Creative Team

Miranda works mostly in the world of dance, accompanying artists as they imagine, create and show new work. She works with dance and theatre makers as a dramaturg during the creative process; with organisations on strategic development; as a reviewer and writer; and delivering talks and workshops on dramaturgy for dance.

Miranda has worked with Reside Dance since 2016 and has challenged our thinking and inspired us to think about our work in different ways. She has been a Dramaturg on our Home and Vote 100 performances and was on the Board of Directors for five years.

Miranda is currently undertaking PhD research at the Centre for Dance Research, Coventry University and the Department of Dramaturgy and Musicology, Aarhus University, through a studentship under the ‘Mobilizing Dramaturgy’ co-tutelle programme.

Previously, alongside her freelance work, she has have held roles with a number of organisations, most recently Deputy Director of Fusion Arts, Programme Curator and Arts Development Officer at the University of Reading, and Temporary Assessor for Arts Council England.

Dance Movement Psychotherapist and Teacher, Irem Luqman

Irem is a registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist and Dance Teacher, specialising in Bhangra, Bollywood and 5Rhythms. Irem joined Reside Dance C.I.C. in 2019 and has led 5Rythmns sessions as part of our Time to Connect programme, performed at Water Fest 2021 to promote our cultural dance programme for Reading’s HSHAZ and has co-delivered our Navigating Stories programme in partnership with Berkshire Women’s Aid.

Growing up as a child, Irem learnt that her body was something to be ashamed of, to be covered up, and that dance was seen as provocative. 5Rhythms empowered her and gave her the freedom to challenge and reverse these beliefs. It opened her mind and body up to conscious movement and a more authentic way of being present, giving herself permission to be whoever she needed to be in that moment.

Alongside Reside Dance C.I.C., Irem is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor at Restore in Oxford and raises awareness of mental health through first aid training and having conversations in the community.

Dance Leader, Tara Jane Choudrie

Tara trained at Middlesex University and Northern School of Contemporary Dance with contemporary dance technique and performance as her specialism. She has taught a wide range of ages and at various levels within different community and educational settings. In particular, she has a vast amount of knowledge and experience of dance in further and higher education and holds a PGCE in Post Compulsory Education.

Previously, Tara was Programme Leader for the Performing Arts Department at Henley College and has extensive experience of delivering A Level and BTEC Dance courses. Her role as Programme Leader enabled her to gain project management and leadership skills; both of which she brings to Reside Dance C.I.C. as a Dance Leader. Tara is experienced in planning and coordinating large scale productions and managing teams of fellow teachers, artists, and students in various contexts and has a successful track record.

Tara’s first role for Reside Dance C.I.C. was project managing the company’s involvement in Reading High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) and then later, establishing and delivering weekly open adult contemporary dance classes for 2022. She will also deliver a Year 4 Anglo-Saxons and Vikings dance unit at Geoffrey Field Junior School next year. Alongside Reside Dance, Tara currently teaches on both the foundation and degree courses at Performance Preparation Academy (PPA) in Guildford, and works as an Outreach Dance Artist for Dance Woking. She is also one of Dance Woking’s Supported Artists.

Dance Leader, Theah Dix

At the age of 19, Theah worked at a mortgage company and when told by her manager to stop dancing around the office, she knew she was on the wrong career path! Theah embarked on a degree where she focused on race and representation in the arts, with a particular interest in carnival. She joined dance classes where she could explore carnival traditions, then POW! Theah found herself dancing at Notting Hill Carnival with the country’s top samba school.

As a community dance participant, the impact of this experience was significant and motivated Theah to pursue community arts as a profession. Since then, Theah has choreographed and led dance groups at Notting Hill Carnival as well as produced and managed national carnival tours, showcasing at events such as Notting Hill Carnival, Boomtown Fair, Isle of Wight Mardi Gras and Burning of the Clocks. She has performance and choreographic credits for parades and outdoor performances, which include WOMAD, Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Arts, STAMP Festival Hamburg Germany and Gabrovo Carnival Bulgaria.

Theah specialises in using creative dance, dance from different cultures, physical theatre and applied theatre to connect people. She works with diverse communities and a range of ages and abilities, those from cities or rural locations, from refugee backgrounds, participants with English as a second language as well as those with mental health illnesses and physical and learning difficulties. She also holds a PGCE in Post Compulsory Education and Training and has experience in training teachers and arts facilitators to plan and deliver arts-based learning programmes.

Theah is very happy to become part of the team at Reside Dance. The organisation’s focus on celebrating cultural diversity reflects the approach she brings to her work. She is also pleased to be sharing her passion for dance with the community in her hometown. Theah has worked with Reside Dance as an Assistant Artistic Director on the company’s involvement in Reading’s HSHAZ and has also delivered a Year 3 Roman Britain dance unit at Geoffrey Field Junior School in 2021.

Dance Leader, Anja Nash

Anja began her dance training in Ballet, Street, Hip-Hop and Contemporary. From a young age, she has a broad performance history that includes participation in Rambert Elements led by Mark Baldwin, ‘…and they have escaped’ by NOCTURN at West Berkshire Museum (Newbury) and for the creation of XENOS by Akram Khan.

Anja continued her contemporary dance training further at the University of Winchester (First Class BA Hons: Choreography and Dance), studying techniques and methods such as Cunningham, Limón, improvisation, and site-specific dance. She became Rehearsal Director for D@win Dance Company, touring locations such as Shenandoah Conservatory, USA. Through this role, Anja gained management, collaboration and coordination skills and experience within a company context, working with Yolande Yorke-Edgell, TRIBE Company and Avant Garde Dance. Anja thrives through collaboration and she later co-founded ‘The Immersive Folk’, producing an immersive piece that advocates sustainability which was supported by Winchester Discovery Centre.

As a Dance Artist, Anja is a keen performer and improviser, with an interest in the fluidity and rhythms of movement, and how this can translate for all bodies. She has a strong passion for interdisciplinary work which includes collaboration with textile design and music composition.

Anja has been teaching since 2015 and after completing her degree, she continues to work freelance as a Creative Movement Practitioner with ACE Dance Studios (ACE Juniors and ACE Company). She also leads workshops and choreographs for other schools, colleges, and youth companies. With a passion for inclusivity and accessibility, Anja works with Interakt Community, leading sessions and supporting people with learning disabilities and physical and/ or sensory challenges to develop skills and maintain their sense of identity and purpose. She also provides classes, teaching the NATD Contemporary Dance syllabus for young people.

Anja has already thoroughly enjoyed her time with Reside Dance C.I.C. and is enthusiastic for future projects to come. She is really looking forward to her role as Dance Leader and has a keen interest in working towards building participants’ confidence, and in developing a sense of community and connection with other local Artists and residents. She is excited to continue to develop her skills through this role and to work with different community groups.

Dance Artist, Sam Gilroy

Sam graduated in 2016 from University of Chichester with a Masters in Dance Performance. She was a member of MapDance Company in 2015, touring 5 works internationally choreographed by Jonathan Burrows, Ofra Idel, Lîla Dance, Kerry Nicholls and Rick Nodine. During this time, Sam was also Dance Intern at The Point, Eastleigh and an Artist Educator at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. She also graduated from Falmouth University with a first class degree in Dance.

Much of Sam’s choreographic work stems from her interest in dance that engages numerous generations and often combines film and projection. She is a Community Dance Practitioner, and is also Artistic Director and Choreographer for Nexus Dance Theatre, working professionally with an intergenerational company of dancers aged 9 – 72 years old creating performance work for audiences. Sam has been working with children since 2011, teaching a range of disciplines including street dance, Capoeira, ballet and contemporary to ages 3-18 years.

Photography by Mark Apcar.

Dance Artist, Emma Hill

Emma is a Dance Artist based in the South of the UK. Since graduating in 2017, she has choreographed and performed works in both theatre and festival settings. Alongside her creative work, she also works in a facilitation role delivering regular workshops and classes in the community. She has taught in schools, colleges, youth dance companies, adult contemporary classes and SEN settings.

Emma graduated from the University of Winchester with a first class degree in Choreography and Dance where she worked with companies including Tavaziva, Luke Brown Company, Protein Dance, Impermanence Dance Theatre and Ceyda Tanc Dance.

After graduating, Emma created work with GoldHill Dance Company for TheatreFest North Devon and choreographic platforms across the South Coast. The company was supported by the GradLab project to develop a duet which premiered at The Place as part of Resolution Festival in 2018. Emma continued to develop her own choreographic work, and was part of the Young Choreographer’s South West programme where she took part in two residencies at Pavilion Dance South West, developing her choreographic ideas through working with Vincent Dance Theatre, Hetain Patel and Rob Clarke.

Emma began dancing with Wessex Dance Academy while still at university, performing at The Royal Albert Hall, Theatre Royal Winchester, The Berry Theatre and The Anvil. In 2018, she joined the team as a Dance Artist, working collaboratively with a team of artists and professionals to plan and deliver a dance programme to young people across Hampshire. She was the Apprentice Artist for 2019, which allowed her to continue to develop her facilitation and choreographic skills and was commissioned to make a new work for the project, receiving mentorship from Hannah Martin-Reilly and Luke Brown.

Emma joined Reside Dance C.I.C as a Dance Artist in January 2021, planning community engagement workshops for Reading’s HSHAZ pilot project and delivering a workshop for the Earth Living Festival as part of The Museum of English Rural Life’s 51 Voices project. Her work on Reading’s HSHAZ pilot project secured her an Assistant Artistic Director role for the upcoming Who We Are: Moving Stories from Forbury Hill workshop and performance at Water Fest this year. She has also worked as an Admin and Marketing Support Officer for Reside Dance C.I.C.’s Navigating Stories programme while recovering from injury, and is looking forward to continuing to work with the company on future projects.

Dance Artist, Michala Jones

Mickey is a Dance Artist and Teacher from Reading who specialises in Caribbean Dance, Clubbercise and Socaerobics. With Reside Dance C.I.C., she performed at Water Fest 2021 and has led Caribbean Dance workshops for our cultural dance programme as part of Reading’s HSHAZ in August 2021.

Training in Ballet, Modern and Tap from the age of 4, Mickey joined the West End and performed in 42nd Street, Show Boat, Robinson Crusoe and Stomp as well as Saturday Night Live at the London Palladium. Alongside Reside Dance C.I.C., she teaches at Stagecoach Caversham, Reading School of Dance, Stageability and her own classes at MickeyFITT.