As part of our Meet the Team series, we sat down with Robby Graham, Artistic Director of Southpaw Company and Director/Choreographer of RIDE!, to hear about his process, inspirations, and vision for this exciting new production.

Q: Could you please introduce yourself and your role?
I’m Robby Graham, Artistic Director of Southpaw Company, and Director/Choreographer on RIDE!

Q: How do you balance directing, choreography, and writing for this show?
For me, one element feeds the other. Directing, choreography, and writing inspire choices across the board, and I love being able to combine multiple storytelling methods. With RIDE!, where there are so many working parts (Rap, Dance, Music, Video Projections, Theatre), this holistic approach has been especially valuable.

Q: What style of dance are you incorporating in RIDE!?
Our storytelling language is quite distinctive. I see the dancers role as animators, bringing characters to life in a virtuosic, poetic manner. Audiences will see Breaking, Contemporary, Ceilidh, Hip-Hop, Body percussion… all the things!

Q: How does your writing influence the rehearsal process?
I’ve been responding to Big Deli’s amazing songs to fill the gaps with scene and movement work. The writing says what movement doesn’t, and vice versa.

Q: Are you utilising any technology during the rehearsals or performances?
Projection mapping is a key staple of our work. It allows the narrative to reach wider audiences, and in RIDE! it creates a “gig meets theatre” experience. The projection design by Wayne Stables and Paul Trickett looks stunning, and really conveys the emotional states, conflicts, and beauty of the characters.

Q: How do you promote teamwork during rehearsals?
By being kind, generous, and setting high expectations. We created our first pass of the show in just a week thanks to preparation and care for the story. My experience is that artists, whether dancers, rappers, or musicians, are inherently hardworking and kind. They just want to put the best version of their craft on stage, and we work all the hours to make sure that happens.

Q: Are there any new or surprising elements in the show?
Absolutely. We don’t often see real hip-hop heads on our stages, and Big Deli definitely brings that. Add in the genuine representation of Gypsy and Traveller stories, plus our storytelling and digital elements, and it all combines into something really unique.

Q: What do you want the audience to take away from RIDE!?
The story. Will’s lived these experiences, and we just want to do them justice.

Q: What inspired you to create this project?
Well, I can’t take credit, the concept came from Sarah Shead, who saw first-hand some of the struggles the Gypsy and Traveller community face, and wanted to shine a light on those through this production. I’ve worked in this way before and was lucky enough to be brought on board. As the process has developed, our direction and language have evolved, shaping what’s now become RIDE!

Stay tuned for more Meet the Team features as we get closer to bringing RIDE! to the stage.

19th & 20th September
TFD Centre, Holmewood, Bradford
Tickets available at https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/ride/