Botis Seva is a seminal choreographic voice rooted in Hip Hop dance theatre yet propelled by a free-form, multidisciplinary approach. His work is grounded in lived experience, drawing on personal stories and the worlds around him, while borrowing techniques from film, text, visual art and other movement languages to continually reimagine creativity and the stage.
Originally driven by a passion for music, Botis spent his early years at his local youth club making beats and MC’ing. At 15 he encountered dance at secondary school and quickly decided to pursue choreography outside mainstream educational routes. At 19, he founded Far From The Norm in Dagenham with friends who shared his desire to experiment with Hip Hop as an artistic language.
During his early choreographic development, mentorship and support from Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells helped him refine his craft and build a distinct movement vocabulary. His work soon gained momentum across stage, outdoor and dance film platforms. Far From The Norm has since evolved into a collective of artists dedicated to pushing beyond the perceived boundaries and rules of dance. The company’s acclaimed stage productions, including BLKDOG and Until We Sleep, have resonated globally and introduced new audiences to dance theatre.
Botis has received numerous awards, including the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund, the Marion North Mentoring Award (2015), Copenhagen International Choreography Competition (2016), Choreography 30 Hannover (2016), and the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for BLKDOG (2019).
He has also been recognised by the Black British Theatre Awards and National Dance Awards (2022), received the CHANEL Next Prize (2022) and the Carmen Mateu Best Choreographer Award (2023), and became a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist in 2024.
His film work includes Inside the Blind Iris with director Douglas Bernadt (2023), Santo with Freddie Leydon and Christie’s (2022), BBC Arts x Space CAN’T KILL US ALL (2020) and Channel 4 Random Acts REACH (2018). These works have earned accolades such as Vimeo Best of the Year (2023), Kinsale Sharks (2023) and San Francisco Dance Film Festival (2018), with nominations including Cannes Lion (2023) and Young British Arrows (2023).
Botis’ external stage and screen commissions include collaborations with Scottish Dance Theatre, Rupert Goold, National Youth Dance Company, Wayne McGregor and Robin Friend, Battersea Arts Centre/Suri Krishnamma, NDT2 and Gothenburgoperan Danskompani.
