Dance Umbrella has announced the second event in its 2025 festival lineup: Change Tempo, a compelling double bill of UK premieres co-presented with the Barbican.
Taking place at The Pit, Barbican on 8 and 9 October, Change Tempo introduces London audiences to two bold international artists who challenge the boundaries of dance and storytelling.
In Siren Dance, Stockholm-based Australian artist and Cullberg dancer Lilian Steiner explores seduction, illusion and shifting truths. A siren beckons—her invitation laced with both desire and deception.
As the performance unfolds, it morphs and adapts, slipping between honesty and artifice. The result is a mesmerising exploration of power, transformation and the fine line between authenticity and disguise.
Spanish flamenco dancer and actor María del Mar Suárez/La Chachi presents Random Taranto, a raw and electric duet with singer Lola Delores. The piece begins with a quiet moment—two women eating sunflower seeds—before erupting into flamenco.
Stripped back to voice and movement, this take on the Taranto form pulses with improvisation, irreverence and unexpected humour. It’s a strikingly intimate yet playful reimagining of tradition.
Lilian Steiner has been with Cullberg since 2023 and is known for her work across dance, visual arts and experimental sound. She has collaborated with artists including Lucy Guerin Inc, Melanie Lane, and composer JLIN, and is the recipient of multiple Green Room Awards and a Helpmann Award.
María del Mar Suárez/La Chachi has been redefining flamenco since 2008, blending it with physical theatre and contemporary dance. Her acclaimed works include La gramática de los mamíferos, La Espera, and Lâs Alegrías.
Singer Lola Delores brings a unique blend of flamenco and contemporary vocal styles to the stage. She has toured with La Mala Rodríguez and collaborated with La Chachi and Luz Arcas’ La Phàrmaco.
Early research and the premiere of Siren Dance were supported by Deltebre Dansa, B.Motion (Operaestate Veneto), Dancehouse Melbourne, the Besen Foundation and Lucy Guerin Inc.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
