Founded in 2006 by choreographer and performer Harriet Macauley and sound design artist Richard Leonard, Pair Dance is a UK based company conceived through a need for a collaboration based organisation to connect with places, people, cities and communities regionally, nationally and internationally.

The mission of Pair Dance is to create opportunities for Artists and Young People to play, explore and investigate an endless capacity for development through movement and sound.

Harriet's choreographic works are created with original sound scores written, arranged and produced by Richard. Her unique movement style and choreographic works imbued power and exuberant energy with a delicacy and technical virtuosity which is contained, yet explosive. Her interest lies heavily in the relationship between movement and sound with performers working on the brink of their limits both mentally and physically.

The company aims to create opportunities for aspiring, professional artists and young people through the Creative Learning stream offering opportunities for leadership, engagement and appreciation.

No boundaries exist for Harriet Macauley of Pair Dance. Since having a successful career as a professional contemporary dancer working with both Richard Alston Dance Company and Rambert Dance Company she has moved on to establishing Pair Dance with Composer / Sound Design Artist Richard Leonard. Motivated by the opportunity for mutual exchange Pair Dance has performed nationally and internationally to include Europe, Canada, USA, Turkey, and Scotland. Working in partnership with Community Action Hertsmere she continues her commitment to performance and community engagement encouraging community cohesion in the local and wider area of Hertsmere through creative learning projects supported by Arts Council England, Awards for all, UnLtd Award, The Cooperative Group and Hertsmere Borough Council.

Along side her output of performance works, Pair Dance has engaged in professional performances and community projects at Sadler's Wells, The Lillian Baylis, The Place, Robin Howard Theatre and a further number of regional, national and international venues.

Harriet Macauley gained a BTec national diploma in Theatre and Performing Arts at Waltham Forest College (1997 - 1999) and during this period was taught by Jane Hackett (Former principal of the English National Ballet School). After gaining a national diploma, Harriet moved on to specialise in dance at Lewisham College in South East, London (1999 - 2000) on the one year certificate programme. Upon completion of a one year intensive study in Jazz, ballet and contemporary dance Harriet accepted a full scholarship award on a BA Honours Degree at London Contemporary Dance School (2000-2003).
It was during her first year at LCDS that Harriet auditioned and was selected as part of the 2001 National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) led by Kenneth Tharp and John Chesworth; Harriet begun to focus on performance working with choreographers and artists, Wayne McGregor, Glen Wilkinson, Laila Diallo, Kevin Turner and Kenneth Tharp.

It was during the period of her first year at LCDS that Harriet had a keen interest in international exchange. She was awarded a scholarship to study at Purchase Conservatory of Dance, New York. She was taught by founder members of the Martha Graham Company and Limon Dance Company including Kazuko Hirabayashi, Larry Clark, Neil Greenberg, Stephanie Tooman Kevin Wynne and Risa Steinberg.

Upon her return Harriet was chosen to attend Pact Zollverein residence in Essen, Germany taking part in improvisation, choreographic techniques and workshops with dancers from P.A.R.T.S.

Since graduating in 2004 with a BA Honours (First Class) and a Post Graduate Degree (Distinction) Harriet has danced with Freddie Apouku Addaie, Martin Lawrence, Richard Alston Dance Company, Rambert Dance Company with choreographers Rafael Bonachela, and Mark Baldwin. She has taught for Trinity Laban (Community and Education Department); Dance Captures & Creative Partnership, London Studio Centre; Feedback 33 forum (Sheron Wray) and worked with Rambert Animator, Lincoln Alert on 'Constant Speed' Rambert Dance Company Repertory teaching regionally and nationally.

Harriet was selected as an Olympic Torch Bearer (2004) which was presented by Ken Livingston (Mayor for London), awarded a scholarship at Jacobs Pillow Choreographic Laboratory (2009) The Bonnie Bird Award (2007) and Lisa Ullman traveling scholarship (2009).

In the late 80's, Richard visited a night club called the Shoom in London SE1 where he found his love of electronic music. Later, he began DJing at private parties in and around London, moving on to play at clubs including Heaven, Busby's, Escape, Sound, The Rocket, Gardening Club, The Fridge, The Cross, Bar Rumba, The Wag, The Park and Sound Shaft plus sets played at various European and Mediterranean venues. He was also involved with the running of successful club nights in the South East.

During a pretty active period, he developed an inevitable interest in the creation of digital music and started writing and producing his own compositions.

In the mid 90's he partnered with Geo Frangos & Andy Finch setting up production company Air In Motion as an outlet for their own music together with writing, producing and remixing for others and a number of home grown artists.

His wide-ranging tendency of instrumental and sound design styles is based entirely on emotive content and not on following a set style or procedure; "if it feels good or moves me, I run with it".

Establishing Pair Dance with Harriet has seen Richard adopt a new approach to his work...

"Creating music and sound scores for Contemporary Dance is very different from the popular music scene - it actually dictates more creativity and pushes you to break every rule of prediction or acceptance that an audience might normally have or expect"

Richard produces tailor-made music for Pair Dance.

Other primary functions include implementation and execution of all strategic and outreach requirements together with core managerial functions of the company.