Company members
Ruth Hughes // Artistic Director & Deputy Safeguarding Officer
BA (Hons) Dance Theatre, PGCE QTS
Ruth trained in dance at LABAN, and then qualified as a teacher from Brighton University. Ruth became a dancer with Springs Dance Company in 1997, and was promoted to the position of Director in May 2003. Ruth has also danced for Marina Collard and Suzannah West Dance Company. UK teaching venues include Hextable Secondary School, Brighton University, the University of Hertfordshire, Lewisham College and at LABAN. Ruth also trained teachers for JC2000, the Millennium Arts Festival for schools. Since becoming director for Springs Dance Company she has co-choreographed several works for the company including Waterbugs and Dragonflies, Journey of the Magi, Credo, Cargo and Passage.
Claire Crowley // Executive Director
MA, MA, PGCE QTS
Claire read her undergraduate degree in Theology and Philosophy at Keble College, Oxford and then completed a Masters degree at LABAN, having previously trained at Central School of Ballet and the Royal Academy of Dance. She is also Deputy Director at Dance UK where she edits Dance UK News and looks after Corporate Membership and the Dance Managers Group. Claire is a freelance dance artist for English National Ballet’s Department of Learning. She teaches dance and religious studies, manages educational projects, and maintains a research interest in doing theology through the arts.
Naomi Cook // Assistant Director & Dancer
BA (Hons) Professional Dance
Naomi trained at L’Ecole du Ballet du Nord, France and later at Central School of Ballet, where she received her BA (Hons) in Professional Dance Performance. Her most influential teachers included Elia Luyando, Patricia Carey, Antonia Grove, Elizabeth Old and Aurora Bosch. During her time there she choreographed and performed for Design For Dance 2003 and 2004, and toured the UK with Ballet Central 2005.
Naomi danced with DV8 Physical Theatre in 2003, working with Lloyd Newson and Gabriel Castillo, and performing The Cost of Living at the Tate Modern. In 2006 Naomi performed with Vienna Festival Ballet in their tour of Giselle, and later with Springs Dance Company in their tour of Chemin de Pâques.
Naomi performed her own work in Resolution! at The Place in 2009 and 2010.
Naomi joined Springs Dance Company in April 2007.
Alison Whitaker // Company Administrator
BSc (Hons) GSR
Alison trained at the Hammond School where she was actively involved in community outreach dance programmes alongside her dance education. Between 2004 and 2006 she was awarded sponsorship by Freed of London and was involved in many collaborative arts projects with other centres of excellence. She graduated from the University of Salford with a first class honours degree in Sports Rehabilitation where she developed research promoting health in dance education, a study sponsored by Grishko Dance Supplies; she is currently reading for a masters degree at Laban in Dance Science.
Helen Sollis // Apprenticeship Scheme Co-ordinator and Finance & Governance Officer
BA (Hons)
Helen studied dance with the Bristol School of Dance and at Roehampton University, gaining a BA in Dance Studies & Biology in 2003. After working as Interview Coordinator for Roehampton University, she continued her dance training as an apprentice with Springs Dance Company, graduating in July 2006 and touring with elevate dance company.
Helen also works as a freelance community dance artist, currently teaching for the Royal Academy of Dance, the Language of Dance Trust, All Souls Clubhouse Community Centre, Southwest School of Ballet and Hallsville School of Ballet. She has also taught and performed with Esther’s Journey Dance Company and the Spring Harvest dance team.
Laura Boyer // Tour Booker
BA (Hons) Drama
Laura trained at Exeter University in Drama focusing on Dance Theatre and Applied Drama. After gaining her degree Laura worked as a Learning Support Assistant using creative initiatives to help children on the brink of exclusion. She has experience of using dance and drama in a church context, performing as part of the dance team at Detling Summer Conference and choreographing and dancing in an international tour of Israel with the Olive Tree Musical.
Laura delivers creative workshops in drama and dance to both children and vulnerable adults. She worked as a freelance workshop facilitator for the Pauline Quirke Academy and Dance Junction. She also works at a community arts project in London which explores art and dance with young people and as a professional supporting artist.
Anna Shadbolt // Safeguarding Officer
Anna started ballet lessons at the age of seven and on leaving school went to the Andrew Hardie School of Dance in London. After dancing professionally for five years, she worked for a travel company.
In 2001 she was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis but also felt called to start dancing again. After being healed of the arthritis she joined the Springs Apprenticeship Scheme for three months in 2005. Since then Anna has been involved with various dance and movement projects in primary schools and has also run movement workshops for adults.
Charlotte Brown // Dancer
BA (Hons) Professional Dance
Charlotte began her dancing in Botswana, Africa, and on returning to England continued her training at the Royal Ballet School as a Senior Associate. Charlotte then went into full time training at Central School of Ballet, where she was given the opportunity to choreograph and dance in the Design for Dance Project. She toured with Ballet Central as part of her final year, where she performed a solo piece entitled Futility in the 2006 tour.
Before joining Springs Dance Company, Charlotte spent a year as an apprentice with Phoenix Dance Theatre working with Javier De Frutos and Henrique Rodavalho. Charlotte completed a Post Graduate Diploma during this year spent in Leeds.
Charlotte joined Springs Dance Company in June 2007.
Maggie Ho Ki Kwan // Dancer
MA Contemporary Dance
Born in Hong Kong and trained at the Hong Kong Academy for performing Arts, Maggie Ho-Ki Kwan received her BFA (Honours) degree in contemporary dance in 2001. During that time, she was awarded a scholarship to take part in the American Dance Festival. Maggie then undertook postgraduate training, on full scholarship, at London Contemporary Dance School, working as a company member in ‘EDge’, the postgraduate performance group and received her MA degree in 2003.
Maggie has performed, choreographed and taught with numerous dance companies and productions throughout her career, including Union Dance, Anhng Dance, Sinman Dance Company, Rashpal Singh Bansal, the musical production The King and I, Chinese Culture Centre and Sakoba Dance Theatre. She has worked with choreographers such as Susannah West, Javier De Frutos, Paul Old, Athina Vahla and Rosalind Newman.
Maggie joined Springs Dance Company in April 2005.
Claire Talbot // Dancer
BPA (Hons) Contemporary Dance, PGDip, AISTD, RAD STC
Claire began her professional training at Preston College, before completing her degree at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She successfully auditioned for EDge, the graduate touring company of London Contemporary Dance School, where she performed repertoire by Siobhan Davies and Trisha Brown.
Claire has toured with Danish choreographer Johann Lindell in Europe. She has worked for Opera North with choreographer Aletta Collins, performing in Dido and Aeneas and a rework of the ballet Les Noces. Claire has been involved in several other dance projects during 2009 and 2010 performing with Loop Dance Company and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden performing in Operas such as Aida earlier in 2010.
Claire joined Springs Dance Company in October 2007.
Emily Sutton // Dancer
BA (Hons) Dance Theatre
Emily began dancing at the Alverstoke School of Ballet and Dance and continued her training as an apprentice of Springs Dance Company. After touring with elevate dance company in 2007 she went on to graduate from Laban with a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre where she performed repertoire by Kerry Nicholls and Nik Haffner, as well as re-creating work by Martha Graham.
Since leaving Laban she has danced with Springs at Detling Summer Conference and worked with Dance Equation on their schools Creative Partnerships project.
Corey Baker // Dancer
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Corey took to the stage at a young age performing in many West End shows including Cats, the southern hemispheres premier of Witches of Eastwick, and A Chorus Line. He began his classical training at the International Ballet Academy graduating in 2008 from the Ballettschule Theater Basel in Switzerland, completing a Diploma in Dance.
Corey has been based in Europe for the past 2 years, dancing in Switzerland for the Ballet Theater Basel and freelance projects in the U.K. Corey was the youngest dancer offered a contract with the Balletboyz’ new all male company in January 2010. Corey has choreographed award-winning pieces in New Zealand, America and Switzerland.
Corey joined Springs in April 2010.
Steve Johnstone // Dancer
BA (Hons)
Originally from Yeovil in Somerset, Steve Johnstone graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2007. Before moving to London, Steve won the Rose Bowl Award for his performance as White Face Clown in Barnum and worked with Pretty Good Girl Dance Theatre, with whom he performed in Resolution! 2003. Since leaving The Place Steve has worked with artists and companies such as greenbean, Luca Silvestrini, Jennifer Lyn Crawford, Ironinc, Dye Nye Opera and Isobel Cohen. Currently alongside dancing for Springs, he runs and choreographs for his own contemporary dance company Off The Map. Steve recently filmed a car advert for Toyota, which is currently showing in Australia and New Zealand.
Steve joined Springs Dance Company in March 2009 for Five a Day.