Balkan Erotic Epic – Meet the Cast
Meet the dancers, musicians and performers taking part in Marina Abramović's Balkan Erotic Epic
Singers
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Dragana_Jovanovic_Singer_1_Image_Cre_BW.920e320.jpg)
Dragana Jovanović
Dragana Jovanović is a distinguished Serbian conductor and vocal coach whose work has continuously shaped the development of choral music and music education in Serbia and across the Balkans. She serves as an Associate Professor of Choral Singing and Conducting at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, and her artistic influence is most notably recognised through her leadership of the Collegium Musicum women’s choir – one of the most prominent ensembles in the region. Founded in 1971, the choir has been a regular participant in the most significant regional events, an enduring source of inspiration for numerous contemporary composers – many of whom have dedicated works to the ensemble – and has undertaken concert tours in over 40 countries worldwide. Over the past two decades, Jovanović has guided the choir towards a more exploratory approach to vocal and vocal-instrumental performance, with a particular focus on the voice as a fundamental artistic element and its potential to interact with other artistic disciplines through various site-specific projects. She is the author of several multimedia projects, workshops, academic papers and books in the field of choral and conducting interpretation. Her conducting engagements have included the Orchestra of the Ministry of the Interior of Serbia, the Mixed Choir of Radio Television of Serbia, the Mixed Choir and Symphony Orchestra of the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, and the Academic Choir Obilić of the Branko Krsmanović Cultural and Artistic Society. She is also a regular collaborator with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra. Jovanović has received numerous accolades for her work, and since 2024 she has served as the Artistic Director of the Tivat Music Festival in Montenegro.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/istocna_srbija_051.de47410.jpg)
Svetlana Spajić
Svetlana Spajić, born in Loznica in 1971, is a Belgrade-based traditional performer, composer and lyricist, internationally renowned for researching, performing and teaching the work of Serbian and Balkan singing. She graduated from the Faculty of Philology, Department of the English Language and Literature (MA) at the University of Belgrade in 1998, and from the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Post-Graduate Level in 2009. She is a member of the Association of Musical Artists of Serbia. Spajić’s expertise focuses on the study of microtonal singing, as well as the unique vocal techniques, functions and versification of ancient songs. Her research has taken her on journeys through the Balkans for more than 30 years, learning directly from the best village singers of the oldest generations. She has built a distinctive, exclusive repertoire of ancient traditional forms. Her performances have taken place in prestigious concert halls and institutions such as The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the Wiener Konzerthaus, National Concert Hall, Taipei, and others. Spajić has delivered over 100 lectures and workshops across the country and abroad, mainly teaching young professionals through long-term collaborations with institutions like the DROM Academy for the oral tradition and modal music in France and the Sibelius Academy in Finland, among others.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/aleksandar-timotic-headshot-bw.6d66354.jpg)
Aleksandar Timotić
Aleksandar Timotić is an acclaimed countertenor and performing artist whose distinctive alto-toned voice encompasses repertoire from the Baroque to the contemporary. A graduate of the prestigious Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, where he studied under Martin Wölfel, he has established himself on prominent international opera stages. His musical journey began in Niš, Serbia, where he studied violin and solo singing. Twice denied admission to the local music academy, he pursued studies abroad in Luhansk, Ukraine with coloratura soprano Julietta Yakubovych, and very quickly made his debut with Martin Palmeri’s Misa a Buenos Aires, performed with the Belgorod Philharmonic. In Germany, Timotić’s career developed rapidly. He sang Oberon in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Folkwang University, followed by his Baroque debut as Alessandro in Handel’s Tolomeo at Theater Lübeck and an appearance at the Bavarian State Opera in Shostakovich’s The Nose. He recently made his debut at Kassel State Theater as Trinculo in Thomas Adès’ The Tempest, and in the upcoming season he will return to the role of Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Theater Münster. Alongside opera, Timotić is actively engaged in performance art. Under the mentorship of Marina Abramović, he created Are You Hungry?, a participatory work combining Balkan folk traditions, communal rituals and live performance.
Performance Artists
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Elke_Luyten_Performance_Artist_Imag_BW.7f36d41.jpg)
Elke Luyten
Elke Luyten (she/they), born in Belgium in 1974, navigates through the fields of experimental theatre, conceptual dance, performance art, video and TV, often working across disciplines and in collaboration with others. The main focus of their work is creative transgressive metaphor, exploring the roles of perception, consciousness, ethics and aesthetics. Additionally, they specialise in choreography and movement coaching, lending expertise in the creation and portrayal of ritual, horror, abjection, religiosity and the supernatural, as well as the study and execution of hyperstylisation of quotidian movement. To that end, they have started a new series called Living Room Dances. The first performance happened in their home in Newburgh in 2024. Luyten often works and performs for other artists. In 2003, they founded Zus Performance together with Kira Alker. In 2023 they performed Marina Abramović’s The House with the Ocean View at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, UK. In 2022, Zus created a language of movement for the HBO Max pilot of the series Dune: The Sisterhood. In 2021, they worked with American comedian Adam Sandler on his film Spaceman. Zus created the choreography for Sibyl Kempson’s 12 Shouts to the Ten Forgotten Heavens at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York in 2017 and 2018. In 2015, Zus choreographed David Bowie’s short film Blackstar. Additionally, Luyten performed in Blackstar and again in Bowie’s final music video, Lazarus. They also performed in Robert Wilson’s The Life and Death of Marina Abramović, which toured internationally from 2011-2013. In 2010, Luyten re-performed in several pieces at the exhibition Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present at MoMA in New York.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/MSH_Performance_Artist_Image_Credit_BW.e24f0bd.jpg)
Maria Stamenković Herranz (MSH)
Maria Stamenković Herranz (MSH) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work merges performance, visual art, and embodied research. She investigates how ephemeral actions leave lasting traces in matter and collective memory, positioning performance as a tool for social transformation and a bridge between history, symbolisms and spirituality. Through sculptural objects – such as the bricks in This Mortal House Building 1 (2020) and This Mortal House Building 2 (2022) – she challenges the boundary between action and object, inviting active audience engagement with an evolving narrative. Her projects have been exhibited internationally in museums, theatres and biennials, including the Benaki Museum (Athens, 2016), Sakıp Sabancı Museum (Istanbul, 2020), Bangkok Art Biennale (2021), Martch Art Project (Istanbul, 2022), Paris Photo (2023), and Librairie du Palais during the Les Rencontres d’Arles (2024). In 2025, she presented The Painted Heron, commissioned by the Joseph Beuys Foundation in collaboration with the Marina Abramović Institute, at Museum Schloss Moyland. She is currently preparing for OFFSCREEN at the Chapelle Saint-Louis-de-la-Salpêtrière in Paris with This Mortal House Building 3 for 2025.
Dancers
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Blenard_Azizaj_-_IMG_4345BW_FS_-_Photo_Marco_Anelli__-_INSTAGRAM_marco_anelli_studio_BW.68c9484.jpg)
Blenard Azizaj
Blenard Azizaj is an Albanian choreographer and dance performer whose work is rooted in contemporary dance and shaped by themes of identity, belonging and transformation. Born in Albania to parents who were traditional folk dancers, Blenard grew up surrounded by rhythm and movement. At 18, he moved to Greece to study at the National School of Dance (KSOT) in Athens, where he graduated in dance pedagogy and choreography. He has performed and collaborated with leading companies across Europe including Sasha Waltz & Guests (Berlin), Akram Khan Company (London), Compagnie Linga (Lausanne), the Hellenic Dance Company (Athens) and StepText Dance Project (Bremen). Blenard’s stage career includes major productions such as iTMOi (In the Mind of Igor) with Akram Khan Company, which toured worldwide, as well as numerous creations by Sasha Waltz, including Romeo and Juliet, Sacre, Zuhören: Continu, Figure Humaine, Unruhe, Rauschen and Symphonie with the Staatsballett Berlin. As a creator, Blenard’s choreographic voice blends physical precision with emotional depth, delving into the complexities of the human condition. Recent works include Mbi Fjalë (National Experimental Theatre of Albania, 2025), Balkan Express (Theater Osnabrück, 2025), and TERRA (Area Jeune Ballet, Geneva, 2025). Selected previous works include Ukiyo (2020–2021), The Great Migration (Volkstheater Rostock, 2020), Human (Amsterdam University of the Arts, 2018) and Walls (Area Jeune Ballet, 2017). Alongside choreographic projects, Blenard teaches his distinctive “dance dialect” internationally in companies, fine arts academies and studios. In 2025, he was invited by world-renowned artist Marina Abramović to collaborate as choreographer and performer on one of the most significant projects of her career, Balkan Erotic Epic.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Louis_Baxter_Dancer_Image_Credit_David_Lindsay.a51219c.png)
Louis Baxter
Louis is a freelance dance artist based in the North of England. He studied at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance before joining Verve 24. During Verve they had the privilege of touring works by Matteo Marfoglia, Joy Alpuerto-Ritter and (LA)Horde. After graduating Verve, Louis has been exploring connections within the dance scene working with various artists such as James Cousins and George Liang.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Maria_Vittoria_Bortolotti_Dancer_Image_Credit_Maria_Salazar.219124a.jpg)
Maria Vittoria Bortolotti
Originally from Italy, Maria Vittoria discovered contemporary dance at an early age and has pursued it with dedication ever since. In 2019, she moved to London to study at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she completed her BA. She later earned her MA from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, performing with the postgraduate company VERVE. She is now based in Berlin.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Kennady_Brim_Dancer_Image_Credit_Josh_Hawkins.36e161e.jpg)
Kennady Brim
Kennady is a US-born, UK-based dance artist working across contemporary and ballet forms. She trained at UNCSA, Adelphi University, and London Contemporary Dance School, drawing on influences including Countertechnique, Gaga, and Postmodern dance practices. She has performed at The Joyce Theater NYC with Martha Graham Dance Company, performed at Buckingham Palace, and has also worked with Motionhouse. Currently a company dancer with Move Manchester performing across the Northwest, she also teaches regularly at The Lowry’s CAT programme and local SEND schools.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Elena_Cattardico_Image_Credit_Rowan_Schratzberger.f81139e.webp)
Elena Cattardico
Elena Cattardico is an Italian freelance dancer and choreographer, based in Dresden. After training with Area Jeune Ballet in Geneva and dancing with Tanz Theater Pforzheim, she has worked independently in Germany and abroad since 2021, collaborating with artists such as Damian Jalet, Kinsun Chan, Wang Ramirez Company, Kostantin Koval and Katja Erdmann-Rajsk. Her choreographic works have been presented at international festivals in Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal, Italy and received awards such as the Emerging Choreographer Award at SoloDuo NRW 2024 (Cologne) and recognitions at Corpo Mobile Festival 2023 (Rome).
Between 2024 and 2025, she worked as a permanent member at Landesbühnen Sachsen (Germany). Alongside her artistic career, she completed her studies in Performing Arts and Communication (University of Pisa) and she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Management of Cultural Assets (Rome).
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Molly_Crabtree_Image_Credit_EllyWelPhotography.9fb13cc.jpg)
Molly Crabtree
Molly is a contemporary dancer and performer raised in Rochdale, where she began her dance training through high school and college. Her motivation to explore contemporary movement led her to pursue professional training at Edge Hill University, earning a BA (Hons) degree in Dance and achieving a high grade in the elective module Contemporary Circus Skills.
Since graduating, Molly has worked as a professional performer with companies including ThickSkin Theatre, performing in Shade, and Company Chameleon, touring in the production The Shadow. She is currently based in Manchester, where she performs and choreographs for DieCast, an immersive company creating interdisciplinary works.
Molly’s training also extends to aerial performance. She has developed skills in bungee assisted dance with Wired Aerial Theatre and performed as an aerial silks artist at the Rochdale Feel Good Festival with Skylight Circus Arts.
Molly continues to develop her practice across dance, theatre, and aerial performance, bringing physical storytelling and expressive movement to each of her creative projects.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Daisy_Dancer_Dancer_Image_Credit_Jorden_Brooks.f9c70c4.jpg)
Daisy Dancer
Daisy Dancer is a freelance contemporary dance artist from the North-East of England. She found her passion at a very young age and it led her to join the National Youth Dance Company, where she worked with choreographers Sharon Eyal and Botis Seva. She went on to train at The Place’s London Contemporary Dance School receiving a First Class Honours, then receiving a Distinction from her Master’s degree with Verve at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Daisy has worked with choreographers such as Kor’sia, Jamaal Burkmar, Liam Francis and Sam Coren amongst many others.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Chiara_Duccini_Dancer_No_Image_Credit.1bf4428.jpg)
Chiara Duccini
Chiara Duccini (she/her), originally from Italy, began studying ballet and contemporary from an early age, later expanding her practice through diverse disciplines and creative explorations. She pursued her studies in England, first at Trinity Laban in London, where she also worked with DFP Dance Company and artist Giulia Roversi. Later, in Leeds, she joined VERVE, performing works by (LA)HORDE, Matteo Marfoglia, and Joy Alpuerto Ritter. Chiara’s artistic research is rooted in creation and experimentation, focusing on the body as a channel to access identity and to deepen our connection with the world. She is currently performing as a dancer in Marina Abramović’s Balkan Erotic Epic.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Ayesha_Fazal_Dancer_Image_Credit_Tim_Dunk.9a59c64.jpg)
Ayesha Fazal
Ayesha Fazal is a contemporary dance artist based in Manchester. She’s toured internationally with Southpaw Dance Company, Highly Sprung, Rosie Kay Dance Company, Sonia Sabri and many. She has also been a dance leader in many mass community works one being Rugby League World Cup and has movement directed many plays, her most recent one being Mary & The Hyenas. With her unique take on contemporary she founded her practice as Groove & Flow which integrates her research of capoeira, Afro Brazilian dance. She is the Co Director of Move Manchester and is passionate about paving the way for the future of dance and young artists. She’s also movement strives for making dance inclusive, representative and heartfelt.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Myrto_Georgiadi_Dancer_Image_Credit_Titouan_Crozier.e041099.jpg)
Myrto Georgiadi
Myrto Georgiadi is a Greek performer and dance artist, trained at the Greek National School of Dance and PNSD Rosella Hightower (Cannes). She is completing a BA in Theater Studies at the University of Athens. Since 2019, she has been a core member of Ballet National de Marseille | La Horde, performing in international works like Room With a View, Roommates, and Age of Content. She has collaborated with Alexandre Roccoli, the Greek National Opera, and Christos Papadopoulos. Her work blends technical precision with contemporary expression, enriched by workshops with leading European choreographers.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Isaac_Glenister_Dancer_Image_Credit_Fatima_Sastre.b789eff.jpg)
Isaac Glenister
Isaac Glenister is a contemporary dance artist based in Salford, Manchester. A graduate of Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London, Isaac holds a BA (Hons) in Dance. Since graduating, he has collaborated with a range of choreographers and visual artists, including Esben Weile Kjaer, Blackhaine, and Lewis Walker, while also developing his own choreographic work. His practice interrogates themes of embodiment, confrontation, and nihilism, seeking to expand the boundaries of contemporary dance. Through performance, Isaac invites audiences to encounter new ways of experiencing the body in relation to space, tension, and presence.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Silas_Grocott_Cain_Image_Credit_Michael_Sabuni.1f1ebe1.jpg)
Silas Grocott Cain
Silas Grocott Cain is a trans femme dancer, choreographer, and performance artist with professional training from London Contemporary Dance School and a master's in contemporary dance performance from Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She now works freelance, creating works in the underground nightlife scene across the UK, as well as theatres and galleries. She works closely with her sister as they develop their collective PussyBoy by building relationships with collaborators to create an interdisciplinary community of friends and trusted creative partners to work with on video, still image, and live works, dissecting the relationship between body and sound and what this can teach us.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Lucy_Harries_Dancer_Image_Credit_Kamal_McDonald.e44ae71.jpg)
Lucy Harries
Lucy is a 24-year-old freelance movement artist from the Northwest. At 16, she gained a place at The Northern Ballet school in Manchester. In 2019, she moved to Leeds, training at NSCD and successfully completing her CertHE and BA. Then gained a place with MA postgraduate company VERVE, presenting works by Matteo Marfoglia, Joy Alpuerto Ritter & (LA) Horde.
Lucy is passionate about exploring the curious, in particular LGBTQIA+ topics, duration & restriction, physical theatre, the process of ageing, life modelling and encouraging performance art to grow up North. As of recent she is collaborating with Newcastle based artist Alicia Meehan and performing her work, What Adult Am I?
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/JP_Hon_Dancer_Image_Credit_Ravee_Roenghan.0f38baa.jpg)
JP Hon
Born and raised in Hong Kong, JP started dancing street dance, jazz and contemporary dance at the age of 17. She was trained and graduated at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Art (HKAPA) in 2021, majoring in Contemporary Dance.
In 2022, JP relocated to the UK to pursue her career as an international dance artist. Since 2023, she has been working and touring with Company Chameleon. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to collaborate with renowed choreographers including Marcus Jarrell Willis (USA), Martin Piliponsky (Argentina), Mickaël ‘Marso’ Rivière (UK), David Steele (UK), and Li Yongjing (Hong Kong) etc.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Joshua_Hubbard_Dancer_Image_Credit_Lee_Baxter.eb97133.jpg)
Joshua Hubbard
Joshua Hubbard is a Manchester (Oldham) -born choreographer, dance artist, actor, director, and producer. Trained at NSCD, they work internationally across live art, theatre, cabaret, and commercial platforms. Joshua’s work has been commissioned by the Royal Academy and includes credits with Elton John, Charli XCX, Róisín Murphy, Brooke Candy and Olly Alexander. They direct and choreograph for pop artists like Alfreda and Kaoti, and starred in Crashing Waves (BFI- and Dinard-nominated). Active in Manchester’s queer arts scene and with major international drag artists.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Spike_King_Dancer_Image_Credit_George_Harvey.dbb3362.jpg)
Spike King
Spike King is a freelance contemporary dance artist currently working in London. Since graduating in 2023 from Rambert School he has worked on projects internationally performing alongside acts such as Eartheater, Matieres Fecales and Patrick Mason. Most recently featured in Olivia Dean’s music video ‘Man I Need’. He has been involved in projects nominated for best choreography at the UKMVA awards and an Off West End nomination for Giselle: Remix, recently performed at Edinburgh Fringe. Alongside this, to develop his personal practice, he has travelled to Japan for a series of masterclasses with Butoh practitioners to learn more about the form and to hone his own artistic voice.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Mak_Korda_Dancer_Image_Credit_Cian_Babi%C4%8D-Ramsay.859541c.png)
Mak Korda
Mak Korda is a Dancer - Movement artist born to Ex-Yugoslav parents, currently based in London he works to find extremity through the body.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Gabriella_Lemma_Image_Credit_Juri_Schlei.7dc1227.jpg)
Gabriella Lemma
Gabriella Lemma was born and raised in Italy, where she studied ballet and contemporary dance. In 2016, she began her professional career with companies such as the Agora Coaching Project and the MM Contemporary Dance Company (Reggio Emilia, Italy).
In 2019, Gabriella moved to Germany where she danced for two seasons as a permanent member of the ensemble of the Dance Company Theater Osnabrück. Since then, she has worked freelance, including as a guest dancer at the Semperoper Dresden, the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, and in various dance projects.
As a choreographer, Gabriella created a work for the Theater Osnabrück in 2021 as part of the evening for young choreographers, In spite of me. This work won first prize.
Gabriella also holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the National University of Reggio Emilia. Currently she is enrolled in the Master of Arts in Dance Pedagogy at the Palucca University of Dresden.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Ting_Lee_Dancer_No_Image_Credit.88c7a1a.jpg)
Ting Lee
Ting was born in sunny Singapore, where she began her dance journey at nine when she fell in love with Chinese Dance. At 19 she moved to the UK to train in the BA(Hons) programme at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, where she graduated with a First Class Degree.
Since then, she has been freelancing in Leeds, where she has worked with Phil Sanger on Ramped, Joseph Mercier in the Glitterbombs and Kate Cox for Stealing Sheep. Ting has also performed at Roadhouse, a local Leeds improvisational night. When not dancing, Ting sees clients as a qualified psychotherapist.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Andrea_Louca_Dancer_No_Image_Credit.45ddc72.jpg)
Andrea Louca
I’m Andrea Louca, a Greek-Cypriot dance artist based in London. I trained at Trinity Laban, graduating with First Class Honours, and completed my MA with Emergence Company at the University of Salford. I’ve performed works by Joss Arnott, Miquel Altunaga, and Noa Zuk, developing a strong foundation in contemporary dance, floorwork, and dance-theatre.
My practice is guided by creativity, authenticity, versatility, and curiosity. I enjoy processes that are raw, collaborative, and experimental, and often bring in my interests in photography and visual art. I’m excited by projects that connect people, push me physically and emotionally, and allow space for genuine expression.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Margherita_Mattia_Dancer_Image_Credit_Kirsten_Reeves.31874c0.jpg)
Margherita Mattia
Margherita began dancing at the age of four, starting with ballet and modern jazz under the guidance of her parents who are both dance teachers. At 17 she moved to Rome, where she immersed herself in contemporary dance and began exploring different styles and dynamics. After her studies she had the opportunity to take part in La Biennale di Venezia under artistic direction of Marie Chouinard, before moving to Sweden to join Norrdans.
She then started freelancing all over Europe and had worked with various choreographers including Jasmin Vardimon, Anthony Matsena and Sabrina Gargano.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Sara_Maurizi_Image_Credit_Sara_Belia.7ec84ee.jpg)
Sara Maurizi
Sara Maurizi is a UK-based dancer and performer. A Trinity Laban graduate, she toured internationally with VERVE, postgraduate company of NSCD, performing works by Maxine Doyle, Joan Clevillé, Noa Zuk, and Ben Wright.
She has since collaborated on stage, screen, site-specific and outdoors works with artists including Kimberly Bartosik, Claudia La Vista, Compagnia Malacarne and Maxine Doyle. In 2023, she performed in Marina Abramović’s Royal Academy retrospective, and in 2025 at the Southbank Centre in Vexations. Since 2021, she has been a dancer and rehearsal director in WomanEwer. In 2020, she co-founded VI.SA. Dance Project with Virginia Poli.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Nicole_Nevitt_Image_Credit_Kitty_Denton.f021af6.jpg)
Nicole Nevitt
Nicole Nevitt is an independent performer and martial arts practitioner working in live performance, film, television, and theatre. Nicole has worked with an extensive selection of choreographers, companies, movement directors, and brands. Some of her credits include Damien Jalet, Scottish Dance Theatre, Ben Duke, Bullyache, Roberta Jean, Stephanie McMann, Adidas, and Nike. Nicole’s practice centres around atmospheres, aesthetic worlds, sensations, and places of absurdity, as well as her relationship to the subconscious. Often experimenting through improvisation and somatic sensitivity, her movement language is raw, meticulous, and complex.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Zara_Phillips_Dancer_Image_Credit_Brannon_Yau.b250831.png)
Zara Phillips
Zara Phillips began her contemporary dance training with the Lowry CAT scheme in Manchester before joining the National Youth Dance Company under choreographer Botis Seva in 2018. She went on to train at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2022. During her third year, she became an apprentice with Rendez-Vous Dance, contributing to the creation and initial tour of Le Monocle.
In 2023, she completed her master’s degree while touring with VERVE, performing works by Kor’sia, Faye Tan and Extended Play. She returned to Rendez-Vous Dance the following year for the restaging and UK tour of Le Monocle, choreographed by Mathieu Geffré.
Zara has since collaborated with artists including Alexander Whitley, Bruno Martelli, Ruth Gibson, Extended Play and Mad Dogs Dance Theatre. Alongside performing, she teaches for organisations such as the National Youth Dance Company, Sadler’s Wells, RAME and Northern Ballet. Most recently, she performed as a stunt artist with Wired Aerial Theatre in Austria for the opera Der Freischütz at the Bregenz Festspiele.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Vilim_Poljanec_Image_Credit_Damir_Klai%C4%87_Klju%C4%8D.9a04e69.jpg)
Vilim Poljanec
Vilim Poljanec (he/him) is a Croatian contemporary dancer. In the year 2020 he graduated from Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance. Vilim furthered his training at summer intensive at Nederlands Dance Theater where he performed works by Marne Van Opstal, Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke and Paul Lightfoot/Sol Leon.
In the year 2020 he had the opportunity to work with theatre director Bob Wilson at Salzburger Festspiele and later again at Bob Wilson's Watermill Center Gala in New York. In the same year he reperformed solo work Étude V by choreographer Pau Aran Gimeno, from Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. He has presented his own work at Šibenik Dance Festival in Croatia.
In 2021 he performed works by Wayne McGregor and Crystal Pite at the Venice Biennale. In 2022 he has been a part of Metamorphosis Dance Company, directed by Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich. In 2023 he worked with renowned french choreographer Damien Jalet. He was part of the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony and worked with choreographer Maud Le Pladec. In 2025 he danced in neoclassical work Carmina Burana by Ilya Jivoy and is currently working on a production by performance artist Marina Abramović.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Ella_Posti_Daner_Image_Credit_Daniel_Litman.bca94b4.jpg)
Ella Posti
Ella Posti is a UK based dance artist, performer, and choreographer originally from Finland. She is both a BA and MA graduate from London Contemporary Dance School and a founding member of the performer-led R.A.W collective and the artistic support network MOŸ MOŸ collective. During her career Ella has worked both in the UK and internationally. She’s had the pleasure of collaborating with the likes of Hannes Langolf, Theo Clinkard, Tom English, Tina Afiyan-Breiova, Benjamin Johnson, Routa Company and Prefacemorn company. As a dancer and performer, she enjoys bringing her imagination and inner world into her movement. For Ella, dance is both an intimate expression of self and a bridge to others and our surroundings.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Emma_Poyer_Dancer_Image_Credit_David_Lindsay.ac0b524.jpg)
Emma Poyer
Emma Poyer is a Reunionese multidisciplinary performer and choreographer. Trained in Contemporary Dance, Ballet, and global styles, she has worked with choreographers including Joy Alpuerto-Ritter and James Cousins, implementing Physical Theatre into her practice. At École des Sables, she immersed herself in the raw power of Senegalese Contemporary Dance. At Verve, under the artistic direction of Matteo Marfoglia, she has expanded her connection to instinct through Gaga. Maloya, the ancestral heartbeat of Réunion Island, keeps her tethered to home.
She is performing in various projects across the UK and France, exploring mythology, inherited patriarcal behaviour in the female body and vulnerability as a force of transformation.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Dominic_Rocca_Dancer_Image_Credit_Billy_Trevitt.f08eff7.jpg)
Dominic Rocca
Originally from Newbury, Dominic trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2017. He has since worked with a number of companies and choreographers, including: BalletBoyz, Mark Bruce Company, The Royal Ballet & Opera, Christopher Bruce, Xie Xin, Maxine Doyle, Thick & Tight, Christopher Wheeldon, Katya Bourvis, Shaper Caper and Olly Alexander for Glastonbury Festival.
Away from performance, Dominic teaches in SEN school and college units and is the Co-founder and Co-director of Ample Space Studios Ltd., an East London based multi-disciplinary studio business.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Clara_Selberg_Dancer_Image_Credit_Josh_Hawkins.0bea7b1.jpg)
Clara Selberg
Clara Selberg is a Swedish dancer based in Manchester. She graduated in 2023 with a First-Class Honours from London Contemporary Dance School, where she worked with a broad variety of choreographers like Akeim Toussaint Buck and Ella Mesma, Monique Jonas and Jason Mabana. She also performed in Sometimes, Even Now, by James Cousins Company at the National Theatre’s River Stage in the summer of 2023.
With her most recent experience as a company dancer with Emergence Dance Company, Clara danced in pieces by Sofia Nappi, SAY Dance (Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui), artistic director Joss Arnott and assistant choreographer Lisa Robinson.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Marianna_Sfyridi_Dancer_Image_Credit_Bimal_Tailor.c27ae53.jpg)
Marianna Sfyridi
Marianna Sfyridi is a multidisciplinary performer, Capoerista and pharmacist. Her work explores migration, identity, and corporeality through physical theatre, blending Martial Arts and Greek folk traditions with contemporary dance. She has created and performed political pieces internationally, including in the UK, Greece, Brazil. Her short film NOSTOS: Migrating Bodies, Migrating Dances reflects her current research in dance anthropology which she currently explores via academic research. Marianna also leads workshops of her methodology Circadian Bodies and is involved in collaborative projects connecting dance with permaculture and technology.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Sophie_Thomas_Dancer_Image_Credit_Elly_Welford.c8434cb.jpg)
Sophie Thomas
Born and raised in England’s Lake District, Sophie’s love for dance, art and nature started from an early age. Whilst a majority of her formative dancing years took place in village halls, she furthered this learning by attending Northern School of Contemporary Dance, gaining her degree in 2021. After graduating, Sophie continues to be based in Leeds and collaborating with artists such as Northern Rascals, Night People Events, Riptide UK, Southpaw Company as well as guest writing for Dance Art Journal. In her personal practise, Sophie is investigating musicality, intricacy and what it means to be human whilst performing.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Jack_Trotter_Dancer_Image_Credit_Stephen_Cole.ae6f7fa.jpg)
Jack Trotter
Jack Trotter (he/they) is a movement artist & choreographer, originally from Hull. They trained at London Contemporary Dance School, The Place 2019-22 and VERVE, Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2023. Throughout studies, Jack worked with Becky Namgauds, Seke Chimutengwende, KOR’SIA & Jamaal Burkmar, among others. Professionally, Jack has presented his original dance-theatre work Several Desperate Attempts at Resolution Festival 2024, performed for Hull-based company Tamar & Jo, and has been a dramaturg, rehearsal director and stylist for several performance works and photoshoots.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Stylianos_Tsatsos_Dancer_Image_Credit_Stylianos_Tsatsos.4f92db9.jpg)
Stylianos P. Tsatsos
Stylianos P. Tsatsos (b. May 22, 1990, Athens) is a freelance dance, performance, and visual artist. His personal creations include collaborations with major institutions such as Palais de Tokyo and the Greek National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST). Since 2015, works as a dance artist with Sasha Waltz & Guests, amongst others, performing internationally. In 2025, appointed as a Repertoire Master at La Biennale College Danza di Venezia & the Athens Conservatoire, specialising in SW&G Repertoire and Art Business Ethics. His studies span Dartington College of Arts, Falmouth University Academy of Theatre Arts, and the Greek National School of Dance.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Yue_Ying_Ho_Dancer_Image_Credit_Lewis_Chetcuti.ecc3e5f.jpg)
Yue Ying Ho
Swansea-born, Manchester-based dance artist Yue Ying Ho collaborates widely across the UK, contributing through performance, choreography, and teaching. A First-Class BA graduate from Trinity Laban (2020) and MA graduate from Emergence (2021), she has toured nationally with Joss Arnott Dance, Company Chameleon, Kapow, HAWK, Matsena Productions, and WN Dance. She is rehearsal director for Emergence, Associate Dance Artist at the University of Salford, and Co-Lead for Chameleon Youth Juniors. Recent projects include choreography for BBC Dance Passion Swansea and an associate artist with National Youth Dance Wales. In 2024, she co-founded YIng Productions, a female-led company blending contemporary and Chinese dance.
Dancers
George Adams
Jem Bentham
Kibrea Carmichael
Esme Jobey
PERFORMERS
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Ruby_Abbas_Performer.2c054ad.jpg)
Ruby Abbas
Ruby Abbas is a dance artist and performer based in London. She completed her training at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and has since worked with choreographers including Holly Blakey, Harry Alexander, Benoit Swan Pouffer, Jamaal Burkmar and Charlie Mayhew. As well as brands and artists including Alexander McQueen, Dove, H&M, Raye, Dr Barbara Sturm and Trevor Sorbie.
Ruby's creative practise focuses on spirituality and healing, combining movement with components and beliefs from traditional yoga.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Lily_Antonia_Performer.51b4f3f.jpg)
Lily Antonia
Lily Antonia is a dance artist, performer and choreographer. Her practice reflects the complexities and joys of the human experience. Bringing what is alive in the present moment to the forefront, drawing from her rich background in somatic movement, contact improvisation and contemporary dance.
She has worked internationally with renowned companies, choreographers and artists, such as Wired Aerial Theatre, Festspielhaus Bregenz, Leeroy New & Company Chameleon.
Lily Antonia is also co-director of performance art company Umami-i!-Movement, creating visually rich works that blend live art and dance.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Anton_Apicella_No_Image_Credit.d1eb6c7.jpg)
Anton Apicella
Anton Apicella is an Italian artist based in the UK since 2013, he has collaborated with companies in Italy, the UK, and the USA, performing in festivals, stage productions, and international dance films. As a contemporary dance lecturer, he has taught at the University of Salford and the Arden School of Theatre, and continues to guest teach across Europe, the USA, and Mexico. His practice integrates performance, education, and youth development, fostering artistic growth and innovation.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Image_8.8a82d4c.jpg)
chris brown
Chris Brown is a choreographer, movement director, and performance artist whose work explores the body’s relationship to nature, technology, and environment. Drawing on somatic practice and improvisation, they create performances that heighten perception and invite dialogue with changing landscapes. Their work has been presented at TURN Festival, The Royal Exchange, The MAC Belfast, Contact Theatre, and The Lowry. In 2024–25, they were a Research Fellow at The University of Manchester, where their fellowship explored eco-somatic practices and embodied ways of sensing the natural world. Collaborative and process-led, their practice seeks to open new perspectives on how performance can reimagine our place within ecological change.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/James_Cale_Image_Credit_E._S._Piddlesden.f2d46df.jpg)
James Cale
James Cale (b. 2004) is a movement and performance artist from Mansfield, currently based in the North of England. They are in their final year of training at Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
Recent performance credits include work for The Herds London, directed by Alesandra Seutin, as well as Quartier Paradis by Alesandra Seutin (premiere and UK tour) and Novacene by Wayne McGregor (premiere and UK tour). James is currently developing new live work set to premiere in the near future.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/PorcelainDelaneybyHilaire.307275d.jpg)
Porcelain Delaney
Porcelain Delaney is an Irish multidisciplinary artist and theatre maker. Originally a ballerina, her work now spans across many art forms including: dance, literature, theatre and cabaret. Her practice takes creative advantage of her disability and centres accessibility. She has presented work internationally and created works with many companies including Tate plus galleries, The Liverpool Biennial and UnMute South Africa. Her cabaret acts have headlined across the world including Cirque Le Soir Dubai, Rejavik Kabarett and Wunder Kabarett Paris.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Rowena_Gander_Performer_Image_Credit_Mark_Lycett.792f48b.jpg)
Dr Rowena Gander
Dr Rowena Gander is a Liverpool-based performance artist, choreographer, and educator known for bold solo works exploring power, sexuality, and female objectification. Her acclaimed pieces Barely Visible and Woman | Women have toured nationally, confronting lesbian invisibility through raw physicality. She has previously performed with world-renowned artist Marina Abramović at the Royal Academy of Arts and brings her training in the Abramović Method into her ongoing processes and performances.
Creating autobiographical, movement-based and durational works, Rowena sparks discourse around objects (reframing the pole), identity, queerness, and embodiment. She teaches internationally, leads workshops, and continues collaborating with leading artists and institutions.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Owen_Gaynor_Performer_No_Image_Credit.9e864d7.jpg)
Owen Gaynor
Owen is a multidisciplinary circus performer who's career has taken him all over the globe. Based in Manchester he has been a keen participant in the city's vibrant circus scene contributing via the establishment of a circus school (The Circus House) as well as delivering many hours of teaching. With an eye for the next incredible feat he brings his own unique take on performance to every stage he graces.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Vanda_Hagan_Performer_Image_Credit_Harry_Hagan.0d475aa.jpg)
VANDA HAGAN
Originally from the former Czechoslovakia, Vanda first developed her love for the arts and particularly for physical theatre, as a student, forming a travelling theatre group after graduation from university. Later she performed with a modern dance group in Prague whilst earning her living as a physicist.
Vanda is making her debut on a professional stage with her role in Balkan Erotic Epic, whilst continuing in her role within finance at Factory International.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Tom_Halls_Performer_Image_Credit_Axel_Garay.6da31ed.png)
Tom Halls
Tom is a performance artist, actor and multimedia storyteller, working between Australia and the UK. Co-founder of TomYumSim, his work subverts expectations through interactive theatre, digital art and immersive experiences. Tom’s practice is fuelled by creative anarchy, queerness and irreverence, pushing boundaries of audience-performer connection. Recent credits include Mushroom Language (The Lowry/touring UK 2023–25), Trainwreck (TomYumSim/Battersea Arts Centre/theaterhaus Berlin 2024) and A Suffocating Choking Feeling (Pleasance/UK Tour 2024–current). Additional work includes Hotline (MIF & hÅb), Be Right Back (MIF), Nothing Special (Camden People’s Theatre), and Rage Face (The Yard).
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Tora_Hed_Performer_Image_Credit_Maria_Alzamora.952276c.jpg)
Tora Hed
Tora Hed is a Swedish dancer and choreographer based between Leeds (UK) and Copenhagen (DK). Her work focuses on collaborative processes, exploring the complexity of the body shaped by its social, material and political surroundings. As a performer and collaborator, Hed has worked with Joe Moran, Alexandra Pirici, Carlos Pons Guerra, Kasia Witek and Dam Van Huynh amongst others. Tora graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2015, receiving the Carolyn Woolridge Outstanding Performance Award. She is currently completing an MFA in Dance and Participation at the Danish School of Performing Arts.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Neil_Jacob_Performer_Image_Credit_Barrington_Powell.4d26d22.jpg)
Neil Jacob
Neil Jacob is a circus performer who has lived in Manchester for 15 years. He works with local arts organisations and has performed in most of Manchester's venues and across the UK and Europe. His specialities include stilt walking, fire performance, LED shows and buugeng. He has an affinity for physically demanding art forms, costume and creating visual spectacles. He walked the Realness category in the House of Suarez Vogue Ball in 2024 and took the trophy for portraying a bold, conceptual character. He enjoys going beyond perceived limits and is a fierce protector of queerness, neurodivergence and racial diversity.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Natalia_Leniartek_MUA_Performer_No_Image_Credit.6622627.jpg)
Natalia Leniartek
Natalia Leniartek studied at the School of Art and Design in Krakow, Poland, near to her home town of Katowice. Natalia then came to the UK in 2008 where she studied Media Make Up as well as Hair and Wig Styling at the School of Make Up in Stockport. Since then she has been fortunate to work with some of the finest performers in Film, TV and Theatre.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Ali_Matthews_Performer_Image_Credit_Drew_Forsyth.607257c.jpg)
Ali Matthews
Ali Matthews is an artist & performer working across theatre, performance art, music and video. She has presented work around the UK and Europe. She is interested in intersections between eeriness and humour, as well as folk rituals, horror and the natural world. Recent projects include Mushroom Language: A Fungal Gothic (The Lowry/touring), Bobby: Lunch is Darkness (Encounter Festival/online, developed as part of M.I.F. Creative Lab 2019) and stints performing for Slap Collective at Compass Festival (Leeds) and Disco Neurotico (Salford/Dublin/touring). She also regularly works as an outside eye and dramaturg for projects in development. “A bewitching performer” (The Guardian).
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Lizzy_Owen_Durational_Performer_Image_Credit_Tim_Dunk.b0ba950.jpg)
Lizzy Owen
Lizzy is a movement artist based in Manchester. She has predominantly trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance technique, having graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Her method is strongly rooted in an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates live music, voice, and visual art, and is informed by choreological practice. Lizzy works as both a freelance dancer and choreographer, and has performed at venues such as DIECAST, Factory International, Contact Theatre, and New Adelphi Theatre, as well as in music videos and site-specific works. She also teaches contemporary dance and fitness, aiming to foster an accessible and enjoyable understanding of the relationship to self through contemporary movement.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Saskia_Roy_Performer_Image_Credit_Elizabeth_Clare_Sweeney.8de7628.jpg)
Saskia Roy
Choreographer, Movement Director, Dancer, Model, Performer, Artist. Ever-changing, Saskia brings a focus and intention to her art. Her fledgling arts company, RATTERY, perform original works nationally. Themes of identity, artifice, and longing delve into audience-performer relationship through curated events, club nights and festival performances.
Saskia is developing collaborative live work supported by NDT / TheatreDeli encompassing pain and functionality of the body. She completes her studies at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2026, concurrently movement directing fashion shows, developing dance films and curating photoshoots. Saskia deeply values self-development and meeting gentle, thoughtful people through collaborative art projects.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Ian_Sharpe_Performer_Image_Credit_Chris_Currie_Photography.2428b77.jpg)
Ian Sharpe
A charismatic champion of commendable causes, Ian Sharpe is a passionate advocate of amateur athletics. Last year he ran 150km in 24 hours to help raise funds/awareness for Manchester's 24 hour homelessness run, and guide-ran the marathon.
He is Social Secretary of Chorlton Runners, where he organises food bank collections (once sharing a platform with our mayor), cake bakes, inspirational talks, recycling, mental health awareness, weekend vacations and parties.
He has been awarded the "Spirit of Chorlton" & "Feet of Endurance" awards and nominated for several other community accolades.
Deeds Not Words!
Performers
Lewys Holt
Maisha Kungu
Yuma Sylla
Musicians
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Valerie_Barr_Musician_Image_Credit_Demelza_Kingston.53cc8e9.jpg)
Valerie Barr
Valerie Barr is a Scottish accordionist acclaimed for her versatility across classical and contemporary stages. She has performed with leading orchestras such as BBC Philharmonic, the Hallé and Opera North, and has appeared in international festivals including Buxton and Ruhrtriennale Festival der Künste. Her theatre collaborations have included work with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Gecko Theatre, and she has previously worked with Factory International on The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions by Ted Huffman & Philip Venables, which will receive its North American premiere in New York this December. She studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with renowned accordionist Djordje Gajic.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Chris_Barron_Musician_Image_Credit_Will_Thomas.93522c4.jpg)
Chris Barron
Chris Barron began learning the tuba aged 13. Within three years he had joined the UK's National Youth Orchestra. In 2017 he received a scholarship to London's Royal Academy of Music. Chris later undertook Masters study at HMTM Hannover, Germany. Whilst there Chris held a contract with Denmark's Aarhus Symphony Orchestra. After graduating Chris won a trial with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Chris is based in Sheffield, working with outfits such as the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Hallé. In 2024 Chris joined the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra in Germany, which brings together some of the world's finest young musicians.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Georgina_MacDonell_Finlayson_Musician_Image_Credit_Andrea_Terzuoli.26cf7fe.jpg)
Georgina MacDonell Finlayson
Georgina MacDonell Finlayson is a versatile Scottish violinist, fiddle player, composer and community arts practitioner, with a particular interest in collaborative, cross-genre and multidisciplinary performance. She is a founding member of radical string quartet Vulva Voce, blending folk, techno, jazz and classical (Glastonbury Festival, SXSW Texas and WOMEX) has performed with Sinfonia Cymru, Manchester Collective, Manchester Camerata and Thirteen North. Her creative practice includes writing music and sound design for theatre and film (including live onstage performance), original folk composition and arrangement, and chamber and orchestral works (Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Red Note Ensemble, soundfestival, BBC Radio 3 New Music Show).
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Grace_Harman_Musician_Image_Credit_EKG_Photos.005d889.jpg)
Grace Harman
Grace Harman is a dynamic musician who graduated with First Class Honours in Classical Trumpet from the Royal Northern College of Music. A sought-after freelancer, she has performed at venues including Bridgewater Hall, Snape Maltings, and Ronnie Scott’s, and at festivals such as Latitude. Also a skilled pianist, she has worked as soloist, accompanist, and rehearsal pianist. An experienced educator, Grace teaches with Lancashire Music Service and others, and directs youth ensembles. She is a founding member of Brazen Brass Band, with credits including Elf the Musical, Cinderella (MD), and work with Manchester Camerata.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Maxim_Kemp_Musician_Image_Credit_Isabelle_Fournier.30ef5f2.jpg)
Maxim Kemp
Maxim Kemp has recently completed his masters at the Royal Northern College of Music specialising in tuba performance. He was born in the UK and was raised in Canada. He completed his Bachelors at McGill University in Montreal, and during this time he worked with the Canadian Navy Reserves as a musician. He has had the opportunity to work with many different orchestras and ensembles such as Opera North, Esker Festival Orchestra, M15 Brass, the National Band of the Navy Reserves, and the National Academy Orchestra of Canada. Maxim is delighted to have the opportunity to be a part of this exciting production.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Robbie_Richardson_BEE_Musician_Image_Credit_Tristan_Boldy.f443438.jpg)
Robbie Richardson
Based in Manchester, UK, Robbie Richardson is a versatile trumpeter with a passion for performing across diverse musical styles. A graduate of the RNCM with First Class Honours, he has performed throughout the UK and Europe, from concert halls to festivals and theatres. Highlights include working with Diana Ross and Katherine Jenkins, performing with the Hallé, English National Ballet, and Opera North, appearing at the BBC Proms, featuring in the European premiere of Cinderella: The Musical, and performing live on BBC Radio 3. Alongside performing, Robbie writes and produces original music.
:quality(60)/https://publicydn4hdgozyjrg.blob.core.windows.net/public/dd/images/Emilio_Y%C3%A1%C3%B1ez_Ru%C3%ADz_Musician_Image_Credit_Kev_Wong.2205eb2.jpg)
Emilio Yáñez Ruíz
Emilio Yáñez Ruíz (México City 1995). Percussionist, composer, and poet, graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music. Recipient of one of the four “RNCM Creative Innovators Awards 2024” for the project Poems For Your Self.
His musical explorations span contemporary music, jazz, afrobeat, guided meditations, and free improvisation. Emilio is known for blending nature-inspired soundscapes with global percussion rhythms, and for writing poetry that inspires introspection, gratitude, and kindness.
Based in Manchester, UK, he currently works as a freelance composer and percussionist, as well as a community musician bringing music to schools, homes, workshops, and Hospital Wards with LIME ART.
Musicians
Sam Milton
James Seabrook
Will Bird