Is Theatre Stealing Dance’s Moves? Panel discussion on the role of Movement Director UK Polly Bennett, Yukiko Masui, Shelley Maxwell

Join our distinguished panel of experts – Polly Bennett (Saltburn, Elvis, The Crown) Yukiko Masui (SAY, Romeo and Juliet, The Effect) and Shelley Maxwell (Get Up Stand Up, Shifters, Macbeth), for a discussion about the growing demand for the role of movement director in theatre.

Chaired by Shakespeare’s Globe CEO Stella Kanu, the panellists will delve into conversations around how movement direction differs from the role of choreographer, demystifying the process. We’ll talk about how movement direction has evolved in recent years and how it is more in demand than ever. We will also discuss how roles for movement directors have developed on film, television and commercial projects and what the future of choreography and movement direction might look like.

Credit Helen Murray

Polly Bennett is a movement choreographer and director. Her unique approach, fusing her extensive knowledge of dance and theatre with her insight into human behaviour and physical psychology, makes her one of the most sought-after creatives scaling the entertainment world. Between theatre to Academy Award-winning films, Polly creates physical worlds for theatre, dance, live performance, and screen.

Polly’s film credits include Saltburn; Bob Marley: One Love; I Wanna Dance with Somebody; Chevalier; Elvis; Bohemian Rhapsody and 007: No Time to Die.

Her television credits include Black Mirror, Kaos, Feud 2, The Crown and The Great.

Recent theatre credits include Patriots (Broadway, West End and Almeida), Cyrano de Bergerac (West End/BAM); People, Places and Things (National Theatre/West End/St Ann’s Warehouse); The Lehman Trilogy (National Theatre/West End/Broadway); Sweat (Donmar/West End).

Yukiko is a Tokyo born choreographer and movement director based in London, and a co-founder of SAY alongside Sarah Golding. Their choreography and movement direction credits include Romeo and Juliet at Duke of York’s Theatre directed by Jamie Lloyd, The Effect (National Theatre), National Dance Company Wales, BalletBoyz (R&D), Norrdans, The Place, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Trinity Laban and London Dance Studio.

She has worked as a performer with Art of Spectra (SE), Cathy Waller Company, Corey Baker Dance on Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, Norrdans, and commercial credits include The Marvels, Nike, Ministry of Sound and DJ Fresh.

Yuki has received a DanceXchange choreography award and the Akram Khan mentorship programme by Sky Arts. She is an associate artist at The Place and DanceEast as SAY.

Shelley Maxwell is a choreographer, movement director, and intimacy professional working across theatre, film and television. She was nominated for a whatsonstage.com award for her work on the musical Get Up Stand Up and in 2019 won the inaugural Black British Theatre Choreographer award for her work on Equus at Trafalgar Studios. Her current work slate includes Shifters at the Duke of York’s Theatre, Macbeth at the Harold Pinter Theatre and the ITV television series Joan which premieres this September. 

Credit Christa Holka

Stella Kanu is CEO at Shakespeare’s Globe, a renowned cultural venue on the River Thames. The Globe produces trailblazing productions and education programmes that engage Shakespeare with contemporary audiences. Previously, Stella was Executive Director at LIFT, where she presented international works like the 2019 Venice Biennale Golden Lion-winning Sun & Sea and Australia’s The Second Woman featuring Ruth Wilson. With 30 years in the cultural sector, she also founded The Pivotal Place, a leadership coaching practice.

Her previous roles include Executive Producer at Ovalhouse, where she oversaw its transition to the new Brixton House venue, and CEO of Soundwave Cumbria, a major music charity. Stella has held advisory positions with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Theatre and Arts Council England, among others. She is an Honorary Fellow at Rose Bruford College and was nominated as one of the 100 Black Women to Have Made a Mark in 2023, as well as being listed in The Stage 100 power list (2024) alongside Globe Artistic Director Michelle Terry.