Category: Team

After studying Contemporary Dance at University Helen’s career began working as a freelance dance administrator for FRONTLINEdance in 2001.  Providing an introduction to the dance industry and an opportunity to gain knowledge of administratively supporting an integrated dance project, she continued to follow the success of FRONTLINEdance through the years.

Helen’s career developed through a variety of administration and management roles, culminating in her current position as National Account Manager within the wholesale foodservice sector. With strong communication skills and customer service experience, a sound understanding of business development and general management, and proficiencies in sales and financial reporting, Helen is able to bring a unique balance and perspective to the Board.  Always actively involved with local communities Helen has held voluntary positions of committee chair for Brereton Preschool and Playgroup, and committee member for Goostrey Rose Festival, where liaising with volunteers, event co-ordination, and managing projects have been key skills.

Dance has always been an integral part of Helen’s life from being a class member of community groups such as Breakthrou’ and private dance schools, being a member of the Staffordshire Dance Collective, to volunteering as a dancer in community projects such as RECLAIM and PALACE by RESTOKE, and FRONTLINEdance’s IGNITE project and a Game of 2 ‘Arfs.

Helen is delighted to be once again involved and supporting the continued development of FRONTLINEdance as a member of the Board and working with a company that makes a difference.

Sophie has been working across Arts, Culture and Sport for nearly 10 years, specialising in access and inclusion, across communities, festivals and mass-participation projects with people of all ages and backgrounds. A highlight of her career was as the Participation Producer for a mass-scale inclusive dance project (‘Critical Mass’) as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, challenging perceptions of disability and genuine inclusion in mega sport and cultural events. 

She is currently the Senior Development Manager at Access Sport, ensuring community clubs across the West Midlands have confidence, resource and knowledge to work with disadvantaged and disabled young people. Past companies have included FABRIC, Birmingham Royal Ballet & Coventry City of Culture. Sophie has a strong passion both for Dance and Disability and is thrilled to support FRONTLINEdance in combining the two.

Amy started dancing at the age of two at Jenny Brennan School of Dance, before being awarded a full scholarship to train at Elmhurst Ballet School, in Birmingham, from the age of 12 onwards. Whilst training there she had the opportunity to work alongside guest choreographers including Ruth Brill, Paul James Rooney and Adam Rutherford.  She also had the opportunity to create dance pieces for the yearly choreographic competitions. 

Amy went on to train at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance achieving a BA Hons in 2020. During her time at Rambert, she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Darren Ellis and Thick and Tight and performed Christopher Bruce’s piece called ‘Stream’. Throughout all of her training, she was involved in a number of different choreographic platforms and also worked with local year 10 GCSE students choreographing a piece for the ‘Aspire’ project. 

Amy has also been a member of Transitions Dance Company touring around the UK, performing works choreographed by Didy Veldman, Rahel Vonmoos and Dog Kennel Hill Project. She also gained a MA in Dance Performance. 

Amy is currently a freelance dance artist within Stoke-On-Trent. She has recently worked with Restoke, performing in the Lotus Eaters, and is continuing to help others with episode 5 of the Odyssey. She is also really looking forward to working with New Vic Theatre performing in their Christmas show- The Nutcracker in 2023-2024. In the future, she also endeavours to create her own work to express her own artistic voice.

Amy has taught and explored movement with a range of ages and backgrounds. She teaches in private dance schools from the ages of 3 upwards. As well as leading dance sessions for over 60s within the community setting. Additionally, Amy is a regular teacher for Staffordshire Youth Ballet- an associate programme for young aspiring dancers. She also works at the YMCA in Hanley, leading movement-based sessions for disabled and neurodivergent children and young people. Amy is really interested in how dance can be utilised to support well-being, specifically, in how we can tell stories and express ourselves through movement.  She is really grateful and excited to be working with FRONTLINEdance as a youth ambassador and associate dance artist, to share her lived experience, and her love for movement with others.

In Patsy’s advocacy role she has worked in partnership with FRONTLINEdance and seen first-hand the huge difference this organisation makes in people’s lives; leading by example and providing opportunities for people to take part, developing skills, and growing in confidence as individuals and as creative artists.

Her recent ASD diagnosis has deepened her insight into her own autistic life and helped her to develop a greater understanding of some issues experienced by autistic individuals in terms of challenges, strengths and addressing stigma.

Patsy’s advocacy work over the last 30 years has focused on disabled people, supporting self-advocacy, and amplifying the voices of people. She advocates for equality and rights in both her personal and professional life, challenging negative attitudes and systematic inequalities in daily life, in the public arena and in her own neighbourhood.

Patsy is pleased to join this dynamic and creative organisation as a Voluntary Board Member (July 2021), and looks forward to supporting FRONTLINEdance to continue to grow and thrive. We look forward to all that Patsy can offer us, which is plentiful.

Suzanne studied at Brian Rogers ‘Performers’ Dance College, from the age of 16. She then spent the next 14 years dancing and performing on T.V. and in theatres around the country and aboard.

Whilst pregnant with her first child Suzanne was offered work at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach offices, dealing with promotion and working independently at Blackpool Airport.

After having a break to bring up her two children, FRONTLINEdance opened up a new career path for Suzanne; completing a Level 2 Business and Administration course, an Inclusive Activity training programme, a trio of Supportive Community, Safeguarding training workshops and Parkinson’s training with Dr Melanie Brierley.

Suzanne is now enjoying her 6th year as Administrator & Operations, and loves being part of the FRONTLINEdance Team!

Helen started dancing at the age of 3 doing ballet, jazz and tap but around the age of 12 found a real love of Contemporary dance and went on to graduate in 1997 from The Laban Centre for Movement and Dance (now Trinity Laban) with a degree in Dance Theatre with a special interest in education.

Over the last twenty plus years Helen has performed in theatre and site-specific performances with several companies including ‘Attic’ in Plymouth and Micha Purucker’s ‘Dance Energy’ in Germany, taught dance workshops in education and community settings for people 6 months to 100 years old, worked as a Community & Education Officer and qualified as a Body Control Pilates Instructor.

After re locating from the South to Staffordshire 15 years ago Helen has continued to work as a community dance artist and alongside her work in schools has been enjoying leading community dance classes for the over 60’s and has become involved with Arts for Health, teaching movement sessions for older adults with depression and/or dementia in a hospital setting.  Helen has also loved performing as a community dancer in 3 of ReStoke’s site specific performances, Palace (disused church), Expedition (promenade through streets) and Voyagers (disused swimming pool).

Helen became involved with FRONTLINEdance a couple of years ago and began leading some sessions for adult’s with neurological conditions.  She also performed in, ‘Nest’ a short dance film by Welly O’Brien and Kate Marsh which was commissioned by FRONTLINEdance as part of the FAF festival.

Helen is excited to be involved with FRONTLINEdance and is looking forward to sharing ideas and having a fresh focus to help inform the next 20 years as a Community Dance Artist!

When not dancing Helen is kept busy with her two children, loves running and also making clothes.  Over the recent pandemic whilst not being able to work fully Helen has been volunteering, collecting shopping and prescriptions for those isolating and helping at a vaccination centre.

Originally from Suffolk, Charlotte is a freelance dance artist based in Leeds, blending performing, teaching, creating and writing into her practice. She regularly teaches from children to adults as well as directs her own dance theatre company ACCA and edits a digital magazine, Artychoke. You can find her on Instagram here: @charr_arnold / @accacollab / @artychokezine and visit her website here: www.charlottearnold.co.uk

Katie is passionate about dance being for everyone and joined FRONTLINEdance in 2021. She has loved performing ‘The Explorers’, ‘Holding On’ and teaching on the Advanced Training Programme. From January 2025, Katie is joining FRONTLINEdance’s hospital facilitation team, making, performing and facilitating dance work in hospitals. 

Katie is based in Birmingham. Since graduating from Trinity Laban with a First-Class degree in 2013 she has had the pleasure of working with companies such as: Turned on its Head, Made by Katie Green, Springs Dance Company, Sonia Sabri, Highly Sprung, Beyond Words Dance and as a Featured Dancer in the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony choreographed by Corey Baker. 

Katie performs and facilitates dance in a range of settings and regularly performs in hospitals with Eek & Wild, a company she co-founded. 

Matt describes himself as a disabled Performer who has hidden disabilities, who has been interested in the performing arts from a young age. He studied Performing Arts at SOT College, gaining a BTEC National Diploma, then at Stafford College gaining a HND in Performing Arts and Theatre. Matt has danced with and is still a member of FRONTLINEdance’s Breakthrou’dance, which he joined in 2002 at the age of 19. Over the years he has been involved as a community performer in the companies professional productions including ‘IGNITE’, ‘A game of Two Arfs’, and ‘Seeing Me’ where he was also an emerging dance artist. ‘Seeing Me’ gave Matt the opportunity to observe how Rachael makes work and how the dancers and community co-create the work. He enjoyed and learnt a great deal dancing alongside the new performance team, experiencing dancing outdoors in lots of different locations, and the time to focus on his own choreographic ideas and methods.

Matt has enjoyed developing his dance and choreography skills in our Breakthrou’ aDvANCE group, focusing particularly on his own dance technique and workshop leading/assisting skills, and volunteering for a range of FRONTLINEdance participatory programmes. The latter resulted in permitted work employment with FRONTLINEdance as a Support Worker for our Transcend Programme from January 2020 to the present, and a sessional support worker.  

Matt has been a valuable, significant and important volunteer in our community participation classes for disabled children and adults for a number of years. Matt also sat on FRONTLINEdance board to feedback participants experiences of our participatory programme and ensure the participants voices were heard.

When Matt isn’t dancing, he volunteers at Masque Theatre Company and works as a simulated patient at University Hospital of North Midlands, with Keele University. Here he uses ‘role play’ as a patient with a learning disability to help the medical students know what is important and to help them build rapport, trust and how to approach someone with learning difficulties. Matt is also a member of Reach Advocacy, supported by Assist -Community Research work. This has seen him completing various tasks; research with Staffs University, a radio presenter of Six Town Radios, and an events/festival based evaluator. Volunteering for Reach ensures that his voice, and other disabled people’s voices are heard in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Originally from Manchester, Kayleigh trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Verve ’14. Being a freelance dance artist Kayleigh has worked with many people such as Marvel Productions, FRONTLINEdance, ACE Dance and Music, Southpaw Dance Company, Chhaya Collective, Watkins Dance Company, and Tino Sighal, to name a few. She is the choreographer and Artistic Director of Company K, making autobiographical work using her own experiences as a neurodiverse woman to demonstrate shared commonalities with her works; ‘The Left one out’, ‘Familiar’, ‘ROOM’ in collaboration with Company Nil and ‘Postcards from Bed’ in collaboration with writer Charlie Thorpe. Company K aims to continually create a safe practice and space for all creatives working on any project.

Kayleigh is also a guest lecturer and has taught across the UK, credits include, London Studio Centre, The Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds Beckett University, Swindon Dance and teaches professional classes for companies such as; Company Chameleon, Watkins Dance Company, VERVE, The Place, RCDC, Company Nil to name a few.

Kayleigh joined FRONTLINEdance team of self-employed dance artists, as a lead performer for its Birmingham Dance Hub commission, ‘Seeing Me’ in May 2019, where she enjoyed working and collaborating with new artists and communities that she hasn’t worked with before. She created a new work on our #FAF2019 residency participants at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, and delivered online summer dance sessions for our community groups during lockdown