Episode 18: Dollie Henry MBE

Dollie Henry MBE is recognised as one of the most formidable exponents of artistic and creative jazz dance and theatre dance in the UK and globally. Over the past 40 years, she has led a respected career as a performer, choreographer, theatre director, creative jazz artist, working on diverse projects in the West End, film, and TV, as well as in concert dance, jazz theatre, cabaret and the commercial dance sector. In 1996, Dollie decided to found the premiere jazz theatre company in the UK, Body of People, or BOP, with her partner the jazz composer Paul Jenkins. Now in its 26th year, BOP Company has produced an array of original productions and taught countless workshops, with the aim of advocating for jazz to be respected as an art form alongside other contemporary and classical genres. This mission has also seen Dollie and Paul write ‘The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance’ a landmark text charting the development of jazz theatre in 2019, and establish Jazz Theatre Arts UK, a network for jazz dance practitioners developed in partnership with One Dance UK. Currently, BOP is working towards their inaugural Jazz Arts Rewired festival, which will consist of a day of workshops and an evening of performances at The Place, London showcasing the diversity and creativity of jazz theatre in the UK. Before the festival takes place on 27th May and 3rd June, I couldn’t wait to speak to Dollie about where her intense passion for Jazz came from, how it’s sustained her throughout her career, and what her hopes are for the future of the art form.