I completed my training with a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre from Laban and then a City and Guilds Level 3 in Teaching Certificate Adult Education. After many years teaching contemporary technique and choreography in higher education, in 2014 I decided to focus full-time on teaching dance in a freelance capacity, specialising in contemporary dance and creative movement within community settings. I have completed training in teaching dance to people living with Dementia and Parkinson’s.
Emily is a freelance community dance artist working across Surrey and West London, specialising in contemporary and creative dance for early years and older adults. Her sessions take place in a wide range of settings such as schools, community centres, care homes, sheltered housing, libraries and hospitals. She believes that dance is for everybody and works inclusively with all ages and abilities, with participants ranging from 6 months old to 96 years old!
Emily currently collaborates and teaches with many arts organisations and charities including Dance Woking, DanceWest, English National Ballet, The Place, Stopgap Dance Company, Polka Theatre, Age UK Richmond, CoDa Dance Company, Zambesi Dance Company and Inclusive Intergenerational Dance (iID).
She is really pleased to be one of Dance Woking’s Supported Dance Artists 2021/22 and is looking forward to developing her work with early year and families in Surrey later this year.
Sarita is a choreographer and movement director following the success of over 20 years in the dance profession including extensive works as a performer and teacher. As a multidisciplinary movement creative, she has worked on productions for theatres such as The National Theatre, West End’s Trafalgar Studios and some of her work is currently present on Netflix (Musical Film: Been So Long). From 2016-2019 Sarita was an associate creative director and choreographer for Union Dance working on a range of multimedia projects and education programmes. In 2019-2020 Sarita founded Surrey Dance Connect in Guildford, whilst also delivering as a Module Leader for the BA Dance degree program and as a movement teacher for Guildford School of Acting (Surrey University), where she continues to work as an associate.
Sarita trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and established her professional career for seven years as a resident dancer for leading British contemporary dance companies Wayne McGregor | Random, Henri Oguike and The National Dance Company of Wales. Following this and with her past experiences of Dance in Jazz, Street, Latin and styles of the African diaspora, Sarita expanded her work into the commercial dance industry for TV productions, TV commercials and pop music artists. Other experience includes supporting GCSE Dance, teaching yoga and mentoring.
I have worked as a dance artist for a variety of companies and choreographers including, DRIFT, FRONTLINEDance, Rees Dance, iiD, Sarita Piotrowski and R.W.D. This included performing in a number of different environments such as in theatres, site-specific locations and in dance films. I am also passionate about creating my own work, I like creating work that has socio-political themes and that resonates with those who watch it. Previous works I have created have explored themes including flooding, fair pay, abduction and fast fashion. In 2020 I joined-up with fellow dancer, Hannah Woodliffe, to create H&T a company which shares work that portrays issues and topics through dance and is accessible to a diverse range of audiences through outreach workshops. I have taught for a range of age groups and in variety of settings such as in schools and youth centres. I am also a dance and movement photographer where I have worked for 2Faced Dance, FRONTLINEDance, Jona Dance Company, Excessive Human Collective and Transcend Dance. In addition to my artistic practice, I have experience in marketing and communications including the use of social media.
I have been working in the dance entertainment industry for 15 years across stage, tv and film as a dancer, teacher, choreographer and creative director. I run The Urban Dance School across Surrey Est 2004 and Ombrascura Dance Company. My credits include X-factor, Brit Awards, Chris Brown, One Direction, A League of their Own, Spotify, ASDA, L’Oreal, Paco Rabanne, Burberry and many more.
I am an experienced dance teacher and lecturer from primary school age up to degree level. I teach and choreograph in the styles of contemporary, ballet and jazz, and also teach dance fitness classes. Previously I taught mainly at BTEC and AL standard and currently I teach at degree level at PPA and as an outreach dance artist for both Reside Dance in Reading and for Dance Woking.
Lucy McCrudden, aka Dance Mama, is dance entrepreneur and advocate. She is Founder of dancemama.org – a community, ACE funded activity programme and platform profiling significant parents in dance and the arts. Lucy has dove-tailed her own work with holding key positions in learning and participation over the last 18 years. These include: Dance Artist in Residence for DanceXchange (2004), Manager for London Contemporary Dance School, The Place, Centre for Advanced Training (2005-11), Expert Panel member of the DFE Music and Dance Scheme representing the National Dance CATs (2007-2010), Vice-Chair of Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Arts Grants Panel (2006-2009), Learning & Participation Manager, Rambert (2014-16), Chair of the Board of Trustees Dance Woking (2014-16), Head of Learning and Participation, Rambert (2016-18), Project Manager, Chance to Dance, Royal Opera House (2019-20), Mentor & Lecturer, ISTD DDP course (2021). As an independent specialist she has taught over 19,000 people across the UK and has engaged with a wide variety of dance and arts organisations in many other capacities; consultant, management, choreography, and presenting/public speaking. She is Ambassador for the Parents in Performing Arts Campaign and Secretariat to the Scientific Advisory Board, Active Pregnancy Foundation.
Harmony Arts is part of the growing movement of practitioners offering dance and music for emotional, psychological, and therapeutic benefits. Sarra Whicheloe, the director of Harmony Arts, is an Indian dancer and Natural Voice Practitioner. Nick Fairbrother is a musician and storyteller who works with Sarra delivering creative projects in schools and the community. We bring people together in creative dialogue through dance, music and storytelling to enrich our lives, build communities and to care for our planet.
Sarra has trained in Indian Classical Dance, Bharatanatyam in India as well as in London. Indian Classical Dance integrates stylised movement with theatre, set to a rich tapestry of melody and rhythm. There are pure dance movements as well as theatrical dance. At Harmony Arts we draw inspiration from stories, songs and poems from within our own communities and from across the world.
I am an experienced dance practitioner, working across performance and teaching. I have worked with an array of artist with various styles and means of generating movement, including Richard Alston, James Wilton and Clod Ensemble to name a few. I have consistently taught alongside my performance practice with a focus on remaining present within our moving bodies. Giving oneself permission to connect with their joy and curiosity for moving and bringing this into perceived moments of performance.
My own choreography seeks to explore these ideas further, diving into our sensation, mood, and quality of movement to reveal what we can learn about ourselves, by listening to ourselves. I have made a host of curtain raisers as a representative of companies I have danced for and had commissions that have seen my work danced by CAT (Centre for Advance Training) students, Richard Alston Dance Company performers and even students of Dancers Workshop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Ex-Contemporary/Ballet Dancer and Martial Artist, turned Personal Trainer and Sports Massage Therapist. I was a founding lecturer/Senior lecturer/Course Leader of the Undergraduate Dance degree at Kingston University and led practical and theoretical modules there for 12 years. I now offer wellbeing training, coaching and remedial treatment to Dancers and the general public. I’m also on the board of trustees for Dance West.
