At the tender age of two and a half I announced to the world that I was going to be a ballerina.
That's me on the far right during my stage debut!
I studied for a dance degree at the Laban Centre in London, injuring both hips in the process. Turning my life
sideways a bit, I was offered a post-graduate fellowship to study technical theatre, specifically lighting and
sound. This lead to the Albany Empire in Deptford, where I met the Flying Pickets and worked as their lighting
designer, and then to the Mermaid Theatre, eventually becoming Chief Electrician. While at the Mermaid, I
became more interested in costume than lighting and turned my life sideways a bit more. At least now I feel
I'm facing the right direction! I now work as a costume maker for anyone who pays me, but mainly theatre,
including Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera, ENO, and films including Mrs Brown, The Madness of King George and
Children of Men, and am at present working on the musical version of the Lord of the Rings at Drury Lane.
I started to learn salsa from my fabulous friend Kenny Wong, who opened up a whole new world for me in dancing.
a brief period of feeling homeless following the closure of the Loughborough Hotel, I found Salsa Republic and
was introduced to Michael and Rueda through his classes. Now I am out there dancing whenever I can and trying
to persuade my gorgeous son Sam that dancing salsa is much more fun than playing his guitar, but I will never
win that argument! Designing and making the costumes for the rueda group has been so exciting, bringing together
most of the things I love doing in life, and I get to dance as well.
What could be better?
What could be better?