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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. 

Dr Nathan James PhD MA (Dist.)  

Fellow and Examiner ISTD FIDTA ANATD MBBO Cert FE (QTLS)  

Nathan trained in the Midlands in all musical theatre and dance disciplines, along with his initial teaching qualifications. As a performer, he appeared in several pantomimes at the Birmingham Hippodrome alongside several contracts for Celebrity and Princess Cruise Lines. Upon returning to England and settling in London, Nathan has performed in a range of regional productions, including ‘Copacabana’ and ‘Hello Dolly’ and various trade shows and TV commercials. He has toured the UK in the national tour of ‘Copacabana’ and Europe in the Irish dance show ‘Spirit of the Dance’. He also completed a season at the renowned Chichester Festival Theatre. Nathan last appeared in the revival of the Broadway Musical ‘42nd Street’, albeit in German, in the city of Stuttgart.  

Following his first passion, teaching, Nathan established himself as a successful jazz and tap tutor and choreographer working at several vocational schools, including Arts Ed, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Bodywork Dance Studios, Sylvia Young Theatre School and Performers College, Birmingham. In 2008, Nathan joined the faculty of Urdang Academy, ultimately taking over the running of the degree programmes as Director of HE Programmes. Nathan has also taught at many private dance schools and taught workshops across the country. He has also delivered the ISTD teaching qualifications at various centres.  

He completed an MA in Professional Practice (awarded with Distinction) at Middlesex University and was awarded a PhD in Dance in 2018 from the University of Roehampton. He is an examiner for the ISTD Modern and Tap faculties and has been part of the teaching and creative team for tap. As an External Examiner, Nathan has overseen the degree programmes at Shockout and currently Laine Theatre Arts.  

An experienced adjudicator, Nathan represents the British Federation of Festivals and was a trustee and Artistic Director for All England Dance, where he chaired the Artistic Committee. Nathan was responsible for the accreditation and launch of the Dang Theatre and Dance Syllabus and its rollout into performing arts schools. After working with the RAD as a development consultant and creating their OFQUAL-regulated Musical Theatre, Nathan has been appointed as the Deputy Artistic Director (Education). 

Dance Artist, Educator, Researcher and Performance Coach  

Before joining the RAD (2012), a career as a professional dancer, choreographer and creative producer took me all over the world working on projects with artists, composers, contemporary designers, jewellery makers, poets, and new media artists; using a range of mediums including film projection, stop motion animation and algorithmic choreography. These collaborations and partnerships resulted in unique installation and theatre pieces that were performed or staged in venues ranging from the Royal Albert Hall and the National Indoor Arena (Utilita), Birmingham, to intimate studio spaces and art galleries. As a dance educator working in vocational training and higher education I have worked at i) Elmhurst Ballet School (2004 – 2012) teaching contemporary dance; ii) University of Wolverhampton (Senior Lecturer 2001-2012) delivering modules focused on dance technique, choreography and dance for film; and iii) as a dance artist with the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s education department (1995- 2012). With the RAD, I am Programme Manager for the Professional Dancers’ Graduate Teaching Diploma, and Lecturer in Dance Education or Professional Dancers. In addition, I lecture across the Master of Education (Dance Teaching), BA Ballet Education, BA Dance Education and Certificate in Dance Teaching Programmes. Subject areas include dance technique and performance, choreography, leading learning, dance pedagogy, dance science and teaching placements. Key to the choreography modules I deliver is leading and facilitating a creative process in which students, as young/emerging choreographers, can explore their physical signature(s) and develop their unique choreographic voice. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Louise has been teaching ballet to children of all ages for nearly thirty years. On graduating from the College of the Royal Academy of Dance in 1991, where she completed a three-year ballet teaching diploma, she was awarded the prestigious teaching accolade of Licentiate of the RAD and prizes for Anatomy of the Dancer, Choreography and Most Outstanding Student. 

Louise continued her studies and gained a Bachelor of Philosophy in Dance in 1999. She opened Kingston Ballet School in 1995 and has now been principal for 25 years; she is immensely proud of the pupils of the school and all that they have achieved. 

As well as being a children’s tutor at the Royal Academy of Dance, Louise also teaches and mentors the undergraduate students as part of their degree and on the Licentiate program. Louise is a tutor of the prestigious Karsavina Syllabus, which is unique to the Faculty of Education at the Royal Academy of Dance

She is also a Continual Professional Development (CPD) tutor for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Dollie is a pioneering choreographer, director, and educator whose career spans over four decades. Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading exponents of Artistic Jazz Dance, her work is defined by a unique fusion of theatrical narrative and the profound heritage of the jazz lineage.

In 1996, Dollie founded the Body of People (BOP) Jazz Theatre Company, a creative hub dedicated to the evolution of jazz as a concert art form. Alongside her creative partner, jazz composer and trumpeter Paul Jenkins, she has produced a prolific body of work that emphasises the vital marriage between live jazz music and dance. Her choreography is celebrated for its technical precision, emotional depth, and unwavering commitment to the Africanist roots of the genre.

Dollie’s extensive professional credits include choreography and movement direction for the West End stage, film, and television. She is a sought-after creative collaborator for major theatrical institutions and has served as a guest lecturer and choreographer at prestigious conservatoires, including Trinity Laban, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and PPA Guildford.

A tireless advocate for dance education and mentorship, Dollie has travelled the globe sharing her jazz dance aesthetics through masterclasses, workshop programs and residencies. She continues to lead the way in jazz advocacy, producing and curating the bi-annual Jazz Arts Rewired Conventions at The Place, London. Dollie has also published the highly recommended book ‘The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance’, available direct from their publishers, Crowood Press: Essential Guide to Jazz Dance by Dollie Henry & Paul Jenkins.

Beyond her creative and educational leadership, Dollie holds several prestigious advocacy roles that champion excellence and representation across the arts. She is a proud Patron of the IDTA, The Hammond School, Ignite Dance Company and STEPPS.  

Her commitment to industry reform and mentorship is reflected in her positions as an Artistic Guardian for the CGO Institute, Creative Advisor with Audition Circle and as a member and presenter of the Black British Theatre Awards. Through these roles, Dollie continues to shape the future of the British performing arts landscape, ensuring the integrity and diversity of the art form are preserved and integrated into the broader fabric of modern performing arts training for future generations.

In recognition of her extraordinary contribution to the British dance landscape and her dedication to the preservation of jazz culture, in 2021, Dollie was appointed with an ‘MBE’ for Services to Dance. She remains a transformative force in the industry, inspiring the next generation of performers to view jazz not just as a style, but as a sophisticated and expressive form of creative expression and art.

Elizabeth has had a lifelong love of dance, starting her career at Sadler’s Wells and most recently through classes at RAD headquarters, membership of the London Ballet Circle, as a supporter of the Acosta Dance Centre and, most pertinently, as a member of the RAD’s Finance Committee, which has given her a deep insight into the role and workings of the charity and its members.

Elizabeth has had an illustrious career in the public service, latterly as CEO of an HM Treasury commercial agency, where she led 500 people across over 40 locations with a diverse range of stakeholders, successfully developing a compelling vision that led to business growth with significant increases in both staff engagement and customer satisfaction. Before that, she was a director at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, engaging at senior levels around the globe. Throughout her career, she has been involved in setting strategy, organisational transformation, stakeholder and employee engagement and improvements in financial performance.

Elizabeth has also served on the global board of a professional institute, so she has a good understanding of an international membership body. Her expertise in strategy, governance and improving organisational performance led to her appointment as a visiting fellow at the Cranfield School of Management.  Her roles in the charity sector include trusteeships at the Vision Foundation and the Dartington International Summer School Foundation. Her early career also involved fundraising for the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Elizabeth was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.  The opportunity to serve as Chief Executive of the RAD perfectly combines her love of dance with her wide-ranging and international leadership experience.

Jatie is a dance mover, maker and mentor whose career spans stage and screen.  

Their practice centres trans experiences through interdisciplinary collaboration. Some recurring themes in their work are; relationships between human and nature; creating movement for wearable sculptures; and teetering the line between beauty and grotesque.  

They are currently a Guest Dance Artist for Shobana Jeyasingh Dance. 

Jatie has a portfolio of mentorship across secondary, further, SEND and higher education. They are a recognised Fellow of the High Education Academy, currently undergoing accreditation as a Teacher of Cunningham Technique®.  

Jatie seeks to curate calm and accepting spaces without compromising rigour and excellence.