MEET THE TEAM... So Far
Jamiel Laurence
Founder
Jamiel is an award winning Choreographer and Mobile Filmmaker based in Glasgow Scotland.
Jamiel was born in London, England and trained at The Arts Educational School Tring Park, as well as receiving two years of musical training in 2006-2007 at the Trinity College of Music in Greenwich. His classical training was received at Central School of Ballet between 2007 – 2009 and Jamiel joined Scottish Ballet in 2009, becoming a Soloist in 2016.
Jamiel has now created work for organisations including the BBC, Google, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Dance School of Scotland, Celtic Connections and more, with his work being shown in a variety of settings including BBC iPlayer, New York Mobile Film Festival, the inaugural Dance International Glasgow, Dance Camera West, Celtic Connections 2019, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Dance on Camera New York, San Francisco International Dance Film Festival, LOIKKA Helsinki, and the opening Dumfries House for HRH Prince Charles.
Jamiel acted as Assistant Choreographer to Christopher Hampson on the 2019 production of “Wee Hansel & Gretel” and in July 2019 began receiving direct support from Apple, supporting Jamiel to continue to capture his work using the latest in Mobile Camera technology.
During the current U.K. wide quarantine & lockdown, Jamiel produced his own series of Mobile Isolation Creations and after receiving several further commissions, decided to create the crowdfunded #FundFreelanceDance project: getting freelance Dancers and their related Artists and Services back into paid jobs, doing what they do best.
Luke was born in London and trained at the Royal Ballet School from the age of 11. After graduating he joined Scottish Ballet (soloist) where he danced for 10 years and then went on to dance for Rambert until 2019.
In 2004 he performed with K Ballet Company, Japan at the Metropolitan Opera House NYC for the Frederick Ashton gala. He has danced a range of roles with The Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet, and Rambert by renowned choreographers such as Balanchine, Ashton, Forsythe, Page, Alston, Macmillan, Wheeldon, Tetley, Christopher Bruce and Matthew Bourne.
Luke was an Olivier nominated dancer for outstanding achievements in 2017 for Mark Baldwin’s ‘Creation’. Most recently Luke was a guest dancer with Company Wayne McGregor in ‘Tree of Codes’ in Paris with the Paris Opera Ballet.
Luke Ahmet
Freelance Dance Artist
& Teacher
Josef was born and raised in Sussex and did his training at Laban and Central School of Ballet, graduating in 2008.
Since then he has consistently worked both as a freelancer and with contemporary repertoire companies such as Phoenix Dance Theatre and National Dance Company Wales, working with choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Alexander Ekman Johan Inger.
He has also worked in film and TV as a movement specialist and actor, and is now branching out into the realms of creature, performance capture and voiceover work.
Josef Perou
Freelance Dancer, Mover & Art Model
Bryony was born and raised in Kingston Upon Hull and began dancing at the LWHS school of
dance. At 16 she moved to London to train at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary
dance.
Upon graduation she joined Ballet National de Marseille under the direction of Emio Greco
& Pieter C. Sholten (2016/17) and upon return to the UK as a freelance artist has worked
with Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, Watkins Dance Company and Arielle Smith.
In 2018, Bryony joined New Adventures making her debut in Matthew Bourne's Swan
Lake 2018/19 tour. She played Dorcas and Juliet (cover) in the UK 2019 Tour of Romeo and
Juliet. She most recently played the role of Svetlana in the 2019/20 revival of Matthew
Bourne's production of The Red Shoes.
Bryony Harrison
Freelance Dance Artist
Filipino, born in Italy, Michael began dancing in his hometown Verona, and then moved to NYC to pursue a BFA in Dance at The Juilliard School.
After graduating in 2015, he joined GroundWorks Dance Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, premiering creations by established US choreographers. He also presented his works as a freelance choreographer.
After 6 years in the USA, he moved to the UK and joined Alexander Whitley Dance Company, and later Phoenix Dance Theatre, where he was also able to teach company classes and choreograph.
He is currently an independent dance-artist based in Leeds.
Michael Marquez
Freelance Dance Artist & Choreographer
Matthew is from Widnes in Cheshire, and began training in theatre at The Elliott-Clarke School in Liverpool, and then at Doreen Bird’s in Kent, graduating with a BA(Hons) degree in Dance and Theatre Performance.
After graduating, Matthew began working in the theatre, and has performed in musicals Funny Girl, 42 nd Street, Guys and Dolls, Kiss Me, Kate, as well as pantomime, and has appeared as a dancer in film and TV for the past thirteen years.
Alongside his performing career, Matthew has worked extensively as a ballet
pianist, audition pianist and rehearsal pianist in London and abroad. Companies include, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Ballet Black, Ballet Ireland, Rambert Dance Company, New Adventures, Northern Ballet, Studio Wayne McGregor, DV8, Michael Clark Company, New English Ballet Theatre, English National Ballet School, Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, London Studio Centre, Arts Educational Schools, The Urdang Academy, London School of Contemporary Dance, Bird College, London School of Musical Theatre, Pineapple Dance Studios, Danceworks, Young Dancers Academy, and Phantom of the Opera, London.
Matthew also broadcasts his own podcast with friends and esteemed colleagues, Chris Hobson, Akiko Hobson, and former Birmingham Royal Ballet Principal, David Yow. The podcast is called ‘Ballet Piano Podcast’, and it is a detailed look into the world of dance accompaniment. Listened to in eighty-four countries and growing, it features professionals from the world of ballet as special guests, making it insightful and informative. You can listen at www.balletpianopodcast.com.
Matthew J Gregory
Freelance Pianist & Podcaster
Nina started her career as an actress and a dancer and featured in many productions for TV, in movies and on stage. This led to her teaching and coaching ballet companies and dancers, e.g. Ballet Black, Fabula Collective and Company Wayne McGregor. Nina is currently Company Class teacher at Rambert.
She is also theExecutive Vice President of Zena Rommett Floor-Barre® Technique and oversees the tri-annual worldwide training of over 150 teachers in NYC, Mexico and in Europe. She has been on the Board of Directors of the ZR Floor-Barre® Foundation since 2017. She has lectured at Kingston University where she taught Technique and Expression in the Department of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Performance / Screen Studies for four years, and has been coaching presentation, impact and performance technique since 2009.
She taught the Principal dancers for Cats The Movie (2019), i.e. Steven McRae and Francesca Hayward, and she also coaches dancers, soloists and principals from the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Swedish Royal Ballet and Rumanian National Ballet etc. Nina has taught classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York, at Coppelia’s Ballet in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and has coached students from Tring, Laban Conservatoire, The Place and Elmhurst, amongst others.
Nina teaches weekly open adult classes at Central School of Ballet, at Danceworks London and online.
Nina Thilas-Mohs
Freelance Dance Teacher
British dancer and choreographer Anna, trained at the Rambert School. Anna was a company dancer for Tavaziva Dance for 10 years. Appointed additional roles within the company such as Rehearsal Assistant, Project Leader/Project Manager/Choreographer for Tavaziva Male & Female youth programme & ZIVA Youth Dance. As well as working with Shobana Jeyasingh, Motionhouse (World Premiere UK tour), Neville Campbell and more.
Alongside her career as a dancer, she formed her own company, Watkins Dance Company in 2011, receiving funding from Arts Council England for various projects and collaborations. Her work has been toured across the UK and Internationally.
Anna has been commissioned by several organisations and dance companies for her choreographic work for prestige youth & training dancers such as: Phoenix Dance Theatre, Tavaziva Dance, English National Ballet (including creating on ENBYouthCo based on Akram Khan Giselle), Balletboyz, Rambert School, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Dance City, SYDCo, Third Row Dance Company, New College Swindon, Suffolk Youth Company, CAT Scheme all over the UK, Rambert Dance Youth Company (Quicksilver), international students (Italy) and youth dance companies all over the UK. Anna has led various professional classes around the UK including at The Place London and for companies Rambert Dance Company and Tavaziva Dance.
In 2017 - 2018 she was awarded Associate Artist at Swindon Dance. Awarded Arts Council England funding for Spring 2018 Tour including new short dance film in collaboration with Film Oxford. In 2018 Anna was selected as one of the four choreographers for the Cohan Collective, mentoring residency with Robert Cohan, and continued with Cohan Collective for the Development stage in August 2019 at Pavilion Dance South West.
Currently this year, Anna was commissioned by Swindon Dance to create and perform in a new duet, for Swindon Spring Festival of Literature and the Arts. The duet went international (ITALY) this June as part of DAP Festival 2019 - International Dance and Visual Arts Festival and was also performed at Rambert (LONDON) for The Playground two year anniversary special.
Anna was also commissioned by Film Oxford to create a new short dance film for project FLUX bringing three artists together - dance, film and music. MORTELLE, the new short dance film and performance filming of new duet REPEL, were screened at various film festivals in summer 2019. Screenings included: Modern Art Oxford | Dancin' Oxford, Leeds Festival 2019 and Reading Festival 2019.
Anna has been a regular guest teacher and mentor at Swindon Dance for the CAT (Centre for Advanced Training) programme, recently appointed the new Coordinator for CAT (Swindon Contemporary Programme).
Anna Watkins
Freelance Dance Artist, Choreographer and Artistic Director
Jacob Krokodeilos was born in Greece and started studying piano at the age of ten.
Classically trained, he participated in a variety of piano competitions, winning awards and distinctions along the way.
Now having over 20 years of experience playing for ballet classes, Jacob enjoys freelance engagements across London accompanying dance classes at many institutions including Trinity Laban, The Royal Academy of Dance, Rambert, The Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Ballet.
Jacob Krokodeilos
Freelance Pianist
Denzil Bailey started to dance aged 17 in a weekly Jazz class in a church hall in Cricklewood. Encouraged by his teacher to take ballet, he joined the London School of Classical Dance. After 3 years he was chosen to join the internationally prestigious English National Ballet where he danced for 10 years, touring the world.
Following some time freelancing and raising his son Jacob, Denzil was approached by Cassa Pancho, a dancer writing her dissertation on the lack of black classical dancers. Together they founded 12 years ago the renowned Ballet Black. This led to numerous requests to teach and Denzil unintentionally became a ballet teacher, which he calls his “dream job”. In addition to his two weekly classes at Danceworks, Denzil teaches at Central Ballet School, The Place, London Studio Centre, Middlesex University, London Theatre School and Pineapple. He also teaches for dance companies such as Rambert, Random, Neo Ballet, Tavaziva and Skanes Danse in Sweden – and of course, Ballet Black.
Denzil Bailey
Freelance Ballet Teacher
Sean completed his formal training at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2018, and prior to this was a member of the 2014-2015 National Youth Dance Company, under guest artistic director Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, premiering Frame[d] at Sadler’s Wells mainstage before touring nationally. Sean has since returned to Sadler’s Wells to perform works by Pascal Merighi and Michael Keegan-
Dolan.
In 2018, whilst still formally in training, he joined 2Faced Dance Company as a full-time dance artist, performing works by Tamsin Fitzgerald and Lenka Vagnerova. Sean then joined Joss Arnott Dance in 2019 for their outdoor work PULSE! before embarking on a month-long tour of Aakash Odedra’s #Je Suis throughout Germany and Italy. He then went on to create a new work with Caitlin Barnett Company,
before joining James Wilton Dance Company in February 2020, touring The Storm until the Covid-19 emergency halted proceedings.
Sean Moss
Freelance Dance Artist & Musician
Viktor Erik Emanuel got his hands on his first camera at the age of eight, and he has been exploring and discovering life through the lens ever since. Fascinated by people, he loves capturing interesting personalities, through dance, music performance, fashion and portraits - he has taken photos of dance companies, dance workshops, as well as undertaking photography at Fashion Week. Viktor’s photography work has been featured in The Guardian, The Times, and The Observer, among others.
Expressing himself through different mediums has always been fundamental to him, both as an artist and as a person. Apart from being a photographer, Viktor is a conservatoire-trained classical pianist and piano teacher as well as qualified yoga teacher. He’s passionate about developing as an artist and as an educator, and to let his varied interests and his desire to learn continually lead and inspire him.
Viktor Erik Emanuel
Freelance Photographer & Classical Pianist
Alethia Antonia
Freelance Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher & Researcher
Raised in Derbyshire, Alethia is a dancer, choreographer and researcher working in various capacities around the UK. She trained at London Contemporary Dance School (BA Hons), Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (Exchange Programme), and Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Foundation and VERVE | MA), as well as with various practitioners from around Europe.
As a dancer, Alethia has toured nationally and internationally and is currently a company member of Russell Maliphant Dance Company, James Wilton Dance, and James Cousins Company. She has also worked with VOX - Wayne Parsons, Chhaya Collective, Heather Walrond Company, Extended Play (Jamaal Burkmar), Ion Tribe/Luke Jessop, Alleyne Dance, Gregory Maqoma, Sita Ostheimer, Hannes Langolf, Matthew Robinson, and Lenka Vagnerova, amongst others.
She is currently developing a solo work Inscribed in “Me” and researching into the intertextuality of feminine blackness within academia, dance training, choreography and performance. Her choreographic work and research has been supported by Dance4, Yorkshire Dance, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Leeds Dance Partnership. She has also been commissioned by Fashion Space Gallery (Break Factor) and The Place (Choreodrome 2020). As an independent teacher and as well as a company dancer, she has led classes and workshops for the Swindon and Exeter CAT Scheme, National Youth Dance Company, NSCD, Edge Hill University, Tripspace, The Place, and ABRonStage.“
Born and trained in Australia, Adam moved to the United Kingdom and began his professional dancing career with London City Ballet. After turning his attention to working as a freelance dancer, and in between stints with English National Ballet, Adam had success on the commercial dance circuit. He danced on two of Kylie Minogue’s world tours, appeared in television productions and feature films including Pride and Prejudice and Phantom of The Opera, and worked with Stanley Kubrick on choreography for Eyes Wide
Shut. He has worked extensively as a dancer, acrobat and actor in opera, and as assistant choreographer on Sir David McVicar’s Adriana Lecouvreur has been responsible for staging the Act III ballet in revivals of the production at Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna), L'Opéra Bastille (Paris), The Royal Opera House (London) and The Metropolitan Opera (New York).
Adam is a freelance ballet teacher and coach, and a member of the teaching staff at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance and West London School of Dance/Young Dancer’s Academy. Formerly one of the ballet masters for Ballet Black, Adam has also been a guest teacher for Rambert, Michael Clark and Akram Khan’s company. He teaches open ballet classes of all levels, as well as his unique “Tumbling Skills For Dancers” at London’s Pineapple Dance Studios and Danceworks.
Adam Pudney
Freelance Teacher & Coach
Hanna was born and raised in Cardiff and began her training as an associate of The Royal Ballet School, National Dance Company Wales and National Youth Dance Wales performing original works by Odette Hughes, Theo Clinkard & Errol White. Having completed her formal training at London Contemporary Dance School, she joined Danish Dance Theatre as an apprentice in 2015.
Hanna has worked and performed with Crystal Pite & Kidd Pivot, Bundesjugendballett, Just Us Dance Theatre, Dane Hurst, Catarina Carvalho and more recently Caroline Finn for the WNO UK tour of "Les Vepres Siciliennes".
Hanna is also passionate about working in Wales where she was a presenter for S4C Welsh channel from 2016-2017 and has choreographed for Fran Wen Theatre Company, Urdd National Eisteddfod and Sbarc Galeri Caernarfon.
Hanna Lyn Hughes
Freelance Dancer & Teacher
Guy is an international Choreographer, Musician, Performer & Creative based in London.
Guy was born in London, and began his training in dance and music at an early age under his mothers tutelage at Lanterns School of the Performing Arts. Guy then attended The Arts Educational School Tring Park for 10 Years following on to The Urdang Academy London for 3 Years. Meanwhile, Guy received 2 Years furthering his musical knowledge at Trinity College of Music in Greenwich, with his 1st study Drum Kit/Percussion, 2nd Study Clarinet, Composition, Mixing/Recording, and Performing in Big Band and Percussion Ensembles.
Guys work is varied across many genres of the industry, working with Pop artists and companies such as BTS, The Black Eyed Peas,Coldplay, Tinie Tempah, Zara Larsson, Paloma Faith, Union J, Elyar Fox, Britains Got Talent, The X Factor, Lioness Records, Dionne Bromfield, Simon Smith,The Olympic ceremonies, CBBC, BBC, Graham Norton, The Voice UK, The Voice Germany, ITV, Kellogg’s, TKMAXX, Universal, JingleBellBall, The Rugby World Cup Closing Ceremonies, Sony, Nickelodeon, New Era & More.
Touring theatres across the UK and internationally, Guy also works in the Musical Theatre industry in several creative capacities. Most recently Guy returned from The Choir Of Man Australia Tour, with other credits including - Cats The Musical (UK/International Tour ‘Swing/1st Cover The Rum Tum Tugger’), West Side Story London BishopsGate Institute (Choreographer/Supervisor), Thoroughly Modern Millie ‘Ching Ho’ Uk Tour, Happy Days The Musical ‘Chachi’ (International Tour), QDOS Sleeping Beauty Pantomime, Choreographer/Dancer in Festival Jardins Pedralbes Barcelona.
Recently spending time in Miami and Las Vegas, Guy occupied the role of Associate Choreographer, staging work for Royal Caribbean 'Spectrum of the Seas”, aiding in the creation of their brand new show “The Effectors”.
Guy’s love for composing, choreographing, teaching, creating and performing has him working on many different Shows, Events, Tours, in TV, Theatre Schools, Colleges and is leading workshops across the UK & Internationally.
Guy Salim
Freelance Composer, Musician, Choreographer, Dancer & Teacher
John & Hilary Austin are owners of a successful commercial business operating in Scotland, U.K., and are major supporters and advocates for the Arts across the country, acting as donors to the #FundFreelanceDance Initiative.
In 2016 their investment into the performing arts won the award for “Business Creativity” at the 30th Annual Arts & Business Scotland Awards, for taking the lead in establishing and developing partnerships with cultural organisations in order to drive and develop commercial opportunities for both parties which impact the wider community.
John and Hilary have provided ongoing support for the #FundFreelanceDance project since its inception and alongside their donation have guided the team by helping develop fundraising strategies and assisted in exposing the project to new audiences.
John & Hilary Austin
Donors & Supporters
Moondog Labs believe that all filmmakers and photographers deserve professional-grade creative imaging options, regardless of the camera platform that they use… and that they should have the flexibility to use their gear however they want. Their growing catalogue of pioneering products includes revolutionary anamorphic lenses, state-of-the-art filters and mounts, and sleek counterweights, all of which are specifically designed for the mobile community.
Since 2018, Moondog Labs have been assisting and supporting founder of #FundFreelanceDance, Jamiel Laurence, in his career as an independent choreographer & mobile filmmaker, and have now extended their support to the #FundFreelanceDance initiative.
Moondog Labs have supported the initiative by supplying mobile lens & filter technology which will be used to document the creative output.
Mobile Filmmaking Technology
Sponsor & Supporter
Venue Sponsor & Supporter
The Lanterns Studio Theatre, located at South Quay, Canary Wharf, offers a prime and unique open theatrical space fit for not only rehearsal and performance, but also for conferencing, presentations, concerts and productions on both a large and smaller scale with over 900 square metres of adaptable, acoustically insulated space.
The Lanterns Studio Theatre, London, will provide the dancers and other artists of the project with a large COVID safe rehearsal and performance space, with over 17m x 17m of harlequin sprung dance floor, changing facilities, access to Green Room Kitchen facilities and a one of a kind large scale studio theatre space. Each dancer will take class in their own space with a full-size free-standing barre each while being accompanied by a freelance ballet pianist playing a Yamaha CIII Concert Grand Piano, kindly donated by Elton John and Yamaha Europe.