Mark Baker

Mark Baker (Alias: Dread)

Lighting Design/Stage Manager/Technician

Dread has been working with Slanjayvah Danza since it was born in 2004, lighting and stage managing each production and working in collaboration with the Artistic Director. His design for  "Blind Passion" - Live Cut and "Crazy Joanna" gained critical acclaim from London and Yorkshire reviewers. 

He originally trained in film and video production at the North East Media Training Centre gaining an MA in Film Studies from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Dread runs the Riley Theatre at NSCD where he is also the Technical Manager and Lecturer in lighting design, ideas in art and video production. He designs the lighting for all student work including Verve, the post-graduate performance company.

Dread brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the company having worked at NSCD with many accomplished choreographers such as Wayne MacGregor, Jeremy James, Darshan Singh-Buller, Janet Smith, Shobana Jeyasingh, Kim Brandstrup and Hofesh Schecter.   He has been a dance lighting designer since 1989 designing lighting for companies such as Debbi Purtill Dance and David Massingham Dance Co, RJC Dance and Bi-Ma, as well as working as lighting designer/coordinator on site-specific projects during the Newcastle Dance Festival.  

He has designed lighting for venues such as The Place, Riverside Studios, The Tramway, Glasgow, The Lowry Salford, the Royal Opera House, Newcastle Playhouse, Theatre Royal Newcastle and the National Theatre of Macedonia.