“My classes move intuitively between order and disorder, exploring simplicity and complexity. I approach the teaching of performance as a sequencing of transitions between these states in order to develop strength, flexibility and coordination. I believe this can apply to the physical body, the intellectual body, the emotional body and beyond.”

Career History

Phil Sanger is an established dance artist born and working in Yorkshire. He began training in somatic and movement disciplines at the age of 8, initially as  student of Martial Arts and later moving into dance and performance studies. Phil has made and performed transdisciplinary art since 2003 working as an independent artist and also within the dance collective Sardoville. His work has been supported and commissioned by, among other; Arts Council England, Royal Opera House, The Lowry, Dance East, Price Waterhouse Cooper, Yorkshire Dance, Cohan Collective, Leeds Inspired, Dancebase Edinburgh and Metal Culture Peterborough. Most recently Phil was mentored by Wendy Houstoun on a solo project that has toured the UK including a 21 date run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with 5-star reviews.

Between 2007 and 2017 Phil worked within numerous touring dance companies including Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Vincent Dance Theatre, Slanjayvah Danza, Yorke Dance Project and Denada Dance Theatre. He has also worked extensively as a freelance and guest artist in both theatre and digital media projects including performances and choreography assistance for productions with the BBC.

As a teacher Phil has worked within many UK institutions including, Leeds Beckett University, The Place and Yorkshire Dance, he has also lead many international workshops in throughout Europe, Asia and the USA. In 2015 the Dancers Career Development sponsored Phil to pursue additional training with the Coaches Training Institute through which he became a certified Life Coach and a specialist in personal and professional development. This period of study expanded the remit of his dance practice underpinning the work he does as a dance lecturer, project facilitator and researcher.

Professional Activity

Original dance creations / re-stagings for theatre with:
Fin Walker, Kim Brandstrup, Hofesh Schecter, Shobana Jeyasingh, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Douglas Thorpe, Sharon Watson, Aletta Collins, Isira Makuloluwe, Warren Adams, Richard Wherlock, Henri Oguike, Ana Lujan Sanchez, Charlotte Vincent, Richard Alston, Ivgi & Greben, Rui Horta, Yolande Yorke, Carlos Pons Guerra, Luca Silvestrini, Philip Taylor, Robert Cohen, Sir Kenneth McMillan, Robert North.

Original creations for film/television with:
Colin Teague (BBC), Toby Haynes (BBC), Kit Monkton, Aurora Fearnley, Jen Wren.

Rehearsal Direction:

2019, 6 feet. 3 shoes, Slanjayvah Danza

2019, Superheroes, Antonia Grove

2018, Never Did Run Smooth, Wayne Parsons

2018, 10 things I hate about Dick, Hetain Patel

2017, Bread and Circuses, Jos Baker

2017, Colony, Charlie Morrissey

2014, Refined, Phoenix Dance Theatre; Choreographers; Richard Alston, Sharon Watson, Henri Oguike

Current Research:

2019; Always go too far; Interdisciplinary practice with Kate Genever and Georgia Cooper. Investigating overlaps between Dance, Art, Psychotherapy and Life Coaching. Supported by NSCD and Metal Culture, Peterborough.

2018, Moving Man, pedagogical research investigating the interchangeability of Life Coaching and Dramaturgy within dance and performance.

2018, Gender Moves; collaborative research with Yorkshire Dance and Fernanda Prata, investigating the position of gender in the current ecology.

2017, For Only An Hour, research into Queer art, LGBTQ+ visibility and integrative fields of performance, with Donna McKevitt, Andrew Walker and Wendy Houstoun.

Key Publications, Papers and Conferences

Sanger, P (Author) 2013, Dance is my River. May 2013, Dancing Times

Choreographic Artefacts

Sanger, P (chor.) (2017-19) For Only An Hour. Dance Theatre performance. UK tour

Sanger, P (chor) (2018) The Great Unwashed. Dance Performance. NSCD, Riley Theatre, Leeds

Sanger, P (chor) (2018) Forces. Dance Performance. NSCD, Riley Theatre, Leeds

Sanger, P (chor.) (2017) A Matter of Impression. Dance performance, Barnsley Civic. Kings Lynn, The Corn Exchange. March 2017, The  Lowry, Manchester. April 2017, The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds.

Sanger, P (chor.) (2016) Something Ordinary. Live art performance. December 2016 and December 2017, Seven Arts Centre, Leeds

Sanger, P (chor.) (2014) The Dancing Plague. Dance performance, January 2015, The Robin Howard Theatre, The Place, London

Sanger, P (dir.) (2013) Work for Idle Hands. Devised theatre performance. Feb 2013, Vantage Art Prize, Leeds

Sanger, P (dir. chor.) (2012) Mandala. Devised dance theatre performance, November 2012, The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds

Sanger. P (chor.) (2012) Beyond the Parasol. Dance performance and dance platform. July 2012, NSCD, Riley Theatre, Leeds