About us
UNIT creates dance performances, projects and films with extraordinary people. We are careful to say people because our company isn’t like others. UNIT is made of different ages and experiences in dance and what always unites them is how brilliantly they move and their ability to move others.
We make exceptionally heartfelt and honest dance for everybody.
We make projects in theatres, schools, market places, care homes and everywhere where people are. We create dance that is made to bring people together, revealing personal stories and the communities that connect them.
UNIT started its journey in 2012 with Choreographer, Tom Hobden and Film Director, Kate Flurrie out of a chance collaboration. We have toured intergenerational performances, created bespoke commissions to bring venues and their communities closer, screened dance films nationally and internationally and engaged over 1000+ participants in regular classes, youth companies, graduate labs and residences.
And all because we wanted to see a dance company that looked the society, we saw everyday. A dance company that proved that everyone can dance.
Get in touch to find out how UNIT can design a bespoke project for your organisation and audiences.
Tom and Kate are artists I admire. They hold fast to their high principles as artists, working respectfully and carefully with trained and untrained performers. They work within their local community and personally and artistically commit to invest in East Anglia in a way that deepens their work.
Rosemary Lee
Artistic director: Tom Hobden
Tom has been a dancer, choreographer and all-around mover and shaker in the dance world for over 22 years. He started his dance training a bit too late and never did understand good toes or naughty ones. Some might say this could have been the swift end to his dance career, instead, Tom turned what he ‘didn’t know’ about dance into his secret weapon. He became a leader in making people see the dancer in themselves, a champion of uncomplicating and democratising dance and the nation’s cheerleader of dad dancing, twirling free spirits and all-around booty shakers. It is his energy, enthusiasm and passion to help others see that dance belongs to everyone that led him to create We Are UNIT.
Tom’s is the founder, face and force behind We Are UNIT and in the same way Jamie Oliver brought cooking to the everyday family and Joe Wicks told the world It’s easy and fun to exercise, Tom Hobden champions his vision to see ‘every body dancing everyday’
Tom’s experience speaks for itself with both his freelance career and UNIT he has worked with hundreds of leading dance organisations and artists in the UK, including the Royal Opera House, Sadlers Wells, Royal Ballet School, New Adventures, Studio Wayne McGregor, Ballet Boyz, Trinity Laban and Dance East amongst others. He is a choreographer, dancer, qualified educator, mentor and award-winning national leader in community dance practice. He holds a BA in performing arts, an MA in choreography, a Teaching certificate, is a Clore graduate, Guildhall creative entrepreneur and most importantly an embarrassing dancing dad.
Tom was an absolute delight! So positive, so generous in sharing his ideas and experiences and top tips. There are so many pearls of wisdom I will keep safe from today – be yourself, use what you don’t know as your secret power….Yeah, go Tom – behind you all the way.
UNIT mentee
2015 – 2017
We are UNIT were Associate Artists at DanceEast
2018 – 2019
Tom is a Questlab Artist, Studio Wayne Mcgregor
2019 – 2020
We are UNIT, Guildhall Creative Entrepreneur, The Guildhall
2020- 2021
Start Something Immersive cohort, Real Ideas
2020- 2021
Mercury Creative, Colchester Mercury theatre