Who could forget Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake or that Dirty Dancing lift? These moments remind us how dance can land instantly, emotionally, and without explanation.
Across two decades, Latitude has played host to contemporary dance moments that have stayed with us long after – performances that became shared memories and defining images of the festival. This category honours the choreographers who have made an incredible contribution to the dance canon, whether that’s an iconic production, extraordinary storytelling or a new movement language.
OUR PANEL SHORTLIST:
Wayne McGregor
Sir Wayne McGregor has made his mark through a curiosity for what the body can do, and what choreography can become. From founding Random Dance to reimagining classical language as Resident Choreographer at The Royal Ballet, his work has consistently pushed dance forward through collaborations across music, art, technology and science.
Across the last two decades, McGregor’s career has unfolded at the intersection of choreography, science and technology. His collaborations with composers, visual artists, architects and neuroscientists have reframed dance as a research-driven practice as much as an expressive one.
Hofesh Shechter
Hofesh Shechter is known for his movement language that hits with both urgency and intimacy. Pairing raw, grounded physicality with his own percussive scores, his work has built a signature world that is instantly recognisable. From early breakthrough works like Political Mother and Uprising to later pieces such as Grand Finale, Shechter has created choreography that feels communal, emotionally charged and deeply reflective of the world around it.
Oona Doherty
Oona Doherty’s choreography arrives with the force of lived experience. Drawing directly from close observation, she creates movement rooted in everyday life and places it under the spotlight without softening its edges. Doherty represents a shift in whose stories contemporary dance can hold. Her work resonates beyond traditional dance audiences because the emotions are immediately recognisable, even when the form is unfamiliar. By challenging ideas of polish, beauty and technique, she has helped transform contemporary choreography into a space for urgent, deeply human stories.
For twenty years, Latitude has made space for dance that surprises, moves, and stays with us long after the music fades. This shortlist honours three choreographers who, in different ways, have expanded what dance can say: through invention, through rhythm, through honesty, and through storytelling.
Cast your vote for the choreographer who, in your eyes, has defined the last 20 years. We will endeavour to reveal the winner on 20th January.
We look forward to receiving your vote and hearing your conversation on the Most Important Choreographer over the last 20 years.
With love,
The Latitude Festival Team
