Welcome to Joseph Sturdy
Joseph Sturdy is a choreographer creating contemporary dance works. The choreographic process has progressively given rise to a vocabulary that is both physically and technically demanding whilst thought provoking.
The dance language is rooted in Joseph Sturdys classical and modern background and strives to communicate ideas with a human theme .
He works with his own Swedish based company Focus Dance founded in 1997 in the city of Uppsala.As well as creating as a freelance guest choreographer internationally.
Othe activities include working as a guest teacher with all the major Dance institutions in Skandinavia and Participation in Various Juries.In 2003 and 2014 he was awarded the Dance Prize by the city of Uppsala for his achievments in dance.
Earlier work
- Truly Madly 2022 Focus Dance
- My Lake 2021 Focus Dance
- SONATRA 2021 Royal Swedish Ballet
- Broken Skin 2020 Focus Dance
- Disturbance 1 2019 - Focus Dance
- Disturbance 2 2019 - Focus Dance
- Ophelia Complex: 2019 - Created for the Royal Swedish Ballet School
- Lachrimae: 2019 - Created for the Royal Swedish Ballet School
- Shakespeare's Macbeth: 2018
- Petrushka: 2018
- BABEL: 2016 Focus Dance
- Migration: 2015 - Created for the Royal Swedish Ballet School
- The Metamorphosis/Förvandlingen 2015 - in corporation with Dans i Nord & Focus Dance
- Ingenmansland 2014 - to mark the centenary of the outbreak of world war one: in cooperation with Dans i Nord and Focus Dance
- Myriad minded, Shakespeare: 2014, in cooaperation with Focus Dance and Gottsunda Dans och Teater
- Virtues: 2014 Focus Dance and Dala Sinfoniettan
- 7/7: 2014 Norrdans
- The Bolero Project: 2013/in Cooperation with Dans I uppland
- Shakespear’s The Tempest: 2013
- Strindbergs’s Fadren 2012 Focus Dance Untitled Figures: 2012 Focus Dance
- Shifting Focus: 2012 Focus Dance celebrates 15 years
- The Greenhouse Dance Project ,introdans 2: 2012/in cooperation with Dans I Uppland
- The Greenhouse Dance Project, Introdans 1: 2011/in cooperation with Dans I Uppland
- Rough Cuts: 2011 Focus Dance
- Cuel Whispers: 2011 Focus Dance
- Hamlet: Full Length 2011 Chemnitz Opera Ballet
- Shakespeares King Lear: 2009 Focus Dance
- The Emperor’s new clothes: 2009 Focus Dance
- Tabula Rasa: 2008 Focus Dance ,in cooperation with Talia Paz and The Kibbutz orchestra Isreal
- The rite of spring Stravinsky: 2007 Focus Dance
- Linne´a man for all seasons: 2007 Focus Dance
- The uprooting: 2007 Royal Swedish Ballet school
- Mozarts Women: 2006 Focus Dance and Uppsala Kammarsolister
- Coma: 2005 FocusDance
- ”Quality time and all that”: 2004 Focus Dance
- Beethoven Opus 130: 2004 Focus Dance and Uppsala Kammarsolister
- Shakespeares Hamlet: Full-length 2003 Focusdance
- Shakespeares Othello: Full- length 2002 Focus Dance
- Suppose he’s innocent: 2002 Focusdance
- Vincent Van Gogh: 2000 :Full-length Focus Dance
- I afton Dans 2: 2001 Focus Dance
- I afton Dans 1: 2000 Focus Dance
- The Queen Kristina: 1998 -2000 Focus Dance
Media
- Maggie Foyer, The Metamorphosis, 2015Sturdys choreography is rich and inventive, much of it very physical but balanced with moments of well placed stillness.
- www.dansportalen.se"The amazing thing with "Ingenmansland" is that, between the marching and the killing, Joseph Sturdy's show manages to maintain a spirit of hope, cooperation and reconciliation throughout - even through moments of the blackest humour".
-"Each time I have seen Joseph Sturdy's choreography, the events have been linear and clear, and he renews this narrative style. In "Ingenmansland", I have a sense that all the participants are pushing themselves even further. The result is unbelievably gripping and engaging…. I urge everyone who can to devote 45 minutes of their lives in tribute to the victims and survivors of the war, and at the very least to appreciate how nine super-committed dancers can fuse together to form one body to convey something important."
-"You leave with a remarkable sense of human justice. A work of art cannot lay claim to a higher function than that."
- Anders Rosesund, Dala Tidningen DT, 2012“Esoterically fragile and physically playful” “Physical dance that is breathtaking in its playfulness”
- Sebastian Johans, UNT, 2012“Crackling collage - a super performance” “Incredibly tight performance” “Even with ‘Queen Kristina’, Joseph Sturdy shows he has completely mastered the expressive choreography” “Sturdy does very well at creating accessible, non-exclusive dance, without compromising anything and still putting on a show.” “With firm roots in ballet – yet treated at arm’s length and often mockingly – he includes modern dance as resistance” “He is also very good at using all the available stage space” “An incentive for its necessary continuation”
- Dan Linder, Vestmanlands Läns Tidning, 11 Oct 2011“Joseph Sturdy’s heated staging of the composer's creeping panic in a claustrophobic dance act.” “Ludwig – successful but unhappy”
- Reinhard Oldewerme, freirepresse.de, Nachrichten & Kultur, 2011“Scenic dance theatre in probably its most sublime form” “Explosive, uncompromising language, no exceptions and fascinatingly genuine” “Explosive language” “Genius concept” “gripping experience with unbelievable choreography”
- Reinhard Oldewerme, freirepresse.de, Nachrichten & Kultur, 2011“Scenic dance theatre in probably its most sublime form” “Explosive, uncompromising language, no exceptions and fascinatingly genuine” “Explosive language” “Genius concept” “gripping experience with unbelievable choreography”
- Boris Michael Grohl, tanznetz.de, Feb 2011”Powerful dance theatre that touches on the tragic and the comic”
- Anna Ångström, SvD, 2010“A heartfelt atmosphere gives meaning to the movements” “Beautiful duet; an interplay between clean lines and listening”
- Anna Ångström, SvD [Svenska Dagbladet], April 2009“Sturdy’s work gives hope” The Uprooting
- UNT, 2007, Bo-Ingvar KollbergChoreography which greatly emphasises the harmony and interplay between the dancers
- 4 Nov 2007, UNT [Uppsala Nya Tidning], Christina KarlstamMarie Larsson Sturdy is one of our city’s major cultural profiles
- Lena Andren, Nutida Dans, 2006“It is an appealing performance, with Sturdy allowing the six female leads to really shine.” “an incredibly harmonious performance, with a fine-tuned feel. Essentially, it is á la Mozart.”
- SSL, UNT, 2005“Captures the shattered genius” “Narrated using complex tortuous movements" “The choreography includes both coarse, irrational antics and movements as well as glimpses of dazzling, soft virtuosity" “Divinely gifted dancers with a moving sense of expression” “An intelligent nod to Nijinsky’s own scandalous choreography”
- Lena Andren, Nutida Dans, 2004“Unification of elegance and naivety”
- SSL, UNT, 2004“Biographical and emotionally expressive subject” “The language of the movement is perfectly matched to the music” “Meditative and lyrically mysterious” “Dances up the image of redeemer and spiritual gatherer with grace and sometimes almost acrobatic moves"
- Bo-Ingvar Kollberg, UNT, 2004“Sensual dance about the individual’s rights” “Convincing shape throughout” “A gripping portrait” “Imaginative rehearsal with the individual's right as the overall theme – the high point of the evening” “Satire on society” “A direct hit will be the political irony” “Anyone who wants to be reminded of what a huge asset JS and MLS are for Uppsala’s cultural heritage should not hesitate in going to see it”
- Bo-Ingvar Kollberg, UNT, 2003“give Joseph Sturdy his own stage!” “In Uppsala, Joseph Sturdy has mainly put on full evening performances with a focus on van Gogh, Othello, Hamlet, etc. He has allowed his public to experience what he himself calls ‘the power of dance’. He has also put Uppsala on the map in the dance world”
- SSL, Hedersmedalj [Medal of Honour], 2003“Considerable dedication has made the art of dance accessible in Uppsala” Also add that “she has turned the Rikssalen [Hall of State] in Uppsala castle into a living dance stage”
- SSL, UNT, 2003“A very high class of showmanship”
- Lena Andren, Nutida Dans, Hamlet, 2003“Creates a fascinating solo” “So much more to be said about this interpretation of Hamlet, which needs to be seen by so many more people!”
- Maggie Foyer, Dance Europé, 2003, Hamlet"It was an astutely intelligent production that successfully got under the skin of the text"
- Lena Andren, Nutida Dans, 2003“Impressive production of Hamlet” “Balanced interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s most complex plays” “Artful, clever scenic solutions” “Together, the dancers and the choreography bring to life multi-dimensional and believable individuals trapped in a deathly spiral” “The consistent characterisation of the characters gives the interpretation a strong inner logic”
- Bo-Ingvar Kollberg, UNT, 2003In Uppsala, Joseph Sturdy has mainly put on full evening performances with a focus on van Gogh, Othello, Hamlet, etc. He has allowed his public to experience what he himself calls ‘the power of dance’. He has also put Uppsala on the map in the dance world.
- Maggie Foyer, Dance Europé, 2003, HamletIt was an astutely intelligent production that successfully got under the skin of the text.
- Susanne Sigroth Lambe, 2002, UNT“A playfully portrayed tale" “A successful mixture of humour and grace” “Manages the story well” “Delicate, playful and fun”
- Susanne Sigroth Lambe, UNT, 2002“Extremely skilled dance group captures the delicate moods in Shakespeare’s work”
- Hanna Widegren, Arbetarbladet, 5 Oct 2001“Simultaneously comic and tragic – the conflicted relationship of an artist with his creation is superbly expressed through the language of dance.” Hanna Widegren, Arbetarbladet, 5 Oct 2001
- Susanne Sigroth Lambe, UNT, 2000“Successful portrait of van Gogh” “Easily-accessible and useful dance show” “Fascinating portrait of women”
- Bo-Ingvar Kollberg, 2000, UNT“Absolutely outstanding and thoroughly convincing”
- SSL, UNT, 1999“Strong dance expression” “Emotions and drama in a minimalist environment” “Charged with emotion expressed in perfect bodily movement” “Highly dramatic” “The movements have a dramatic clarity reminiscent of Birgit Cullberg’s dance language, just as many of her dances are easy to interpret and understand; sometimes directly humorous, even with serious subjects.” “You are sucked into the dance performance” “Self-expression fills the stage space with charged content” “A show that is well worth seeing – if you’re interested in dance, do not miss it”
- Ulla Godin, UNT, 1999An abstract artistic idiom which homogeneously combines with the music in a gripping and genuine combination; expressive and truly beautiful.
- SSL, UNT, 1999“Dance with comical and technical brilliance” “Comic entertainment with depth” “Both dancers are technically incredibly gifted, but also possess self-distance, humour and seriousness” “World-class dance that is both excitingly fun and beautiful” “Not a dull moment throughout” “The audience laughed out loud on several occasions” “A dance performance that is both accessible and complex at the same time” “do not miss this opportunity to see an excellent dance”
- Ulla Godin, UNT, 1999“Expressive movements through dance and music” “Expressive body language with major exclamation marks, eloquent” “An abstract artistic idiom which homogeneously combines with the music in a gripping and genuine combination; expressive and truly beautiful”
- Bo-Ingvar Kollberg, UNT, 1998“Very cohesive and with many ingenious touches – a performance with a perceptive musical score" “Psychological portrait of a woman out of step with the demands of her environment"
- Bo-Ingvar Kollberg, UNT, June 1998, 'Queen Kristina'“Thrilling dance artistry” “An exciting, clever and incredibly coherent performance”
- Christina Lundberg, UNT, June 1997“Brilliant world premiere” “Artistically genuine” “Hope there’ll be a sequel”
- Anders Bragsjö, UNT, 1996“Very expressive choreography”
- Tibor Fulep, Nerikes Allehanda, 1996“Grace and elegance”
- Erik Lindqvist, Ergo, 1996“Suggestive and sensual”
-”Experience powerful dance theatre”
- Våroffer [The Rite of Spring]Powerful evening of dance
-“Joseph Sturdy, choreographer and artistic manager of Focus Dance, gave Uppsala residents a powerful artistic experience.”
- Linne; A Man For All SeasonsJoseph Sturdy once again shows how phenomenal he is at telling stories through his choreography.
