S10 E15: Lewis Walker

Lewis Walker is a former world champion gymnast and now a dancer. We often talk about dance as a short career, one which embeds a very binary approach, and in which partnering is a question of intense trust – well, all this is even more true of gymnastics. Lewis discovered the sport at six, reached its peak – but also realised there was more to explore, more to express. Their side-shimmy into dance has led to collaborations in music, fashion and choreography. Their new work, Bornsick was co-commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery and travels to the Edinburgh Art Festival this summer.

Lewis Walker is a London-born queer, non-binary movement artist. A former Great Britain gymnast and Acrobatic Gymnastics World Champion, they trained from age 6 to 21 before earning a degree in Contemporary Dance. Their work spans theatre, film, fashion, music, and the commercial sector. Walker continues to choreograph gymnastics competition routines for the Great Britain, Italian and French national teams. Their creative vision and dynamic movement style have led to collaborations with Tim Walker, Yorgos Lanthimos, ANOHNI, Tirzah, BULLYACHE, Burberry, UNTITLAB, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).

Beyond performance, Walker is dedicated to teaching movement as a tool for accessing deeper states of consciousness and developing a deeper understanding of consensual touch. Their Connecting to Improv workshop explores dance improvisation as a ritual of shared energy and expression, while MOVE HYPNO, a collaboration with hypnotherapist Michele Occelli, blends movement and hypnotherapy for personal transformation.

Walker is currently a Studio Wayne McGregor RESIDENT 6 artist-in-residence.

Lewis Walker’s website https://www.lewiswalker.uk/

Why Dance Matters is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website.

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