Featured Performers:
Laila Diallo, Choreographer

Laila Diallo was born in Quebec, Canada. She studied at L'Ecole de Danse de Québec, before pursuing her training in La Rochelle and London.

In 1998 she was awarded an MA in performance (distinction) from University of Kent. From 1997 to 2005, Laila was a member of Random Dance Company, creating roles for all of the company's productions in that period, and touring and teaching extensively nationally and internationally.

Film performances include Chrysalis for Random Dance; Channel 4’s dance film, Dice Life, directed by Nick Mead with choreography by Wayne McGregor; and The Source by poet/director Roxana Freeman. Her choreographic work includes the solos Out of sight in the direction of my body and waiting fleeing; a duet, Between the Shingle and the Dune, with Theo Clinkard. She choreographed the re-staging of Scottish Opera on Tour's Hansel and Gretel and was Movement Director for the same company’s production of Macbeth.

As Assistant Choreographer her credits include: Cleansed for the Royal Court, Aladdin for the Old Vic in London and Midsummer Marriage for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She was a Choreographer's Assistant on Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. Recently she worked as Assistant Director and Choreographer for Dido and Aeneas at La Scala.

Laila is currently Movement Director for Thérese Raquin at the National Theatre. She was awarded a Rayne Fellowship for Choreographers in May 2006.

Laila choreographs and performs contemporary dance pieces in How Music Works.