About Me
Want to know about me? You’re in the right place.
If you’re after the career highlights, jump to my timeline below. If you’re feeling nosy and want the whole story, keep reading.
I fell in love with dance at 14.
I’m from a working-class background, and my family wasn’t ‘arty’ in any way. I’d never seen a dance performance or an exhibition, and I’d never been to a festival. All I understood ‘the arts’ to be was music, which was taught really badly at my school, and all I knew about dance was what I saw on Top of the Pops. I hated P.E. and I wasn’t academic.
I actually started dance training at 8, because my dad said I needed a hobby. For the first few years I felt a bit ‘meh’ about it. I moved between teachers and schools, and I didn’t like the private dance setting: the pressure to fit in (I was a late starter compared to most and couldn’t find my place), the favouritism, and a competitive culture that pits young people against each other.
So what changed at 14? I moved to a more community-focused school and I began studyign GCSE Dance at school. My teachers, Maxine and Carla, were absolutely pivot to my enjoyment of dance and they helped me and the other girls in my class to find the joy in dance, every time. Ballet classes in particular were filled with laughter. I couldn’t get enough, and I was at the studio four evenings a week, I spent sixth form i nthe ‘BTEC Performing Arts Room’ falling headfirst down the contemporary dance, street dance and musical theatre rabbit hole! I’d found a home.
That was when I thought, ‘hang on, I want this to be my life.’
“I’ve seen first-hand the transformative effect that dance, and the arts more broadly, have on people and places. I count myself among them, because I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
From the start of my career I’ve taught, managed, concepted, fundraised, consulted and worked with communities including young people, disabled people and older adults. I learned aerial skills like hoop and silks.
Now I make it all happen, and I carry my movement story and passion into everything I do.
Where I am now
I’ve been fully freelance since 2020, and the strategic consultancy work I do today is the work I spent years aiming for. I work mostly across the West Midlands, with national reach, having worked with over 200 artists in that time alongside local authorities, universities, sector bodies and organisations as a consultant, fundraiser, facilitator and mentor.
I’ve been fully freelance since 2020, and supporting other freelancers is a big part of my work. I run workshops for freelancers and early-stage entrepreneurs, from getting started to building a practice that lasts and I pride myself on advocating for and represnting freelancers across the creative industries.
I hold a CMI Level 7 qualification in Strategic Leadership. I chair Gloucester Guildhall, sit on the WMCA Cultural Leadership Board, and I’m Co-Director of Propel Dance CIC and Co-Chair of the advisory board at Eloquent Dance. I’m also Sector Lead for the CreaTech Frontiers Freelancer Forum, a partnership with the University of Warwick.
My journey so far…
✰ Initial Formal Training
Graduated with a 2:1 BA (Hons) in Dance and Culture from University of Surrey.
✰ Early Career
The freelance hustle: part 1. I was a dance teacher at a school and community dance group founder, as well as performing and choreographing for projects all around the UK.
✰ Further Training
Got a Postgraduate Certificate in Community Dance from Trinity Laban, London.
✰ First ‘Proper’ Job
I became a full-time Community Dance Artist at artsNK, an NPO, in Lincolnshire.
✰ First ‘Proper’ Promotion
I was promoted to Head of Dance (and later, Circus) Development managing a busy youth and community programme, leading a team of 5.
✰ Stepping into Leadership
As part of the Senior Leadership Team, I worked across the whole organisation putting on mid-scale outdoor festivals like the Olympic Torch Relay events and Zygote Festival. In 2013, I spear-headed a new Aerial Dance Programme across 3 sites.
✰ Fundraising Begins & Award Winning
I secured £50k from the Big Lottery through a public vote to deliver Dance Factor Lincolnshire with over 420 young people participating in 6 shows. I was the UKActive National Flame Award winner for Shaping Young Lives in 2016.
✰ A Big Change: West Midlands here I come!
I took on the role of Project & Development Manager at Dance Hub Birmingham, distributing funding, awarding commissions & developing the sector.
✰ Another Change
Moved to pilot the Creative Learning Producer role at Motionhouse, after stepping down from the board to author the company’s learning & participation policy, oversee their classes & develop new projects.
✰ Freelance x Pandemic
Made the leap to be fully freelance.
✰ Growth…
The freelance hustle: part 2! I grew my portfolio, focussing on fundraising, festival producing, leadership roles and strategic project development.
✰ Now
Continuing working with long term clients and taking on new roles, contracts and engagements. Check out some of my recent work here.
Would you like to learn more about me? Check out my full career credentials, CV & qualifications on LinkedIn.