A dancer, choreographer and movement director, Jon graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. He has performed nationally and internationally with Luca Silvetrini’s Protein Dance in LOL and is an original cast member of invisible dancing first created in 2010.  Jon has also performed for Ballet Lorent in Blood Sweat and Tears and Underneath The Floorboards.

Jon spent four years working with young offenders and those at risk of offending with Dance United, and has taught in many educational settings, from early years to university degree courses. His passion for teaching, dance and movement has led him to work with groups in Africa (Aduna Dance Ethiopia) and Palestine (Lajee Centre Bethlehem).

In 2013 Jon was part of the team that worked on the mass movement piece for the opening ceremony of the Rugby League World Cup. Jon is mass rehearsal director for Akram Khan’s Kadamati and was the rehearsal director for the National Theatre’s public acts production of Pericles.

Jon has credits as a movement director with Derby Theatre, Hiccup Theatre Company, Royal Exchange Manchester, York Theatre Royal and Pilot Theatre Company. He has collaborated with Jeanifer Jean Charles, Walk the Plank, RSC and Hull Carnival Arts on mass outdoor parade shows.  Jon is also the Co Artistic Director of Tenfoot dance company

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Vipul is a user experience practitioner across product and service design and a dance artist (contemporary and kathak), a London Contemporary Dance School BA Hons graduate.

He is drawn to the art of storytelling to strengthen human connection and community engagement. He’s currently completing a MSc in Cognition and Computation at Birkbeck University.

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I am an award-winning choreographer, teacher, director & performer making politically charged & funny work. I am from Waterford, Ireland and currently based in London. I use dance, theatre, comedy and, most recently, music to create bold work that addresses difficult topics whilst always asking myself – would my mum enjoy this?! I am Artistic Director of Moxie Brawl- a spicy dance theatre company. I am a neurodivergent council estate princess and I occupy a punk niche making dance/physical work rooted in global political issues to different ages.

I feel it is part of my job as an artist to use my skills in storytelling to talk about important global issues. For example, we have got children and their adults believing in their collective voice and protesting outside the theatre after each show (Punk Alley). We raised awareness of topics such as the lack of representation of women in history (History Of Ireland; Jane), the ridiculousness of beauty standards (My Feminist Boner) and global warming (Windibops). I am passionate about diverse bodies and creating creative practises and experiences that represent and invite all ages, classes and abilities onto an equal playing field.

I have been a professional choreographer, making my own touring work for 9 years. As an ‘emerged artist’, I’ve made a footprint in the UK contemporary dance and performance sector. My work has been performed at and supported by organisations such as Southbank Centre, The Place, New Wolsey Theatre, Contact, Cambridge Junction, Candoco Dance Company, Oxford Playhouse, artsdepot and Stephen Joseph Theatre. As a freelance movement director/choreographer I have worked with artists/orgs such as Bryony Kimmings, Complicite, Dan Daw, Xnthony, Hackney Showroom and the work has been seen all over the world.

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Ceri joined Dancers’ Career Development in autumn 2023 as Marketing and Communications Manager. For further information on the DCD staff team go to: Meet the team – Dancers Career Development.

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Bradley “Bradz” Charles is a two time Lawrence Olivier award winning company member, a Choreographer, Actor and DJ, as well as a coach/mentor, working closely with the youth sector. He was previously Artistic Director for ZooNation Youth Company and is currently a ZooNation Associate Artist.

Recent credits include: Resident Choreographer and Director of The Mad Hatters Tea Party 2024, cast member in Sylvia (Old Vic) 2023, Director, Choreographer and performer of Black Tea (Commission by Studio 3 Arts), Movement Director and Choreographer of Peter Pan (Rose Theatre) and Four Walls (Derby Theatre), Associate Choreographer of Hex (National Theatre, Director: Rufus Norris) and Assistant Choreographer for the Opening Ceremony 2012 Olympic Games and StreetDance 3D (First UK cinema released dance film)

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Having originally trained as a dancer and dance teacher at Laban and London College of Dance and Drama, Debbie has over 35 years’ experience of working in dance and the creative industries. Debbie joined DCD in September 2021 having most recently worked for Cheshire Dance as their General Manager and prior to that having worked for 14 years at Trafford Council as Strategic Manager for Culture & Sport.

Prior to moving to Manchester from London in 1999, Debbie worked as a freelance dancer, teacher, lecturer and advisor, and boasted a portfolio of clients that included Greenwich Dance Agency, Random Dance Company, Union Dance Company, the London Boroughs of Croydon, Bromley & Lewisham and working as far afield as Cumbria and the Lake District.

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Vanessa joined Dancers’ Career Development in summer 2023 as Executive Director. For further information on the DCD staff team go to: Meet the team – Dancers Career Development.

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Ingrid is a London-based movement director, choreographer, teacher and dancer. She is a Trustee of DCD. For further information on the DCD Trustees go to: Board of Trustees – Dancers Career Development

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Marie-Astrid Mence is a performer with a decade of experience performing in the UK for esteemed companies such as Ballet Black, Phoenix Dance Theatre, and in the West End, as well as in television productions.

Between 2018 and 2022, Marie-Astrid was featured as a body double for lead actresses in productions including OCS, Disney and Hulu and also featured in Netflix’s Queen Charlotte as a dancer.

From 2019 to now, she has been commissioned as a writer and dancer-choreographer with musician and composer Fro, creating several films that delve into the relationship between improvisational electro/hip-hop music and dance.

At the end of 2020, Marie-Astrid performed, wrote and shared her story in the Nowness short film ‘The Truth of Being a black Ballerina’ by Rebecca Murray. In November 2023, Marie-Astrid performed as a TEDX speaker in Paris. She discussed the notion of success and the courage to find our voice in an unfair and discriminatory environment.

Throughout her career, she has delivered ballet classes and workshops to artists at all stages of their careers and taught to established companies and schools in the UK including Rambert, Wayne McGregor, New Adventures and Laine Theatre Arts.

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Crystal joined the Dancers’ Career Development Programmes Team in autumn 2024. For further information on the DCD staff team go to: Meet the team – Dancers Career Development.

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Lucy Turner is a London-based, freelance dance artist whose movement style is often described as ‘a mathematical dance equation’. She draws her individual style from her diverse training in dance genres and musical theatre – mainly featuring threading, isolation and shape creation in her work.

Lucy has originated a range of psychology-based unique and cutting-edge creative dance classes; to help dancers of all ages and ability levels improve their artistry, as well as taking strides in accessible classes to those with physical disability and neurodivergence. She prides herself in raising awareness and creating space for disabled performers in the industry, using her platform to advocate how to improve accessibility for all.

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