2024 marks the 40th anniversary of The Cholmondeleys dance company, founded in 1984 by Lea Anderson, Teresa Montano, and Gaynor Coward. Inspired by the DIY culture of post-punk UK, they wanted to create something that resonated with their friends, blending dance with the energy of fashion, music, and club culture of the 1980s.

They named themselves The Cholmondeleys, like a band. Emerging from this vibrant time, their performances featured collaborations with British artists, including choreographer Lea Anderson, costume designers Sandy Powell, Emma Fryer, Simon Vincenzi, composers Drostan Madden & Steve Blake, and lighting designer Simon Corder. Together with their sister company, The Featherstonehaughs (founded in 1988), they produced over 87 works, both live and on film, performing in the UK and internationally. This rich creative legacy is captured in an archive of images by photographers such as Chris Nash, Pau Ros, and Matilda Temperley, now presented together for the first time in this celebration of The Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs.

A specially filmed conversation between Ron Athey and writer Jennifer Doyle. Filmed in LA for LADA Screens by Brittany Neimeth.

Part of LADA Screens 6.

Super 8 film was made at the Festival de l’Etrange, Vidéotheque de Paris. Produced by Homemade FIlms.

Part of LADA Screens 6.

Review of Athey’s Messianic Remains at the Performance studies International symposium.

Ron Athey contributes to the fourth installment of the Walker Art Center Artist Op-Eds series. Examining the thinking of artists as citizens and change-makers, this series of commissioned opinion pieces features provocative reactions to the headlines.

Collections of films made between 1978 and 1981 including “We Imitate”; “We Break Up” (1978), “The Broken Rule” (1979), and “Out of Hand” (1981), iconic and original works of the ‘Pictures Generation’.