Meet the Team
Alister O'Loughlin
Alister is an actor and physical theatre practitioner. As a co-founder of the award winning Prodigal Theatre his work has moved into dance via performance-parkour with Prodigal's Urban Playground Team. The ensemble have toured across five continents over 21 years, and are associates at the Hall for Cornwall.
Anna Alvarez
Anna is a SE based Latinx Dance Artist working as a performer, choreographer and movement director. Anna works with Contemporary dance, Tango and Circus and set up her own company in 2019 which weaves together Latin American dance with contemporary dance.
Image: Daniel D Moses
Annie-Lunnette
Deakin-Foster
Annie-Lunnette is a contemporary dance theatre choreographer, maker, teacher and movement director, was a founding member of award-winning company, C-12 Dance Theatre and is based in London. Recent credits include: The Panto That Nearly Never Was by Christian Patterson, Theatr Clwyd; Overflow by Travis Alabanza at the Bush Theatre.
Image: Sylvaine Poitau
Assis Carreiro
Assis Carreiro is a senior cultural leader working internationally. She represents choreographers and designers and provides mentoring and strategic consultancy to arts and cultural organisations. Assis was born in the Azores and raised in Canada and has lived in the UK since 1994. In 2014 Assis was awarded an MBE for her services to dance.
Image: Ming De Nasty
Jaivant Patel
Jaivant Patel is an award-winning queer independent dance artist, choreographer, cultural producer, and curator. He is Artistic Director of Jaivant Patel Dance, a South Asian Arts organisation rooted in Wolverhampton & The Black Country. Recent work includes the ground-breaking production YAATRA, amplifying the rich possibilities rooted in South Asian LGBTQ+ narratives.
Jeanefer Jean-Charles
Jeanefer is an Artistic Director, Mass Movement Specialist & Creative Consultant and a globally respected creative artist. Since the start of her career, her work has taken her to over 21 countries. Her unique creative process aims to bring to life the talents, strengths and shared stories of local communities and artists in inspiring and unforgettable ways.
Jennifer Jackson
Jennifer trained at East 15, and is a movement director and theatre maker.She received a Jerwood Live Work Fund, is an Evolve Artist (Oxford Playhouse), and was appointed a Leverhulme Arts Scholarship (The egg) and Developed With residency (The Lowry), to develop ‘Thank Heaven For Little Grrrls’ which presented at Touchwood 2019.
June Gamble
June facilitates the development of individual and/or organisational strategies through her roles as a Project Manager, Organisational Leader, Development Consultant, Life and Business Coach. Her experience and skills as a generous leader, strategic and conceptual thinker have developed during a successful and noteworthy 30+ year career in Dance.
Image: Ravi Deepres
Jessica Wright
Jessica danced with Company Wayne McGregor for 11 years
and now restages McGregor’s work internationally. As Jess and Morgs (with Morgann Runacre-Temple) she makes award-winning dance films, including commissions for ENB and Scottish Ballet. Their work has screened on Channel 4, BBC iPlayer, Canal+, TATE Liverpool
and Sadlers Wells.
Miranda Henderson
Miranda is a director and choreographer. As a co-founder of the award winning Prodigal Theatre & The Urban Playground Team her work has toured across five continents over 21 years. Her freelance work has toured across the UK and gone off-Broadway. She is currently training as a Somatic Practitioner.
Image: Red Manhatten (PDSW)
Natasha z Player
Natasha is a freelance changemaker, independent producer and podcaster with a background in dance. Working with organisations, venues and businesses such as Pavilion Dance SW & Without Walls Consortium to increase ethnic representation and inclusion in the cultural sector. A critical friend; brokering new relationships to create change.
Parbati Chaudhury
Parbati is a performer, teacher, choreographer and maker. As a maker, Parbati echoes contemporary and classical narratives and phenomena, using dance rooted in kathak, live music, and theatre. As a teacher, Parbati leads kathak classes for Pagrav Dance Company as well as independently, and is the Kathak Lead Artist at CAT-Yuva Gati.
Rachael Nanyonjo
Rachael is a movement director, choreographer and director working in theatre, film and TV. Movement work include MISTY(Trafalgar Studios), Two Trains Running (Royal Derngate & ETT), SHEBEEN (Theatre Royal Stratford & Nottingham Playhouse), Bernstein’s MASS (Southbank Centre). Directing: recognition (audio play produced by 45 North Theatre), Bobsleigh (The Old Vic Monologues).
Sarah Shead
In 2010, Sarah founded Spin Arts and has been working as Director and Creative Producer ever since. Spin Arts has produced award winning and critically acclaimed international touring productions. Committed to creating shows and experiences that showcase unique and under-represented voices, Spin Arts productions can be found in theatres, libraries, galleries, community centres, and outdoor festivals.
Urja Thakore
Urja Desai Thakore is one of the UK’s leading kathak dancers. Renowned for her love of abhinaya, subtle movements and technical strength, she is interested in creating neoclassical work. Urja is the Artistic Director of Pagrav Dance Company and is an active advocator for the dance sector, passionate to create new pathways for the next generation of artists.