In 2022, Project X launched the first iteration of the Artist Voice residency to encourage early career dance artists to develop and choreograph a performance of their own.

The selected artists were Emmanuella Damptey and dance duo Chinyanta Kabaso & Laura Mathana.

Throughout Autumn, the artists spent time in studio developing and choreographing a work in progress with support from a production team and mentors.

Their work culminated with the Artist Voice Scratch Night which took place on 19th November 2022 at Tramway in Glasgow.

Read more about the residency artists below and full credits

Funded by Creative Scotland’s Create Inclusion, Supported by Tramway Supports and The Work Room

Full credits :

Emmanuella Damptey - Residency Artist and Choreographer

Aisha Oyedepo - Writer of Featured Original Poetry 

Chinyanta Kabaso - Residency Artist and Choreographer

Laura Mathana - Residency Artist and Choreographer

Andrew Ace Bamusi - Featured Spoken Word Artist and Original Poetry

Cynthia WS Cheung - Production Manager and Stage Manager 

Kiran Chahal - Poster Design

Michaella Fee - Lighting Design Mentor 

Sabrina Henry - Costume Design Mentor 

Barbra Kolasinki - Costume Design Assistant

Ambroise of Paradax Period - Cinematographer

Carine Barinia - Producer and Project X Company Administrator

Ashanti Harris - Project X Co-Director

Rhea Lewis - Project X Co-Director

About Chinyanta and Laura

Dance duo Chinyanta and Laura are freelance dance artists, teachers and performers who came together through a shared passion for traditional African dance styles.

Originally trained in Hip-Hop and Afro-Fusion, they utilised this residency to create a performance that tells the journey of traditional to modern African dance styles. They have been working with the main styles of Setapa, Pantsula, Gumboot, Gqom, Afro-house and Amapiano, exploring how the dances have developed throughout the years and the social and political factors that have influenced dance in Africa.

About Emmanuella

Emmanuella was freshly graduated from musical theatre when she applied to Artist Voice.

She fell in love with dance at the age of 15. With a background in Contemporary dance, Jazz and Street Dance, Emmanuella describes her current style as a contemporary, afrobeat, musical theatre fusion.

Emmanuella’s performance included choreography, soundscapes and visuals to respond to three poems written by her close friend and fellow artist, Aisha Oyedepo.