An international collaboration is aiming to change the future of inclusive dance. DanceSyndrome in the UK and Land Fes in Tokyo have built a partnership that puts dancers with learning disabilities at the centre of creative decision making.
How it began
In September 2023, DanceSyndrome welcomed a volunteer, Ayuko Hara, to their Weekly Company Class in Preston. Ayuko was inspired by what she saw and told a colleague in Japan, Dai Matsuoka, who programmes the Tokyo Accessible Dance Festival for Land Fes. That conversation led to an invitation for DanceSyndrome to visit Tokyo and share its approach to inclusive co-production.
Visit to Tokyo
In November 2024 four members of the DanceSyndrome team travelled to Tokyo for a ten-day visit. They delivered an adapted version of the Dance Leadership programme and worked with groups that included both disabled and non-disabled participants. Many people who took part described the sessions as energising and empowering.
Dai was inspired by DanceSyndrome’s commitment to co-production, giving people with learning disabilities equal voices and how this process produced richer choreography and stronger communities. He said “Our collaboration began from a shared belief that dance can be more inclusive, empowering, and open to everyone. We immediately saw the potential to bring this innovative and human-centred approach to Japan. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. People describe the sessions as joyful, eye-opening, and transformative. I truly believe that this partnership will influence the wider Arts community in Japan, raising awareness about inclusive dance and showing that diversity can be a powerful source of creativity. We are eager to continue building on this collaboration.”
Progress in 2025
The partnership continued to grow in 2025. DanceSyndrome Dance Leader, John Burrow and Dance Development Lead, David Darcy joined a series of new inclusive dance workshops being co-delivered in Tokyo (via Zoom) and provided valuable feedback to leaders who were facilitating these. Everyone involved was excited by the way this online collaboration turned into a genuine two-way dialogue between equal partners.
iCreate and the 2026 exchange
In 2026, the Land Fes and DanceSyndrome partnership will continue- This time as part of DanceSyndrome’s iCreate choreography development programme. iCreate gives dancers with learning disabilities time, space and artistic support to create original work and present it on professional stages alongside other emerging artists. The three-year project supports all stages of creation, from early concept through to performance, including mentoring in lighting, music, staging and performing.
In January 2026, a DanceSyndrome team including Managing Director Julie Nicholson, Dance Development Lead David Darcy, Dance Leader and iCreate choreographer David Corr and Leadership and Inclusion Facilitator Eve Emsley will travel to Tokyo to run an iCreate choreography residency with Japanese participants. The residency will be documented as part of the long-term development of the programme.
In late February, Dai and a small group from Land Fes will come to the UK for ten days joining some of DanceSyndrome’s Community sessions alongside observing the practical elements of the Artist Development Programme. As part of the visit, Dai will lead a five-day iCreate choreography residency with DanceSyndrome performers, which will then be showcased at The Lowry on Thursday 19th November 2026 as part of the next major iCreate production. DanceSyndrome also plans to host a national learning and sharing day with other inclusive dance organisations to extend the impact of this international partnership to the wider dance sector.
These visits are supported by several Japanese organisations – Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Kiss Port Foundation in Minato City, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, and DanceSyndrome have been able to commission Dai as a Choreographer through Arts Council England funding.
Why the partnership matters
This collaboration quietly shifts expectations about who can be a choreographer, who can lead and shapes the future of dance. The project helps dancers move from participation to leadership and from leadership to professional choreography. It positions disabled artists at the centre of the creative conversation, and it opens space for new styles, voices and relationships, showing that inclusive practice is a credible and artistically ambitious way of making work.
Dai added, “We see opportunities for deeper cultural exchange, connecting artists, educators, and organisations in both the UK and Japan to learn from each other. Our hope is that this partnership will not only enrich our two countries but also contribute to a global movement for inclusion and empowerment through the arts. On behalf of Land Fes, I want to express my deepest gratitude to DanceSyndrome for your vision, leadership, and friendship. This partnership has already made such a difference, and I’m so excited about the many possibilities ahead.”
Julie Nicholson, DanceSyndrome Managing Director, said “Working with Land Fes has been a reminder of how much we can learn from one another when we make space for different ways of leading and creating. Seeing Japanese dancers respond to the idea of co-production has been inspiring. This exchange is not just about sharing a methodology. It is about recognising the dignity, creativity and authority of disabled artists. We are excited to keep growing this work together and to bring the results to audiences at The Lowry later in 2026.”
If you would like to know more about this partnership or find out how your organisation can get involved, please email events@dancesyndrome.co.uk. If you would like to find out more about the iCreate performance at The Lowry, please follow DanceSyndrome on Facebook, Linked In & Instagram.
Land Fes are grateful to have received funding from The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Kiss Port Foundation in Minato City, and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
