SUMMER
WORKSHOPS
TEACHERS LIST 2024
Photo credit Camilla Greenwell
Thursday 28th August 2025
ARMARNAH UFOMA CLEOPATRA
Amarnah Ufuoma Cleopatra is a London-born Nigerian interdisciplinary artist. Her practice navigates
between the realms of contemporary dance, acting, singing, songwriting, and poetry. As a versatile
performer, teacher and choreographer, Amarnah has honed her craft through prestigious UK
institutions such as Laban CAT, The BRIT School, LCDS undergraduate, and NSCD Verve. Since
graduating in 2015, she has worked across Dance and Theatre forms on stages, for TV, short films,
Music videos and gallery spaces worldwide. Collaborators include Anton Lachky, Renaud Wiser,
Barrowland Ballet, Sampa the Great, 2nd Hand Dance, Made by Katie Green, Moxie Brawl, Breach
Theatre Company, Dorothy Allen-Pickard, Marriott Hotels, Sainsbury’s and The Guardian. Alongside
her work as a captivating performer, Amarnah is an enthusiastic teacher and facilitator for
professionals, young people and adults. She is a guest lecturer at LCDS where she teaches Flying Low
and Passing Through, a regular teacher at Independent Dance, Trip Space, and various Summer
Schools and music festivals. Grounded in a love for self-expression, her art prioritises heartfelt
connections, community, and care while exploring physicality and presence.
Amarnah's class will be based on a floorwork technique called Flying Low and a spatial improvisation
framework called Passing Through. In Flying Low technique we practice movement pathways from
the ground to standing as effortlessly and smooth as possible. In Passing Through we work with
improvisation and instantly composing the space. Originated by David Zambrano, the idea of spiral
and curved pathways in the body and in space are paramount. We flow in and out of the earth,
moving as one group together, using our eyes to connect to each other and the space equally.
Technique class will be divided into three parts - a warm up inspired by Amarnah's experience in
Yoga fitness - Drill and short sequences across the space to embody movement pathways from Flying
Low and to build strength and stamina - Phrases that link some of the movements from the drills into
longer sequences to improve spatial awareness and muscle memory. In the repertoire section we will
explore some frameworks from Passing Through to practice interconnectivity and presence with
improvisation scores. In the creative section Amarnah will offer some tasks for participants to create
their own movement phrases and pathways. By the end of the day the group will link things from
each part of the day to offer a sharing of the work we have built together
Friday 29th August 2025
ORLEY QUCK
Orley is a London-based dance artist and teacher. She is a key promoter of life-long learning, revelling
in teaching those who think it’s too late to start dancing or to be dancing. She loves the malleability
of contemporary dance as a movement technique and choreographic medium that can bring all sorts
of movers together. Orley has taught dance in a range of vocational and community settings for many
years including FE colleges, universities and adult colleges, specialising in contemporary dance,
improvisation, choreographic approaches and dance theory. Her organisation BOTH Dance
Classes,set up and run with Beatrice Ghezzi, is now in its 8th year, offering dance classes and
workshops to dance professionals & hobbyists.
Alongside her teaching work, Orley performs and choreographs, with a particular interest in
collaboration and social commentary. She is currently performing ‘WE MOVE IN CLOSE CIRCLES’ with
collaborators Sam Pardes, Paul Pascal & Rohanne Udall. In more recent years, she has been excited to
bring her knowledge of the body into her work as a massage therapist too.
Photo credit Betn Macinnes
Photo credit Deborah Jaffe
Saturday 30th August 2025
SONIA RAFFERTY
Sonia is a teacher, performer, choreographer, artistic director, lecturer, consultant and
mentor. As an established technique teacher, with a personal philosophy and approach
developed from 40 years’ performing and teaching experience, she has delivered many
professional masterclasses, workshops and company classes/development in the UK and
internationally. She has performed with a wide variety of companies and choreographers in
work ranging from physical theatre to site-specific events to singing/voice work and TV. She
has made numerous choreographic works independently and in her role as Co-Director of
Double Vision Dance Company with Amanda Gough.
Currently Programme Leader of the BSc Dance Science at Trinity Laban, and with an MSc in
Dance Science, Sonia also integrates her research and experience in dance leadership,
dance-specific fitness, dance pedagogy and safe dance practice into her technical teaching.
Alongside her work in safe and healthy dance practice as Co-Founder of Safe in Dance
International (SiDI), Sonia is also co-author of “Safe Dance Practice: An applied dance
science perspective “. In 2020 she received the One Dance UK Applied Dance Science Award
and in 2022, the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science Educator Award.
Sonia describes her class as “Limón-influenced” with a focus on the principles of fall and
recovery, the use of weight and suspension/release, opposition and the play with gravity. In
particular, there are strong sensations of swing and rebound, and the movement feels
three-dimensional and sculpted in space, with an exploration of dynamic flow. The use of
imagery is very present in the class content and the training principles that underpin the
class are especially informed and influenced by dance science knowledge, including
anatomical and biomechanical awareness. The class progresses logically through
introductory material that promotes clarity of execution and full body articulation, layered
with attention to phrasing and musicality, then building towards dynamic and expressive
sequences that are designed to challenge, although with options for everyone.
The morning session will explore all the class concepts above and then in the afternoon
workshop, Sonia will introduce some tasks on how you can make choices that might switch
up your natural dynamic movement patterns, play with imagery and create some
dynamically challenging phrases of your own with a partner. The day will finish with a
sharing of the material and your observations, and a discussion of your experiences with the
play.
Sunday 31st August 2025
MATHEW RAWCLIFFE
Matthew is most known for being a grand finalist in BBC Young Dancer after winning in the
contemporary category. Matthew has an MA in dance specialising in inclusive practice and immersive
performance, he recently established his company in Denmark and is working on his first significant
Danish creation Narkissos - a one-on-one performance for autistic young people and young people
with learning disabilities in Copenhagen. At the end of last year, he played the title role in the Danish
Royal Theatre's Pinocchio.
Matthew started his work in Denmark as a full time company dancer at Holstebro Dance Company -
alongside performing he was given the opportunity to continue his choreographic development
being appointed as rehearsal assistant for the tours of Tim Rushton’s ‘The Danish Girl’, BobbiLo
Production’s ‘The Game’ and Marie Brolin-Tani’s ‘Dans under åben himmel’. Alongside this, Matthew
performed in works by Gunnila Lind, Dolly Sfeir, Christian Lollike, Jacob Stage and Sargun Oshana.
As a choreographer, Matthew has worked on projects for Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium/Odin Teatret,
The Arches Worcester Festival, Homotopia- The UK’s longest-running LGBTQIA+ Festival, SICK!
Festival, Tramshed Theatre, Merseyside Dance Initiative, Corn Exchange Newbury, The Posh Club and
University of Central Lancashire
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