Balbir’s vision

Balbir Singh is a visionary artist, who has created an artistically adventurous dance company that reflects the diversity of contemporary Britain.

A singular vision

Spaces for
dialogue and transformation

Balbir Singh’s work is a testament to the belief that art can serve as both a means of personal expression and a tool for social change.

Rooted in community

The company

Over the years, Balbir Singh Dance Company’s projects have become more than just performances: they are spaces of dialogue, transformation and healing.

More than a dance company

New ways
to use
the artform

We may not be able to change a long-term health condition but we can use creativity to change the relationship we have with it.

Creative health

Guru and
disciple

At the heart of Balbir’s approach is his relationship
with his guru, Padmashri Pratap Pawar.

Guru-shishya tradition

Balbir Singh founded Balbir Singh Dance Company (BSDC) in 1995 as a platform to bring north Indian Kathak and western contemporary dance together in a synthesis of dance styles. As the company has grown in experience and ambition, it has evolved beyond its original focus on dance performance to create spaces of dialogue, transformation and healing.
Balbir Singh receives MBE in New Year’s Honours List

“I thought Balbir Singh was an exceptional artist from when I first met him before he’d set up his company.  I was proud to help him set it up in 2005 and it has been a real joy to watch his development both as an artist and as a creative leader. His recent work in the community, in education and, above all, in creative health has been ground-breaking: the Unmasking Pain project with Leeds Beckett and Durham Universities has been revelatory. As Chair of his company, Balbir Singh Dance Company, I’m thrilled to see his work recognised nationally. I send my warmest congratulations for an award so very well deserved!”

Anamaria Wills FRSA
Chair, Balbir Singh Dance Company

“As artists how can we be part of the solution to the climate crisis? How can we create work that brings focus and attention to our precarious relationship with nature?”

 

Blue:Green

Roots and Routes project at Gledhow Valley Woods: Mohana Sangeetha

“My work celebrates the human condition. It helps me make sense of the world. Being blessed with this gift of being a vessel for the art-form, it is my privilege to share this with audiences. There is no room for complacency or self congratulation. It is always about making new work that faces the unknown.”

 

Balbir’s vision

“Balbir Singh’s story is a testament to quiet perseverance, not only in his artistic journey but in his determination to create work that is meaningful, relevant and rooted in community. In a world that often celebrates loud voices, Balbir’s approach demonstrates that one person’s dedication can make a profound difference.”

 

Forging a new vocabulary

Community exhibition devising session, Oriental Museum, Durham University: Charlotte Spink and Hilary Stout
When two worlds collide

When Balbir’s boundless imagination finds parallels between different worlds the result is often highly unexpected.

Sport and Art
Lifelong creativity

BSDC celebrates the creativity of older artists, and values their contribution to the company’s work.

Celebrating age
Work in progress

As is always the case with Balbir Singh, a number of new works are currently being developed, and are due to premiere during 2026 . . .

In development

“Where we come from, who we are in the present and where we are going in the future are all points in time that reference each other constantly in our daily lives.”

Explore how culture and heritage are woven into Balbir’s work

 

Culture and Heritage

Connecting with nature and heritage at Kirkstall Abbey: Devika Rao and Academy students