Scottish Dance Theatre have appointed the internationally renowned choreographer Joan Clevillé as Artistic Director. The move sees Clevillé rejoin the company after several years away.

Clevillé’s history with Scottish Dance Theatre dates back to 2009 when he joined as a dancer. His first piece as a choreographer for the company was Dreamt for Light Years in 2011. He then founded Joan Clevillé Dance (JCD) in 2015 and has toured work extensively, as well as featuring in the Made in Scotland Showcase, British Council Showcase and British Dance Edition. Since summer 2014, he has been Associate Artist of Scottish School of Contemporary Dance, and was one of Glasgow Tramway’s 2017 Associate Artists.

The appointment completes Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre’s new leadership team. Clevillé joins Andrew Panton (Artistic Director Dundee Rep and Joint CEO Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre) and Liam Sinclair (Executive Director and Joint CEO, Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre). The combined team aim to cement Dundee’s status as a world class creative hub for innovative, cross-artform work.

“It is an immense joy and an honour to have been appointed Artistic Director of Scottish Dance Theatre, the company that brought me to Scotland from Barcelona ten years ago,” said Clevillé of his appointment. “Back then, SDT offered me the opportunity to find my own voice as a dancer and choreographer, and Dundee became both a new home and a springboard from where to launch my own independent company, Joan Clevillé Dance, in 2015.”

“As a Catalan choreographer, I have always felt incredibly welcomed and supported in Scotland, and I am now thrilled by the prospect of leading its national dance company. I look forward to developing an ambitious and inclusive artistic vision driven by artistic exploration, learning and a desire to engage with our contemporary reality. Working from our home at Dundee Rep, we will continue to create world-class dance that is engaging and engaged, sharing Scotland’s distinctive creative voice with audiences around the world.”

SDT is currently touring the UK with Velvet Petal by Fleur Darkin with dates at the Traverse, Edinburgh (Sat 23 Mar) and Dundee Rep (Fri 12 & Sat 13 Apr). In summer, the company will premiere a new work The Circle by Emanuel Gat alongside Colette Sadler’s RITUALIA, before returning to the Fringe in August.