CV | Orla Collier

Performance experience:

2025: ‘A World Without Death’ by Displace Yourself Theatre. A theatre piece including storytelling, live music, dance and aerial, set on the back of a HGV truck, and performed at various locations across Bradford as part of Bradford 2025.

‘Phobia’ a physical theatre piece by Wiebke Acton. Performed at Stage@Leeds.

‘Sometimes I hate going for walks in nice places that look nice’ self-choreographed solo performance piece, commissioned by The Knotted Project for Forge Festival at Windermere Jetty Museum, and taken on a rural tour to Fullofnoises in Barrow, Skipton Town Hall, and Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven as part of an evening of solo works. This piece has also been reworked and performed at Z-Arts in Manchester as part of Haphazard.
2024: ‘My Life with the Wave’, a sensory theatre performance for young people with disabilities, by Interplay Theatre, Steve Byrne. Toured around schools and theatres across the UK, including Leeds Playhouse, Arena Theatre Wolverhampton, Theatre Porto Ellesmere Port, Dorin Park School, Broomfield SILC, and Calthorpe Academy.
2022-2024: ‘Are you Local?’ self-choreographed physical theatre solo, commissioned by Great Place: Lakes and Dales, and The Dukes Theatre. Performed at Turn Festival at Contact theatre Manchester, Blast Fest at The Dukes Theatre Lancaster, Brewery Arts Kendal, Emergency Festival at Contact Theatre Manchester, 42 Degrees Festival Penrith, and at schools, dance groups and events in the Northwest, including The Lowry CAT Manchester. Most recently, it has been performed at The Place in Bradford.

2023: 'You're Here (Hooray!)' 90-minute durational duet, co-created with Magdalena Górnikiewicz. Performed at Z-Arts in Manchester as part of Haphazard.

Untitled improvised solo including dance and spoken word performed at Blue Elephant Theatre as part of 5OLOS, and The Horse Hospital as part of Gutter Sprung, in London.

'Gestures of Care' site specific outdoor piece by Daisy May Kemp and Joshua Bilton, performed at St Georges Hospital, London.

‘Lapwing’ site specific piece by Daisy May Kemp and Joshua Bilton, performed at Kettles Yard House, Cambridge.

2021: Verve NSCD company: ‘The Quiet Ones’ by Caroline Finn, ‘Private Little Films’ by Barnaby Booth, ‘Love to Destroy’ by Matthew Robinson, and ‘White Lies’ by Botis Seva performed at The Place London, The Riley Theatre Leeds, The Brewhouse Taunton, Arena Theatre Wolverhampton, Dance City Newcastle.

2020: 'Nocent Passage’ duet by Josh Freedman, performed at the Platform theatre CSM, London.

2019: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by Matthew Bourne, performed at the Lowry theatre Manchester, and the Marlowe theatre Canterbury.

‘Stream’ by Christopher Bruce, restaged and performed at the Royal Opera House, Linbury theatre, London.

‘Empty Portraits’ by Archie White, performed at Sadlers Wells, Lillian Bayliss theatre, London.

Research and development projects:

2024: 'A World Without Death' by Displace Yourself Theatre. Outdoor work including theatre, movement and aerial. Work-in-progress sharing performed in Bradford Centenary Square.
‘Passing Through’ by Displace Yourself Theatre with Creating Together community group at Stockton Arts Centre.
2023: ‘A World Without Death’ by Displace Yourself Theatre.

‘NAPALM’ by Kennedy Muntanga Dance Theatre.

2022: ‘Inner Circle’ by Displace Yourself Theatre.

2021: ‘Hefted’ by Daisy May Kemp.

Works not premiered due to Covid-19:

2020-2021: ‘Pleasures in Pertinent Pink’ by Katie Serridge as part of Gradlab project.
‘The Finale’ by Thick and Tight,‘Being human’ by Darren Ellis, ‘6+1’ by Anthony Taylor and ‘To us, with love x’ by Arielle Smith.

Choreographic and teaching experience:

2024: Creative lab sessions at Lancaster Pro class developing ideas from previous work 'You're Here (Hooray!)'.
2022-2024: Creative movement sessions taught on a freelance basis at Brewery Arts Kendal, Lancaster Pro Class, and Displace Yourself Theatre Bradford.

2022: ‘Are you Local?’ solo project included leading creative workshops for schools and dance groups in the Northwest, and collaborating with Musician, Molagon, and Filmmaker, Jack Harper, to create a film of the work, exhibited at Brewery Arts as part of the Nurturing Creativity X Folded Zine exhibition.

‘One Size Fits All’ and ‘Riveting River’ dance pieces created with Cartmel School and Selside Primary School, performed at the Brewery Arts Dance Platform.

2021: ‘The Zombie’ short film created via Zoom with Hampshire Youth Dance Company.

Education:

2020-2021: Northern School of Contemporary Dance: MA in Contemporary Dance Performance with Distinction.

2017-2020: Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance: First Class BA Honours Degree in Ballet and Contemporary Dance.

2015-2017: Kate Simmons Dance: Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education.