Meet the team
Kathy Young
Company Director
Kathy was Dance Blast's Diversability Project Manager p/t overseeing the entire DiverseAbility and Aerial programs until September 2022 when she became our fulltime Company Director.
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Full Biography coming soon!
Kim Noble
MYDC Tutor & Choreographer
Kim is originally from Monmouth and attended Monmouth Comprehensive School. Kim later trained at Northern School for Contemporary Dance. Based in Cardiff, Kim is an experienced and well respected dancer, choreographer and teacher, working in dance since 2008. Kim has many skills including: Circus skills- Static trapeze and aerial hoop/ dance/ harness and bungee work. Yoga- Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow and ‘Swing Hop’. Kim has performed with a numer of companies nationally and internationally and is a founder member of Kitsch & Sync Collective.
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Kim has lead MYDC since 2017 and has inspired many of the company to go on to study dance at university.
Hayley Feehan
Atomic Street Dance Tutor & Choreographer
Hayley started dancing at the age of five learning tap, jazz and modern in Dot & Margaret Watts stage school and progressed onto Catherines School of Dance in Cardiff. Hayley studied Ba (Hons) Degree in Dance at UWIC focusing on contemporary dance and choreography. Hayley won the Dilys Price award for most improved student in dance. Hayley started teaching dance while at university, teaching street, jazz and tap classes in Cardiff these classes are still running at present. Since leaving university Hayley has been a freelance tutor working with a variety of community and educational organisations working with many different age groups and abilities. Teaching has always been a passion of Hayley's, seeing participants enjoy themselves while engaging, developing and improving their dance and performance skills.
Sarah Rogers
Dance Tutor
Sarah joined Dance Blast in September 2022 as our new choreographer for MCDC, our inclusive dance company and to lead all our contemporary classes on a Tuesday.
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Sarah is the founder and Artistic Director of Ransack Dance Company
Full Biography coming soon!
Liam Wallace
Dance Tutor
Liam joined Dance Blast in September 2022 to lead our new Boys Dance group.
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Full Biography coming soon!
Fran Higginson
Dance Tutor & Aerial Assistant
Naomi Keevil
DanceAbility Assistant
Fran trained at Laban, and has worked in community dance and education ever since. She is passionate about how dance and aerial circus can impact on people's wellbeing and believes wholeheartedly in dancing because it makes you feel good in body and soul. Inclusive practice is central to her work and she has explored and developed this with Blue Eyed Soul, Candoco, Amici, Paradance UK, DanceXchange and most recently Iris training with StopGap Dance Company. Fran has been learning Welsh for the last five years and is very pleased to use Welsh in conversation and in the studio.
Naomi grew up in West Wales and began dancing at the Jane Guy School of Dancing in Aberaeron. Her love of movement and performance lead her to study Theatre at Lancaster University. She went on to work as an actor, performer, puppeteer, and education specialist with many companies including Theatr Powys, LoudMouth, Impelo Dance and PuppetSoup. She regularily works as a freelance facilitator and workshop leader running sessions in schools and educational settings.
Sammy Varley
DanceAbility Assistant
Lauren Maloney
DanceAbility Assistant
Sammy has been a member of Monmouthshire Connected Dance Company since it's creation in 2015, performing, creating and collaborating with a variety of choreographers. Sammy is one of Dance Blast's Dance Assistant, supporting Youth and Junior classes in Chepstow. Sammy also enjoys dancing in Dance Blast's Zumba and DanceAbility Adults classes. As well as completing previous training with Stopgap Dance Company, Sammy has most recently completed their 12 week Seedbed Inclusive Dance training program.
Lauren started dancing at Dance Blast when she was 17 yrs old, attending classes such as DanceAbility Adults and Adults Aerial Dance. Lauren is a Dance Assistant for DanceAbility Youth and Juniors and has most recently undertaken a training course about Inclusive Dance with Stopgap Dance Company. Lauren is also a member of Monmouthshire Connected Dance Company, performing locally and collaborating with choreographers during Dance Blast's Ignite Project.
Kaiya Thomas
Aerial Tutor
Kaiya started learning circus at the age of 8 with NoFit States youth circus and is currently studying at Circomedia She specialises in aerial and her favourite apparatus is silks although she does a mix of ground skills too, including partner acro, hula hoop, movement. Her past experiences include teaching, performing and volunteering with companies such as Circomedia, NoFit State, Circomotion and Up Side Down Circus. She has experience teaching all aerial disciplines, partner acro, conditioning and flexibility. Kaiya has always had a passion for circus and hopes to share her knowledge of circus with people around the globe.
Freya Sofia
Aerial Tutor
An aerialist specialising in rope and straps, and acrobat specialising in partner acro-balance and solo acro-dance, Freya is currently studying the vocational course at Circomedia, alongside performing and teaching aerial at events and festivals, and also performing music (guitar and vocals).
Sally Carlson
Dance Blast Co-Founder
Emma Carlson
Dance Blast Co-Founder
Sally was co-founder of Dance Blast. She was our Company Director until September 2022 and Artistic Director from then until January 24.
Emma was co-founder of Dance Blast and Artistic Director of Monmouthshire Youth Dance Company from its inception in September 2007 until March 2017.