Artistic Director
Ruth trained at Trinity Laban, and then qualified as a teacher from Brighton University. Ruth joined Springs as a dancer in 1997, and was appointed Artistic Director in 2003. She has also danced for Marina Collard and Suzannah West Dance Company. Ruth has taught extensively in schools, colleges and universities. 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.
Company and Education Manager and Teacher
Eliza joined Elevate Dance Company in 2010, before then completing her training at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, gaining a BA(Hons) in Contemporary Dance. Following graduating in 2014, she worked in an administrative role at Chisenhale Dance Space, before joining the staff team at Springs in 2015. Alongside her office role, Eliza also loves teaching on the Springs Education programme in schools and is a Trustee for a little bit of HOPE (UK).
Assistant to the Director and Producer
Helen was Assistant to the Directors at the Lyric Hammersmith for 2 years before joining the team behind the inaugural Manchester International Festival in 2006 as Assistant Producer. Here she worked across art forms to produce new work with international collaborators which premiered at the festival in 2007. Projects included The Pianist (Dir. Neil Bartlett, Mikhail Rudy and Peter Guinness), Dead Wedding (Opera North and Faulty Optic), Kapital (a film by Greg Hall) and Interiors (Johnny Vegas and Stewart Lee).
In 2008 she began working as a freelance arts producer in Cambridge, with New International Encounter, 30 Bird Productions and Tom Dale Dance before accepting a position as an Assistant Officer for Performing Arts at the Arts Council East office. In this role, she supported several regularly funded arts organisations in the eastern region, as well as assessing grants applications, and being involved in the Escalator East to Edinburgh programme, supporting local artists showcasing their work at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Helen joined the Springs team in February 2023, and has worked on booking a tour of A Time to Mourn, A Time to Dance, co-writing a successful funding bid to the Arts Council for developing Jump In, and helped fundraise and plan the tour for Parable to Cornwall and Norfolk in May 2024.
Company Administrator (Maternity Cover) and Teacher
Originally from London, Sarah moved to Coventry in 2006 to study Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Warwick.
After gaining a BA degree she went on to complete a Higher National Diploma in dance, developing specific interests in site specific performance and physical theatre. She is a qualified teacher for adults and young people and has taught within schools, colleges and universities. Her performance work often incorporates film, soundscape, speech, gestural movement and contact improvisation. In recent years, she has trained as an aerialist and now adds this genre to her wide repertoire.
Dancer, Teacher and Rehearsal Director
Emily trained at Rambert School and has since enjoyed dancing with Springs for seven years as well as other companies such as Casson & Friends, Hawk Dance Theatre, The Knotted Project and English National Opera. Emily is co-founder of Eek & Wild who are Artists in Residence at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. Emily also loves teaching dance to people of all ages and abilities and has taught extensively around the UK including for English National Ballet Youth Company, Cecchetti Associates and The Natashas Project, who facilitate restorative dance workshops to survivors of human trafficking.
Dancer and Teacher
Daniel Cossette is a classically trained mime, touring with Mimeistry International 2000-2002. He launched Ambassador Arts, premiering the shows Say it Loud! and Christmivest 2002-2009. Daniel was invited to dance with Ad Deum Dance Company, Houston TX where he danced from 2009-2013, then moved to England and joined Springs Dance Company (2013-present). Dan co-directs Infusion Physical Theatre, Cambridge UK. He has performed in prelude to Dance Houston, Alvin Ailey, Mark Morris, at Project Dance, Resolutions Dance Festival, Edinburgh Fringe and Sprung! He has taught mime, dance, and stage combat for Houston Ballet, the Alley Theatre, and Society for Performing Arts.
Dancer and Teacher
Ella is an independent dance artist and maker based in East London. Ella graduated from Trinity Laban with a First Class degree in 2016. Since graduating, Ella has enjoyed performing with Casson & Friends, Made by Katie Green, Luminelle, Springs Dance Company and Kimberley Harvey in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital. Ella regularly performs at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with Eek & Wild, a company she co-founded. Ella teaches in a range of community settings, with inclusivity and play at the heart of her teaching practice. Ella is a lead dance artist for The Place, Sadler’s Wells and Magpie Dance for people with learning disabilities. With her work at Magpie, Ella has led choreographic collaborations with the Royal Opera House and Arts for Disabled Association Hong Kong.
Dancer, Teacher and Rehearsal Director
Katie is a performer, teacher and maker based in Birmingham. Since graduating from Trinity Laban in 2013, she has enjoyed dancing with Springs for six years and other companies such as Sonia Sabri, Highly Sprung, Autin Dance Theatre, and as a Featured Dancer in the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony choreographed by Corey Baker. Katie also enjoys rehearsal directing and was Movement Associate for The Ballad of Maria Marten, a play by Beth Flintoff. Katie teaches and facilitates dance in a range of settings and is passionate about dance being for everyone. She is an Associate Artist for integrated dance company FRONTLINEdance and is an Artist in Residence at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with Eek & Wild, a company she co-founded.
Dancer
Teacher and Dancer
Velda is a freelance artist whose work spans dance, physical theatre, musical theatre, and acting. Velda graduated from The Urdang Academy in 2008 where she trained in dance and musical theatre, and has since brought her artistry to a wide range of companies including Trikhon Theatre, Sobaka Dance, Springs Dance Company and Ellander.
Velda’s own creative work is deeply informed by her academic background - she holds an MSc in Health Psychology, which fuels her fascination with the inner world of the performer. She is particularly passionate about exploring how emotional and psychological depth can be harnessed to create powerful, resonant performances.
Having previously taught for Js Dance Factory, Sobaka Dance and Dance Buzz, Velda joined the Springs teaching team in 2020 and has also enjoyed being part of their school production ‘Parable’.
Dancer
Dancer
George trained at Jasmin Vardimon 2, Trinity Laban (BA Hons & CAT Programme), refining his artistry through immersive and high-caliber training. His performance career includes work with Jasmin Vardimon Company, Autin Dance Theatre, KWAM Collective, Michaela Cisarikova Dance Company, and Sonia Sabri Company, among others. Notable credits include performing at the Royal Opera House, London Fashion Week, Rugby League World Cup Cultural Festival, and the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
With a passion for pushing movement boundaries and integrating dance, theatre, and circus arts, George continues to evolve as a dynamic and expressive performer, captivating audiences across stage and screen.
Teacher
Holly is a freelance contemporary dancer, choreographer and teacher. After graduating in 2012 with a dance degree from York St John University, she continued her training as a member of Springs Dance Company’s apprentice programme, Elevate. Since then, she has worked as a performer on a variety of projects for Infusion Physical Theatre, MCDC, E33 Dance Company and Alauda Dance. Other credits include: Fresh: North East, ICON, Resolution, The Brighton Fringe and Project Dance: Paris.
Alongside performing, Holly has taught extensively in schools and community settings for The Place, DanceWest, Artis Foundation and Springs Dance Company. Her own choreography has also been showcased as part of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Wandsworth Arts Fringe.
Teacher
Originally from Bristol, Ashling trained as an apprentice with Springs Dance Company and attended Bird College before going on to graduate with a First Class Honours Degree in Contemporary Dance from Newcastle College. Since then, she has worked as an independent dance artist performing and teaching in the realms of music and dance. Her solo work 'Moving Sound', exploring the embodiment of texture in sound, was performed in both the UK and at Summer Stages in Lisbon. She was a part of Fertile Ground’s Double Bill ‘Twilight Dances’ that toured regionally and nationally and has most recently performed in Surface Area Dance Company's 'Behind the Face of a Rock, Throwing Stones' in the UK and Athens. When not dancing, Ashling can be found hitting the drums in sequinned attire with 'Spark!', a physical theatre LED drumming company, with which she has performed at events and festivals worldwide. Aside from hitting the drums, she teaches with iSingPOP, a Christian Primary School singing project that brings together church and school communities.
Teacher
Originally from Singapore, Janice moved to the UK to train at London Contemporary Dance School, and then joined Emergence Postgraduate Dance Company, performing in a national tour of works by Joss Arnott, FLOCK and Anthony Missen. Some career highlights include: an international tour with ACE Dance and Music, performing for Trigger in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, the ‘We Are as Gods’ production with James Cousins Company, and in ‘Threads’ by Coalesce Dance Theatre.
Teacher
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Rachel is a Freelance Dance Artist in Contemporary/Ballet, Performer, Choreographer and Teacher based in Manchester. Rachel has toured nationally with Emergence Dance Company and has graduated with Distinction for her Master’s Degree in Dance Performance and Professional Practices under the Salford International Excellence Award from the University of Salford. She is also a graduate of Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ Gifted Young Dancer Programme.
As a dance artist, she has worked and performed with Walk The Plank, Hawk Dance Theatre, Ruth Jones, Joss Arnott Dance, Becky Namgauds, Kevin Edward Turner, Christopher Bruce CBE, Thick and Tight.
A strong believer in bringing dance to everybody, Rachel is working with Ludus Dance, The Lowry (Centre For Advanced Training), Springs Dance Company and previously with One Dance UK (ODUK Dance Ambassador 2019-2021) in reaching dance to different communities and sharing the power that dance brings.
Teacher
Synaet recently graduated from Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance where she completed 3 years professional dance training. She graduated with BA (Hons) in Ballet and Contemporary Dance and her training included intense training in ballet/point work, contemporary styles (such as Graham and Cunningham), improvisation and choreography. As part of her training she also worked with well known choreographers such as Darren Ellis, Alleyne Sisters and Darshan Singh Bhuller. Synaet is originally from Cambodia. She started dancing when she was 14 and came to the UK to study in 2019. She is currently spending time living and working in the UK to establish herself as a dancer, choreographer and teacher before she begins to look at ways of bringing these experiences back to her home country.
Teacher
Anna trained in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. She facilitates movement sessions for the Royal Academy of Dance, Greenwich Dance, Moone School of Ballet and others, specialising in dance for young people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities. Anna founded Hallomai Dance in 2022 and is currently focused on outdoor, interactive work for Early Years Children and their families. They are supported by Wandsworth Council & Trinity Laban Innovation Award.
Teacher
Catherine graduated from Trinity Laban in 2021, having previously danced as part of Spring's apprentice company, Elevate. Since completing her training, she has worked as a dance artist with Leutwiler Tanztheatre, E33 Dance Company, and Doodle Dance. She also teaches creative workshops and dance technique across a variety of settings and is a Psalms & Stretches® instructor.
Teacher
South African-born Liezl is an engineer turned dance artist. She trained at Broadway Dance Center in New York before moving to the UK and joining Elevate Dance Company in 2019. She's since danced with Infusion Physical Theatre and E33 Dance Company in London and is completing her Diploma in Choreography under mentor Rick Tjia. Now working as a dancer and choreographer, she recently founded Dew Dance in High Wycombe, to bring high-quality dance to the local community.
Photo credit: Sonia Sanchez Lopez
Teacher
Teacher