Farooq Chaudhry (Chair)

Farooq was born in Pakistan. He graduated from the London Contemporary Dance School in 1986. As a professional dance artist he worked in a variety of dance mediums in various European countries, the highlight being his time as a company member of the Belgian modern dance company Rosas during the mid-nineties. In 1988 he received an Asian Achievement Award for his work as a dancer. He retired from dancing in 1999 after which he completed an MA in Arts Management from City University in London.

As a freelance dance manager he teamed up with Akram Khan in 1999. A year later they co-founded Akram Khan Dance Company. Farooq Chaudhry has played a key role in forming innovative business models for Akram Khan¹s artistic ambitions as well as offering creative support during the development of Akram Khan¹s projects; he is currently the company producer.

 He is a project champion for Arts Council England¹s Cultural Leadership programme and Chair of Dance UK¹s Board. Recently, he was selected to be a member of the Strategic Advisory Committee for Clore Leadership Programme.

In 2008, The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged him in a list of the world¹s top hundred cultural actors and entrepreneurs.

Why Farooq supports Dance UK:

'The invitation to become Dance UK's chair took me by surprise. In my role as a producer I'm primarily pre-occupied with very specific targets and goals determined by a single artist/company's vision. With Dance UK I can take an overview of the whole ecology of dance and be involved more broadly with the collective challenges for the art form and all who participate. It's offering me fresh insights and unifies me with my colleagues in the profession. It gives me a lot strength and most importantly the opportunity to give back to an industry that has given me so much. I'm really enjoying it!'

Jane Hackett MA, ARAD, FRSA (Vice Chair)

Jane is currently Interim Director of Creative Learning for Sadler’s Wells and a Dance consultant and writer. Jane started her career as a dancer and choreographer working in the UK, Europe and North America before moving into Dance Education. She directed the education programmes at Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet and also researched and implemented ‘Chance to Dance’, the Royal Ballet’s training scheme for talented young dancers before becoming Director of Central School of Ballet and subsequently English National Ballet School.

Jane has a strong commitment to increasing access to dance and the dance profession; also to promoting good practice and enhanced working conditions for dancers, whether they be students or professionals. A belief in life long learning and professional development for dancers has been the impetus for a number of innovative schemes that Jane has initiated, such as the Dancers' Degree Course at Birmingham Royal Ballet; she has also received funding to research dance training and selection methods in North America and Cuba. She holds an MA in Dance and is an Artistic Assessor for the Arts Council.

Kate Prince

Kate works as a freelance choreographer and teacher and is the director and founder of ZooNation UK Dance Company. Her work includes theatre, television, film, music video, commercials, and live events.

In May 2010 Kate became an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells and ZooNation became a Resident Company. Current productions include: the new Stephen Mear production of ‘Shoes’ at Sadlers Wells and 'Some Like It Hip Hop' the new ZooNation production. Kate is a choreographer for ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ on the BBC and was one of the choreographers on the feature film 'StreetDance 3D'. In 2008 Kate directed and co-choreographed ‘Into the Hoods’ at the Novello Theatre which became both the first ever hip hop dance show to open in the West End and the longest running dance show in the West End’s history.

This was followed by revivals at the South Bank Centre in 2009 and 2010 at the Royal Festival Hall. She also choreographed the cast of ‘Into the Hoods’ for a special performance at Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Party in Hyde Park. Kate was lead choreographer for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic handover ceremonies with dancers from ZooNation, CandoCo and The Royal Opera House. Kate has also choreographed for the girl band ‘The Saturdays’ for their first two singles ‘If This Is Love’ and ‘Up!’ and their UK tour supporting ‘Girls Aloud’. Kate is a graduate of Edinburgh University with an MA in General Arts.

Why Kate supports Dance UK:

'Dance UK is a fantastic organisation that represents the best interests and welfare of dancers and choreographers across the UK. I am really proud to sit on the board and to be aware of all the brilliant work that Caroline and her team are doing across the country, particularly their tenacity in approaching and lobbying political issues as well as their work on the Healthier Dancer Programme.'

Julian Flitter FCA (Treasurer)

Julian is a Partner in Goodman Jones LLP, a West End firm of chartered accountants based in Fitzroy Square. He has over 20 years of experience dealing with companies and individuals drawn from a wide range of commercial areas as well as extensive experience dealing with charities and other not-for-profit organisations.

Julian’s work has placed particular emphasis in the media, entertainment and creative services sectors. Indeed Julian is a founder committee member of the Chartered Accountants Institute’s Entertainment and Media Group helping to organise seminars and conferences as well as publishing a newsletter on topics of interest to the industry.
As well as having a keen personal interest in theatre and dance, Julian serves as advisor to a number of Dance companies and is company secretary of the charity Dancing for the Children.

Subathra Subramaniam

Subathra is a leading contemporary South Asian choreographer in the UK, as well as a respected dancer, science teacher and education co-director of international arts-science climate change project Cape Farewell. As such she has been on several voyages to the Canadian and European Arctic.

Over more than 10 years Suba has built an international reputation both by making vibrant contemporary work which resonates with the richness of the ancient south Indian classical dance form Bharata Natyam, and by forging exciting alliances and collaborations with a range of unorthodox collaborators from musicians Talvin Singh and the MIDIval PunditZ to the poet Lemn Sissay and the neuroscientist Professor Morten Kringelbach. Increasingly her choreography draws upon her background in science.

Her new company Sadhana follows over 10 years as co-founder and artistic director of innovative British dance company Angika for 11 years till its closure in 2009. Angika was a leading British dance company, touring nationally and internationally to critical acclaim.

Suba is Associate Artist at South East Dance, Artist in Residence at The Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe, Affiliated Artist at The Merlin Theatre in Frome and was the Artist in Residence at The Environment Institute, University College London till August 2010.
She is also on the board of The Woking Dance Festival.

A trained science teacher with a Masters Degree in Education, Suba is a regular presenter for Teachers TV, and has lectured and run workshops for the British Council, the Natural History Museum, the Royal Geographical Society and many other institutions and organisations. In all her work she continues to develop ways to bring together the arts and sciences in ways that are both innovative and exhilarating.

Why Subathra supports Dance UK:

'Dance UK is an incredibly important organisation for all who are involved in dance in the UK. It is instrumental in ensuring dance remains in the political and social agenda in this country and I am very excited to be involved in the work that Dance UK do.'

Alex Reynolds

Alex was a dancer with the Cholmondeleys for over 10 years. In her career as both performer and choreographer, Alex has collaborated with some of Europe’s most exciting and innovative directors. Over the last ten years her distinctive choreography has featured in film, commercials, music videos, opera, theatre, fashion and live spectacle. She was a nominee for the Craft Award at the Women in Film and Television Awards 2002. In 2006 she choreographed the hugely successful Supernature world tour for Goldfrapp.

Recent work has included commercials for Barclays, Red Cross and promos for Little Boots, Courteeners and The Filthy Dukes. Currently working on a co-production with The South Bank Centre and the Young Vic, The Tale of The Ancient Mariner featuring 150 children, directed by Andrew Steggal with original music by Bellowhead.

Why Alex supports Dance UK:

'Dancers and choreographers have, through Dance UK, a voice that addresses their issues in an intelligent and rigorous way. To put dance on the political agenda is as important today as it is with any wing of the arts. The margins have always defined the centre and protection of the arts is crucial to the enrichment of our lives. Dance UK brings together the whole dance community and, more importantly, listens. Their commitment and energy is boundless and infectious and it is my pleasure to be a part of the organisation.'

New Dance UK board members

Etta Murfitt

Etta trained at London Contemporary Dance School. Between 1991 and 2002 Etta created several roles for Adventures in Motion Pictures (AMP), and became Assistant Artistic Director in 1995. In 2002 Etta was appointed Associate Director of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures (NA) and in 2008 Associate Director of Re:Bourne, NA's education strand. Her principal stage credits include Clara and Mrs Dross /QueenCandy in Nutcracker, Rita in The Car Man, The Queen, Spanish, Romanian and French princess in Swan Lake, Peg Boggs in Edward Scissorhands, and Madge in Highland Fling. Etta has also worked with Arc Dance Company and Aletta Collins Dance Company.

Etta’s TV and film credits include: Clara in Nutcracker! (BBC/NVC); Rita in The Car Man (Channel 4); rehearsal director for Swan Lake (BBC); Late Flowering Lust (BBC); Roald Dahl’s Red Riding Hood (BBC); Mrs Hartley and the Growth Centre (BBC); and Storm (Aletta Collins/BBC Dance for the Camera).

Etta's choreography credits include: Le Nozze di Figaro, directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans for Holland Park Opera; The Way of the World, directed by Selina Cadell at Wilton’s Music Hall; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with Dawn French, directed by Matthew Francis at the Albery Theatre.

Etta teaches throughout the UK and abroad for dance companies and dance institutions, including Rambert School and Company and London Contemporary Dance School.

Why Etta supports Dance UK

'Dance UK reaches out and supports all areas of dance. Its advocacy work is vital to help strengthen dance within the funding maelstrom that we find ourselves in at present. I'm excited about becoming a trustee at very important and challenging time for dance and Dance UK.'

Tamara Rojo

Tamara is a Master of Theatrical Arts and a Bachelor of Dance Honours Graduate from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid. Tamara is a member of the board of Arts Council East and is also an advisor to Spain’s Superior Council of Artistic Studies, a Patron of Dance East and a Resident Guest Teacher of the Royal Ballet School. Tamara won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production with Goldberg: the Brandstrup-Rojo Project and King Juan Carlos decorated Tamara with Spain’s two highest Honours, The Prince of Asturias Award and the Gold Medal of Fine Arts.

Tamara is also winner of the Benois de la Danse Award and the Gold Medal and Special Jury Award at the Paris International Dance Competition. Her other awards include, The Times Dancer Revelation of the Year, Critic’s Circle National Dance Award, Barclay’s Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award, Positano Dance Award, Leonide Massine Premio al Valore, the Italian Critic’s Award, and the City of Madrid’s, the International Medal of the Arts and the Interpretation Award.

Her repertoire includes all the major roles in the classics and ballets by Macmillan, Ashton, Cranko, Makarova, Messerer, Kylian, Balanchine, Robbins, Fokine, Mats Ek, Van Mannen, Van Dantzig, Nils Christie, Roland Petit, Glen Tetley, Ben Stevenson, Lev Ivanov, Nureyev, Vassiliev and Alicia Alonso. She has had works created on her by Derek Deane, Wayne McGregor, Kim Brandstrup, Liam Scarlett, Christopher Hampson, Ricardo Cue, Christopher Bruce, Cathy Marston andVictor Ullate among many others.

As well as being a Principal of The Royal Ballet, she is a regular guest artist with Mariinsky Ballet, Scala Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, New National Tokyo Ballet, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, National Ballet of China, Lithuanian Ballet, Mikhailovsky Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet and National Ballet of Finland and frequently performs at prestigious galas all over the world.

Furthering her interest in Artistic Directorship, Tamara has participated in the Dance East Future Leadership of Dance Rural Retreats and has shadowed Karen Kain, Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada.

Janet Smith

Janet studied dance and drama at Dartington College and modern dance and composition in New York and St Louis. After initial solo choreographic and performance work, she formed Janet Smith and Dancers as a vehicle for her own work and for collaboration. The company toured nationally and internationally throughout the 80s. During this time Janet also danced with LDCT and with Rosemary Butcher Dance Company.

She has choreographed internationally for companies including Bathsheva (Israel), Cisne Negra (Brazil), Dance Theatre of Freiburg (Germany), The Playhouse Company (South Africa), and worked in opera and theatre, including The Royal Shakespeare Company.

She has taught widely, encouraging creativity, ownership and expressive range. From 1993-97 Janet was a lecturer in dance and led her company in residence at Bretton Hall College at the University of Leeds.

Janet has been Artistic Director of Scottish Dance Theatre since 1997 creating, co-creating and staging several works for the company, inviting emerging and international choreographers and supporting the development of talent within the company. As Scotland’s national contemporary dance company, SDT is an outward-looking resource for dance in Scotland, pushing forward educational and equalities agendas and building international partnerships.

Janet also mentors individuals, has served in various arts forums as speaker, panellist or adviser and served on the Board of the London School of Contemporary Dance.

In 2008 Janet won the Jane Attenborough Dance UK Industry Award which honours an individual working in dance who has made an outstanding contribution to the art form.

Dance UK would like to thank Rebecca Marshall who has now stepped down from the Board, for her support as vice chair

Rebecca was appointed General Manager of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance in October, 1999 and is delighted to have been working with them as Executive Producer in their role as Resident Company at Sadler’s Wells for the last ten years.

She moved to London in 1999 from San Francisco where she had been working since 1995 as a freelance dancer, and arts manager with ODC/San Francisco and LINES Contemporary Ballet. Prior to that Rebecca worked and danced in New England for, among others, Prometheus Dance and Island Moving Company. Rebecca grew up in Africa and Europe, moving to the United States to attend university. She earned a BA at Connecticut College with a major in economics and a minor in dance.

Why Rebecca supports Dance UK: 

'I was honoured to be invited to join Dance UK's Board in 2006 - I had always felt that the work that the organisation did towards the Healthier Dancer was vital, had often turned to the organisation as a resource in my position at Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, and felt that the development of it as a lobbying organisation was key as it took the pressure off the tightly stretched resources of a dance company to keep up to date with presenting the issues facing the sector. I was delighted to be asked to be involved with pushing it forward.'