Biography 2013

Kate Flatt: Biography 2013

Notable career highlights include the creation of the original musical staging for the RSC's Les Miserables (1985) now at the Queens Theatre and worldwide. Her choreography for Turandot (1984) has been in 22 revivals and returns to the Royal Opera September 2013, screened live to 1000 cinemas worldwide. The Dancing Room (1995) co-devised with Sally Jacobs, explored the rituals of life in a contemporary setting was shown on BBC2, directed by Simon Broughton. Further highlights are Dr Faustus with David Lan at the Young Vic, Three Sisters and Dream Play with Katie Mitchell at the National Theatre and Fiddler on the Roof at Sheffield Crucible and Savoy Theatre. Her work on feature films includes choreography for Chaplin, Restoration, and The Avengers.

Trained at the Royal Ballet School, Kate began her career as assistant choreographer to Leonide Massine and then undertook further study at the London School of Contemporary Dance with Nina Fonaroff, Jane Dudley and Robert Cohan. She participated in the first International Summer School for Composers and Choreographers under the direction of Glen Tetley. Her career currently spans a wide field, nationally and internationally, and includes dance theatre works, film, opera and musicals. Kate was awarded a Rayne Fellowship in 2007; she is also a Churchill Fellow and a recipient of an RSA travel bursary to study traditional dances in Eastern Europe and Greece.

Opera choreography includes dances, staging and chorus movement. Collaborations have been with Phyllida Lloyd on Peter Grimes (2006) (South Bank Award) at Opera North, Gloriana (Emmy Award for DVD) and at ENO The Carmelites (2006), Verdi's Requiem (2000). Other opera work includes Carmen(2007)for English National Opera. Betrothal In a Monastery at Glyndebourne (2006) and Valencia (2008). William Tell, Viaggio a Rheims, Aida (also on DVD) and Turandot, for ROH 2013- 14 and revived for Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in 2009. Don Giovanni (2011) for Welsh National Opera. In France she created choreography in collaboration with Yannis Kokkos for Damnation de Faust, at the Chatelet and Boris Godounov at the Bastille.

Movement Direction for Theatre: Recent work includes Roots (2013) with James Macdonald at Donmar Warehouse; Kreutzer Sonata (2010) at the Gate Theatre with Natalie Abrahami. Pains of Youth (2009), Dream Play (2005), Power and Three Sisters (2003), Albert Speer (2000), Ends of the Earth (1996) all at National Theatre; 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1999) Dr. Faustus (2002) The Skin of Our Teeth (2004) with David Lan; Skellig (2004) at the Young Vic and Hamlet (2004) at the Old Vic with Trevor Nunn. Kate also worked on initial research for The Waves with Katie Mitchell as part of her NESTA fellowship. In South Korea, Kate has formed an association with the unique STT theatre company and their international festival in Miryang. In 2009-10 with director Yun-taek Lee, she created dances for Hamlet, Carnival sequence for Merchant of Venice at the Myeondong Theater, Seoul and led a creative workshop on a new production of Figaro's Wedding.

Kate Flatt Projects is the umbrella company for development and production of sole authored choreography in the UK, funded by Arts Council England.

Soul Play (2008-10), which explored the theme of suicide and the concept of soul in contemporary culture seen at Watford Palace Theatre, Colchester Mercury, the Place and Miryang Festival, South Korea. Soul Play and Beyond was an outreach project with hospices and bereavement counselors which accompanied the performances, funded by the Rayne Foundation.

Songs from a Hotel Bedroom (2010) a new music theatre work using the later repertoire of Kurt Weill was co--produced by Segue, co-commissioned by ROH2 with sell out performances at Linbury, with Watford Palace Theatre and Ipswich New Wolsey.

Ballroom of Joys and Sorrows (2012) a vibrant new dance theatre work that draws on traditional dance in a ritual context with community participation. Shown at Watford Palace transformed into a ballroom, at EFDSS and Greenwich Dance.

Teaching and Master classes: Kate currently teaches choreography at the Royal Ballet Upper School (where she also taught 1975-81 at the invitation of Dame Ninette de Valois). She also teaches movement work for the International Opera School at the RCM. She gives master classes on MA Movement Studies at Central School of Speech and Drama. She has led The Doorway Project, a series of professional development intensives between choreographers and directors. In April 2009 she led eXchanges, a workshop enabling young choreographers to engage with traditional English dance. In August 2009, she gave Master classes in choreography at the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul and taught workshops on the dances of Shakespeare's time for the STT in Miryang, South Korea. Kate taught MA Choreography at Middlesex University from 1997-2007. Mentoring: Kate has acted as mentor to a number of emerging choreographers on a range of funded projects: including: Laurel Swift (Morris Offspring at EFDSS), Kieran Sheehan (Digital Dance Associate Artist), Divya Kasturi (Escalator artist), Amir Giles (Highly Strung), Denise Horsley, Yael Lowenstein (Associate choreographer Ballroom of Joys and Sorrows), Katie Green (Matters of Life and Death), Katie Ryan (ENB and Opera Holland Park), Yu Yu Rau (Step Out Arts), Dane Hurst (Rambert Dance Company).