

Members’ Conference London 1-Day Pass (Saturday)
Saturday 25 July 2026
From 9am BST

Event Date:
Saturday 25 July 2026
Event Time:
From 9am BST
Country:
Location:
London
Available Online?
No
Who’s it for?
RAD Members
CPD hours:
6 hours Time-Valued CPD
Fee:
£125*
Contact:
*Subject to availability. Ticket price is inclusive of VAT and ticket transaction fees.
Headline Sponsor of the event

Join us at the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters in London with a day‑only pass to the Saturday of RAD Members’ Conference 2026 — a lively event that brings our global dance community together.
Discover a brand-new RAD experience launching this year, packed with practical workshops and opportunities to connect with fellow RAD members, dance educators, and industry experts.
The programme will feature a rich mix of talks, CPD sessions, and creative tasters, providing 6 hours of Time-Valued CPD**. This day pass also includes the RAD Annual General Meeting, a welcome reception, and access to watch the recordings on demand (only for those sessions that are available online — Session recordings will be available for 6 months after the conference).
Pay for your ticket in instalments
Members can now pay for their Members’ Conference tickets in instalments. Secure your ticket with a 50% deposit***.
This ticket is to attend the Saturday of the Members’ Conference only — attendance for Friday and Sunday is not included.
You can also add a non-member guest to your booking for an additional ticket fee.
To view other ticketing options, please see below.
**Participants who have exceeded their required CPD hours for the 2025/26 CPD year can carry forward any additional hours gained from the Members’ Conference into 2026/27.
***Full payment must reach us before 8 July.
Take a look at the sessions available on Saturday

Creative Training
Available for in-person and online attendees
This session will introduce you to the Creative Training Syllabus: Ballet, a new framework designed to support technical progression, creativity, and musicality from Grade 1 to Grade 5. Through practical exploration and discussion, you will gain insight into the pedagogical intentions of the syllabus and how it allows for teacher autonomy while maintaining consistency in standards.
Session speaker: Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell was born in Sydney, Australia. He was attracted to ballet at the age of five after seeing the work of his grandmother, a former examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance
Alexander won a silver medal at the 2003 RAD Genée International Ballet Competition (now renamed The Fonteyn), which was held in Birmingham. Through this experience, Alexander was introduced to Birmingham Royal Ballet, securing his first job with the company in 2005.
He joined The Royal Ballet as a Soloist in 2011 and was promoted to Principal in June 2016, a role he held until retiring to take up the position of Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance in 2024.

How to Promote Your Work
Available for in-person and online attendees
Join Isabel Sachs, founder of I LIKE NETWORKING, to explore strategies to promote your creative work or business.
The workshop will focus on:
- Communications Strategies
- Finding your audience
- Overcoming the fear of selling
- How networking can help
With time for Q&A and bespoke advice.
Session speaker: Isabel Sachs
Isabel Sachs is a D&AD & Lovie Award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, and strategist recognised as one of the top 21 most influential women by Startups Magazine and one of The Dots’ 100 women transforming the Creative Industry.
With over 20 years of experience, she has worked with brands, creatives, and organisations to drive organic engagement through strategic communications, community-building, and events.
She has delivered keynotes and workshops for Apple, The New York Times, The British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, KFC, Domestika, and more on topics including entrepreneurship, creative careers, and networking.
Isabel is the founder of I LIKE NETWORKING, an award-winning platform supporting 45k+ women and non-binary individuals in the creative industries, mentoring over 1,000 people since 2020, with features in the Evening Standard, Stylist, and The New York Times. She also leads Rahal/Sachs, a 360 creative agency focused on sports.
Previously, she founded an acclaimed cultural agency in Brazil, producing 50+ events annually, including international tours, and managing artists and a theatre company. Her work spans nonprofits, cultural organisations, and global brands such as Converse, Red Bull, and Lollapalooza.

Dynamics and Benesh Movement Notation: Finding the Narrative in the Score
Available for online attendees
Discover how to tell the story of a dance through Benesh Movement Notation and the use of dynamics, and how this contributes to your teaching practice.
Session speaker: Melanie Simpkin
DPBMN
Head of Benesh International
Melanie began her ballet training in Cheshire before attending the Arts Educational School, Tring. From there, she studied Dance at the University of Surrey. Choosing to specialise in Benesh Movement Notation, Melanie graduated as a professional choreologist in 2010. She has been a notation tutor and examiner at Benesh International since 2014.
Her notation credits include The Tsarina’s Slippers (Alastair Marriott), Serenade (David Justin) and Medusa (Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui). Most recently, Melanie assisted in the restaging of Enigma Variations, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia and Swan Lake at the Royal Ballet in London.
She was invited by the Royal Academy of Dance as a guest teacher to conduct a series of Benesh masterclasses throughout Mexico. She was also a guest speaker at the Benesh International BenMove Congress at the Conservatoire in Paris.
Melanie divides her time between London and Austin, Texas.
Session speaker: Angela Solazzo
Benesh International Lead Officer
Angela began her ballet training at the age of three in the south of Italy, completing all RAD exams up to Advanced 2. She then moved to northern Italy to pursue professional training at a Vaganova ballet Academy. Seeking to expand her versatility as a dancer, she completed a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London.
After years of rigorous training and performing in various theatres, she began her journey in dance education by teaching in the private sector. In 2023, she enrolled in the MA (Education) Dance Teaching programme at the Royal Academy of Dance, which has deepened her interest in the institution and sparked her enthusiasm for joining Benesh International.

Dancing in Heels
Available for in-person and online attendees
A session focusing on across the floor work in heels, progressing to musical theatre based choreographic material.
Session speaker: Lucy Banfield
Lucy trained at The English National Ballet School and Laine Theatre Arts.
With over 25 years of industry experience, Lucy began her career as a professional ballet dancer before moving into musical theatre, film, television, and a range of work across the commercial arts sector. She has had the privilege of working with and assisting many renowned directors and choreographers, including Susan Stroman, Baz Luhrmann, Kenneth Branagh, Matt Cole, Arlene Phillips, Carlos Acosta, Rob Ashford, Twyla Tharp, Andy Blankenbuehler, Drew McOnie, Karen Bruce, Lucie Pankhurst, Adam Cooper, Javier Frutos, and Kim Gavin.
Lucy is a multifaceted dance professional. She is currently Head of Jazz at Laine Theatre Arts, and was formerly Head of Dance at ArtsEd and Head of Vocational Studies at Urdang. She has also lectured at numerous HE and FE institutions.
Lucy is an All England Adjudicator and has served on the All England Artistic Committee. She adjudicates, guest teaches and serves on panels at prestigious events in the UK and internationally. She is also the Choreographer and Movement Consultant for BLOCH photoshoots in the UK.
Lucy is an Independent Evaluator and Consultant for ENB’s Ballet Futures: The Pipeline Project, a member of the Black British Theatre Awards focus group, a patron of Melt Dance, and the founder of The Un-Boxed Collective.
Her choreography credits include Choreographer and Movement Director, G’Wed (ITV); Choreographer and Movement Director, A Thousand Blows (Disney+); Associate Choreographer, Guys and Dolls (West End, UK Tour, Tel Aviv); Resident Choreographer, Guys and Dolls (Chichester); Associate Choreographer, Grease (Royal Caribbean/David Ian Productions); Re-stager, Footloose (UK Tour); Associate Choreographer, Angelina Ballerina The Mousical (UK Tour, Australian Tour) and numerous Assistant Choreographer roles.
Her theatre dance credits include Sadler’s Wells, the London Palladium, ENO, the Royal Festival Hall and Chichester Festival Theatre. She has also performed with ENB.
Her television work includes Game of Thrones, Strictly Come Dancing for Kylie Minogue, The Royal Variety Show, The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, Dancing on Ice, Dancing in the Streets and Strictly Dance Fever. Her film work includes Death on the Nile, Disney’s Cinderella and Disney’s Artemis Fowl for Kenneth Branagh, and Centre Stage for Susan Stroman.
Lucy was also Dance Captain/Dancer for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Closing Ceremonies. teacher training programmes, including the CDT and CBTS. Her former students include professional dancers and RAD Teaching Members working internationally.

Early Years – Dance to Your Own Tune
Available for in-person attendees
This session will explore the key learning outcomes of the Dance to Your Own Tune curriculum, and you will be given examples of suitable class content. By analysing class planning and delivery, you will have the opportunity to develop your own ideas and class plan in relation to content covered within the session.

Elevating Dance Teaching Education – supporting newly qualified teachers
Available for in-person attendees
This session is designed to equip newly qualified dance teachers with clear tools, strategies, and advice to support their transition into professional teaching. Ideal for early-career dance teachers, this session provides actionable insights and supportive guidance to help teachers feel prepared, empowered, and confident as they begin their teaching journey.

Syllabus Technique: Focus on Pointe Work
Available for in-person attendees
This session will explore elements of pointe work and its pedagogy through the vocational levels. You will gain insight into how to best support your students in their development of their physical, musical and artistic demonstration of pointe work.
Session speaker: Hilary Clark
Hilary Clark (ARAD (Dip PDTC), RTS), trained at Rambert School and after graduation joined Scottish Ballet, performing in all the major classics and new works, after which she toured extensively with London City Ballet and then graduated with Honours from the RAD’s PDTC course.
Hilary was Assistant Director at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and has taught at Elmhurst, Laine Theatre Arts and London Junior/Senior Ballet, Central School of Ballet and at the RAD Dance School, where she continues to teach. Hilary has devised and conducted teachers’ CPD courses throughout the world, taught the Phyllis Bedells Bursary on-stage class and worked as the senior tutor for the PDTD London course and led and assessed the classical section of PDTD, China.
Hilary has been an external assessor worldwide, judged Dance Challenges in London, USA and Malaysia, choreographic awards, scholarships and the Solo Seal, London.
In 2013, Hilary was invited to teach and coach candidates of The Fonteyn (Genée) International Ballet Competition in Glasgow and again in London 2015, Lisbon 2017, and Toronto 2019. At Antwerp in 2014 and Hong Kong in 2018, she was privileged to have been invited to produce the competition, coach, and teach the ‘on stage’ Ballet class. In 2021, Hilary was part of the international online team conducting Dancer’s Own and Classical Repertoire coaching in 10 countries on Zoom.
In 2017, Hilary worked as the Artistic Consultant for Dance Proms at The Royal Albert Hall.
Between 2018 and 2020, Hilary was the Artistic Adviser to the RAD.
Hilary was a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Dance and a member of both the Artistic and Educational sub-committees 2016 -2023.
In 2025, as well as her regular teaching and delivering on the Examination Intensive course in London, Hilary travelled to Kuala Lumpur to deliver the same course and to China to sit on the panel of their prestigious Youth Ballet Challenge and deliver CPD at their 2oth anniversary conference.
By annual invitation, Hilary is an external assessor for Central School of Ballet’s Associate Programme and continues to be a consultant for the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre.

Bridging Performance Psychology and Neurodiversity in Dance Education
Session sponsor: One Dance UK
Available for in-person and online attendees
The session will provide practical, embedded strategies for the studio, covering communication differences, sensory and emotional regulation, and the use of performance psychology tools, with the ultimate intention and invitation to creating inclusive, supportive, and differentiated learning environments where every learner can achieve their full artistic and individual potential.
Session speaker: Dr Irina Roncaglia
Dr Irina Roncaglia is a Chartered Psychologist and HCPC-registered as a Practising Sport & Exercise Psychologist. An Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a Committee Member for the London Home Counties Branch (LHC), she is also a Chartered Coaching Psychologist. She is a member of the International Association of Dance & Medicine (IADMS) as well as a Health Practitioner with One Dance UK (ODUK). Irina is a British Association Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) Registered Practitioner. She also holds Editorial roles within the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science (JDMS) and Psychological Thought publications. A former Soloist Artist with the English National Ballet (ENB). Irina has held a Psychology Clinical Lead role with the National Autistic Society (NAS) for the last 24 years. She currently works in her private Consultancy (IRC) and is an Associate Consultant with AT-Autism.

Pre-pointe Assessment
Available for in-person attendees
This session charts the preparations which underpin the requisites of pointe work. Examples of training exercises which prepare students for the progressive demands of pointe work, as well as strategies for implementing training exercises, will be explored.
Session speaker: Hilary Clark
Hilary Clark (ARAD (Dip PDTC), RTS), trained at Rambert School and after graduation joined Scottish Ballet, performing in all the major classics and new works, after which she toured extensively with London City Ballet and then graduated with Honours from the RAD’s PDTC course.
Hilary was Assistant Director at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and has taught at Elmhurst, Laine Theatre Arts and London Junior/Senior Ballet, Central School of Ballet and at the RAD Dance School, where she continues to teach. Hilary has devised and conducted teachers’ CPD courses throughout the world, taught the Phyllis Bedells Bursary on-stage class and worked as the senior tutor for the PDTD London course and led and assessed the classical section of PDTD, China.
Hilary has been an external assessor worldwide, judged Dance Challenges in London, USA and Malaysia, choreographic awards, scholarships and the Solo Seal, London.
In 2013, Hilary was invited to teach and coach candidates of The Fonteyn (Genée) International Ballet Competition in Glasgow and again in London 2015, Lisbon 2017, and Toronto 2019. At Antwerp in 2014 and Hong Kong in 2018, she was privileged to have been invited to produce the competition, coach, and teach the ‘on stage’ Ballet class. In 2021, Hilary was part of the international online team conducting Dancer’s Own and Classical Repertoire coaching in 10 countries on Zoom.
In 2017, Hilary worked as the Artistic Consultant for Dance Proms at The Royal Albert Hall.
Between 2018 and 2020, Hilary was the Artistic Adviser to the RAD.
Hilary was a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Dance and a member of both the Artistic and Educational sub-committees 2016 -2023.
In 2025, as well as her regular teaching and delivering on the Examination Intensive course in London, Hilary travelled to Kuala Lumpur to deliver the same course and to China to sit on the panel of their prestigious Youth Ballet Challenge and deliver CPD at their 2oth anniversary conference.
By annual invitation, Hilary is an external assessor for Central School of Ballet’s Associate Programme and continues to be a consultant for the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre.

Musical Theatre Repertoire
Available for in-person and online attendees
A high-energy repertoire-based session exploring musical theatre dance technique, style, musicality, and narrative intention.
Session speaker: Lucy Banfield
Lucy trained at The English National Ballet School and Laine Theatre Arts.
With over 25 years of industry experience, Lucy began her career as a professional ballet dancer before moving into musical theatre, film, television, and a range of work across the commercial arts sector. She has had the privilege of working with and assisting many renowned directors and choreographers, including Susan Stroman, Baz Luhrmann, Kenneth Branagh, Matt Cole, Arlene Phillips, Carlos Acosta, Rob Ashford, Twyla Tharp, Andy Blankenbuehler, Drew McOnie, Karen Bruce, Lucie Pankhurst, Adam Cooper, Javier Frutos, and Kim Gavin.
Lucy is a multifaceted dance professional. She is currently Head of Jazz at Laine Theatre Arts, and was formerly Head of Dance at ArtsEd and Head of Vocational Studies at Urdang. She has also lectured at numerous HE and FE institutions.
Lucy is an All England Adjudicator and has served on the All England Artistic Committee. She adjudicates, guest teaches and serves on panels at prestigious events in the UK and internationally. She is also the Choreographer and Movement Consultant for BLOCH photoshoots in the UK.
Lucy is an Independent Evaluator and Consultant for ENB’s Ballet Futures: The Pipeline Project, a member of the Black British Theatre Awards focus group, a patron of Melt Dance, and the founder of The Un-Boxed Collective.
Her choreography credits include Choreographer and Movement Director, G’Wed (ITV); Choreographer and Movement Director, A Thousand Blows (Disney+); Associate Choreographer, Guys and Dolls (West End, UK Tour, Tel Aviv); Resident Choreographer, Guys and Dolls (Chichester); Associate Choreographer, Grease (Royal Caribbean/David Ian Productions); Re-stager, Footloose (UK Tour); Associate Choreographer, Angelina Ballerina The Mousical (UK Tour, Australian Tour) and numerous Assistant Choreographer roles.
Her theatre dance credits include Sadler’s Wells, the London Palladium, ENO, the Royal Festival Hall and Chichester Festival Theatre. She has also performed with ENB.
Her television work includes Game of Thrones, Strictly Come Dancing for Kylie Minogue, The Royal Variety Show, The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, Dancing on Ice, Dancing in the Streets and Strictly Dance Fever. Her film work includes Death on the Nile, Disney’s Cinderella and Disney’s Artemis Fowl for Kenneth Branagh, and Centre Stage for Susan Stroman.
Lucy was also Dance Captain/Dancer for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Closing Ceremonies. teacher training programmes, including the CDT and CBTS. Her former students include professional dancers and RAD Teaching Members working internationally.

RAD Awards
Available for in-person and online attendees
Join us for a ceremony of celebration and recognition as we gather for the RAD Awards ceremony. This special event is dedicated to honouring individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to dance.
Guest speaker: Beatriz Stix-Brunell
Beatriz Stix-Brunell is a former First Soloist of The Royal Ballet and is now completing her Bachelor of Science at Stanford University. Her work with The Royal Ballet includes title and originated roles that span the breadth of the company’s repertoire. Having transitioned from ballet to higher education, Stix-Brunell understands firsthand how to leverage the rigour, skills, and discipline honed through dance to pursue a new direction. Her educational philosophy is grounded in the belief that artistic excellence and intellectual inquiry are mutually reinforcing and essential to high-quality dance training.
See other Members’ Conference ticketing options
Musical Theatre Introductory Training (CPD)
Wednesday 22 July 2026 – Friday 24 July 2026
From 9am BST each day
£350*
Members’ Conference Bundle Pass
Wednesday 22 July 2026 – Sunday 26 July 2026
From 9am BST each day
£505*
Members’ Conference London 3-Day Pass
Friday 24 July 2026 – Sunday 26 July 2026
From 9am BST each day
£260*


Not an RAD member yet?
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend this exciting event. Become an RAD member, join the conference and access a range of benefits to help support your dance teaching career.
Apply today, and you’ll get 6 months free membership, with the purchase of a conference ticket*.
*T&Cs apply





