Tomorrow we start the Huddersfield leg of the world tour that is Keyboard Choreography Collection. I'm coming back to my old home and really looking forward to it. The warmth of the people and the cold of the snow!

A year ago, in January 2009, I began a new project with Japanese composer Makoto Nomura in the north of Japan. A wonderful theatre called Ezuko Hall just south of Sendai invited us both to come and lead a new project, and so Nomura asked what ideas I was interested in. I said that, since moving to Devon I had been working with pre-school children, searching for pianos and exploring ideas with dance companies, and perhaps a project that incorporated all three would be good. And from that Keyboard Choreography Collection (aka Piano Dances) was born.

Nomura and I, working with a dancer Shin Sakuma, spent each morning with a nursery (The Elephant House) encouraging the children to play the piano, in whatever way they wanted. We filmed the sessions and spent the afternoon analysing the video - discovering many new techniques and approaches which in turn raised a whole series of questions. We then worked with adults each evening using these techniques to create and develop new pieces of music/dance/theatre.

In July of 2009 we then brought the project to England and ran similar programme at The Sage Gateshead and The Baltic Gallery, again playing with a nursery (and a piano from freecycle) and a group of older adults from The Silvers.

Now we are coming to Huddersfield and tomorrow meet the nursery and see the spaces and plan the sessions. I can't wait. This time I am working with Bob Lockwood, Jac Gaile and Pat Allison, none reknowned (yet) for their dancing skills.

Hugh Nankivell