DANCE // OFFLINE: Behind the Production | Featured in TPi Magazine

Taking dance from the studio to a professional theatre stage involves more than choreography alone. It takes creative vision, collaboration and a production team capable of bringing every performance to life.

In March 2026, TPi Magazine explored the production behind DANCE // OFFLINE, The Manor LDN's live dance festival at indigo at The O2, highlighting the collaboration between lighting designer and technical director Matt Ladkin, White Light and the choreographers who helped shape the show.

Bringing the vision to the stage

Following the success of its inaugural production in September 2025, DANCE // OFFLINE returned to indigo at The O2 with sixteen original works from choreographers connected to The Manor LDN, alongside international guests.

The ambition was to give dancers and choreographers the opportunity to perform on a large-scale professional stage, with production values that matched the quality of the work.

To achieve this, The Manor worked with Matt Ladkin to develop a lighting design tailored specifically to dance. Although indigo at The O2 has an extensive lighting rig, the venue is primarily designed for live music, making a bespoke approach essential to realising the production's creative vision.

As TPi Magazine detailed, the resulting design incorporated dedicated side lighting, a cyclorama and floor lighting to give each piece its own visual identity while maintaining a cohesive look across the show.

A different way to create choreography

One of the most exciting aspects of the production was the opportunity for choreographers to become involved in the lighting design process before stepping onto the stage.

Using Capture visualisation software, Ladkin worked with The Manor LDN and individual choreographers in the studios, allowing them to see how their work could look under different lighting conditions. Colour, intensity and atmosphere could be explored in advance, giving creatives a new level of involvement in the technical side of their performances.

For many of the choreographers, this was their first experience of this kind of collaborative process.

Reflecting on the experience, Ladkin explained:

“Having everything in pre-vis meant the choreographers could actually see what the piece would look like on a virtual stage.”

He also highlighted the value of giving artists the time and support to explore their creative ideas, rather than treating lighting as something added at the last minute.

It's an approach that reflects what DANCE // OFFLINE aims to offer: not simply a platform to perform, but an opportunity for choreographers to develop their work and experience the creative process on a larger scale.

Production built around the performance

Delivering a production of this scale requires close collaboration across every part of the team. With the installation, technical rehearsal, performance and de-rig all completed within a single 12-hour day, preparation and coordination were essential.

Despite the tight schedule, the bespoke lighting design allowed each performance to have its own atmosphere and character, supporting the choreography rather than distracting from it.

Ladkin reflected on the response from the artists, noting:

“For many, it was their first chance to work with lighting at this level, and they really felt the value of having such high production standards.”

This is an important part of the DANCE // OFFLINE experience. The production creates space for dancers and choreographers to work with a level of technical support that can be difficult to access through more conventional showcase formats.

Championing London's dance community

At The Manor LDN, DANCE // OFFLINE is an extension of what happens inside our studios every day: bringing dancers and creatives together, championing choreography and creating opportunities for artists to share their work with wider audiences.

The collaboration with Matt Ladkin and White Light helped bring that ambition to life, combining technical expertise with a shared understanding of the creative vision behind the show.

As Ladkin put it:

“The Manor LDN is investing in a creative process that gives dancers and choreographers so much more than they usually get.”

We're proud to see the work behind DANCE // OFFLINE recognised by TPi Magazine, and grateful to everyone involved in creating a production that celebrates the talent, creativity and ambition of London's dance community.

Read the full feature: White Light supports Matt Ladkin at Indigo at The O2 with The Manor LDN — TPi Magazine