Studio Wayne McGregor

Ciarán is an investment professional with over 30 years’ experience in financial markets across fund management, strategy and economics, including a transformational leadership role at the Railways Pension Scheme, one of the UK’s largest and most complex schemes.

He is a Board member at the People's Partnership (which manages the People's Pension Mastertrust) and Chair of People’s Investments Limited. He is also a Board member at LGPS Central (which manages the pooled assets of eight Midlands-based Local Government Pension Scheme funds) and a Trustee at the Railway Benefit Fund.

Originally from New Zealand, Rebecca Bassett-Graham trained as a contemporary major at the New Zealand School of Dance. After graduating in 2011, she joined New Zealand Dance Company as an inaugural intern before moving to Townsville, Australia to work with DanceNorth. Rebecca freelanced between New Zealand and Australia working with various choreographers including Ross McCormack and Sarah Foster-Sproull. She moved to London in 2013 and continued to work as a freelance dancer across the UK and Europe. Rebecca has been a member of Company Wayne McGregor since 2017.

Naia Bautista is a freelance artist from Gibraltar. She graduated from English National Ballet School before moving to Warsaw to work with Polish National Ballet. Naia then moved back to London to begin freelancing. She has worked on various projects ranging between theatre, commercial and film work. Her goal is to continue finding and helping to create safe and inclusive spaces. Naia joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2023

After graduating from London Contemporary Dance School, Jordan James Bridge toured internationally with Alexander Whitley Dance Company, Tavaziva Dance & Michael Clark Company before joining Company Wayne McGregor in 2017. Jordan is also a multi award winning dance film maker and established choreographer/movement director working for stage, fashion and screen. His collaborations include Bloomberg, Paul Bert for London Fashion Week, and Asttina Mandella. Jordan has also taught extensively worldwide and delivers masterclasses and workshops in contemporary dance for private schools, institutions and companies.

Born in Glasgow, Neil Fleming Brown danced for Company Wayne McGregor from 2006 to 2010. He is now a Studio Wayne McGregor Artist, acting as rehearsal director for the company, a member of the Learning and Engagement team, and a restager of Wayne McGregor's works by dance schools and companies around the world. He has restaged Polar Sequences for Trinity Laban students in London; Chroma for Polish National Ballet and Dutch National Ballet; Infra for The Australian Ballet and Finnish National Ballet; and Obsidian Tear for Ballet National de Bordeaux.

Jessie Calway manages Studio Wayne McGregor’s licensing activity (both professional and non-professional) and associated projects, in liaison with the Director of Licensing and Legacy and the Associate Director.

Catarina Carvalho is a London based dance artist. Born in Lisbon, Catarina trained at École Supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower in France. Catarina’s career began at Ballet de L’Ópera National du Rhin. In 2008, she joined Company Wayne McGregor, touring in various company productions around the world for 10 years. During this time Catarina was also a Rehearsal Assistant for the company and collaborated with Wayne McGregor on several projects. Catarina continues to work with Studio Wayne McGregor as a Stager, and often teaches workshops and masterclasses as part of the Learning and Engagement programme.

Laila Diallo is a dancer and choreographer, presenting work primarily in live performance in the UK and internationally. She is a recipient of a Rayne Fellowship for Choreographers and was Associate Artist at ROH2. Laila danced with Company Wayne McGregor through the late 1990s to the early 2000s, and has and continues to assist Wayne McGregor in the choreographic process of various dance, opera and theatre works, including Cleansed, Dido and Aeneas, Kirikou et Karaba and Sweet Charity.

Sarah Dowling is a choreographer, movement director and performer. She was an Associate Artist at the Royal Opera House and during this time was mentored by Wayne McGregor on several of her choreographic commissions. Since then, Sarah has worked with Studio Wayne McGregor on Big Dance and delivering Mind and Movement workshops to the Centre for Advanced Training at Trinity Laban, London. She also worked alongside McGregor on choreographing movement for the Warner Bros. film, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them and for the ground breaking ABBA Voyage concert.

Philippa Dunn supports Studio Wayne McGregor with strategic planning and development.

Amanda Eyles has worked as a Rehearsal Director, Ballet Mistress, Stager and Benesh choreologist for more than 30 years, both in the UK and internationally, and worked with a wide range of choreographers and directors on new creations and re-staging of existing productions. She has held full-time positions with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Scottish Ballet and now works freelance, teaching and staging the work of many different choreographers from Richard Alston to Frederick Ashton. She enjoys a close association with Wayne McGregor; notating and assisting on his creations with The Royal Ballet and staging his work internationally. 

Liam Freeman studied classical ballet for a number of years and is currently the Senior Features Editor of Vogue Global Network. He has contributed to AnOther Magazine, Financial Times, i-D, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, Vice and W Magazine, among others. Liam’s writing has been shortlisted for a British Society of Magazine Editors award and he is a recipient of the Artists’ International Development Fund.

Emma Freund is part of our Studio Team, responsible for maintaining the upkeep of the studio at Here East, London, and overseeing the smooth running of all activity in the space.

Mariano Zamora González (He/Him) is a Costa Rican artist residing in London. He began dance training at Jazzgoba Dance Academy and later continued at CityDance School & Conservatory in Washington DC. He accepted a scholarship to pursue a BFA in Dance from the University of Southern California under the direction of Jodie Gates and William Forsythe. Between 2021 and 2023, he performed with Ballet Hispánico of New York. Aesthetically driven with a minor in Architecture, Mariano is interested in the intersectionality of fine arts, craftsmanship, dance, and film. Mariano joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2023.

Stephen Haskins manages the Hires and Events across the three studios and gallery space.

Originally from Taipei, Taiwan, Chia-Yu Hsu has trained at Taipei National University of Arts, The Rock School for Dance Education and Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. While at Rambert, Chia-Yu performed with the Taiwan Ballet Company as a guest dancer. After graduating, Chia-Yu joined the Alexander Whitley Dance Company. Throughout her professional career, Chia-Yu has worked with artists and choreographers including Corey Baker, Jose Agudo, Justin Allen, Justin Peck, Leigh Warren, Telmo Moreira, Yuanting Chuang, and Xiaoxiong Zhang. Chia-Yu joined Company Wayne McGregor in February 2023. 

Jack Hudson manages the work of Company Wayne McGregor and associated projects, in liaison with the Executive Director and the Associate Director.

Odette Hughes re-stages Wayne McGregor's works on companies around the world, and assists him on a range of theatre, opera and film projects including as Assistant Choreographer on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. She joined Company Wayne McGregor in 1997 as a dancer and was subsequently Rehearsal Director for the company many years before becoming Associate Director, managing the company's everyday artistic supervision, overseeing performances, directing rehearsals, and delivering many community and outreach projects.

Hannah Joseph is a London based dance artist. She trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and during her time there worked for Alexander Whitely Dance Company and was a BBC Young Dancer Finalist 2022. Prior to this, she performed works by Botis Seva and Russell Maliphant as a part of National Youth Dance Company. She has also worked with and performed works by Alessandra Seutin, Ana Maria Lucaciu, Deborah Norris, Ivan Michael Blackstock, Matsena Productions, New Adventures and Seeta Patel. Hannah joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2023.

Pete Kenyon is a lawyer and partner at Cripps LLP and heads their Advertising, Technology and Media Sector as well as their Commercial Team. He has spent his career of over 20 years working with technology companies, internet businesses, and media agencies helping them to navigate through the complex and fast changing legal environment within which they find themselves. Pete works with his clients to help them to identify and protect their intellectual property rights and to commercialise their products within contractual frameworks, which protect them against risk in a proportionate way.

Based in London, Suhair Khan is a technology executive and consultant. In over a decade at Google, Suhair has been a leader on numerous global initiatives in early stage product design, arts & culture and sustainability. Most recently she led on EMEA-focused business strategy and ops. Prior to that she led Google Arts & Culture global initiatives. She is the founder of the Open/Ended Design platform and is currently a visiting lecturer at Central Saint Martins in London. She is a graduate of Cornell and Harvard University.

James Leach is a social anthropologist engaged by the creative processes of Studio Wayne McGregor. He first worked with Wayne McGregor and the company dancers in 2004 on the work AtaXia. James also contributes an informed perspective on the organisation of Studio Wayne McGregor, its hive of individuals and collaborative partners.

Nicki de Leon has been a Physiotherapist for over 25 years specialising in musculoskeletal injuries and runs her own private Physiotherapy clinic in Barnet, North London. Since 2004, she has provided injury prevention screenings, physiotherapy and rehabilitation for Company Wayne McGregor dancers. Nicki fully appreciates and understands the physical requirements of Wayne’s work and uses this when individualising her physio management of each dancer. As well as her work with the company, Nicki has also been the Lead Physiotherapist for 2 major dance movies (Cats and Matilda).

Born in Bermuda, Jasiah Marshall started dancing at the age of 16. He has trained and studied at The Conservatory of Dance & Music in Toronto, Canada; as a scholarship student at The Ailey School, New York exploring the Horton and Graham techniques; and at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Since graduating from Rambert School, Jasiah has danced with the Fabula Collective Company and worked with several choreographers including Mthuthuzeli November, Cree Barnett Williams and Christopher Marney. Jasiah joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2023.

Rebecca Marshall provides the strategic lead for all Studio Wayne McGregor activity.

Louis McMiller is a dancer and model, who performed with Company Wayne McGregor from 2010 to 2018 after graduating from The Royal Ballet School. He is represented by W Model Management and has been featured in editorials and commercials including Charlotte Tilbury, NOWNESS, ‘What Lies Beneath’ by Rick Guest and album artwork for FKA Twigs. His work also includes campaigns for Schwarzkopf, Inkey List and Uniqlo. He is a Ride Instructor at Psycle London, bringing his extensive background in dance to the indoor cycling studio. Louis continues his collaboration with Studio Wayne McGregor as a restager. 

Gillian McVey is Wayne McGregor’s Publicist. In addition, she advises Studio Wayne McGregor on communications and partnership strategies.  She began her career at Paul Smith in 1988 where she rose to Head of Global Press and Communications. She co-founded Purple PR in 1997 before establishing her eponymous, multi-disciplinary communications agency in 2013.

Born in Derby, Eileih Muir trained at London Studio Centre before completing a Masters at The London Contemporary Dance School. After graduating she became an apprentice with NDCWales before joining Richard Alston Dance Company. Eileih has since worked as a freelance artist with Joss Arnott, Itzik Galili and Shobana Jeyasing as well as guesting with companies in the UK and Europe. Alongside her work as a dancer, Eileih co-founded multidisciplinary company Flavour&Some and works alongside her partner, choreographing and directing immersive experiences. Eileih danced with Company Wayne McGregor from 2019 to 2023.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Mthuthuzeli November is an award-winning choreographer and dancer. Since 2015, Mthuthuzeli has been a member of Ballet Black, dancing with and creating four works for the company including INTERRUPTED, WASHA, INGOMA and The Waiting Game. He has also created works for Northern Ballet, Cape Dance Company, The Grange Festival, the English National Ballet Emerging Dancer competition, and a work for rapper Stormzy which was performed as part of his set at Glastonbury in 2019.

Mikaela Polley is a UK based Rehearsal Director and Choreographer with a performance and creative career spanning over 30 years. A former Soloist at Birmingham Royal Ballet and Rambert for 18 years Mikaela became Rambert's Senior Rehearsal Director from 2013-2018. Mikaela is currently a guest teacher in classical and contemporary technique for a number of professional companies and vocational schools alongside rehearsal directing and restaging. In 2019 Mikaela was the Choreographic Course Coordinator at The Royal Ballet Upper School and was Artist in Residence at Central School of Ballet 2021-2022. 

Born in Southeast London, Salomé Pressac is a professional dancer who trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance (BA & MA) and has danced with Rambert 2 and Rambert Dance Company. She has performed work by choreographers including Benoit Swan Pouffer, Sharon Eyal and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and has danced for artists such as Dua Lipa, Fred Again and Idris Elba. Salomé has also been in many TV and fashion campaigns and shows such as Burberry A/W and Stella McCartney 2020, and has performed in and contributed to movement direction and choreography for independent films. Salomé joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2023.

Originally from Colleferro, Rome, Davide Di Pretoro studied ballet and contemporary dance at the National Dance Academy in Rome and at the Cunningham Dance School in New York City. Since 2003, he has worked as a dance artist with many established companies and choreographers including Thierry Smits/Cie THOR, Ballet Preljocaj, and Sasha Waltz, and danced for Company Wayne McGregor from 2010 to 2013. As a choreographer he won the The International Choreographic Competition 2013 in Milan. Davide is also a dance teacher working in dance companies, universities and vocational dance programs worldwide. He continues his collaboration with Studio Wayne McGregor as a restager.

Tamera-Shae Scantlebury is Studio Wayne McGregor’s Administrator, working in liaison with the Finance Manager and the Director of Finance and Administration.

Born in Calabria, Italy, Salvatore De Simone trained in Milan at Teatro Carcano School. He worked with companies and projects across Italy before moving to Germany to work for the Deutsche Tanzkompanie as well as freelancing in Berlin. Salvatore joined the Biennale Danza College 2021 in Venice dancing works from Wayne McGregor and Crystal Pite’s repertory. Salvatore joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2021.

Catherine Smith is involved in every area of design for Studio Wayne McGregor including new productions and overseeing the set design and costumes for re-stagings.

Melanie Whitehead Smith is part of our Studio Team, responsible for maintaining the upkeep of the studio at Here East, London, and overseeing the smooth running of all activity in the space.

Thet Su, ACCA certified experienced finance professional, is responsible for overseeing daily financial operations and ensuring the efficient and effective financial functioning of Studio Wayne McGregor. She provides support to the Director of Finance and Administration.

Jaimie Tapper is an Organisational Psychologist and Coach and was appointed Deputy Chief Executive of the Shoreditch Trust in January 2019. She has previously managed projects for the Trust related to Health, Wellbeing and Community Engagement, including the Trust’s Community Champions and Bump Buddies projects. In addition to her role at the Trust, Jaimie is Co-Founder of ACT3 Psychology, and an Associate Researcher at the Centre for Psychological Wellbeing and Neuroscience at City, University of London. Jaimie has lived in East London for 16 years and is proud to be part of Shoreditch Trust’s inspiring work in Hackney and neighbouring boroughs.

Jenny Tattersall danced with The Royal Ballet from 1993 to 2002. She then became a freelance contemporary dancer for six years before becoming rehearsal director with the Bern Ballet until 2015. Jenny has assisted many leading choreographers over the years, and now mainly works with Wayne McGregor and Cathy Marston. Of Wayne's works, Jenny assisted him during the creation of Woolf Works (The Royal Ballet), AfteRite (American Ballet Theatre), LORE (Teatro alla Scala), The Dante Project (The Royal Ballet) and MADDADDAM (National Ballet of Canada).

Antoine Vereecken is Director of Licensing and Legacy, overseeing Wayne McGregor's ballet work nationally and internationally. He also assists Wayne on special projects and collaborates on major education initiatives with the Learning and Engagement team. Antoine also often acts as deputy Rehearsal Director for Company Wayne McGregor on tour.

Louise Verrill is a leading international expert in legal, specialising in restructuring and capital markets. Her numerous roles within the profession include former President of the Insolvency Practitioners Association and Chair of the Insolvency Lawyers Association. In addition to serving on the Board of Studio Wayne McGregor, Louise is also a member of the Advisory Board of Christof Industries GmbH, GDA Luma Capital Management LLC, and Chair of the Board of Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance.

Joanna Ward is responsible for fundraising at Studio Wayne McGregor across Trusts and Foundations, individual supporters, corporate partnerships and Arts Council England. 

Joanna also oversees Marketing at SWM, creating assets internally, sharing assets with collaborators, managing the Studio's website and online presence, and overseeing social media.

Anna Williams is responsible for all finance and administration at Studio Wayne McGregor, leading on strategic oversight in both these areas. 

After training at Central School of Ballet, Jessica Wright joined D.A.N.C.E. in 2007, directed by Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Frederic Flamand and Angelin Preljocaj. Since then, she has performed with the Forsythe Company in Human Writes and Ballet Preljocaj at the Centre Pompidou. Jessica danced with Company Wayne McGregor from 2008 to 2019, and now regularly teaches nationally and internationally. She also creates dance films with Morgann Runacre-Temple, which have been shown at FIFA, Cinedans, Agite y Sirva, Sadler's Wells, the South Bank and in Trafalgar Square with commissions from Channel 4, TATE Liverpool and Scottish Ballet. Jessica continues her collaboration with Studio Wayne McGregor as a restager.

Yilun Liu works closely with the Development & Marketing Manager, helping co-ordinate and facilitate activity around fundraising, digital assets, website and social media at Studio Wayne McGregor.

Born in Swindon, of Irish and Jamaican descent, Jayla O’Connell studied at Swindon Dance for five years whilst performing with Swindon Youth Dance Company. In 2015, she was awarded the BBC Young Dancer title in the contemporary category, performing solos by Amanda Britton and Alexander Whitley at Sadler’s Wells, broadcast on BBC2. During and after her studies at Rambert School, Jayla performed with Rambert Company in 2016, before returning in 2022. Whilst at Rambert she performed works by Alonzo King Lines, Imre and Marne Van Opstal, Itzik Gallili and Merce Cunningham. Jayla has also performed with Punchdrunk, performing the roles of Artemis and Luba in the Burnt City in 2023. Jayla recently choreographed for rap artist Bree Runway and assisted on the choreography for Eliza Rose tour Planet Eliza. Jayla originally joined Company Wayne McGregor in 2017, performing in works such as Autobiography, Atomos, Entity, Far and Tree of Codes and returned to the company in 2024. 

Born in Greifswald, Germany, Kevin Beyer is a dance artist based between Cologne and London. He started his dance training in Standard and Latin American dances in his hometown and later studied musical theatre in Hamburg. He graduated with honours in contemporary dance at Codarts University for the Arts in Rotterdam in 2020, where he performed choreographies by Marco Goecke, Jiri Kylian, Hofesh Shechter and Caetano Soto. Kevin worked as a soloist with the Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company from 2019 until 2023. Here he closely collaborated with the directing choreographer Jacopo Godani and has danced works by William Forsythe, Marco Goecke and Saar Margal. Since 2023 Kevin is working as a freelance artist, while studying for a masters in Philosophy of Aesthetics and teaching at the University for Music and Dance in Cologne. 

Callum is a freelance lighting designer, associate designer and touring re-lighter, working across theatre, dance, opera and live events, both around the UK and internationally.

He started as a lighting technician at The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, spending time shadowing incoming designers and touring re-lighters. In 2019 Callum was selected for the Association of Lighting Designers’ prestigious ‘Lumiere Scheme’. Over the course of 2021-22, Callum was supported by Arts Council England as part of their ‘Develop Your Creative Practice’ campaign.

Callum is a member of The Association for Lighting Production and Design (ALPD) and of Equity.

Nicolae-Matei Negruser is a Middlesex University London graduate with a degree in Dance Performance. He enrolled in the Creative Newham Cultural Producers Programme at University of East London and, as part of the course, he will be working with Studio Wayne McGregor from the beginning of December 2024 until the end of March 2025 as a Projects Assistant.