Helen Parlor Dance Bursary 2025–26 awarded to choreographer and educator Lisa Risdale

MÓTUS Dance is delighted to announce that the Helen Parlor Dance Bursary 2025–26 has been awarded to Lisa Risdale, a choreographer, performer and educator whose career spans over two decades in dance performance, creation and education.

Lisa strives to create collaborative dance theatre that blends expressive physicality with a strong sense of place. In 2005 she founded Two Thirds Sky, creating a number of acclaimed works including projects in Milton Keynes. Lisa has also performed with leading companies and choreographers including Rosemary Lee, Ersatz Dance and Helen Parlor (founder of MÓTUS Dance). Her work as a director, lecturer and mentor has contributed significantly to dance development across the UK and beyond. She has plans to work with the Milton Keynes community in an innovative participatory project as part of the Bursary award.

Speaking about receiving the bursary, Lisa said:
“I am thrilled to have received this bursary from MÓTUS and to further my work that connects with the vibrant dance communities in Milton Keynes. Dancing for me is about bringing people together and all the positive benefits it brings.”

MÓTUS Dance Artistic Director Cameron Ball said:
“We are delighted to award Lisa this year’s Helen Parlor Dance Bursary. The panel was unanimously impressed by her passion for nurturing communities. Her track record in creating ambitious, collaborative work makes Lisa an artist who truly reflects the spirit of this award and we look forward to working with her.”

MÓTUS Dance Chair of Trustees, Chris Bradley-Goodship, added:
“We are so pleased to be awarding the Helen Parlor Dance Bursary for a second time and to be awarding it to Lisa, who has such a fantastic presence in the dance world in Milton Keynes and beyond, is even more special. It truly warms my heart to see Helen’s passion for dance continued through this bursary. Helen was a big believer in making dance accessible to everyone and through the bursary and Lisa’s work, she would be confident knowing that this work goes on even in her absence.”

The Helen Parlor Dance Bursary, supported by MÓTUS Dance, Milton Keynes City Council and the Milton Keynes Community Foundation, along with generous support through a crowdfunding campaign, recognises Lisa’s commitment to making dance accessible, collaborative and community-centred. Established to support artists in the creation and sharing of dance work, this annual award supports artists by offering a platform for emerging ideas and professional development. Over the next year, the bursary will support Lisa in developing new creative projects with MÓTUS and the wider Milton Keynes community.