Where David Cottle and Kajetan Tober Create Magic

Choreography by David Cottle and Kajetan Tober

Some names show up everywhere in the industry without ever needing an introduction — the choreographer other choreographers talk about, whether the work is industry-facing or a room full of students. David Cottle and Kajetan Tober are both that kind of influential, and getting them into the same room at The Manor LDN meant something rarer than either of their individual reputations could promise on their own.

What made it work wasn't similarity — it was the opposite. Cottle, known for his work across live performance, theatre, and artist development, brought one distinct creative language into the room; Tober brought another entirely. The session blended technical precision with performance and musicality, and rather than the two styles competing for space, they merged into something that felt genuinely seamless — two very different creative instincts moving in the same direction at once, which is far harder to pull off than it looked.

For a masterclass scene that increasingly treats every class the same, this one stood out precisely because it didn't try to. Giving dancers the chance to learn from two distinct creative voices in a single space is exactly the kind of session The Manor LDN keeps making room for — and exactly why it stayed a standout moment long after the class ended.