This autumn we were absolutely thrilled to see the beautiful outdoor work MESH, by Vanessa Grasse complete a two week tour in South Korea.

When Vanessa very first shared the beginnings of MESH in a studio here at Yorkshire Dance and said she wanted to tour with ten people I (Wieke) cautioned her against this because of the cost. The fact that she has done so successfully isn’t only testament to her immense determination and hard work but also to the artistic quality of the work, clearly recognised by promoters as well as the public.

Vanessa Grasse’s MESH was originally supported by Yorkshire Dance (specifically by Tanya Steinhauser) as a Dance Partner project before it featured in the Great Exhibition of the North, Leeds Light Night, Hull Freedom Festival and the UK National Dance Showcase in Bournemouth[1] (supported by Kirsty Redhead). The international interest was created at Hull which attracts many international presenters. The tour in South Korea was managed by Kirsty and Vanessa independent of Yorkshire Dance:

“It was a real privilege to be given the opportunity to take such a significant piece of work as MESH on tour to South Korea and see how work is presented there.  Witnessing the Korean public interact with MESH was one of the highlights of my career. MESH connects people in a shared experience that can have a lasting impact, regardless of their culture or what country they are from.”  Kirsty Redhead

It is genuinely exciting to witness the impact of such a beautiful work and to see it grow way beyond the framework of our offer at Yorkshire Dance. We feel very lucky to work with such a talented artist. For an independent artist working in the North to have international success like this is testament to the relevance and impact of her work.

Click here to find out more about MESH

[1] Supported through Leeds Dance Partnership