Kirsten is a Creative Producer based in the Midlands. With over 20 years of experience in the arts sector, Kirsten creates meaningful connections between artists, communities and audiences. Her journey has been shaped by a deep commitment to dance, movement and community arts practice, whilst embracing diverse cross-disciplinary collaborations.
Kirsten believes that creative expression should be accessible to everyone – whether you’re taking your first dance step, experiencing art from an audience perspective, or pursuing your professional practice. As a connector and facilitator, Kirsten brings together artists, young people and communities to build platforms where stories can be shared and voices can be heard. As a practising Health Coach as well as a Creative Producer, Kirsten takes a person-centred approach to her work, nurturing people through care-led and creative practices.
Kirsten has been tasked with researching and managing a potential new Advanced Training programme for FRONTLINEdance. She’s currently enjoying getting stuck in internet rabbit holes and speaking to other organisations in the sector and beyond.
Sophie started dancing when she was 10 years old, at Coloured Movement School of Dance, which then changed to Rockin’ Loft Dance School. She trained in Contemporary, Hip Hop and Musical Theatre there and went on to study Musical Theatre at The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College. Here Sophie found a love of acting and is currently studying ‘Acting for Stage and Screen’ at the University of Staffordshire.
In March 2026 Sophie performed in a production of ‘The Life’ and ‘Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’ at the university and is looking forward to future productions.
Sophie started as a volunteer with FRONTLINEdance in 2024 with the Advance Training Programme before being offered a job in January 2026. As Office and Project Assistant, Sophie supports a wide range of activities, including practical and access support with the Breakthrou’dance Programme, administrative tasks, research, audits, creating resources, templates, and evaluations. Sophie loves being a part of the team and is excited to see where the journey takes her whilst working with wonderful, inspiring people. You can contact Sophie via: office@frontlinedance.co.uk
During her free time, Sophie enjoys singing and listening to music – specifically Ska and Rock n Roll – and to wind down, she loves to read and spend time in nature by going for walks with family.
Colin is a graduate in Economics, having studied at Staffordshire University. Since 2001, he has worked within the not-for-profit sector, following a range of earlier roles, including teaching Business Studies in Botswana. He has worked as a Development Officer, supporting a wide variety of not-for-profit organisations such as sports clubs, residents’ associations, disability groups, arts organisations, and performing arts groups.
His expertise includes business planning, project development, funding applications, funding strategy, organisational start-up, legal structures, and social enterprise. Through his work, Colin has become a strong advocate for the not-for-profit sector, having witnessed first-hand the significant and positive impact it can have on people’s lives.
Colin’s role as Project Manager within FRONTLINEdance will involve the planning, delivery, and reporting of projects. He will be responsible for recruiting participants, volunteers, stakeholders, and audiences, ensuring strong engagement across all activities. Working in consultation with others, Colin will develop project plans and contribute to their strategic development. He will also collaborate with colleagues and partners to secure funding and support the successful delivery of projects.
Melanie is committed to reaching audiences beyond traditional theatre contexts – inviting audiences to engage with art in ways that feel immediate and accessible. Rooted in participatory dance, her practice navigates community-centred work, rural contexts and developing new frameworks to access art.
Melanie is currently completing her MA Dance Research for Professional Practitioners at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and holds a First Class BA (hons) Dance and Choreography degree from Falmouth University. Melanie later trained on Studio Wayne McGregor’s PEER programme and was a Sadler’s Wells 24/25 mentee.
Melanie is joining FRONTLINEdance as a Touring Project Manager, where she will oversee tour and event bookings, film sharings and online events. She looks forward to working with the team to continue sharing their innovative work. To contact Melanie directly, please email: touring@frontlinedance.co.uk
Jasmine is FRONTLINEdance’s People and Operations Manager, leading on all aspects of HR and ensuring the organisation runs smoothly. Alongside her role at FRONTLINEdance, she works as a freelance producer and project manager with experience across events, festivals, participation programmes and digital projects.
A graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Jasmine also serves as a trustee for the charity Akademi and is currently working towards PRINCE2 Practitioner certification. To contact Jasmine in her role at FRONTLINEdance, please email: Jasmine@frontlinedance.co.uk
Dana is an experienced consultant specialising in participatory evaluation and inclusive community engagement and has supported grassroots and infrastructure organisations led by and for marginalised communities. Her work centres on supporting organisations through co-designed, accessible and low-resource evaluation approaches.
Dana brings particular expertise in developing creative tools that help communities articulate needs and assess impact, especially in contexts where language, confidence and systemic barriers often prevent participation.
She has worked across diverse contexts, from digital inclusion in Stoke-on-Trent to arts-based engagement with displaced young people, and contributes to local strategy work around community cohesion, including anti-racism campaigns. She works with FRONTLINEdance as an independent evaluator, bringing together her love for the arts and for centring underrepresented voices.
Shannon Whetnall is an all-round performer, musician, drama teacher and Zumba instructor from Newcastle Under Lyme. Prior to her training, she has sung for Warner Leisure Hotels and on board two Cruise Ships. Since graduating from The London School of Musical Theatre, Shannon has worked extensively with the New Vic Theatre Borderlines department as an actor, theatre practitioner and Young People’s Theatre Company Director. She is highly passionate about performing and also about teaching. Throughout the year, Shannon sings at various events with her band or with her acoustic guitar. At Christmas time, you will normally find Shannon performing in a Pantomime, “Oh yes, you will!”
Shannon volunteered as part of FRONTLINEdance’s 2023 Summer Celebration Project and quickly came to love every minute of the experience. Since then, she has continued working with FRONTLINEdance, taking part in the Explorer in Training performances and supporting the Advanced Training Programme as a Creative Enabler. Through her involvement, Shannon has made many new friends and developed a wide range of skills.
In 2025, she achieved her Level 3 qualification in British Sign Language (BSL). In her spare time, Shannon enjoys going to the gym, spending time with friends and family, and looking after her cats.
Stanislav’s involvement with arts and culture started at age 5, when a music teacher discovered his talent for singing in his country of birth Bulgaria. He started learning solfège and playing classical piano alongside that. Stanislav attended a music primary school from age 7 to 11, where folklore choreography was also added to his curriculum. He attended public performances as a singer in a choir as well as a pianist for a few years before he had to relocate due to life circumstances.
Life’s taken Stanislav in different directions over the years. He’s now an entrepreneur and an investor. His interests include various forms of artistic expression, self-improvement, esports, night riding, as well as being part of and helping the neurodivergent community. He’s looking forward to helping FRONTLINEdance and serving on the Board, whilst enjoying his life long passion for music and artistic expression, alongside continuing on his business journey in life.
What? Me, Worry? is a short dance film created by dancer Kayleigh Price, drawing on her lived experience of anxiety and neurodivergence. The work creates a compelling narrative using three art forms – film, dance and music – to take you on a journey through the lens of living with generalised anxiety disorder.
Collaborating with filmmaker Jay Gearing and composer Luke Marley, who are both neurodivergent, it explores feeling alone and paralysed by thoughts but also wanting to make others happy, bringing the audience into Kayleigh’s experience. She hopes the work will help start important conversations about mental health and her reality of living with anxiety.
The screening is free to attend, with an optional donation. If you would like to support FRONTLINEdance with a donation, please contact us. A link will be provided at the screening.
We look forward to sharing What? Me, Worry? with you on Thursday 14th May at 12:30!
This workshop is open to all, with or without a dance background, such as film makers, performance makers, deaf artists, BSL Interpreters, producers, educators, commissioners, leaders, third sector organisations, students, and our deaf community.
We want you to explore how technology can be a key creative tool. By integrating accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing audiences from the start, we aim to spark new ways of thinking and making.
Join this workshop with Nua Dance to explore the different access offers for deaf and hard of hearing audiences that they have developed over the last 6 years, with special emphasis on the interaction between video design and dance—both in live performance and film. Through practical exercises and discussion, we’ll examine how video can shape dramaturgy, enhance visuals, and expand accessibility.
Nua Dance has been researching the integration of dance and technology since 2020, first with NOISE and now with Bending Reality, their latest production.
Facilitators:
Ben Glover, long-term video design collaborator of Nua Dance. Ben is deaf himself and has specialised in creative captions. He also works regularly with companies such as Stopgap, Graeae and Deafinitely Theatre.
Neus Gil Cortes, artistic director of Nua Dance, has been working with deaf artists and audiences since 2020 through her own creations and as dramaturg with Maral Mamaghanizadeh, Deaf Explorer and a workshop facilitator with Remark!
What to Expect:
A mix of shared experiences, short video excerpts, and hands-on exercises integrating video into performance.
A space to share tools, explore new possibilities for your own work and discuss approaches to access for deaf and hard of hearing people in a safe space.
The opportunity to try access offers such as a Woojer vest (haptic technology that vibrates to sound)
The workshop will be BSL interpreted
Schedule: Arrive from 9am 9:30 – 10:50 Session 1
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:20 Session 2
12:20 – 12:30 Debrief/open conversation
Venue Information: Free on-site car park to the side of the venue. Plus, ample on-street parking is available in the surrounding areas.
