About Me.
Where it all began …
I grew up around Manchester, and it was always clear that I was ‘theatrical’ - take that how you will - and I still remember to this day watching some of the productions that would go on to inspire me to become a performer.
At 15, my first professional contract, like many of us, was Panto, and my first being, ‘Cinderella’. Roll on two years, and by 17 I had my first Dance Captain role for an 800 seat regional venue for ‘Beauty and the Beast’, Christmas 2013.
At 18, I moved to London to study at Bird College, graduating with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre. From here I left straight for Miami to take on my first show with Royal Caribbean Productions - Eugene in ‘Grease, the Broadway Musical’.
After returning to the UK, it became clear the travelling was not something that was going to stop. Over the coming years, I toured across the globe as Dance Captain for internationally renowned composer and Oscar winner, Hans Zimmer; performing for over 500,000 people across Europe, including sell out shows at the O2 arena in London.
Alongside mulitple productions for Qdos/Crossroads Pantomimes, I have toured the UK as a Dancer and Vocalist with BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing Stars, Anton Du Beke, Giovanni Pernice and Lauren Oakley, in their sell out shows, including Westend venues such as The London Palladium, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Peacock Theatre.
This flair for Latin and Ballroom led to other performance opportunities including filming for NBC Original series for US Television and performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall, performing for the royal family.
I was thrilled to have worked as a performer in so many sectors of the industry, and after settling in London, I continued to enjoy working across so many wonderful musicals including Oklahoma! and White Christmas for Olivier award winning choreographers Bill Deamer and Stephen Mear.
Becoming a Creative.
I had always enjoyed choreography and the creation of concept and narrative, and teaching became an outlet to flex these creative muscles at first. Working at some of the top Dance Colleges across the UK gave opportunity to create for a variety of platforms both in house and on national stages such as Move It and CYD? Conventions. Projects including Directing and Choreographing musicals such as Little Shop of Horrors.
A natural progression from Swing and Dance Captain roles as part of company then led on to Assisting, Choreographically, on a number of projects, Most notably with Alan Burkitt, who I worked with across 4 years of Strictly Come Dancing spin off Theatre shows, touring the UK. I assisted Alan on his “Together: Live” for Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice (Theatre Royal Drury Lane, UK & Ireland Tour). This was shortly followed by assistant on Peter Pan , Directed and Choreographed by Alan for Crossroads Pantomimes and Michael Harrison (Nottingham Theatre Royal).
Most recently I was Choreographer for the UK Revival of Zanna Don’t! - The Musical for The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham. A beautiful, heartfelt and funny show that received rave reviews and was a pleasure to create alongside Director Scott LeCrass. (Produced in house by James Edge - Old Joint Stock Theatre)
Dance and Choreography have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember and I cannot wait to see what the next step on this journey is. One thing I’ve learnt along the way, even though though you don’t know what is round the corner in life, grab every opportunity with both hands and enjoy living in the moment.
Here’s to what’s next!
David
Credits.
Theatre includes:
Cord Elam & Ensemble in Oklahoma! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Swing (U/S Ezekiel) in White Christmas (UK Tour), Dance Captain for TOGETHER: Anton Du Beke & Giovanni Pernice (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/UK Tour), Eugene (U/S Sonny) in Grease (Royal Caribbean), Showman: Anton Du Beke (UK Tour), An Evening With Anton Du Beke (London Palladium), Dancer/Vocalist in Him & Me 2023 - Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice (Theatre Royal Drury Lane & UK & Ireland Tour), Featured Ensemble in Made in Italy: Giovanni Pernice (London Palladium, UK & Ireland Tour), Dance Captain (U/S Anton Du Beke & Paul Chuckle) in Peter Pan (Woking New Victoria Theatre), Dancer/Vocalist in Him & Me 2022- Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice (Peacock Theatre Westend & UK Tour), Dance Captain for Hans Zimmer Live 2022 (International Arena Tour), Swing for Giovanni Pernice: This is Me (UK Tour), Ensemble (U/S Craig Revel Horwood) in Cinderella (Southampton Mayflower), Ensemble in Him & Me 2021- Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice (UK Tour), Latin Dancer in Mountbatten Festival of Music (Royal Albert Hall), "42nd Street" - An Evening at Joe’s (Online), Ensemble in Beauty and the Beast (Belfast Grand Opera House), Invitation to Dance (Royal Caribbean), Once Upon a Time (Royal Caribbean).
TV And Film includes:
Ballroom Dancer in The Courtship: An NBC Original Series (Endemol Shine North America for NBC Universal/Peacock), Workshop for What It Feels Like For A Girl (BBC).
Choreography Includes:
Choreographer for UK Revival of Zanna Don’t (Old Joint Stock, Birmingham), Assistant Choreographer for TOGETHER: Anton Du Beke & Giovanni Pernice (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/UK Tour), Assistant Choreographer for Peter Pan (Crossroads Pantomimes, Nottingham Theatre Royal), Little Shop of Horrors (SLP College), ‘Turn Back Time!’ (SLP College), “Swing Fling” Move It Main Stage 2024, “Is It Love? - CYD Conventions 2024, Go The Distance (Leeds Carriageworks), Rehearsal Choreographer for Shooting Stars (Stagebox UK).