my CV

What started as a weekly hobby every Thursday after school and before Brownies, became the thing that has shaped my life, becoming my passion, my outlet, allowing me to travel far and wide, to experience people and cultures I could only of imagined all those years ago holding onto my blue plastic chairs and staring out the windows of the local church hall.

I must say I was not a natural talent! Years of hard work and hours of persistence got me
to level where I could consider this as a profession.

At the age of sixteen I moved to Manchester to further my training and it was here I had my first teaching position teaching at a dance school. Each Saturday I taught lessons in ballet, tap and jazz. Here I had to prepare students for examinations over the year, prepare and teach free jazz classes and choreograph pieces for both solo and group performances in a variety of genres. This job proved to be very enlightening.

My three years training at Performers College proved invaluable; three years of long hours both in the studios at college and at home in the evenings documenting each day, studying for Anatomy and Physiology in my first year, my I.S.T.D Associate Modern in my second and in my third preparing for the outside world and completing my Contextual Studies for my Trinity National Diploma in Professional Dance.

During this Three year course I trained extensively in Ballet, Tap, numerous genres of Jazz, and Contemporary dance.
In my third year I chose to specialize in dance but for the first two years I studied musical theatre where I developed my skills in Speech, Drama, Singing and Musical Theatre. I found a love of acting so at the weekend I attended the London Actors workshop and trained in acting for the stage and for the camera. Putting this to good use I appeared in two showcases at the Courtyard Theatre, London. I also appeared in numerous corporate events at top London hotels, including “ Fashion with balls”, along side the England Rugby team, and models Jodie Kidd, and Shopie Anderton.

My training has enabled me to secure a place in the profession working continuously since graduating in a range of productions and companies, upon graduating I performed alongside the Osmond brothers in “Broadway’s spirit of Christmas” in the USA, I then moved to Paris to become a “Doris” girl dancing the French can-can at the Moulin Rouge, Staying in France I also worked in the third largest cabaret in France, Royal Palace. I have also done various casino contracts around Europe. During these contracts I have expanded my knowledge of dance styles. I have also learnt a lot about my chosen industry and what is expected and desired as a professional performer. From preparing for auditions, dealing with agents, managing and promoting yourself as a performer to other aspects such as rehearsals, costumes and wigs applying false eyelashes and also maintaining the choreography as personal flair creeps in, another important aspect is to maintain your own technique and physique I have experience taking daily warm ups and technique classes at work before the performances.
Very often in the production and rehearsal stages of a show the hours are long and strenuous, the schedules are often very tight and so it is imperative that you as a performer are physically and mentally alert as well extremely organised and able to communicate with those around you in every position. Travelling extensively and working on varying projects have defiantly made me tune my organisational skills as moving your life to a different country would be a disaster otherwise!
I am unsure where my life after a performer will take me at this stage, which is unusual for me as I spend a large majority of my life planning and setting myself goals, but I hope over the duration of this course I will discover new opportunities and interests to guide me towards a sustainable career in my chosen profession, where I know I have something to bring the table.