Date: Saturday 26th September 2026 Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm Location: Newfriars College. Castle Grove, off Newhouse Rd, Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent. ST2 8BH Parking: Free on-site
Who can attend: Everyone is welcome! General public, family, friends and supporters!
What to expect – 11:30am: Arrive 11:45am: Welcome from the Chair, followed by a presentation of our annual report delivered by our Artistic Director, Rachael Lines, that will include performances (live and on screen) 12:45pm: Lunch and a chance to meet the FRONTLINEdance Board, Staff, Participants and Parents 1:30pm: End
A light lunch & refreshments will be offered. To help us plan, reduce waste and accommodate any dietary requirements, please let us know if you require lunch when booking your ticket, along with any dietary requirements. Thank you!
We look forward to seeing you on the 26th September 🙂 Need more information? Please contact: hello@frontlinedance.co.uk
FRONTLINEdance is entering an exciting new chapter. As we approach our 25th anniversary, we are appointing our first Executive Director to co-lead alongside our Artistic Director and Board, to strengthen the organisation and lead its next phase of growth.
This is a pivotal role for an experienced, values-led leader who can bring strategic direction, financial confidence and operational stability, while sharing our belief in the power of dance and the arts to create greater equity, connection, belonging and opportunity for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people, those with long term health conditions, and hospital patients.
You will lead on the organisation’s legal requirements, financial sustainability, fundraising, operations, strategies, people and organisational development, working collaboratively with the Artistic Director to realise FRONTLINEdance’s artistic ambitions. You will help ensure the company is well-positioned to grow its impact locally, nationally and beyond.
You will have the unique opportunity to shape strategic initiatives, build strong relationships with stakeholders, and advocate for rights-based inclusive arts.
We celebrate diversity and inclusiveness and are committed to providing our employees with the tools they need to succeed. If you are a strategic thinker with excellent communication skills and a proven track record in leadership, we invite you to apply and help us shape the future of FRONTLINEdance together!
This position follows a 12-month recruitment drive to cultivate the right people to build our team and strengthen our foundations.
We believe that now is a great time to join us and co-lead us!
Applications can be made by text, audio, video, including BSL video. Audio and Video applications need to be submitted as links rather than attached files, please. Please use whichever method you prefer to tell us why you would be great at this job and why you want to do it. Please make sure you answer every question.
If you need any further support in applying please get in touch.
We look forward to receiving your application! Not for you? Why not share the post with someone who you think would be interested. Thank you in advance for supporting FRONTLINEdance.
FRONTLINEdance is seeking two Board Directors and one Board Member to join our Board. As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen and evolve our governing team, FRONTLINEdance will be welcoming new Board Directors/Members to join it at the AGM on Saturday 26th September 2026.
Now is a great time to join!
Our overarching ambition is to strengthen our foundations, expand our impact, and ensure d/Deaf, disabled, neurodivergent people (dDDN) and those with long‑term health conditions (LTHC) can access, enjoy, and thrive within arts and culture across Stoke‑on‑Trent, North Staffordshire, and beyond. We want our Board to reflect the people and communities of FRONTLINEdance and to expand the diversity of voices represented within it.
Deadline for applications: 12pm, Monday 7th September 2026
Interviews are likely to be held via Teams on: 5:30pm, Monday 14th September 2026
We are recruiting Board Directors/Members with lived and/or professional experience in one or more of the following areas:
Practising contemporary dance artist who works across performance, health or community settings
Contemporary dance producer / project manager / artistic director or involved in creative health
Disability arts creative / producer / director
Legal expertise – understanding of charity law, employment law, company law, compliance and governance frameworks
Business development and income generation
Understanding of the principles we invest in that are guided by Arts Council England: Ambition & Quality, Dynamism, Environmental Responsibility and Inclusivity & Relevance
Leadership experience in FRONTLINEdance’s areas of work: clinical, education and community settings; arts / dance sector; within not-for-profit organisations and/or charities
Experience of either touring, disability arts, screen dance, performance and faciliation in clinical, education and community settings, dance and dDDN advocacy, creative health, commissioning and supporting disabled artists
Leading teams and steering companies strategically
Overseeing or managing business accounts, company finances and budgets
For more information, please select from the formats below (if you would like this in another format? Please get in touch):
Email an up-to-date CV (max 2 pages) to jasmine@frontlinedance.co.uk with the subject: Board Director/ Member Application.
Applicants will receive a confirmation email (within 2 weeks of submission) to acknowledge FRONTLINEdance has received your application (online form and CV).
Applications can be made by text, audio and video, including BSL video.
Please email audio and video applications to jasmine@frontlinedance.co.uk as links rather than attached files, along with your CV. Please use whichever method you prefer to tell us why you would be great at this position and why you want to do it, ensuring you answer every question. You’ll be asked for any access requirements when offered an interview.
Thank you for your interest in joining us! Get in touch if you have any questions.
This Summer, FRONTLINEdance will be performing at the Big Feast Festival 2026, and we would love for you to join us!
Throughout August, we will be running four creative and rehearsal sessions to develop and prepare a new intergenerational performance!
To help everyone build relationships, feel comfortable, and enjoy a consistent experience, we ask that all participants attend all rehearsals and the performance day. This will give everyone time to get to know one another and help us keep changes to a minimum throughout the process.
We look forward to creating something special together!
Rehearsal/Creating Days: Thursday evenings in August (6pm – 8pm) at St John’s Centre, Trent Vale.
Performance Day: Saturday 29th August 2026 (10:30am – 1pm) at Hanley City Centre (Top of Piccadilly Street)
Family and friends are also welcome to join our Summer programme! If you are new to FRONTLINEdance and would like to take part in creating, rehearsing and then performing at the Big Feast on Saturday 29th August, please fill in this form, and we’ll be in touch.
Appetite’s Big Feast is a two-day event on 28th & 29th August 2026. There are lots of other performances and activities to experience.
It’s the City Centre’s highlight of the year!
New members are welcome to join our summer programme or join us in September when our term-time provision starts back. Please click on the links below to register:
FRONTLINEdance are really looking forward to starting this new project for parent-carers. Please see details below and please share! Donations Welcome!
FREE session | FREE parking | FREE LUNCH and REFRESHMENTS
STARTS Thursday 16th July, 9:30am to 2:30pm at Meir Park Community Hall, Lysander Rd, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 7TW (Venue will change each month). Location Link: https://share.google/tM2hGvT5lml9TVGT7
Limited places available. We will operate on a first come first served basis and create a waiting list. Therefore, please only register on the dates you can attend. We ask all to be mindful that no shows take the place of someone else who could attend and the cost of lunch and refreshments. Last minute cancellations due to illness and caring responsibilities are understood.
What to expect on the first two taster days? 9:30am-10am: You will be welcomed with refreshments, friendly faces, listening ears, conversations, and quiet activities so you can arrive as you need to; mix and chat or have some alone time.
10am: Introduction to the project, whose facilitating it and each other. 10:15am: Arts Taster Session 1 11am: Break 11:15am: Arts Taster Session 2 12 midday: Lunch 12:30pm: Arts Taster Session 3 1:15pm: Arts Taster Session 4 2pm: Reflection and transition activity
Each week / session is designed to give us the opportunity to experience either or all of the following art forms: Creative Writing | Movement | Dance | Theatre | Visual Art
Facilitated by artists who are also parent-carers of disabled children and adults, we invite you to come as you are, to be open-minded, understanding and supportive of yourself and each other. We’ll be joined by Dana, our evaluator. Once the group has been established, we will co-design it together and look at what we can co-create together.
No previous arts experience is necessary. Questions? Then please call or email Rachael on: 07484 874335 rachael@frontlinedance.co.uk
Any feedback on the invite, form or project is welcomed. Please email Rachael.
This project is managed and made possible by FRONTLINEdance who receive funding from Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation (2023-2028).
Thanks to the Parent Carer-Artist Team 😊 named in order as in the photo above: Gabby, Dana, Laurel, Cathy, Amy, and Rachael.
Welcoming Jasmine, Colin, Melanie, Kirsten, Sophie & Dana to our Team, alongside Stan, our newest Board Member!
Jasmine Man 文茉莉 (she/her) People & Operations Manager
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 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
Colin Williamson – Project Manager
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. You can contact Colin directly via: projects@frontlinedance.co.uk
Melanie Whitehead Smith – Touring Project Manager
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 & 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
Kirsten Tranter – Advanced Training Programme Research & Project Manager
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 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. If you would like to know more about this programme or add to our research then please get in touch directly with Kirsten – kirstentranter@outlook.com
Sophie Rushton – Office & Project Assistant
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.
Dana Jundi – Evaluator
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.
Stanislav Flesherov – Board Member – Environmental Responsibility
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. Stanislav is looking forward to helping FRONTLINEdance and serving on the Board, whilst enjoying his lifelong passion for music and artistic expression, alongside continuing on his business journey in life.
Read about all FRONTLINEdance’s Artistic Team, Staff and Board Members via our ‘About Us’
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.
Join Stuart Waters https://www.head-on.co.uk and Willie Elliott http://wevoices.co.uk for an online workshop, where you will be introduced to how Stuart and Willie began a journey in 2021 into embedding audio description from the outset of a creative process for performance and touring. This covers research, creation and performance stages of the creative process.
The workshop will involve listening, watching, and experimenting with embedding audio description yourself. It will include fun tasks, sharing experiences, and a Q&A session. The aim is to introduce a different relationship to access and encourage you to adapt and rethink your approaches. They will share what they chose at the time of creation, but audio description offers many other possibilities. This is an opportunity to play and think differently about it.
Workshop schedule
The workshop will take place on Teams, with plenty of screen breaks and time to work creatively away from the screen. Please arrive having had lunch.
1pm – 1:45pm: Welcome, check in and introduction to Stuart and Willie, their practices and sharing of A Queer Collision.
1:45 – 2pm: Break
2pm – 2:50pm: Willie Elliott will lead an introduction to audio description practical workshop and tasks. This part of the workshop will close with a conversation held by Stuart.
2:50pm – 3pm: Break
3pm – 3:45pm: The final practical experience of embedding audio description led by Stuart and Willie.
3:45pm – 4:15pm: Q&A and check out.
Suggested Pay What You Can – £25
Register and get your tickets via this link: https://shorturl.at/6E3Y4Once registered, we’ll send you the Teams Meeting Link.
We welcome deaf, disabled, neurodivergent people, and access service providers like audio describers and BSL interpreters to attend. You don’t have to be an artist. Your lived experience will help us improve access, develop current methodologies, and continue the conversation.
WEBINAR: Wednesday 18th March at 11:30am – 1:30pm. Join us to find out more about the project, the artists involved, collaborations, and the next steps. Plus, key reflections and guidance on learning to strengthen access, inclusion, and advocacy.
Book your tickets here:https://shorturl.at/nV86z FREE – donations welcomed. Once registered, we’ll send you the Microsoft Teams Link.
Schedule:
11:30am: Welcome and Project Overview
11:40am: Artists’ Introductions
12:00pm: Five-minute screen break
12:05pm: Group 1 Sharing
12:20pm: Group 2 Sharing
12:35pm: Group 3 Sharing
12:50pm: Five-minute screen break
12:55pm: Key reflections and guidance
13:15pm: Questions and answers
13:30pm: Close
Connect & Collaborate 2026’s 9 talented artists!
Lucy is an independent multidisciplinary movement artist working across choreography, performance, community facilitation and artistic direction.
Stuart is a Contemporary Dance Artist, performer and teacher whose practice has shifted into maker, researcher, curator, facilitator, mentor and coach (EMCC Senior practitioner accreditation).
Caroline is a Freelance journalist, writer, community artist and researcher.
Kayleigh is a freelance dance artist, choreographer and Artistic Director of Company K, making autobiographical work using her own experiences to demonstrate shared commonalities.
Brannon is a Filmmaker. Alumnus of Northern School of Contemporary Dance, transitioned into film through the creation of dance films over the course of COVID. Now working predominantly in dance films to narrative and documentaries.
Shaun is a performance poet born with Cerebral Palsy and a wheelchair user. His poetry ranges from the frustrations of everyday access issues to travel, dating, and growing up, with humour or poignancy.
Louise is a BBC and commercial radio presenter, broadcaster, interviewer & reporter.
Holly is a UK based dance artist, choreographer, performer and co-director of Half Light Projects C.I.C. Resident at the Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol and a member of the West of England Sight Loss Council’s arts and culture forum. Exploring the often-uncharted territory of dance and visual impairment and the aesthetics of choreography from a non-visual perspective.
