Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Zoe Coles:

Zoe Coles: image credit Tim Cross

Zoe had an early passion for dance, attending a private dance school from the ages of 5-16, covering areas such as ballet, tap, and performing in showcase events.  As a visually impaired person as she moved into further education, and with no clear role models she could not see a route for herself as a disabled dance artist.

However in 2005 she had to opportunity to work for Cheshire Dance, a national dance development agency.  This was brokered by the ACE fellowship programme.  In 2006-7 she undertook the CandoCo Foundation course in Contemporary Dance.  She worked with the London Contemporary Dance School and Australian Dance Theatre, performing at the Lilian Baylis Theatre Sadlers Wells, and at the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall.   It was through this work that her choreographic interests were ignited.

Zoe has completed 3 years at Coventry University 2007 – 2010 as an undergraduate on their ‘Dance Making and Performance’ course.  She is completing her final project and dissertation before formally achieving this qualification.  She is considering undertaking a masters in ‘dance making’ at Coventry University in the future.

She is excited by the Dance Transformations programme, as she feels it comes at an ideal place in her professional development, and can assist her ambitions to set up her own dance company.

Gemma Collard-Stokes

Gemma Collard-Stokes: image credit Tim Cross

Gemma is a West Midlands based Dance Artist creating work of an interdisciplinary nature.   Her training background is dance and theatre but her passion for creative writing leads her to experiment with the use of voice, art materials, text, object and writing in performance.

She completed a BA in Dance and Professional Practice at Coventry University choreographing a range of performance work, and performed at Herbert Art Gallery and with S.H.E. Theatre Company.  Her teaching experience includes Dance 4 All Disability Dance Coach, Disability Dance Facilitator Hereward College, choreographing Midlands Youth Dance Troupe and working as a community dance practitioner and within primary school settings.

She recently worked as writer in Residence for Coventry Summer Dancing, and co-authored the article Artist-Led, Artist-Used for The Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices published January 2010.   This has inspired her to publish more work including her BA thesis.  Her personal practice is engaged in a concern for clarity and ease of movement through authenticity and embodiment.  She wishes her work to be open and accessible to the wider audience, reflecting change, culture and inclusion.  Dance Transformations appeals to her in her commitment to developing her career as an emerging Artist, alongside an MA in Contemporary Performance Making.  Having a past experience of injury leading to temporary disability, it gave her a fresh perspective and enriched her dance practice.  She is interested in developing her experience of working inclusively.

Stephanie Holt:

Stephanie Holt: image credit Tim Cross

Stephanie has Cerebral Palsy, and attended Hereward College, a national, specialist residential college of further education.  Here she completed a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts.

She then continued her education at Coventry University, graduating in 2007 with a BA (Hons) Dance and Professional Practice.

She is a West Midlands based independent dance artist and performer with Foot in Hand Dance Company.  This Company is led by Louise Katerega, who is acknowledged for her development work in the field of dance and disability.

Stephanie has performed in A State of Becoming, which featured Foot in Hand regular disabled dance artists, and in One Night Only.  This inclusive piece was completed via a one week intensive residency.  Professionals and non-professionals combined on stage as an ensemble.

She has technical experience, and co-led a community integrated dance group in Stratford Upon Avon for 3 years 2007-2010 for Warwickshire County Council.

She has also worked with Velcro Dance Company and performed in ‘Feast’ choreographed by Marc Brew.

As an experienced dance artist, she has a strong interest in development of her own choreographic work, and is delighted to be a part of the Dance Transformations programme.  This programme is especially well timed for Stephanie, as due to her performance work she is experiencing wear and tear on her knees which limits her long term capacity as a performer.

Frank McDaniels:

Frank McDaniels: image credit Tim Cross

Frank is 25 and lives in Cheltenham, but was brought up and has family in the West Midlands. He was born with a near fatal metabolic disorder, but continued to live a normal life. At the age of age 8 he suffered a metabolic stroke which let to muscular tension and difficulties in speech which gradually increased over the following years.  He is currently physically stable with the increased muscle tone and speech difficulties.

He completed a BTEC first diploma in performing arts at the National Star College in 2005, achieving a distinction.  He did modules on choreography, and created a dance piece inspired by the story of Anne Frank. He went on to do A levels in film studies and theatre and drama studies.  These courses gave him an insight into the technical side of creating work.  He was approached by Gloucestershire Dance’s integration manager, and asked if he wanted to join Velcro Dance Company.

Since joining Velcro he has had the opportunity to work and dance in various places including LIPA (Liverpool institute for performing arts) and local schools running a series of workshops.  During his time at Velcro he has had the opportunity to co-choreograph dances with non-disabled and disabled people, and work with choreographers such Marc Brew and Louise Katerega.

He wishes to continue in the dance industry and develop his own choreographic ideas.  He has discussed his desire to choreograph non-disabled dancers in that he can realise his artistic ambitions through their bodies, without the restriction that his own body places on him as a dancer.

Tara-Louise Rutter:

Tara-Louise Rutter: image credit Tim Cross

Tara is working as a West Midlands based Dance Artist specialising in non stylised movement, environment work and Dance for Camera. Since her training at Coventry University in 2006 Tara has regularly collaborated with film maker Vince Lund to create short dance films and installations.  In 2007 Tara Founded and Project Managed Community Dance Group -  Coventry Moves and Children’s Classes - Creative Creatures. Coventry Moves is an Inclusive Adult Community Dance Group situated within Coventry and Creative Creatures are children’s creative dance classes, ages ranging from two years to eight years.

Tara is currently under going a Dance MA at Coventry University and The Walk of Life Training with Helen Poynor.  Tara has previously worked as an Learning Support Assistant at Coventry University working with dance students with a disability.  This gave her an excellent insight into inclusive dance practice, which lent itself to her community work and her current post as Dance Lecturer at Coventry’s HE Inclusive College - Hereward College.

In 2009 Tara was an apprentice and performer for Rosemary Lee’s Common Dance project.  Throughout this project she assisted alongside Rosemary in the choreography of the piece, working with a diverse range of community members, ages ranging from 8 to 82.

Other work includes performance for Lily Hayward - Smith Dance Company – Fargo Projects, Blue Eyed Soul Dance company - Be-Longing at Theatre Severn, and a two week artist in residence at The MAC Theatre.  Tara has delivered classes at DanceXchange, Coventry Children Summer Dancing School, and Walsall City Council.   She has assisted on the Dance 4 Health classes led by Louise Katerega and Stephanie Holt, and Oxford Youth Dance/Dug Out alongside Cecilia Macfarlane.  Tara is now interested in furthering her experience of working inclusively and is delighted to be on the Dance Transformations as it is most fitting to her development as an emerging artist.

Caroline Walker:

Caroline Walker - image credit Tim Cross

Caroline is currently a dance student. She is studying part time towards a BTEC National Award in Dance. Over the last few years Caroline has performed with Fleur Darkin and the Darkin Ensemble and with Severn Star Productions. At present, she dances with Dwsin y Daith Dance Company and with Ffin 2 (Ffin Dance). She is also a qualified yoga teacher and practices several martial arts.

Caroline attended ballet classes until the age of fourteen having had the desire to dance professionally from a young age. Although non-disabled, after taking advice from her dance teacher she stopped attending these classes due to a significant leg length discrepancy that she was born with. The advice given to Caroline was that both her condition and the surgery used to correct it at a later stage would prevent her from ever being able to pursue a professional dance career. A couple of years ago, Caroline began to question this advice and took up contemporary classes again.

Caroline is particularly interested in inclusivity at a professional level.
She feels that this interest combined with her particular unconventional career path into dance will ensure that she benefits from the Dance Transformations programme. She is particularly excited about the programme’s emphasis on mentorship and support and its choreographic process focus.   She has been interested in incorporating movement from other disciplines, and applying her ideas and inspiration that has not had opportunity to be developed.  The research element to Dance Transformations also strongly appeals to Caroline and the process of gleaning and sharing thoughts, ideas and information.