Staff A-Z

As well as designing, Florence has worked as a Costume Maker for Amanda Barrow and Anna Maria Genuise, working on Royal Opera House and West-end productions. Florence furthermore freelanced at English National Ballet as a Wardrobe Assistant both on tour and in the company costume store, altering and reviving costumes. Florence has also worked as a Costume Technician for Central Saint Martins.

Florence hold a BA (Hons) in Costume for Performance, from the London College of Fashion, University Arts London, 2014.

Hilary holds a BA in Psychology and Linguistics, ARAD and PDTC Teaching certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance, and has recently completed her Pilates Teachers Qualification with the Pilates Foundation, UK. She has more than 12 years experience as performer and dance teacher and has worked with a wide spectrum of dancers both abroad and in the UK.

Her career began at Cheshire Dance, she then took up a position as a Dance Artist in residence for DanceXchange (now FABRIC) in the West Midlands. Rachel then moved to London to work for English National Ballet. Rachel has since worked for Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, Theatre Tots, The Dance Network Association, Dance West, DashDotDance and many more organisations.

Rachel loves the diversity of her work, one day dancing with tiny tots in a nursery the next it’s seated dance exercise with a young at heart 93-year-old. Rachel’s memorable performing moments were dancing as a punk cat on the tv show ‘The Grimleys’, where she was wearing so much make-up her mother didn’t recognise her! And on another occasion, in a theatre show, being a snake that performed a rap about being proud to be unique and happy in your own skin!

Since 2020, she has been leading the module Writing the Body that explores interdisciplinary and embodied approaches to writing for the MA Creative Practice at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where she also supervises MA and MFA projects. This year, she will teach a 3-week intensive to MA Choreography students as well.

Vanio has worked extensively at Rose Bruford College since 2011 as the principal movement tutor in the BA European Theatre Arts and has contributed to other modules and supervised practical and written dissertations. She was recently appointed as Module Year Coordinator in the same course. She has convened the Research Methodologies unit at the MA Ensemble Theatre (2014 – 2018) and has coordinated the IRP projects for the MA Actor Performer Training (2021, 2022).

Vanio has taught physical and ensemble theatre at Goldsmiths (2009-2022) and has worked as a movement and dance tutor in various other Higher Education Institutions including LAMDA and Middlesex University.

After training as an actor and a dancer in Greece and the UK, she embarked on her Practice as research (PhD, Goldsmiths, 2013, funded by Greek State Institution of scholarships) into the Post-Grotowskian theatre tradition and Contact Improvisation as part of which she worked with the award-winning company Song of the Goat Theatre (Poland). She has studied internationally with various inspirational theatre and dance practitioners including Farm in the Cave (Czech Republic), Studio Matejka (Poland), Meg Stuart (UK), Nancy Stark Smith (UK/Spain), Charlie Morrissey (UK/Malta), Kirstie Simson (UK), and Simonetta Alessandri (UK). In 2022, Vanio became a Fellow of Higher Education Academy.

As a performer, she has worked for an eclectic mix of artists (Theatre Lab, Athletes of the Heart Lab, Song of the Goat Theatre, Angela Woodhouse, aswespeakproject, Nesreen Nabil Hussein). She has co-created with artist and dramatherapist Tania Batzoglou the performance ritual project titled CANDID that reflects on how female friendships evolve over time. She has led intergenerational projects for women that combine yoga, movement, and writing. Vanio’s work engages with issues of vulnerability, memory and candidness fusing physicality, video, autobiography and text into poetic, surreal and immersive environments and it has been shown in Greece, UK, Italy, Poland, Germany, Egypt and Lebanon.

Research Interests:

• Movement (somatic movement, Contact Improvisation, experiential anatomy, Laban/Bartenieff fundamentals, yoga, release-based dance, expressive movement, improvisation).
• Physical Theatre (Eastern European ensemble theatre; European dance theatre).
• Intersections between dance and theatre training and devising.
• History and Theory of 20th and 21st Century European and American performance practice.
• Critical perspectives: Phenomenology, ecology, feminism, postmodernism.
• Embodied approaches to moving and writing.
• Tools for practice as research (PaR) methodologies and critical reflective writing.

Qualifications And Background:

Education
2009-2013: Practice Based PhD: ‘Towards a practice of Attunement: An Incorporation of Elements from Song of the Goat Theatre and Contact Improvisation’ / Goldsmiths, University of London & Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

2008: Diploma in Dance / Birkbeck University
2007: MA Performance Making (Distinction) / Goldsmiths, University of London
2004: Diploma in Acting, Drama School of the Odeion Athinon / Athens, Greece

1999-2003: BA in Theatre Studies (First) / National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Other teaching qualifications:
2022: Fellowship Higher Education Academy
2019: 200 hours Yoga Teacher Training (by Yoga on the Lane – Vinyasa flow yoga)

2017 – 18 Fellowship in Accessible Performance Practice (Rose Bruford College)
Movement tutor and movement director with D/deaf or disabled young artists Ensemble 2018 Train: Training Programme, GRAEAE.

Grants and awards:

2010 – 12: Grant by A.G. Leventis Foundation towards doctoral research

2009 – 12: Full-time scholarship by State Scholarship Foundation of Greece (IKY) towards doctoral research

2006 – 07: Full-time scholarship by State Scholarship Foundation of Greece (IKY) towards Master’s studies.

2000 – 01: ERASMUS- SOCRATES FREEMOVER scholarship (IKY) for attendance at the Theatre Studies Department (Paris VIII – Vincennes- St Denis) and Department of History of Arts (Universidad de Salamanca).

Designs include work for companies such as Retina Dance, Charles Linehan and Marie-Gabrielle Rotie. Since 2003 Fay has held the position of Senior Technician at Trinity Laban Faculty of Dance, where she has lit numerous pieces for Transitions and now also contributes to the teaching of Performance Design. Fay joined Lizzi Kew-Ross and Company as part of the creative team in 2010; their next work will go into production later this year. Fay is also part of collective ‘The Latecomers’; with Dance Artists Anne Gaëlle Thiriot and Geneviève Giron. At the moment Fay is touring an installation performance with Angela Woodhouse.

Alongside his own choreographic research, that led him to create and perform site-specific and stage works for venues across the UK and Europe, Giacomo has worked with several choreographers including Eliot Smith, Dora Frankel, Mathieu Geffré, Shobana Jeyasingh and Dam Van Huyn, performing in works for stage and camera as well as delivering a wide range of dance workshops.

Giacomo worked and studied with internationally acclaimed artists such as Jorge Crecis (Towards Vivencia), Katie Lusby (Gecko), David Zambrano (Flying Low) and Hannes Langolf (DV8), whose artistry and teachings influence his current movement research.

Giacomo is also a certified Yoga Instructor and has been teaching in different yoga studios across London since 2019.

Qualifications and awards:

BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

MA Contemporary Dance Performance, London Contemporary Dance School, University of Kent

AFHEA Associate Fellowship Higher Education Academy

Inspire Seminars – The Royal Ballet School

RYTT Dynamic Yoga, The Yoga Edge

Giacomo is a British-Italian Dance Artist who lives and works in London.

He trained in classical ballet at Arabesque Dance Center (Italy), where he also started to approach voice work, dance theatre and choreography. After completing his Bachelor Degree in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, he was selected to perform with EDge Dance Company for their 2016/2017 season, and graduated from London Contemporary Dance School with a Masters Degree in 2018.

Giacomo specialises in Floorwork and Contemporary Dance techniques and he currently teaches at Trinity Laban on several programmes. He has also been invited as a guest teacher on the Centre of Advanced Training at Trinity Laban, as well as other HE institutions across the UK and internationally.

In recognition to his professional expertise and experience of teaching in Higher Education, Giacomo was awarded the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in 2024.

Alongside his own choreographic research, that led him to create and perform site-specific and stage works for venues across the UK and Europe, Giacomo has worked with several choreographers including Amina Khayyam, Eliot Smith, Dora Frankel, Mathieu Geffré, Shobana Jeyasingh and Dam Van Huyn, performing in works for stage and camera.

Giacomo worked and studied with internationally acclaimed artists such as Jorge Crecis (Towards Vivencia), Katie Lusby (Gecko), David Zambrano (Flying Low) and Hannes Langolf (DV8), whose artistry and teachings influence his current movement research.

Giacomo is also a certified Yoga Instructor and has been teaching in different yoga studios across London since 2019.

Qualifications and awards

• BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
• MA Contemporary Dance Performance, London Contemporary Dance School, University of Kent
• FHEA- Fellowship Higher Education Academy
• Inspire Seminars – The Royal Ballet School
• RYTT Dynamic Yoga, The Yoga Edge

Lauren Potter (FHEA) is an independent dance artist/teacher (with a strong interest in the practice of performance).

Originally trained at The Place, she performed with London Contemporary Dance Theatre for many years, was a founder member of Siobhan Davies Dance, and then worked with a range of companies and choreographers such as DV8, Rosemary Butcher and Second Stride.

She recently taught and led on the Locating Practice Unit of the PG Expanded Dance Practice at London Contemporary Dance School and had previously fulfilled the role of Artistic Director for ‘Edge’ – The Postgraduate Performance Company at LCDS.

She has also recently been involved in the Aerowaves touring performance of ‘Because I Can’- a solo by Eva Recacha and a film work ‘Sentence’ by Rosemary Lee and Hugo Glendinning, currently being shown as part of Digital Dance Umbrella 2024.

Valerie is an internationally renowned author, teacher and lecturer. Current books include, Rudolf Laban: An Extraordinary Life (winner of the Dance Perspectives book of the year 1999), Looking at Dances: A Choreological Perspective on Choreography and Dance and The Performative: a Choreological Perspective written with Ana Sanchez-Colberg (2002).

An experienced facilitator, Kirsty works in a variety of settings including primary, secondary, SEN schools and community centres. She is particularly interested in how movement can be used to create, communicate and collaborate in the spirit of collective joy.

She regularly leads projects for Rambert, the RAD, Trinity Laban and Sadler’s Wells. She has also worked for Hackney Children’s Theatre, SLiDE and run workshops at the V&A, F.A.T Studio and London College of Communication.

Initially studying English Literature and Philosophy at Glasgow University and then completing her PGCE she went on to receive a scholarship to study Community Dance at Laban.

Describing herself as an ‘academic artist’, Sonia has over thirty years experience as a performer, teacher, choreographer, director, mentor, researcher, consultant and author. She has had a long performing career: As a dancer/singer with the innovative electric voice dance company, La Bouche, she toured extensively with original electronic music and dance works by the company and commissioned choreographers, including Lloyd Newson, Lea Anderson, Ashley Page and Lidy Mouw. La Bouche performed in a wide variety of contexts including televised appearances, the theatre circuit, clubs and festivals, including Glasgow Mayfest, the Edinburgh Fringe and Glastonbury Festival Pyramid stage. The company also produced several albums, culminating in a record contract with CBS Records. Sonia also performed with V-Tol Dance Company and with several independent choreographers, most recently in site-specific work with Athina Vahla and Lizzi Kew Ross.

Sonia is an established dance technique teacher and has regularly delivered workshops and masterclasses in the UK and internationally. During her teaching career, she has provided professional level classes and company class for many high profile companies including Adventures in Motion Pictures, Balletboyz, Candoco, the Cholmondeleys, Clod Ensemble, DV8, Hofesh Schecter, Protein Dance, Random, Shobana Jeyasingh, Siobhan Davies and Springs Dance Company. She has directed and choreographed for her own company, Blueprint Dance Company, and co-directs Double Vision Dance Company with Amanda Gough, working on several large scale site-specific community commissions.

In her role as a consultant in safe and healthy dance practice, Sonia provides professional development for companies, agencies and training institutions.  She is Co-Founder of Safe in Dance International (SiDI), developing a range of Healthy Dance Certificates for dance practitioners to evidence their knowledge in this area, also working with awarding bodies and universities worldwide to integrate healthy dance principles into teacher training and practice. She is co-author of “Safe Dance Practice: An applied dance science perspective”, which has become a seminal text in the field. Sonia has presented at several conferences, as well as authoring and co-authoring a number of research and Journal articles. Her research interests range from dance specific fitness to the embodied practices of dance technique teachers. These combined interests have led to qualifications as a Personal Trainer, experience as a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science Education Committee, an External Examiner role in Dance and Fitness and peer reviews of Journal and book proposals. As a portfolio practitioner herself, Sonia’s main focus is to combine all these fields so that dance science, pedagogical research and an understanding of the conditioning needs of dancers can together inform training, performance and curriculum planning.

Qualifications

• 2014: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• 2003: MSc Dance Science (Distinction), Laban
• 1984: Advanced Performance Course Diploma, Laban
• 1983: BA (Hons) Dance Theatre, Laban
• 3 A-levels, 11 O-levels, St Joseph’s Comprehensive, Workington

Performances

• 2010-12: Lizzi Kew-Ross – “Without Warning”
• 2000-08: Athina Vahla – “The Listening Post”, Science Museum site-specific commission 2008, “Wrestling an Angel” 2004, “Sonia Says” 2000 and 2002
• 1997-2003: Erica Stanton – “Gravity” 2003, Erica Stanton/Marion Gough – “Locus” 1997-8.
• 2001:Mothers of Invention – “My Mother, My Daughter, Myself”.
• 1996: V-TOL – “By Force of Fantasy”.
• 1994-5: Nikky Smedley and Dancers – “Talking of the Sex of Angels”
• 1992: Scott Clark – “In the Upper Room”
• 1991: Julie Blackman – “Anatomy of a Conversation”.
• 1990-93: Dale Thompson “Monolith” 1990 and “Mandala” 1993.
• 1986-91: Dancer/singer with  electric voice dance performance group, La Bouche (dance, voice and live sound mixing). Several albums of original songs/music and recording contract with CBS Records 1990. Choreographers: Lloyd Newson, Ashley Page, Lea Anderson, Pete Purdy, Lidy Mauw, the company. Extensive national and international touring and TV appearances: Edinburgh Fringe, Glasgow Mayfest, Glastonbury Festival Pyramid Stage and Theatre Tent, “Harty in Edinburgh”, “Acropolis Now” for Scottish TV, “Celebration” for Granada TV, “01for London”, “Folio” for Anglia TV.
• 1986: Scott Clark – “Heaven Somewhere”.
• 1985 : Philip Grosser – “U-Totem”
• 1984 : Luis Gonzalez – “Night Song”.

Choreography and Direction

• 2015: “Sphere of Influence” Double Vision (with Amanda Gough) commission for TrinityLaban Centre for Advanced Training students.
• 2012 – 2015: New works for  TrinityLaban BA1 Performance Project, “Experimental Wings”, “Imprints and Shadows”, “Black Velvet Blanket” and “The Butterfly Effect”.
• 2011: “ABBVN” for Virginia Rep Touring Company. Commissioned by James Madison University, Virginia, USA.
• 2011: “The Stone Diaries” Double Vision with Amanda Gough, Laban BA3 Commissioned Work.
• 1997-present: Co-director of Double Vision Dance Company with Amanda Gough. “After Images”  site specific piece for 50 local children and the Company at Lacock Abbey, commissioned by National Trust/Lacock Education 2003. “Sowing the seeds” site-specific piece for local children and the Company at the Courts Garden, commissioned by National Trust/Lacock Education 2002. “In:site” for Double Vision and “In:sense” for local community dancers, Millenium Project commissioned by the Derngate Theatre, Northhampton 2000. “Double Vision, Second Sight” full length A4E lottery funded work which also commissioned choreographer Fiona Edwards 1998. “Sonnet” choreographed and performed with Amanda Gough 1997.
• 1996-99: “Slipstitch”, “Satellite”, “Lexicon”, and “Circa ‘74” for Lewisham College Touring Company.
• 1996-7: Director and choreographer of Arts Council funded Shawbrook Summer school, Co Longford, Ireland. “Prophecy” 1996, “Between wind and water” 1997.
• 1992-4: Recipient of Arts Council bursary to train as an Artistic Director, Thamesdown  National Dance Agency, Swindon. Artistic Director and choreographer for Blueprint Dance Company, “Dreaming Like a Tall Man” 1992, “Common Denominator” 1993.
• 1994: Artistic Director of  the “Kaleidoscope” Project, a European Union funded venture initiated by The Council For Dance Education and Training to explore, in a cross-cultural context, the role of Dance in the National Vocational Qualification framework.

    “Terra Incognita” created in Rotterdam on eight dancers from Great Britain, Greece, Italy and Portugal.

• 1994: Workshops and performance project with South East London schools, including the Brit School, and Blueprint Dance Company.
• 1992: Collaboration with composer Philip Chambon  – “Shoal”
• 1984-5: Co-founded Group 6 Dance Company, workshops in schools around the UK, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Bath Festival, Chelsea Arts Fair fashion show.

Interests and Achievements

• London 2012 Olympic Games Opening and Closing ceremonies volunteer performer -Industrial Revolution Pandemonium Drummer and Marshall.
• Costume design for Mark Bruce “Angel” 1996 and Mark Bruce/PJ Harvey collaboration “Dance Hall at Louse Point”, Queen Elizabeth Hall 1997.  Costume realisation Erica Stanton/Marion Gough “Locus” 1997. Costume design and realisation Double Vision Dance Company “Double Vision, Second Sight” 1998.
• University College Union Branch Executive representative (Treasurer) 2011-2014
• Sports First Aid Certificate – St Johns Ambulance.

Teaching Experience

• 1991 – present: TrinityLaban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Senior Lecturer: Dance Technique, Dance Fitness, Performance and Repertory modules, Choreography, Dance Science and Well-being modules, Academic Tutor, Undergraduate and Masters Project Tutor, Component and Module Leader, Student Union master classes.

Education/Learning and Participation: Career Days, Teachers Days, CAT Programme, DTAP pilot.

Initiatives and teams: Injury Report, Dancer’s Physique Report, Working Practice sessions, Blue Sky sessions, Health Research team.

• 2014 – 2019: Bucks New University, External Examiner for BA Dance and Fitness.
• 2005: University of Roehampton, Anatomy and Kinesiology lecturer.
• 1999-2004: Lewisham College, External Examiner for Dance Technique.
• 1997: De Montford University, Dance Technique and Repertory.
• 1995-96: Lewisham College, Dance Technique teacher.
• 1985 – present:

Professional/company classes, summer schools, festivals, workshops:  Greenwich Dance, The Place Artist Development, South East Dance, Hampshire Dance, TrinityLaban, James Madison University London summer school.

Company teacher: Adventures in Motion Pictures, Bare Bones, Candoco, The Cholmondeleys, Clod Ensemble, DV8, Hofesh Schechter, Imlata, New Adventures, Protein Dance, Random, RDC Youth, Shobana Jeyasingh, Siobhan Davies, Springs Dance Company, V-Tol.

International master classes: Ireland, Venice Bienalle, Naples, USA.

Professional and company development activities and mentoring: BalletBoyz Dancers’ Training Course, Candoco, Maelstrom Dance, Greenwich Dance, University of Roehampton.

Creative Outputs

• 2015: Co-author of “Safe dance practice: An applied dance science perspective” published by Human Kinetics.
• 2014: Senior Associate for Safe in Dance International (SiDI). Development of the “Healthy Dance Practice” initiatives.
• 2009 – 2013: Member of Steering Committee, Lead Assessor and Consultant for Trinity College London “Certificate in Safe and Effective Dance Practice”.
• 2006 – 2014: Member of Education Committee (including Deputy Chair role), International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS).
• Publications and presentations

Presenter: NIDMS and Dance UK Healthier Dancer Programme, “Strength and Conditioning in Dance” Conference, Elmhurst School of Dance, October 2015.

Resource paper: “Dance Fitness”. Irvine S., Redding, E., Rafferty, S.

IADMS website https://www.iadms.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=303

2010: “Considerations for the integration of fitness into dance training”.

Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 14 (2): 45-9.

2009: “Development of a high intensity dance performance fitness test”.  Redding, E., Weller, P., Ehrenberg, S., Irvine, S., Quin, E., Rafferty, S., Wyon, M., Cox, C. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 2009, 13(1): 3-9.

2009: “Dance Specific Fitness class”. Quin, E., Irvine, S., Rafferty, S. Redding, E. IADMS 19th Annual meeting, The Hague, Netherlands.

2007: “The effects of a one year dance specific fitness training programme on undergraduate modern dance students; An experimental study”. Rafferty, S., Redding, E., Irvine, S., Quin, E. Abstract, Journal of Dance Medicine and Science 2007, 11(1):16.

2006: “The effects of a one year dance specific fitness training programme on undergraduate modern dance students; An experimental study”. Redding, E., Rafferty, S., Irvine, S., Morant, R. (2006), Conference proceedings IADMS 16thAnnual Meeting, West Palm Beach, Florida. Recipient of Lisa Ullman Travel Scholarship to attend.

2004: “Leadership in Dance: An application of the Leadership Scale for Sport to dance technique teaching”: Presented IADMS 14th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 2004. Recipient of IADMS Student Travel Award to present. Published, Rafferty, S., Wyon, M. Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 2006, 10, (1&2), 6-13.

2004: “Leadership behaviour in dance”. Dance UK Magazine, Issue 53, p. 21.

Other: “Warm-up and Cool Down” presentations, Move It and NDTA conferences

A chance wandering into an Ashtanga class one day turned what was, until then, a mere hobby, into a lifelong passion, rivalling her love for dance. She went on to undertake 200 & 500 hour teacher training, eventually developing her own style of Vinyasa Flow yoga that combines the precision and alignment of Iyengar, with the breath and dynamism of Ashtanga. Ever curious to explore the many facets of yoga, she has also completed teacher trainings in Yin (with Norman Blair), Ashtanga (with David Swenson), meditation (with Sally Kempton), Forrest Yoga (with Ana Forrest), and Gong Master Training (with Aidan McIntyre).

In 2023 she completed an MA in the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation (with distinction), and her dissertation, titled ‘Cinmudrā: Origins, Evolution and Meaning’ will be published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Yoga Studies in 2025. She currently offers classes, workshops and retreats that are creative, peaceful, flowing, and strong. She loves challenging practitioners to discover what their bodies are truly capable of, while maintaining a sense of humour and playfulness.

She uses her background as a dancer to choreograph imaginative sequences that move seamlessly from one posture to another, in a dance-like flow of breath and movement. The practice is safe, nurturing, and sustainable, designed to serve body and mind, regardless of level of ability.

Yanaëlle Ritter is a contemporary dance artist based in Eastbourne. After graduating from London Contemporary Dance School in 2015, she studied part-time at Trinity Laban for 3 years and gained a Level 6 Diploma in Dance Teaching and Learning. She then completed a MA in Choreography at the University of Chichester.

As a choreographer and performer, Yanaëlle often collaborates with composers and musicians. She also creates dances for specific sites like parks, beaches, and art installations. Her walking tour of Eastbourne, The Performance Path, was supported by Arts Council England and featured site-specific performances in various locations around the town. As a teacher, Yanaëlle facilitates creative contemporary dance classes for children, teenagers and adults across London and Sussex. Alongside her work for Trinity Laban, she teaches dance for Sadler’s Wells, The Place, Eastbourne Dance Space and other organisations.

Since 2018, she has also designed and delivered a number of performances, events and community projects with her collaborators at Company Concentric. Yanaëlle received London Contemporary Dance School’s Principal’s Award in 2015 and the Valerie Briginshaw Prize for Dance Writing and Academic Excellence in 2020.