About us
Dance Umbrella is London’s annual international dance festival, 48 years in the making and always moving with the times.
Every year, the festival ignites the city with bold work from artists who reflect the diversity of our global city and bring world-class creations to London for the first time. Reaching audiences across the four corners of London, Dance Umbrella festival is committed to making dance accessible to the whole city and beyond.
Dance Umbrella is a commissioner of new work, co-producing with partners in the UK and internationally to invest in the next wave of choreographic talent. Alongside the annual festival, the organisation offers audiences the chance to experience a flavour of the work happening in our global city online through a curated programme of dance films, contextual insights and artist encounters.
Supported by Arts Council England and the British Council, Dance Umbrella is leading Diversifying Curatorial Stewardship (DCS), a landmark sector initiative driving structural change by building new pathways for diverse curatorial leadership, challenging inherited power structures, and developing the next generation of curators through residencies, fellowships and international advocacy.
Dance Umbrella is led by two visionary leaders whose complementary expertise drives the organisation’s ambition: Artistic Director & Co-CEO Freddie Opoku-Addaie brings a bold creative vision that centres emerging and diverse artists and reflects the global identity of London, while Executive Director & Co-CEO Tania Wilmer provides the strategic and organisational leadership that enables the festival and its wider work to thrive.
Behind the festival is a passionate team of staff and freelancers with extensive expertise in presenting and producing dance nationally and internationally, and the agility to work with the full breadth of artists Dance Umbrella champions.
Dance Umbrella Festival 2026 returns this October, across London and online.