House of Jazz 'Community Cabaret': Where Performers Gain a Platform to Explore

In today’s dance world, technical excellence is not enough: artists are expected to push themselves creatively and cultivate multiple skills. House of Jazz’s Community Cabaret, held on Sunday, September 21st, gave young performers a platform to do just that.

House of Jazz is a resource for professional dancers, keeping dancers sharp, adaptable, and ready for the demands of the industry: essentially a hub of some of the best dance talent in London. Community Cabaret is one of many events they hold to allow their artists to grow and develop. Many of the artists used the cabaret to explore new disciplines: choreographing, songwriting, or experimenting with interdisciplinary forms.

The program featured nine works, spanning short contemporary solos, comedic yet emotional songs, and a Broadway-inspired jazz number. While some ideas felt more fully realised than others, the collective sense of risk-taking gave the evening its energy. I particularly enjoyed Lauren O’Sullivan’s mix of spoken word poetry and dance, and Chris Vasileiadi’s creative use of their double-jointed limbs. However, the highlight of the show was the piece Tanah Airku: The Last 24 Hours, choreographed and performed by Lindya Wijaya and Tobias Richards. 

Lindya Wijaya and Tobias Richards in Tanah Airku: The Last 24 Hours. Photo credit: Sia Meyer

Captivating from start to finish, the choreography balanced clarity and restraint: the music supported rather than overwhelmed, and the mood was both playful and nostalgic. While seemingly simple, these are all difficult things to achieve for young choreographers, who will often get caught up in their vision of the piece without taking their audience into account.

It is rare to see choreographers choose to follow a narrative in the current dance world, where abstract works often get more praise (as seen with LARSEN C, which won last year’s Rose Prize). However, Tanah Airku shows that storytelling is still relevant and can be incredibly impactful. Wijaya later explained: ‘The piece is my love letter to Indonesia, created at a time when my homeland is facing turmoil and grief, while I watch from afar in London with both distance and longing. Inspired by the film and song Laskar Pelangi (The Rainbow Troops), it holds two truths at once: sorrow for what is happening, and gratitude for the beauty, pride, and hope that continue to endure.’

Lindya Wijaya and Tobias Richards in Tanah Airku: The Last 24 Hours. Photo credit: Jasmine Amanda

Richards and Wijaya’s dancing styles were perfectly cohesive in this dance. Notably, the lifts that they choreographed looked effortless and playful, showing their understanding of the dance vocabulary and of each other. ‘I’ve always looked up to how Tobias moves as an artist, so working on this with him was incredible. I got to see the thought process behind the surface. He has performed in major productions at the Royal Opera House, including Turandot and The Tales of Hoffmann, and with leading jazz companies such as House of Jazz and BOP Jazz. Above all, choreographing and dancing together brought us closer as artists.’

House of Jazz’s Community Cabaret was a reminder of how vital it is to create spaces where artists can experiment freely. In a dance world that can often feel polished to perfection, evenings like this allow performers to take risks, stumble, and discover new sides of themselves. With Tanah Airku: The Last 24 Hours, Lindya Wijaya and Tobias Richards showed that narrative still has power, and that personal stories can resonate far beyond the individual. If this cabaret is any indication, the next generation of dance makers is prepared to lead with vulnerability, collaboration, and imagination.