Photo by Laura Williamson

Clairobscur Dance Company is the instrument upon which Laurie Sefton crafts her dense and detailed choreography. Her work is grounded in versatile athletic prowess, yet topical and timely. Marked by a high ratio of movement to time, her dances are created where the body is used as a canvas, medium and inspiration.

Clairobscur Dance Company was founded by Artistic Director and resident choreographer, Laurie Sefton. Its name is the French translation of chiaroscuro, a 17th century painterly term which means an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly an object. Movement is often obvious, (the light) but also contains a subtext (the shadow), which must be sought out and discerned by both the creator of movement and its spectator.