Lily trained at Dance City on the Gateshead contemporary dance course before starting her training at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Lily has worked with Lizzie Kew-Ross on art installation projects, Awake Dance company touring nationally. She has also worked with SHYPP (Supporting Housing for Young People Project) creating dance films for young homeless people.

Lily is qualified in Level 4 British Sign Language with the future aim of becoming a performance interpreter. She has a strong desire to create accessible dance for everyone.

Charlie trained at Trinity Laban in 2013. Charlie has worked with 2Faced Dance company as both education officer and company dancer, as well as company dancer for Hit The Ground Running Dance Theatre Company on the regional tour of ‘Macho’ 2018.

Charlie is a fully qualified drone pilot and has used his skills with Badger Hill Academy to create landmark art for The Tour of Britain.

Charlie has a wealth of experience and knowledge surrounding teaching young people and has a drive to ensure all Meta4 classes are integrated.

CHAIRMAN

Since graduating from the University of Sunderland in 2002, I have enjoyed the opportunity of working in the public, private and the charity sector. I have developed my knowledge and skills, predominantly in the business management environment in the North East. As a programme manager with the North East Chamber of Commerce for 7 years, I advised, supported and represented businesses. This experience gave me an excellent understanding of the challenges and opportunities of running an organisation in the region.

I worked for 4 years in the homelessness charity sector, developing partnerships, mergers and acquisitions and managing volunteering. This experience culminated in my role as acting Regional Manager of the homeless charity, Shelter. I also completed my MBA in 2013 and, as a result, started my own businesses in the region.

This experience, my love of helping businesses to grow and flourish has given me the opportunity to work with Meta4 Dance and I am delighted to join the organisation at an exciting time and to provide help and support to the great operations team and board.

BOARD MEMBER

Vee is an academic and educator, with over 20 years' experience of working with cultural sector organsations and strategic bodies. She is currently Dean of Culture and Creative Arts at Newcastle University, responsible for supporting and developing the University's cultural portfolio and partnerships. Her degree and PhD were in art history, with a particular interest in how art relates to place.

Vee has served on Boards and Advisory groups throughout her career, with a particular interest in supporting organisations focusing on creative education, those developing participative and place-based practices, and those working across rural contexts. She very much enjoys mentoring emerging artists and academics in building their practices. When not working, she is a keen cyclist and triathlete and is known to undertake the odd endurance challenge.

BOARD MEMBER

Lesley has over four decades experience in the education sector. Her first degree included training in contemporary dance delivered by teachers from the Laban School of Dance.

A life long interest in the arts and dance has seen Lesley both teach and examine in Expressive and Performing Arts including becoming Principal Moderator for OCR examination board.

Lesley has a number of post graduate qualifications including a Masters Degree in Leadership and Management and NPQH. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

BOARD MEMBER

Ben is a Designer and Co-Founder of graphic design studio Thoughtful Standard. He assists the brand and creative direction of the organisation, Having worked with clients from around the world and in studios across Europe, he assists Meta4Dance with the brand and creative direction of the organisation.

BOARD MEMBER

Olivia Maria Schaaf is a musical theatre director and performance scholar based in Berlin, Germany. She teaches Musical Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of the Arts in Berlin. Her stage work focuses on cross-generational, queer interpretations of the musical theatre repertoire. Her doctoral research at Queen Mary University of London marks the first scholastic historiography of the Neuköllner Oper Berlin.

Alex is the Festival Connect & Create Senior Producer with the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, responsible for developing and delivering creative and cultural opportunities for children, young people and their communities, year round, across East Anglia: Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Such opportunities developed with and for children and young people will aim to empower, offer hope and change perspectives. Alex also works collaboratively with partners and the festival team to produce Festival Connect & Create project outputs in the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, developing and enriching children, young people and audience engagement. 

Previous to this role, Alex was the Producer at Dance City, the regional dance development organisation for the North East and responsible for the professional dance artist development programme and the programming of the theatre. 

A career in the arts was inspired by the studying of History of Art at York University followed by a Masters in Cultural Event Management at Northumbria University. 

Alex has a true dedication and enthusiasm for working with people and in the arts and cultural sector. She wholeheartedly believes in rural communities having inspiring, creative opportunities and dance being accessible for all so it is an honour to join the Board of Trustees and be able to contribute to the growth and impact of Meta4 Dance.

When not working Alex heads for the outdoors and loves walking, running, cycling and yoga on the beach.