marlowe’s 1592 play as a queer high school fever dream: a gay king, the boy he loves, and the war that tears the playground apart.
Marlowe’s play is tragic, bloody, and painfully poetic. It raises questions about queerness in relation to power, ability, class, and race. Although written in the sixteenth century, Edward II surprisingly resonates with many of the issues the LGBTQIA+ community is facing today.
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for three professional dancers of all gender identities with:
· Excellent contemporary and good classical techniques.
· At least one year of professional experience.
· Strong stage presence and experience in physical character work.
· Articulate personality, physical theatricality, and a willingness to play and engage intellectually.
· We welcome other performance skills such as drag, circus, voguing, heels, and more.
· Experience in historical dances— baroque, character, regency, folk, ballroom, etc, a plus, but not necessary.
As the production aims to represent LGBTQ+ experience in secondary school (in the past and now), the process will involve engaging with young people (ages 12-16) as part of the creative research. Experience working with young people is ideal, but an openness to this context is essential.
Dates and Location:
You must be available for all of the following dates:
Rehearsals (Leeds, UK):
May 17th, 2026
W/C 18th May 2026
W/c 25th May 2026
*+ 2-3 additional rehearsal dates to be agreed with successful candidates, in May 2026.
Further Creation and Touring
Autumn 2026 (Dates TBC)
Fees
Following current Equity/ITC guidelines. Travel, accommodation and holiday pay included.
Dancers must be based in the UK and have the right to work in the UK.
Audition
Two workshop-auditions, by invitation only, will take place in:
Bradford: April 15, Bradford Arts Centre
Birmingham: April 16, FABRIC
To apply:
Please email:
· An updated CV with headshot
· A clear, current video of your dancing
· Preferred audition date and location
· Availability for rehearsal dates, and current availability for autumn 2026.
· A brief personal statement (max 300 words) introducing yourself, your interest in the project, plus any relevant experience. This could be sent in writing, video or audio formats.
Applications should be sent to audition@denada-dance.com
Deadline: April 13, 12 pm (GMT)
About DeNada Dance Theatre
DeNada Dance Theatre is an independent LGBTQ+ dance company fully committed to the promotion of diversity and inclusion of non-normative identities. Our purpose is to voice underrepresented narratives through high quality dance, performing work in a variety of contexts to offer visibility and representation to the LGBTQ+ community. Stemming from our Hispanic and Latinx heritage, the company also promotes transcultural relations and celebrates the cultural diversity of the audiences we perform for, and the artists we work with.
We fully believe in the transformative power of dance: its capacity to mobilise change, to heal and to cause reflection.
We seek to entertain through extravagant theatricality, kitschy physicality, and accessible narratives.
Based in the North of England, the company tours internationally to theatres, outdoor and unconventional spaces. Nominated as Best Independent Company by the UK Critic’s Circle, DeNada has taken a unique place in the UK dance sector as a company offering poignant, innovative and exciting work that places the underrepresented at the fore.