The Team

Ann is a freelance dancer and teacher based in London. She trained at English National Ballet School and holds a BA Professional Practice in Dance from Middlesex University, as well as a Diploma in Sports Psychology and Dynamics. She is currently completing an MA Professional Practice in Dance, specialising in Health and Wellbeing. Ann has danced professionally with Ballet Cymru, Brecon Festival Ballet, as a principal dancer with English Youth Ballet and has engaged with community and collaborative projects.

With a career spanning television, theatre, and film, Ash Mukherjee is a choreographer and Critics’ Circle National Dance Award UK nominated South Asian dancer. They create work that actively explores the impact of the arts on mental health and wellbeing. Their latest work Pride Face Project is a collaboration with Journey LGBT+ Asylum Seekers group, supported by Sampad Arts in Birmingham.

Claire is a creative and enterprising leader with over 20 years of experience in fundraising and marketing, committed to advancing growth and impact in the cultural and charitable sectors. As Director of FundLink and ImpactEast, and Head of Marketing at the Arts Marketing Association, she leverages her expertise to help organisations thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. Previously, Claire led ambitious income generation initiatives at a Lottery distributor, as a grant beneficiary, and as a funded-programme partner, and with a proven track record of developing transformative strategies and staying at the forefront of industry trends and effective practices, she continuously seeks new ways to make a positive impact and drive meaningful change.

Denise has a long history in dance, music, the arts, and humanities as a consultant. She is also a former Deputy Chairman of English National Ballet, having held the position for 12 years. She was instrumental in setting up the ENB School and was a long-standing Trustee of The Dance Professionals Fund and Career Development.

James is a corporate lawyer who advises businesses on transactions and commercial matters, as well as providing pro bono work for charities and not-for-profit enterprises. He is passionate about dance and delighted to be involved in STEPPS as it develops much-needed counselling and support for dance professionals.

Joe trained at the Royal Ballet Lower School, during which time he performed with the Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet. After sustaining a knee injury and being involved in a serious car crash, Joe acquired his disability and stopped dancing for three years. As a professional dancer, Joe has worked with Ballet Cymru, The Royal Ballet as a guest artist, Sweetshop Revolution, Propel Dance and Humans Move, as well as choreographing and performing for the One Young World 2022 Opening Summit.

Matz Skoog is a former dancer and Artistic Director of English National Ballet. He enjoyed a successful performance career in classical ballet and contemporary dance, working with some of the most exciting artists of his era whilst dancing on international stages. Matz is now a career guide and consultant, helping dance professionals navigate key moments in their careers.

Stuart Waters is a dance and live art performance maker with over 20 years of experience in professional dance. His critically acclaimed autobiographical work draws from intersectional lived experiences of queerness and neurodivergence. He collaborates extensively, centralising disability-led practice, social activism and allyship, an approach which underpins his creative process.

Taira is a freelance choreographer, movement director, and founder and artistic director of TF Dance Co, a story-based company that draws on strong contemporary and street dance styles. Company credits include four critically acclaimed works as part of Resolution festival,  ‘Prisoner 466’ funded by The Arts Council and shown at the House of Lords, short film ‘Carly’s exit’ which premiered at The San Francisco Dance Film Festival and the New York ‘Dance for camera’ Festival. Other credits include Snow Patrol’s ‘Don’t Give In’ 2018 with other performances in and around the UK.

Tim is a former member of the NHS acute mental health team, who now works as a psychotherapist and supervisor of therapists working in private practice.

Anita trained at The Royal Ballet School, joining The Royal Ballet Company in 1968 and was promoted to soloist in 1974. She performed many prominent roles in the “heritage” ballets of Sir Frederick Ashton. On leaving the company, Anita was offered the position of Ballet Mistress with Northern Ballet Theatre. Anita was on the Artistic faculty of both The Royal Ballet ‘Lower and Upper Schools’ and in 2016, was a guest teacher at the ‘Paris Opera Ballet School’; She is currently a Guest Teacher at the European School of Ballet in Amsterdam. Anita decided to build a career as a freelance Teacher, Choreographer, Coach and Mentor. She has been a guest teacher for Schools and Companies, in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malta, Romania, South Africa and the USA. Anita has also coached American Football Players and Professional Footballers.

Dollie has led a respected career of 45 years as a theatre performer, choreographer, theatre director, jazz artist and practitioner and is recognised as one of the most formidable exponents of artistic and creative jazz dance and theatre dance, both in the UK and globally. She is Founder/Co-Artistic Director of BOP Jazz Theatre Company and continues to be active in her breadth of work as Patron of IDTA, The Hammond School and Ignite Dance Company. As a creative mentor, Dollie is instrumental in developing and steering the careers of many dancers and creatives in established dance companies, musical theatre productions and dance shows across the globe. Dollie is co-author of the highly successful book ‘The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance’. Published by Crowood Press. In June 2022, Dollie was recognised on the Queens Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honours List receiving the award of ‘MBE’ for ‘Services to Dance’.

Philip is The Actors Fund Encore Award Winner & Whatsonstage Angel Winner. During the pandemic Philip created comedy viral videos which have been viewed millions of times around the world & still growing, he is also creator of the comedy pilot “THE FOSSE FOREST BALLET”.

Choreography credits:
‘Jon & Lucy’s Party Of The Year’ Christmas Special, Channel 4, ‘The One Show’ BBC,
‘Children In Need’ BBC, ‘Bette Midler & Me’ Eagle Theatre, London ‘Chess The Musical’ The Electric Theatre ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Peterborough New Theatre,
‘HAIRSPRAY’ The Gaiety Theatre, Portsmouth ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ Cultural Hall Theatre,
Bahrain ‘The Last Leg’ Channel 4, ‘HARRY HILL’S ALIEN FUN CAPSULE’ ITV ‘Henrietta’ Kate Golledge, NYMT ‘NATASIA DEMETRIOU AND ELLIE WHITE ARE GETTIN’ BIG’ Soho Theatre, ‘Sketch You Up!’ London, ‘Harrods 10th anniversary magazine editorial. ‘NET A PORTER internet campaign. ‘Ferris & Milnes A Christmas Cracker’ Ambassador Theatre, London. ‘CLOSER TO HEAVEN’ The Pet Shop Boys musical Union Theatre.

Deborah was Royal Ballet School trained and is a former principal dancer (including London Festival Ballet and Bayerisches Staatsballett). She has been writing for over 30 years. Publications include Dancing Times, DanceTabs, Dance for You and Dance Europe. She is currently Dance Editor at Bachtrack. She also interviews for Voices of British Ballet. In addition, since 2016 she has been facilitating programmes that support victims of domestic abuse.

Isabella was born in São Paulo and trained at Ballet Marcia Lago (her mother’s school) and at Canada’s National Ballet School. She joined Northern Ballet in 2007, where she danced for five years, and performed with English National Ballet and New English Ballet Theatre before joining The Royal Ballet in 2014. She is currently a First Soloist and just completed a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing.

Lucy Turner is a London-based, freelance dance artist whose movement style is often described as ‘a mathematical dance equation’. She prides herself in raising awareness and creating space for disabled performers in the industry, using her platform to advocate how to improve accessibility for all.

Monique Dior Jarrett is a Model & Influencer under the agency Zebedee Talent, Advocate for disability, Ambassador of several charities and organisations, one of the Directors of the BAFTA Award winning Arts based company TripleC, a National and International Wheelchair Dance Champion and now a Professional Contemporary Dancer for the inclusive dance company Stopgap Dance.

I used to wander the West End looking at the theatres and billboards. Having worked as a dresser in Sweet Charity and Mame, I joined the BBC and then worked with Tommy Steele as his assistant, travelling the world. He introduced me to the sculptor and ex-dancer Tom Merrifield, where I worked on all his gallery work and shows for 12 years, and then was the press officer for the Society of British Sculptors, organising exhibitions from my own Gallery and in Scotland and London with my partner John. The American painter of dancers and Royal favourite Robert Heindel worked with me as I could organise access to dance companies in the UK. Further work with Robert involved Andrew Lloyd Webber’s productions in London and New York.
I have lived in Tangiers and Marrakech and run galleries in both places but now run a high end property company and keep in contact with many people in the dance profession.