Dan Canham

Brighter Still. Bradford 2025. co director and choreographer 🫡 @bradford_2025 We did a hard thing. A really hard thing.
Easily the most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on — and I couldn’t be prouder. Hundreds upon hundreds of people pulling together to make magic happen in a park in Bingley.
10,000 people watching. Two nights. The dust hasn’t settled on it for me yet - it still seems so surreal. I spent over 2 years working on this show with the one and only Emily Lim as director. We dreamed this thing up from the very beginning. At every step the team @bradford_2025 trusted in us. I did things on this project I didn’t know I had in me and met challenges I didn’t know I was equal to. To have pulled it off is such sweet relief. Over 200 members of the cast - all of whom showed unbelievable amounts of commitment, heart, skill, courage and grit. Absolute warriors. These kind of projects are rare to the point of unique. To have experienced so much hope, and joy, in community, at this time in the world is everything. 🎥 Livestream (with cutaway interviews) via link in bio. team: @myddpharo on the design @thebrownhijabi on the words @Benjibower and @flamin_beatz on the music Madeleine O’Reilly @madzor associate director @maymcquade associate choreographer @Joshuapharo on the lights @Hannah__hend on the costumes @Petem sound design pro dancers: @imogenmaee , @francesca__costa , @tongxiaoyiii , @builtby_leni , @ellgussstar , @shoaibali_dance , @ainereyno , @jojomanii , @tricia.swirl.ed Naomi Parker Costume Supervisor Amber Medway: Assistant director BD2025 and Stage management team: Shanaz Gulzar, Jenny Harris, Laura Beddows, Kat Boon, Jessica Sweet, Jodie Noble, Eddie Bond, Rhiannon Hannon, Alfie Heffer, Beth Murrell, Rachael Abbey, Robyn Clogg, Becky Taylor, Hannah Blamire, Ben Pugh, Carrie English, and so many more incredible people across the board. Thank you! #bradford #bradford2025 #westyorkshire #yorkshire #solstice Footage from @Createdbystory

Public Record. The Fire Station, Sunderland. #NTPublicActs   I started work on this over 18 months ago in September 2023. Working as co-director and choreographer with the singular human being Emily Lim directing.   It has been a wild ride. And I could not be prouder of what everyone involved has made. Close to 100 performers, all performing in their power, supporting each other and letting themselves be seen. It’s been quite something, devising an original piece of contemporary performance with 100 people, but we did it. And I selfishly wish everyone close to me could see it because these ones don’t come along very often.   It feels like such vital work to me. The convening power, resources and skill of the @nationaltheatre has allowed us to create something rarely seen - a world class piece of theatre (IMHO) on a hyperlocal level. This is what the National does best.   Thank you Sunderland. You welcomed us so fully, said yes so many times. You have given me so much. My heart is full to bursting.   📷: @luke_waddington_ . . . . .   The team is a long list. It spills into the comments…   director: Emily Lim co-director and choreographer: ✌🏻 music: @rgtmillard words: @stewartwpringle   designer:  @hannah__hend lighting designer:  Nao Nagai sound designer:  @jeremy_bradfield associate director:  @luca_rutherford associate choreographer:  @alicia_meehan choir leader: @eleanormooneymusic A ridiculously strong core community company of 52 incredible humans. pro dancers: Rob Anderson - @justice_badtastecru , @rosiemacari , Michaela Wate   guest artists :  @djbykonz @dj._banko   Sophie Lisa Beresford, Stephen Bruce aka DJ Infinite, Barry Hyde, Dave Murray, live band: David Brewis & Peter Brewis of @fieldmusicmusic ,  @sarah_hayes__ , Ross Millard cameo groups: the one and only @dance_jam , @youngmusiciansproject , Partners: @nationaltheatre @sunderlandculture @firestationsun @sunderland_empire   Public Acts forever! #ntpublicacts

Lovely piece from the legendary Lyn Gardner in The Stage in honour of Public Record. Posted in full here for you all without an account. Wanna shout out all the teachers before graduating too because they’re not mentioned here and they taught me tonnes!

Delighted to say that two films I’ve made are getting a fenland premiere as part of @nnfest this month. 23rd May at March town hall. These films have grown from spending time in my beloved fenlands over the last few years, courtesy of a residency with @nnfest . Collaborating with young people and dancers to document this incredible landscape and the people in it, in heartfelt and poetic ways. Fenland Elegy - made with next level krump dancers @katie_boag and @ashgoosey . @benjibower / @terra_coda_collective with the music. Fenland skies with the backdrop. Four Portraits from an Edgeland - Young people, landscape, dance. Collaborating with @20twentyproductions , @pigdykemolly , @4thdimensiondance and @abbeycollege_ramsey . Drop by if you’re in the area. Link in bio

THIS SUMMER: PUBLIC WORKS RETURNS TO THE DELACORTE This September, Public Works returns to Central Park with PUBLIC RECORD, a North American premiere. Originally commissioned and produced by the National Theatre, New Yorkers from all five boroughs come together to create a live album, on stage, in real time, capturing how our city sings, moves, and tells its story in this moment. Based on a concept by Dan Canham and Emily Lim, and written by Lisa Sanaye Dring with music by Michael Thurber, direction by Emily Lim, and co-direction and choreography by Dan Canham, PUBLIC RECORD brings a cast of over 100 community members, musicians, and dancers together in an electrifying act of collective hope, joy, and resistance. The album will be preserved by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, a lasting reminder that the true record of a city isn’t just its headlines, but the sound of neighbors standing side by side. Learn more: thepublic.nyc/PublicRecord

A couple of months on from Brighter Still - the closing event for @bradford_2025 Here’s a little nugget of how one of the dances started and where it got to. @Benjibower and @flamin_beatz on the music

A massive shout out to all of the incredible performers who made up the cast of Brighter Still @bradford_2025 So many they spill into the comments. Absolute warriors all. Standing out during tech in the rain, in winter, in Myrtle Park in Bingley. Showing up. Working their tails off. Watching the videos, practicing the moves and the lines. Smashing it in front of 5000 people. SALUTE🫡. Tonight we are the centre it all. 📸 James Glossop, Karol Wyzynski, Andrew Benge, & PA Professional Dancers Áine Reynolds, Eleni Green, Elliot Augustine, Francesca Costa, Imo Wright, Joachim “Jojo” Keke, Shoaib Ali, Tong Xioyi, Tricia Arthur-Stubbs Community Cast Aaira Zaahid, Aaliyah Bano, Aaron Collier, Alex Dobson, Alex Lacey, Alfie Blackburn, Aliraza Ismail, Alison Colborne, Alyssa Hareer Qasim ,Amaya’Rae Morgan, Anaya Zaahid, Anisa Afsar, Anne Bateson, Anne Mackay, Anoopa Waththuhewa, Brigitte Davidson, Chandni Soren, Charlotte Heald, Claire Sugden, Dariya Arif, Dave Forrest, Deana Morgan, Emmanuel Ndubuisi, Esme Yeomans, Evelyn Shah, Fatema Valiji, Francesca Hindmarch, Gavin Wood, Georgina Brooks, Hammad Aftab, Helen Davies, Honey Stansfield, Huma Javed, Ibrahim Towasin, Imaani Urfan, Isa Jahangir, Isabella Leggieri, Jacob Gill, Jane Howson, Janet Healey, Jenni Brooks, Jillian Griffiths, Jo Mullaney, Jonny Buck, Julia Huerter, Julie Pope-Carter, Kenzie Caines-McKie, Kim Booth, Kudrat Urfan, Layla Pettinger, Linette Ackroyd, Louise Hodgson, Margaret Naylor, Maria Balaz, Maria Edwards, Melanie Braithwaite, Melba Walker, Meraal Zaahid, Merle Brooks Wood, Mohammed Saeed, Molly Kenyon, Molly Wainwright, MusT, Owen Bolton, Paul Bell, Penny Green, Phil Bruce, Qazi Sheraz Uddin, Rabab Anis, Rachel Abbott, Rachel Amner, Rachel Lackey, Robbie Martin, Rumaisha Tariq, Sam Brooks, Samantha Lee, Sara Wainwright, Sarah Manning, Shifa Umar, Shiza Ahmed, Sophia Makower, Soumik Roy-Chowdhury, Stanley Holroyd, Stephanie Laycock, Su Mitchell, Tamara Hemsley, Tammy Tsang, Vanessa Maria Nkechi Ndukuba, Victoria Simmons, Xenia Tsourapa

2025 So it’s been a year. I know these kind of posts can feed the performative nature of this platform and how shiny things can seem when it’s always more complex. But I also have some things to celebrate. And I’m so thankful for so many wonderful experiences this year. I’ve not had a year like it. Pick an adjective and it would likely apply to some point. I’m so incredibly grateful for my partner Laura, for incredible friends, collaborators, colleagues and so many inspiring people I’ve met along the way this year. I’ve done things I didn’t know I could do. Sometimes it has felt like the brighter the light the deeper the shadow. And it burned bright… Here we are. This was some of 2025. Descriptions: 1 - Workinonit 2 - there she is 3 - Public Record 4 - team 5 - did some filming. Thank you Cat Boot for this one! 6 - just touched down in NY 7 - New York, New York 8 - rear window 9 - Lo 10 - safe place 11 - Kaleider filming in Terschelling 12 - SO many trains this year. 13 - tech 14 - primo collabo Emily Lim 15 - Brighter Still 16 - hatter 17 - archetype

It might be a humblebrag - or just plain brag - but I’ve waited 30 odd years for my TV debut ever since I got cut from an episode of Silent Witness as an aspiring child actor. And finally that duck is broken with a 2 second cameo on The One Show. It’s in honour of perhaps the biggest and most ambitious thing I’ve ever been involved with. Brighter Still is the closing event for the 2025 UK City of Culture in Bradford. It’ll feature 200 performers for an audience of 5000. Outdoors, winter, fire, an incredible company, bikers, choirs, freestyle disco legends. I have the pleasure of working on it as co-director and choreographer. We tech and have 2 shows this week and then it’s done after 2 years + working on it. Full segment on Iplayer. One Show Monday 15th Dec. Starts at 18.35. It’s my great honour to work alongside Emily Lim as director and a crack team of heroes including but not limited to: @myddpharo on the design @thebrownhijabi on the words @Benjibower and @flamin_beatz on the music Madeleine O’Reilly @madzor associate director @maymcquade associate choreographer @Joshuapharo on the lights @Hannah__hend on the costumes @Petem sound design Kat Boon, Jessica Sweet, Jodie Noble, Eddie Bond and a stacked roster of champions from the team at Bradford City of Culture.

Beyond proud to announce that your boy is co-directing and choreographing this beauty. Brighter Still is the closing event for Bradford City of Culture. Sunset, winter solstice, 200+ performers and 5000 in the audience. Over two nights only. Been working on this one for 2 years on and off and I can finally announce it. Its my honour to work alongside the one and only Emily Lim as director and a crack team of heroes including but not limited to: @myddpharo on the design @thebrownhijabi on the words @Benjibower and @flamin_beatz on the music Madeleine O’Reilly associate director @maymcquade associate choreographer @Joshuapharo on the lights @Hannah__hend on the costumes @Petem sound design Kat Boon, Jessica Sweet, Jodie Noble and a stacked roster of champions from the team at Bradford City of Culture. 📷 - @luke_waddington_

📲 flip your phone! POWER film by @dan_canham & the power project 💥💥 During the summer hols The Power Project worked with director, choreographer and film maker Dan Canham. Over 4 days they explored movement and film in the Ballroom at Fenton Town Hall, and at the Vaults Warehouse @capitalcentric ✨ Performers: Alex, Alisa, Dalton, Francisca, Izzy, Liv, Louie, Meg, Nina, Poppy, Rohan, Sebastian, Viktoriia. Direction, Choreography & Film by Dan Canham Music by Paul Rogerson (Restoke) Supported by Connor Elliman. Thanks @capitalcentric for the use of the Vaults Warehouse, such an epic space! #stokeontrent #restoke #staffordshire

10 years ago… …we opened Of Riders and Running Horses on an NCP car park rooftop in Bristol as part of @mayfestbristol Produced by @maykithappen , this project holds such a special place in my heart. I can still feel in my body what it felt like to open that show and spend so many amazing nights thereafter watching this absolute dream team do their thing. I have memories of sunsets from up high, sweaty dancing, bass that shook the nearby buildings, helicopters and planes and gulls passing close overhead, rocking the Southbank outside the National, lugging camping stools in and out of the van. After this moment here, we went on to tour this beauty across car park rooftops and town squares all over the world for two summers, ending our journey in Shanghai. It was a transformative project for me, building the blueprint for so much of what was to come down the line. Thank you wonder team. Directed by ✌🏻 Associate direction @laura_dannequin Created by the company. Dancers: Anna Kaszuba, @robiamilliner , @odilia_e , Tanya Richam-Odoi, @tilly_webber , @stephlmcm @isabellecressy , Live music by @typesun and Sam Halmarack. Production Manager 2016: Ethan Hudson 2015 and BDE: Greg Mickelborough Costume: Bianca Ward Produced by @maykithappen 📸 @blikmo