Dance City is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Campbell as Acting Head of Education to provide strong leadership of the Dance City Training Academy during a period of organisational development over the next nine months. The Training Academy at Dance City has grown in size and significance, to become one of the key strands of Dance City’s activities by providing employment-focused formal, professional further and higher education courses.

During her career in dance Julie has performed with Tumbuka Dance Company, Zimbabwe and Scottish Dance Company, touring throughout Southern Africa and Europe. Julie has developed dance programmes for gifted and talented young dancers in Zimbabwe and Newcastle, been Rehearsal Director and Company Teacher for a number of companies and artists and has taught in a wide range of community and school settings. She has a MA in Dance Technique and Pedagogy from Middlesex University London.

For the past 17 years Julie has worked in various roles at Dance City. She has lectured for Northumbria University and developed the BA (Hons) Professional Dance degree and the MA Advanced Dance Performance. She also teaches Ballet in the Cecchetti method.

Julie Campbell says:

‘After working at Dance City for the past 17 years, I am delighted to have been asked to take on the role of Acting Head of Education. Formal education programmes play a vital part in Dance City’s commitment to both the wider dance community and the development of the next generation of dance artists, and this is a particularly exciting time as we launch our new MA Advanced Dance Performance and continue to expand our Education portfolio.

Having led programmes at CAT, FE and HE level I feel confident that Dance City has the capacity to continue to attract talented dancers to the North East, by encouraging wider participation and facilitating deeper engagement at a national level, and these aspirations are at the forefront of the team`s priorities.

I feel very privileged to be leading such a highly knowledgeable and experienced teaching team who have shown an exceptional commitment to creating a student-centred learning environment that inspires dancers to achieve at the highest level. There is an incredibly supportive strength and unity within the dance community in the North East and I look forward to the positive times ahead, as Dance City enters its new phase of development.’

Phil Douglas, Interim Artistic Director said:

‘Our growing cohort of students and the addition of an MA to our educational offer has made it more important than ever to have strong leadership in our Training Academy. Driving its quality and reputation forward, with her wealth of experience in a performance, management and teaching context, I am really pleased that Julie Campbell will be acting Head of Education. The success stories from our graduates and what they have gone on to achieve is testament to Julie’s dedication to dance education in the region.’

Dance City’s Training Academy offers high quality formal, professional, dance training at all levels starting from children aged 10 to postgraduate level, in partnership with University of Sunderland and LEAD Academy. To find out more visit www.dancecityta.co.uk