Barehoof Performance established its unique equine dance company in 2018 after working on ‘Lost & Found’, a production produced by Helen Crocker, one of the UK’s most prominent aerial teachers and co-founder of Circomedia in Bristol. Having created and showcased their first work, ‘The Unicorn’s Gift’, at Gloucester Carnival, they identified exciting creative opportunities for this form of equine dance performance. Barehoof Performance focuses on a creative and sensitive relationship between rider, horse and performer, where each responds to the other’s movement. This is created principally through horsemanship, dance improvisation and choreography. Theatre and storytelling are core to the artistic vision and Barehoof aims to create engaging performances, reaching audiences in both the equine and the outdoor arts sectors. 

Marie-Louise is an experienced professional dance artist, performer and choreographer, working extensively over 25 years as a freelance dancer and physical theatre performer with respected dance makers and theatre directors. Marie-Louise has gained recognition as a dance theatre maker in her own right, receiving many commissions and Arts Council awards. You can find out more about her at www.marielouise.webeden.co.uk. 

Melanie Fauske has been involved with horses all her life. She trained and rode horses in endurance riding competitions at international level. She was ranked the top British Endurance rider and placed 8th in the European trophy. She became British Endurance champion riding her own Schenkers Samurai who also took the coveted ‘Best Condition’ award’ for the same 160 km race. Since retiring from competitive riding, Melanie has focused on the relationship between horse and human, which led to studying natural horsemanship, natural hoof care and equine biomechanics. She is a professional barehoof trimmer and Masterson Method® practitioner (equine bodywork).

Find out more at www.barehoofperformance.com