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Welcome to Bird College

Founded by Doreen Bird 60 years ago, Bird College is an acknowledged centre of excellence for dance and theatre performance. Our patrons are Gillian Lynn and Liz Robertson.

Discovery of your own strengths and weaknesses is a challenging experience. We all have particular abilities in certain areas and success can only be achieved through self-awareness and by developing an individual artistry that is uniquely your own.

The College's programmes are committed to your needs, an approach which is reflected in the dedication and expertise of our staff, a stimulating, creative ethos and the provision of a quality vocational environment. Our aim is to enable you to identify, develop and nurture your own special skills, perfecting a professional attitude and an inner confidence with which you can flourish.

Our reputation lives in the successful careers of our ex-students; their expertise informs our core values and confirms that our realistic vision, comprehensive study programme and intensive course structure really produces results. We look beyond immediate goals to our students' long term futures, which will offer a range of progressive career opportunities, both in the theatre business and in its associated fields. We are committed to providing a balanced, evolving and stimulating environment in which to develop the broad range of skills which students will need to achieve their full potential.

Bird College wins bid to provide music services for Borough of Bexley

Bird College is delighted to announce that they have been successful in their bid to deliver the music services in the Borough of Bexley, with music provision under the directorship of Andrew Chatburn.

In addition to peripatetic teachers and group conductors, Bird College wishes to engage and employ Licensed Teachers to deliver individual instrumental and vocal tuition. This fits with Bird College’s current practice and will put all newly engaged staff on the same terms and conditions of employment as those enjoyed by the College’s current employees.

The new service will be formally launched on Monday 29th October and student registration for individual licensed teaching, group membership, and ABRSM/Trinity Guildhall exams begins17th September at 27 Station Road, Sidcup.

The timetable for set-up is ambitious and we are now recruiting both peripatetic and licensed teachers for all disciplines alongside leaders and conductors for our orchestras, bands, choirs and small ensembles. If you would be interested in applying for any position please submit your CV with details of the discipline(s) – instrumental and/or vocal – in which you are qualified, along with the days and times you are available to: Bird College, The Birkbeck Centre, Birkbeck Road, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 4DE. Or by e-mail to luis.deabreu@birdcollege.co.uk Please mark your envelope, or include in your e-mail subject the reference line ‘Music Department Application’.

Licensed teaching and group activities will begin initially at 27 Station Road and Townley Grammar School for Girls. Our aspiration is to extend this to other areas in the Borough over time.

The hourly rate of pay for peripatetic and licensed teaching will be up to £26 per hour; for group conductors/leaders, it will start at £30 per hour.

Bird College is delighted to have this rare and exciting opportunity to establish a great service working in partnership with schools and other community organisations.
Read the statement from London Borough of Bexley

Mission Statement

The mission of Bird College is to preserve and build upon its reputation for excellence as a leading and unique provider of vocational education and training in dance, music and theatre performance.

Six key principles support this mission:

• The recruitment, without prejudice, of the most talented students, who show the necessary passion for their craft and whom the College prepares for distinctive, life-long careers in the performance industry as articulate, creative and versatile artists.
• The setting of demanding training programmes within a nurturing environment in which each student is treated equally and as an individual artist, and where his/her talent is respected in order to steer personal ambitions regardless of any differences.
• The work of the College is closely aligned to the profession and securely rooted within the community sector, and draws upon and contributes to the expertise of the specialist vocation training sector.
• The regular review of programmes, partnerships and operations which ensures their worth in order to provide meaningful opportunities for students and a dynamic workplace for staff.
• The recruitment of the best staff, each an expert in his or her own field.
• An organisation that is well-managed, open and accountable, and gives all staff and students a voice.

OfSTED (Office for Standards in Education) Report
OfSTED is the Government Agency responsible for conducting rigorous inspections of all educational institutions in the UK.

Location

getting you closer to the West End!

We are located in a pleasant suburb, close to the centre of London with easy access by train to Charing Cross.

Sidcup is a thriving commercial and cultural centre which is well served by the motorway network, making the town easily accessible from all parts of the country and abroad.

For detailed directions to the College, click on the link below which will take you to the Google Maps website, then click on the Bird College link on the left then click "directions to here" and enter your postcode.

find us with Google Maps

Bird College
Birkbeck Centre
Birkbeck Road
Sidcup Kent DA14 4DE

Rail
From London, trains to Sidcup run every half hour from Charing Cross, Waterloo and London Bridge. Journey time is around 30minutes.

Bus
A comprehensive service exists for the local area and for central London.

Road
Exit 3 off the M25, then follow the A20 into Sidcup.
From London follow signs to A20 New Cross, Lewisham and A222 Sidcup.

International
The College is within easy travelling distance for Channel ferries and tunnel, with Ebsfleet International Station being only a 25 minute drive away. Gatwick airport is just 32 miles away; take the train to London Victoria and then bus or taxi to Charing Cross. From Heathrow airport Underground trains connect directly to central London. There is a regular coach service available direct from Victoria to Sidcup and private taxis are available from both airports.

Facilities

The Campus is in 4 main buildings.

The Birkbeck Centre provides the common room, canteen, medical room, weight training and body conditioning studio and practice studios.
The adjacent Admin Cottage houses the administrative support staff.
Nearby, Studio House incorporates a resource centre with IT facilities, library, study and classrooms, Studio Theatre, further studios and staff rooms. The Centre accommodates junior dance, instrument tuition, singing lessons for school students along with studios for our students.  The College also utilises lecture theatre/studio facilities at St John’s Hall, Bexley Adult Education Centre and MBA Dance.

Faculty Profiles

highly motivated staff with outstanding professional qualifications

Our staff team has been carefully selected on the basis of their specialist skills and commitment to education.
Our administrative group ensures that every student gets the support that they require and that everything runs smoothly. The teaching team has a unique breadth of professional experience complemented by formal academic qualifications to enable them to pass on their wealth of knowledge.

Our Founder

Doreen Bird MA FISTD ARAD January 1928 - February 2004

Remembered with love, admiration and respect by everyone who knew her as a teacher and a friend.
We strive to attain the high standards she established.

In 1946, at the age of 18, Doreen Bird founded the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts which trades as Bird College – Dance, Music and Theatre Performance. As well as her unwavering commitment to achieving high standards in dance and theatre performance for her college, Doreen Bird was also an active and much respected teacher, examiner, committee and council member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She was appointed examiner of the ISTD Modern Theatre Branch in 1957, National Dance Branch one year later and Imperial Ballet Branch in 1964. Doreen was a committee member of the Modern Theatre Branch from 1970 for 16 years. She examined in Great Britain, Canada and South Africa, and co-authored a range of syllabi for the ISTD at all grades. Doreen also served as ISTD Council member from 1970 to 1975. She received the Imperial Faculty Award in 1996. She was also a life member of the Royal Academy of Dance and was influential in the examination of dance nationally and internationally.

Ever the pioneer, Doreen initiated and co-wrote the BA Hons in Dance and Theatre Performance for Bird College for which she later received an Honorary MA for her outstanding services to the education of dance and theatre performance. Doreen remained Principal until her retirement in 1998, she then became a trustee of the Doreen Bird Charitable Foundation and subsequently a Non Executive Director of the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts Ltd; a not for profit organisation wholly owned by the Charitable Foundation. Her death in 2004 was untimely and of great sadness to all who knew her.

Many of Doreen’s graduates remain highly successful within the field of performing arts, as artists, educators, choreographers and directors. This is testament to Doreen’s passion, commitment and contribution to dance and theatre performance.

Today Bird College has over sixty years of experience in providing vocational training for young people who wish to pursue a career in dance and musical theatre, and many of its graduates can be seen performing in musicals, television and dance companies around the world. The College recruits nationally and internationally and auditions more than 800 candidates each year for 80 places. Thanks to the commitment of Doreen Bird the College in Sidcup, Kent is now internationally recognised as a centre of excellence and runs a range of courses including a Pre Vocational Foundation Year in Dance and Theatre Performance, a National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre, a BA (Hons) in Dance and Theatre Performance, a Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting, and an MA by Research in Dance and Theatre.

In 2007 the College was appointed to work with Bexley Council in delivering a new music service to schools and residents of the Borough as well as the Junior Dance School. The College continues to build on the strong foundations and the high standards established by Doreen Bird.

Staff Profiles

Principal and Chief Executive

Shirley Coen,  BA (Hons), FRSA  heads the executive team.  She has been at the College for seven years and was appointed an Executive Director by Doreen Bird, Founder, in 2002.  In her roles as Executive Director, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance, she has been responsible for all funding-related and commercial activities and  has been pro active in the development of the Dance and Drama Award Scheme.

She spent her early career gaining experience in business and finance, before working with differe nt public and charitable institutions for 16 years.
During this time, she became an expert in managing, motivating and leading teams whilst successfully facing difficult commercial and financial challenges.

Since joining Bird College, she has worked to support our artistic and educational vision, whilst developing the College¹s financial affairs so that the College has a sound basis for further development.

Vice Principal & Artistic Director

Luis De Abreu MA, PGCE
Vice Principal - Artistic Director and Foundation Degree Programme Leader

Luis De Abreu trained at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, under the direction of Doreen Bird, Luis De Abreu went on to train in Drama at the Poor School where his tutors included Paul Caister, Bardy Thomas, George Hall and John James. Other training has included a Script and Story Structure Course with Robert McKee, Approaches to Physical Theatre at Middlesex University a Mask Workshop with the Pleiades Company and Kasm Mask, and Commedia dell’Arte with Antonio Fava. He has also completed an MA in Physical Theatre at the University of Surrey and Royal Holloway University of London, and a PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University College. Performing roles include Heinz in Today, Albert Parker in When We Are Married, Toby in Ways and Means, Mr Burnum in Hands Across the Sea and Lucio in Measure for Measure.

Luis was also one of the original Bird Theatre Company members. He Joined the College as a Drama Tutor in 1996 and was later promoted to Head of Drama and Performance Studies. He was also Agency Manager for Bird Personnel Management from 1998 - 2005. He was appointed Vice Principal & Artistic Director of Bird College in 2005. As a director, he has worked on Hands Across the Sea, Bouncers, Barnum, The Wiz, The Owl And The Pussycat, Line, Teechers, Infidelities!, Road, Habeus Corpus, Private Wars, Commedia dell’Arte, Children of Eden, The Life, I love you, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Fascinating Rhythms, Who Could Ask for Anything More?, Bat Boy, Kiss Me Kate, Songs for a New World and Legends, Icons and Idols. Other productions include choreography and direction for Dentro Da Minha Cabeça and choreography for Metamorphosis (Dance Theatre). Publications include A Career into Dance for CDET. He was part of an AHRB Innovation Research Project, 19th Century theatre rehearsal process, which was headed by Dr G Bush-Bailey & Dr J Bratton at Royal Holloway University of London. He wrote and designed the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting for Bird College which was successfully validated by University of Greenwich for five years as well as the Pre-Vocational Foundation programme in Dance and Musical Theatre. He is currently External Examiner for the BA (Hons) Physical Theatre programme at St Mary’s College, Surrey University. 

Ballet Faculty

Andrew Wilson
Head of Ballet

Andrew Wilson was born in Dublin and trained with Jill Wigham, Bird College where he graduated in 1983, and The Royal Ballet School where he was chosen to represent the school at the 1984 Prix de Lausanne. He was a member of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, promoted to Corphyée in 1989 and to Soloist of The Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1991.
Andrew’s principal/soloist roles included leads in Elite Syncopations and Danses Concertantes (Macmillan), Giselle and The Nutcracker (Wright), Card Game (Cranko), Theme and Variations (Balanchine), Jazz Calendar and Façade (Ashton), Brahm’s Handel Variations and Hobson’s Choice (Bintley). He has also danced in other works by De Valois, Massine, Van Manen, De Mille and Joos.
In 1995 he gained distinction on the Professional Dancer’s Teaching Course at The Royal Academy of Dance and was Head of Boys Ballet at Elmhurst Ballet School. He joined the staff of Bird College in 2000 and teaches Classical Ballet on both courses and is responsible for the teaching of pas de deux to all years. He is the company manager and a resident choreographer for the Bird Theatre Company and has toured New Zealand, Singapore, Portugal, Austria and the UK with the company. He is frequently asked to teach in Rotterdam, The Hungarian Dance Academy, Budapest and also for the ISTD and RAD in Japan and Italy.

Lai-Sheung Chan Adv Dip Performing Arts, Dip RBS (TCPD), Cert Ed
Ballet Tutor

Lai-Sheung Chan graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts where she majored in Dance and received an Advanced Diploma. After graduation she joined the Hong Kong Ballet Company and has participated in many productions. Chan has furthered her studies in the Teachers’ Course for Professional Dancers at the Royal Ballet School in London. She has been teaching and coaching classical ballet worldwide and was Ballet Mistress for the Hong Kong Ballet Group’s Winter Production in 2001. Chan is performing alongside her teaching. She is the guest artist for the Chinese Cultural Centre in London and has been regularly performed in U.K and also aboard.

Marlene Pasquet
Ballet Tutor

Trained at the Hammond School, Chester, where she studied with the founder Betty Hassall and Valerie Taylor, former soloist with the Royal Ballet Company. She has toured in many Musical Theatre productions, which include the lead, Louisa, in Carousel. Most importantly she was associated with the Royal Ballet’s educational touring company, Ballet For All, under the direction of Peter Brinson. Marlene Pasquet’s teaching career began at Bird College in the late sixties when she was responsible for students on the full-time diploma course and played an important teaching role in the junior school. She assisted Michael Berkut’s Character course and continued this work at the College. She toured Russia as ballet mistress for the Ballet Pastel Company and has taught on various summer schools, she is also an international guest teacher. Marlene has recently gained a Certificate in Education.

Contemporary Faculty

Luisa Figuerola
Head of Department

Luisa Figuerola trained in Contemporary and Ballet technique at Escola Superior de Danca. Luisa graduated in 1993 with a BA (Hons) in Choreography. She continued her training at the Laban Centre, London where she completed a professional Diploma in Dance Studies. She then joined Transitions Dance Company and during 1995/6 toured extensively in England and abroad including performing in Oslo, Prague and Tokyo.
On leaving Transitions Luisa joined The Cholmondeleys, directed by Lea Anderson for their tour of Flesh and Blood. Since then she has worked with BIMA Dance Company and was assistant choreographer for Theatre Encorps directed by Ana Sanchez.
As a dance teacher, Luisa has taught in several schools and companies in England and overseas, including the Laban Centre, Middlesex University, Greenwich Dance Agency and Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporaneo in Lisbon.

Erica Lawrence ARAD, AISTD
Agency Manager & Choreographer

Erica trained at Bird College, graduating in 1992 and has appeared in several National tours and Repertory productions including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Martha), Me and My Girl, Beauty and the Beast, Magic of the Musicals and The Cotton Club. As a dancer/ choreographer she toured in cabaret in Germany and Portugal and worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as Dance Captain and Assistant Choreographer.
Further choreographic work includes Our Day Out (People’s Theatre, Birmingham), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Epsom Playhouse), Pirates of Penzance (Leatherhead Theatre) and a Gala evening at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London
Erica also set up and ran her own Theatre in Education Company “dancexpress” for several years and has taught at various colleges, gaining her Certificate in Education in 2004.

Katie Morea BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance, Fellow and Examiner ISTD
Contemporary Tutor

Katie has a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Contemporary Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School and the University of Canterbury and is a Fellow and Examiner of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in Modern Theatre Dance and Tap Dance.

She studied for extensive periods in the United States, with various ballet, tap, contemporary and jazz teachers, as well at the American Dance Festival, the Alvin Ailey School and the Limon Institute.

She danced professionally as a Contemporary and Jazz dancer in England and has taught at the London College of Dance, Elmhurst Ballet School, the LondonContemporary Dance School, Stella Mann and previously at Bird College, where she was Dance Director and Principal Choreographer of the Bird Theatre Company from 1995 to 2000.

She has choreographed for many professional performances and graduate shows in England. She has taught and choreographed around the world including Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, Trinidad and  the USA,

For the ISTD, she is a member of their Modern and Tap creative teams who created the Modern Grades Syllabi and the new Advanced Two Modern and she also choreographed one of the Advanced 2 Tap syllabus sequences. She has taught at the ISTD Janet Cram, Star Tap awards and Chichester Summer Schools for many years.

For the last five years she has been living and working in Mexico, where she trained children and professional dancers and worked with two professional Dance Companies.

Joana Simas
Contemporary Tutor

Joana is Portuguese and trained at the Ginasiano Dance School. After spending a year in Brazil working with Corpo Dance Company, she came to London to complete her training at the Laban Centre. She has performed with Edwards and Watton in the award winning ‘House of Delights’, Amanda Gough Dance Company, Akram Khan, Double Vision Dance Company and Theatre Encorps. In September 2001 she worked with the Siobhan Davies Dance Company in the recreation and performance of ‘Bank 2001’. She is a founder member of Melanie Clarke’s blue white dance company and continues to perform regularly with them. Joana has a Laban Masters Degree in Aesthetics, Education and Dance Documentation and Reconstruction.

Jazz Faculty

Sue Brice
Head of Jazz

Sue Brice trained at Laine Theatre Arts; she has danced, taught and choreographed extensively all over the country as well as in Germany and Vancouver, Canada. She currently works for Performers College and Bird College as a jazz tutor. Sue was made an ISTD Modern Examiner in 2000 and regularly teaches freelance and for the Imperial Society.

Erica Lawrence ARAD, AISTD
Jazz Teacher, Agency Manager & Choreographer

Erica trained at Bird College, graduating in 1992 and has appeared in several National tours and Repertory productions including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Martha), Me and My Girl, Beauty and the Beast, Magic of the Musicals and The Cotton Club. As a dancer/ choreographer she toured in cabaret in Germany and Portugal and worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as Dance Captain and Assistant Choreographer.
Further choreographic work includes Our Day Out (People’s Theatre, Birmingham), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Epsom Playhouse), Pirates of Penzance (Leatherhead Theatre) and a Gala evening at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London
Erica also set up and ran her own Theatre in Education Company “dancexpress” for several years and has taught at various colleges, gaining her Certificate in Education in 2004.

David Leighton
Jazz Tutor

David is Show Director & Choreographer for a third year this summer at Manumission in Ibiza. David’s theatre credits include: new musical West End Rocks UK Tour, The Christ Of Coldharbour Lane Soho Theatre-London, High School Musical South Holland Theatre-Spalding, Peter Pan Churchill Theatre-Bromley, Cinderella Civic Centre-St Albans, Back To The 80’s Kenneth More Theatre-Ilford, Cinderella New Victoria Theatre-Woking. David’s video credits include: Sam Sparro “21st Century Life” & “Black & Gold”, Sonny J “Handsfree” & “Can’t Stop Moving”, Freemasons “Touch Me” & “Rain Down Love”, Annie “Girlfriend”, Alex Gaudino “Destination Calabria”, Booty Luv “Shine”, Right Said Fred “I’m TOO Sexy 2007!”, Martijn Ten Velden “I Wish I Would”, , Alibi Vs Rockerfeller “Sexual Healing”. He has continued his work with L’Oreal, Hair On Broadway, Matrix & Errol Douglas at Salon International and Alternative Hair Show at The Royal Albert Hall each year. David was asked to create apiece based on the painting The Death Of Actaeon performed in the main room at The National Gallery.
David has given workshops & lectures for IDTA, BBO, RAM, EDT and adjudicated this year for International Street Dance competition’s & Janet Cram Awards for I.S.T.D. Specializing in Pas De Deux & Boys workshops he teaches as a guest choreographer at various colleges throughout the year and holds master classes within the UK & Europe.
David is director & partner of BPM Productions, London’s leading dance agency, which he opened in 2000.
David has danced on many TV’s, Trade/Fashion shows and with many international pop artists such as Diana Ross, Robbie Williams, Girls Aloud, Blue, Billie Piper, Atomic Kitten. At the age of 21 David was assistant choreographer to Arlene Phillips, who sent him to New York to hold auditions for Saturday Night Fever-the musical on Broadway & around Europe.

Tony Parrie

Thereza Theodoulou
Jazz tutor

Tereza Theodoulou began her training with Joy Spriggs in North London ultimately achieving Fellowship status with Distinction in both Modern and Tap. In America she studied at the Alvin Ailey School and further explored the rich diversity of Jazz and Tap at various studios in New York.
As a co-founder and choreographer of her own company called Overtures, Tereza created and performed in numerous productions. She has also worked with the British Theatre for the Deaf, culminating in a workshop presentation of My Fair Lady at the Edinburgh Festival. Her previous college teaching experiences include Head of Modern Dance at London College Bedford and also Laine Theatre Arts. She is currently teaching at the Deborah Capon College and has recently returned to Bird College. She is also a freelance tutor for status exams and frequently examines and teaches abroad. Tereza is a member of the creative teams that have developed the Jazz Awards, Grade 3 and 4 Modern and more recently the new Bronze, Silver and Gold Tap Awards, She is presently involved in the creation of Grades 5 and 6 for the Modern Theatre Faculty.

Geoffrey Unkovich
Jazz Tutor

Geoffery is Australian born and trained in Classical, Jazz and Tap Dance.  As a teenager he spent one year touring with the West Australian Junior Ballet Company and a further year with the National Theatre at the Playhouse while appearing on Television variety shows.  He then danced for five years throughout Australia and Asia in theatre and television.   In Europe and England Geoffery continued to dance in television before turning to Choreography and Teaching.  He choreographed for Theatre, Film and Television while developing an extensive teaching reputation.  This has taken him to Europe, Japan and Australia and dance colleges throughout England.

At Bird College he teaches Jazz Dance and has taught Body Praxis for the Foundation Degree in Acting. Outreach work has been facilitating workshops for the Bird College Access to Dance programme with Special Needs Schools.  Personal beliefs in the merits of a holistic approach to dance education and the great benefits of mind-body integration influence all he does.     

Geoffery is a Dance Movement Psychotherapist (DMT) who works with Special Needs Schools, Adults with Disability, in adult Mental Health and Psychiatry.  He has facilitated lectures and movement workshops for the Dance Movement Therapy training programme at Roehampton University, and is Chair of the Association for Dance Movement Therapy U.K.

Nikki O’Hara
Jazz/Contact tutor

Nikki graduated from Bird College with a first class degree in Dance and Theatre Performance. She has since worked with Motionhouse Dance Theatre, devising and touring the shows of Fearless, Volatile and Perfect, and also under the direction of Helen Parlour with Footwerk Productions. Nikki is currently working with Wired Aerial Theatre touring Handmade/ Manmade, using bungee assisted dance, who alongside various corporate events most recently opened The O2 Centre as part of The Greenwich and Docklands Festival. She also recently been funded by The Arts Council to produce some of her own work under company name "All Play". Nikki also holds a PGCE qualification in further education and has a varied teaching career in secondary and further/ higher education vocational establishments, including Bird College and Performers College, teaching contemporary, jazz and contact improvisation, whilst also freelancing around Europe in both choreographic and teaching contexts. Nikki is also part of the central teaching team for the ISTD where she has devised the boys work for the new Advanced 2 Modern syllabus, has established a boys youth dance company who enjoyed a small scale tour of Hampshire in 2005, an Elite Dance Company at secondary level and has worked with young people at risk in several contexts. Nikki choreographed and successfully won the Southern Grand final of Global Rock Challenge in 2005, has enjoyed a successful performance for The Queen in the same year, and has been commissioned to work with and choreograph for Youth Companies such as Hed:Strong and Phase One.

Tap Faculty

Nick French
Head of Department

Nick French trained at Laine Theatre Arts. West End experience includes 42nd Street,
Me and My Girl, West Side Story, La Cage aux Folles in concert, Mack and Mabel in concert, This and That, and A Glamorous Evening with Evelyn Laye.
Film experience includes Firelight and Emma. He has taught at various schools and is an examiner for the Imperial Modern Theatre Dance Branch. His Cert Ed was gained in 2002.

Mandy Rutherford
Tap Tutor

Mandy started dancing at the age of 11 and quickly became a well know name in the US dance competition circuit.  At the age of 16 she was awarded a dance scholarship to Broadway dance Centre in New York City where she continued to train throughout her professional career. At the age of 20 Mandy graduated with a BA (hons) in Dance from Point Park Conservatory.  Since moving to London Mandy has made a number of Television appearances to include “Start a Party” J&B Whisky Viral, “Higher League” Russian TV1, “Dancing in the streets ”BBC1, and two adverts for “Sanex”. In addition to her dance experience Mandy has taught all over the world to include The Drive Dance Project in Moscow. Mandy joined the Bird college Tap faculty in January 2007. 

Andrea Yeates
Tap Tutor

Andrea trained at Laine Theatre Arts and went on to dance professionally in the UK and Europe.  She has been teaching for 13 years and holds the ISTD Licenciate qualification in tap and modern.  She has taught within and choreographed for various schools and has had success in both the Janet Cram and the Star Tap Awards with her work winning outstanding dance/choreography in both competitions.  Past pupils are currently teaching and dancing professionally.  She is now the principal of her own school as well as teaching at Bird College.

Drama Faculty

Edward Max MA (Oxon), Dip. Dram (CSSD) PGCE
Head of Drama

Ed was educated at St. Paul's School, London; Yale University, USA; and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, where he studied English Language and Literature. He then trained as an actor at Central, graduating in 1989. For the next eleven years he worked extensively as an actor throughout the repertory system as well as in the West End, for the RSC and the RNT. He gained experience as an actor/musician and continued his training with Neil Bartlett, Giles Block, Tim Supple and in particular with Mike Alfreds. During this time he also worked as a professional Irish musician, playing and recording the bodhran with a variety of instrumental line-ups (including Philip Shepherds improvisation collective Notsosilentmovies), and as a teacher and workshop leader specialising in training musicians in Performance Skills. Acting roles include Turkey in Bartelby (Redshift), Ollie in Laurel& Hardy (Derby/ Watermans/ Funfactory Productions), Friar Laurence in Romeo & Juliet (Duke's Lancaster), Peachum in The Beggar's Opera (Belfast Lyric/Opera Northern Ireland), Harald Torfason in The Pretenders (RSC), Laser Wolf in Fiddler On The Roof (Belgrade, Coventry) And Birdboot in The Real Inspector Hound (Frinton). He has also worked in Performance Art with Bobby Baker. In 2000 he trained as a teacher at the Institute of Education, and in 2001 took up the post of Theatre Director at Ampleforth College. He left in 2003 to take up the post of Artistic Director at Frinton Summer Repertory Theatre, a position he continues to hold. Directing credits include Come Into The Garden Maud, Mark Twain's Diaries of Adam and Eve, The Dock Brief ,The Duck Variations, Good Morning, Bill, The Man Of Destiny, The Real Inspector Hound, The Sneeze, Ghosts, The Importance of Being Earnest (all at Frinton), A Kind Of Alaska / Family Voices, Bed, Much Ado About Nothing, Out Of The Flying Pan/ The Winter of 1917/ The Do-It-Yourself Frankenstein Monster (all at ACT), Schoolday Blues (TIE project for the IoE), Amadeus (OTG / Edinburgh Fringe), The Duchess Of Malfi (Yale Drama). He has taught Acting Study at the Courtyard TTC and at Mountview. He is married with three children.

Luis de Abreu MA, PGCE
Vice Principal - Vice Principal & Artistic Director and Foundation Degree Programme Leader

Luis De Abreu trained at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, under the direction of Doreen Bird, Luis De Abreu went on to train in Drama at the Poor School where his tutors included Paul Caister, Bardy Thomas, George Hall and John James. Other training has included a Script and Story Structure Course with Robert McKee, Approaches to Physical Theatre at Middlesex University a Mask Workshop with the Pleiades Company and Kasm Mask, and Commedia dell’Arte with Antonio Fava. He has also completed an MA in Physical Theatre at the University of Surrey and Royal Holloway University of London, and a PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University College. Performing roles include Heinz in Today, Albert Parker in When We Are Married, Toby in Ways and Means, Mr Burnum in Hands Across the Sea and Lucio in Measure for Measure.

Luis was also one of the original Bird Theatre Company members. He Joined the College as a Drama Tutor in 1996 and was later promoted to Head of Drama and Performance Studies. He was also Agency Manager for Bird Personnel Management from 1998 - 2005. He was appointed Vice Principal & Artistic Director of Bird College in 2005. As a director, he has worked on Hands Across the Sea, Bouncers, Barnum, The Wiz, The Owl And The Pussycat, Line, Teechers, Infidelities!, Road, Habeus Corpus, Private Wars, Commedia dell’Arte, Children of Eden, The Life, I love you, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Fascinating Rhythms, Who Could Ask for Anything More?, Bat Boy, Kiss Me Kate, Songs for a New World and Legends, Icons and Idols. Other productions include choreography and direction for Dentro Da Minha Cabeça and choreography for Metamorphosis (Dance Theatre). Publications include A Career into Dance for CDET. He was part of an AHRB Innovation Research Project, 19th Century theatre rehearsal process, which was headed by Dr G Bush-Bailey & Dr J Bratton at Royal Holloway University of London. He wrote and designed the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting for Bird College which was successfully validated by University of Greenwich for five years as well as the Pre-Vocational Foundation programme in Dance and Musical Theatre. He is currently External Examiner for the BA (Hons) Physical Theatre programme at St Mary’s College, Surrey University. 

Sarah Jane Ashford
Drama Tutor

Sharrone Comber BA (Hons) MA (Voice Studies)
Voice Tutor

Sharrone started her career training at The Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts where her tutors included Alan Harding, Bonnie Lythgoe, Steffan Griff, Linda James and Roy Gregory. Television appearances include The Brian Conley Show, Crimewatch UK and various commercials. Whilst training for her Performing Arts Diploma she also gained LAMDA Diplomas in Verse and Prose. She then attended The Rose Bruford School of Speech and Dram where she was chosen for the Carlton Hobbs Radio Competition, was winner of the Woolwich Bursary Award and was also a nominee for the Laurence Olivier Bursary Award. Roles include Antigone in Antigone, Adriana in The Comedy Of Errors, Hero in Much Ado About Nothing, Hedda in Hedda Gabler, Marlena in The Bitter Tears Of Petra Von Kant and Viv in Hard Feelings. She has acted in Film, TV and Theatre roles including Suzanne Aubin in the West End Production Under The Doctor with Anton Rodgers, Peter Davison and Harriet Thorpe. Having worked professionally for a number of years Sharrone then studied for an MA in Voice Studies at The Central School of Speech and Drama where various tutors and workshop leaders included Joe Windley, David Carey, Andrew Wade, Cicely Berry, Frankie Armstrong, Barbara Houseman, Joanna weir Ouston and Gillyanne Kayes. Sharrone has been Voice Coach for London Talent 2004 at The Hammersmith Lyric Theatre; recently she has completed her MA Dissertation and is delighted to be joining Bird College.

Bill Curtis
Acting for Television Tutor

Bill Curtis has worked for the television industry for over twenty years. His professional career began in medical physics when lightweight electronic camera systems were a new innovation. He moved into television studio management and engineering and with assistance from Channel 4, set up Video Engineering and Training (VET) to service the needs of independent filmmakers moving into video acquisition and post-production.

He has trained and consulted in all aspects of television, and is knowledgeable about craft as well as technology. He joined Ravensbourne in 1986 as senior lecturer in vision systems, cameras and lighting, and developed short-course training packages for the industry marketed by Ravensbourne.

As a trainer, he has an extensive network of contacts throughout Independent television and the BBC, and is a full member of the Guild of Television Cameramen and the Society of Television Lighting Directors. As a trainer and lecturer, he has worked extensively with performing arts students, devising training programmes and coaching them in acting and presentation methods for broadcast production.

2002 won the contract to train camera assistants and commentary operators for the Japan and Korea world cup, and wrote the training manuals for the host broadcaster.

2001 won the contract for Journalist diversity training for London News Network and designed a modular series of television broadcast journalism short courses.

1989 - 1994 worked for ‘graduate fashion week’ alongside BBC’s ‘Clothes Show’ and directed multi camera live recordings of the shows providing broadcast masters for the universities and colleges.

1988 worked with Sony Broadcast and set up the structure for crewing the broadcast press coverage at the Wimbledon Tennis championships, which is still in operation each year to date.

He has produced and directed corporate promos for Vinten Broadcast, Strand Lighting Avolites and Optex International.

He has designed and run management team-skills and media training courses for The Vitec Group, Vinten Broadcast, Drake Communications, Linklaters Alliance, Police Complaints Authority and MBA programmes for Roffey Park Management Centre.

Bill is a writer and book reviewer for Butterworth Heinemann/Elsevier Science and holds a Full Technological Certificate in Industrial Electronics.

Claire Lindsay MA, BA (Hons)
Physical Theatre Tutor

Claire trained theatre at Huddersfield University and gained a Masters Degree in Theatre Practice: Physical Performance from Exeter University. Since 2001 she has trained regularly in India in tradition martial-dance and dance-drama forms with internationally renowned practitioners C. Mohammed Sherif and Ettumanoor P. Kannan. She has experience in the training systems of Jacques Lecoq, Gardzeniche, Butoh, Authentic Movement, Yoga and Tai Chi Chuan. Claire has worked as a consultant across the UK for a variety of theatre companies, arts organizations, universities and colleges and has published two articles: one on Japanese Noh Theatre and the other on Indian Kathakali.

Claire has worked internationally as both a performer and director. Recent performance credits include Phillip Zarrilli’s Singapore premier of Martin Crimps Attempts on her Life, Leads in Die Nacht and Blood memory (Dust Physical Theatre), The Seen and The Unseen (Phillip Zarrilli) and Njanalude Antigone for the Abhinaya Acting Company.

Directing Credits include: Classical - A Midsummer Nights Dream (TITP London) Contemprary – Low Level Panic, Chrisite in Love, Jack, Peaches and Bombs and Blackberries (Corridor Theatre); Verbatim – Bexley Voices; Devised Physical Theatre – Beowulf and  Tereus,

Singing & Music Faculty

Paul Herbert
Head of Department

Paul Herbert trained at Middlesex University where he gained a BA(Hons) in Performing Arts specialising in music.
Since graduating in 1995, he has worked extensively in the London area as a freelance musician, performer, singing teacher, musical director, lecturer
and workshop leader. Until 1999 the main focus of his teaching career was at Middlesex University within the Performing Arts degree programme. As a visiting lecturer, Paul has taught and assessed a programme of modules including Vocal Performance, Musical Theatre, Music Theory, Pop Music, and Opera and has devised interdisciplinary shows.
Paul is part of a band which performs regularly within venues in and around the capital. He has extensive experience working within the recording studio and continues to lead and perform in recording sessions for various projects. Paul composes his own music ranging from Musical Theatre to Pop and is able to use this skill within his teaching role.

Brian Alverson, B. Mus
Musical Director

Brian trained at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts where he obtained a B. Mus. in Music Business/Management. Since graduating in 1997, he has worked in musical theatre as a music director and assistant music director in the United States and Europe. Recently Brian was the assistant music director for the European tour of Footloose. Prior to relocating to London 2002, Brian was living in New York City where worked on various workshops and other projects. He also worked extensively for The Goodspeed Opera House in the state of Connecticut, credits include; George M., Redhead, The Pajama Game, Summer of ’42, Lizzie Borden, Heart Land, Mirette and Just So. Brian has also worked as a synthesiser programmer and music copyist on many Broadway and Off-Broadway productions and U.S. National tours, credits include; Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime, Jekyll and Hyde, Bat Boy and more. Recent credits as a music copyist also include the feature films The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Die Another Day, 25th Hour, Big Fish and Troy.

Sarah Jane Ashford
Singing Tutor

Jonathan Burrows
Pianist & Accompanist

Jonathan has been with the College for the past six years. He trained from an early age at the Kent Music School in Canterbury, turning professional after leaving secondary school at 17. His work as a free-lance accompanist has taken him around the world, working with many top artists from home and abroad on board many cruise ships including the QEII. Apart from his work in the college, he is much in demand as an accompanist and free-lance keyboard player, ranging from dancing examinations to pantomime.

Dominic Haslam
Musical Director

Dominic Haslam studied at Newcastle and Bretton Hall universities obtaining a degree in Contemporary Musics.
Work as musical director includes: ‘Scott and Zelda, the Endless Carnival by The Sea' (King's Head Theatre), 'From Here to Eternity' (Bridewell Theatre and ongoing, overseen by Tim Rice), ‘Marilyn’,‘Goblins Don’t Scare Us’ and ‘Bronte’ showcases (Greenwich Playhouse), 'The Rose and The Ring', 'Little Me', and 'Honk' (Stage 65 - Salisbury Playhouse), 'Dick Whittington' and 'Cinderella' (Cambridge Arts Theatre, with Christopher Biggins), Bugsy Malone, Guys and Dolls (Whizz Kids –Mumford Theatre, Cambridge), ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ (Epsom Playhouse) and ‘Pirates of Penzance’ (Leatherhead Theatre).
Dominic has composed music for several theatre productions, including 'Journeys Among the Dead' (Young Vic), 'Madness In Valencia' (R.S.C.), 'Dancing at Lughnasa' (Watermill and Greenwich theatres) ‘The Triumph of Love’, ‘Gentleman of Olmedo’ and ‘The Venetian Twins’ (Watermill theatre), ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (Robinson Theatre, Cambridge), ‘The Crucible’ (Salisbury Playhouse), ‘School of Night’ (R.S.C. Other Place Theatre) and ‘Bird Calls’ (Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield).
He has also composed for T.V. and Radio – ‘According to Bex, 'We Are History' (BBC2) and 'Misguided Tours' (BBC Radio 2 pilot), “Museum of Everything” for BBC Radio 4, and ‘Three Men On a Roof’, a short film for the R.S.C.
Dominic is also completing his first musical.
He has also played keyboards for the West End and touring productions of Blood Brothers and has worked as a singing coach, musical director and arranger for Stagecoach Theatre Arts, performing at various venues including Epsom Playhouse, Millenium Dome, Royal Albert Hall and Houses of Parliament.

She joined Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and worked on many productions covering the roles of Ilia in Idomeneo and The Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro. For University College Opera she sang the roles of Ludmilla in Ruslan and Ludmilla and Wally in La Wally. For Opera 80 she performed the role of the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro and for Crystal Clear Opera she sang Mimi. Other UK companies include Jigsaw Opera where she sang Nedda in I Pagliacci, Leonora in Il Trovatore, and Micaela in Carmen.  She has also sang the roles of the Mother in Hansel and Gretel and Mrs Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly for Northern Ireland Opera, Popelka in Martinu’s On a Bridge for Ryedale Festival, Marta for New Sadlers Wells Opera and Josephine in HMS Pinafore for the Gawsworth Festival.

She has worked for Opera North on such roles as Jenufa, Leonora in Oberto and Gloria in HK Gruber’s Gloria auf Jaxtberg, a role that she performed for the joint production company Big Bang Theatre in Munich. For Buxton Festival she studied the roles of Konstanze in Die Entführing and Amenaide in Tancredi, and for The Royal Opera, Mina in a concert performance of Aroldo.

 Abroad she has sung Fiordiligi for New Israeli Opera, Arminda in La Finta Giardiniera for Klagenfurt Stadtheater Austria, Anna in Nabucco for the Lyons Festival and Lisa in Land of Smiles for the Penang Arts Festival and Lisa in The Queen of Spades for Edinburgh Grand Opera and the roles of Donna Anna and Micaela for Opera 21 with performances in Spain.

She is also an experienced vocal teacher, musical director, and arranger working particularly with young students at the beginning of their careers. She teaches at the Arts Educational School Tring, and has taught at GSA Conservatoire. She also runs workshops for singers. Many of her students have gone on to colleges such as Royal Northern, LIPA Guildford, Mountview, and Arts Educational Tring.

Having been in many operatic productions, she is an accomplished actress. She can sing in Italian, German and French. She has also become very familiar with the Musical Theatre repertoire, both through teaching and performing. She has examined for the Royal Irish Academy, and been involved in operatic master classes for Opera North and Opera Northern Ireland, which introduced secondary school students to opera. She is a regular vocal coach for the Ulster Youth Choir.

Martin Leberman
Singing Tutor

Nicholas Mojsiejenko
Contextual Studies and Accompanist

Nick Mojsiejenko gained his earliest education as a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral, winning a music scholarship to Wellington College and later gaining a first class degree as Organ Scholar at St. John’s College, Oxford. He has lectured at the London School of Contemporary Dance and Goldsmiths College and has taught courses to Accompaniment students of the Guildhall, Performing Arts students at Lewisham College, and students attending the Centre for Young Musicians based at Morley College, London.
Nick Mojsiejenko has had a varied career working in every genre of Music Theatre. For eight years he was music director of Ballet Rambert and then spent four years as Music Director of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre. He has guest conducted for the Ballet Company of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Alvin Alley Dance Company and the Houston Ballet. He has been Musical Director of Threepenny Opera and Happy End at Ipswich, Floyd Collins at the Bridewell Theatre, conducted Cats in Vienna and Antwerp, Chorus Line in the UK and Carmen for Opera East.

Tony Pappano
Pianist / Accompanist

Tony trained at Trinity College of Music and Brunel University, and for the past ten years has worked in many different styles of music. As a producer, session musician and computer music programmer he has released dance related albums and singles under various pseudonyms with compositions aired around the world and TV. He was an original member of ‘Down to the Bone’ band, which had great success in the USA. He continues to be involved in song writing, composition and production with a publishing contract. He has taught piano, is an organist and also performs as an accompanist. Tony is currently studying for a Mphil and a Certificate of Education.

Jackie Stockwell
Singing Tutor

Contextual Studies

Joana Simas
Head of Department

Joana is Portuguese and trained at the Ginasiano Dance School. After spending a year in Brazil working with Corpo Dance Company, she came to London to complete her training at the Laban Centre. She has performed with Edwards and Watton in the award winning ‘House of Delights’, Amanda Gough Dance Company, Akram Khan, Double Vision Dance Company and Theatre Encorps. In September 2001 she worked with the Siobhan Davies Dance Company in the recreation and performance of ‘Bank 2001’. She is a founder member of Melanie Clarke’s blue white dance company and continues to perform regularly with them. Joana has a Laban Masters Degree in Aesthetics, Education and Dance Documentation and Reconstruction.

Shantel Ehrenberg MFA MSc

Shantel is a dance science researcher, lecturer, and contemporary dance artist. She received her BA Dance degree from New York University, MFA Dance degree from the University of California, Irvine, and MSc Dance Science degree from Laban.  Shantel’s current dance science research includes a project with UCL’s Institute of Cognitive Neoroscience investigating expert ballet dancer self-recognition, and a Trinity Laban project looking at ways of optimizing vocational music and dance student performance potential via a multi-disciplinary screening programme.  She is active in publishing and presenting her research at conferences such as the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS).  Shantel currently works at Laban, primarily with the Dance Science Programme and the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT), and is Dance Science Lecturer at Bird.

Rosemarie Gerhard, MA, PGCE, BA (Hons)
Library Manager and Western Theatre Dance Tutor

After a career in teaching Modern Foreign Languages, Rosemarie Gerhard decided to pursue her long-standing interest in ballet by completing a Master of Arts in Dance Studies at the Laban Centre London. Since then she has lectured in Dance History and Labanotation at the Royal Academy of Dance, tutored dissertations, and worked in the Philip Richardson Library helping to develop the information services there.

Nicholas Mojsiejenko
Contextual Studies and Accompanist

Nick Mojsiejenko gained his earliest education as a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral, winning a music scholarship to Wellington College and later gaining a first class degree as Organ Scholar at St. John’s College, Oxford. He has lectured at the London School of Contemporary Dance and Goldsmiths College and has taught courses to Accompaniment students of the Guildhall, Performing Arts students at Lewisham College, and students attending the Centre for Young Musicians based at Morley College, London.
Nick Mojsiejenko has had a varied career working in every genre of Music Theatre. For eight years he was music director of Ballet Rambert and then spent four years as Music Director of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre. He has guest conducted for the Ballet Company of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, the Alvin Alley Dance Company and the Houston Ballet. He has been Musical Director of Threepenny Opera and Happy End at Ipswich, Floyd Collins at the Bridewell Theatre, conducted Cats in Vienna and Antwerp, Chorus Line in the UK and Carmen for Opera East.

Physiotherapy & Body Conditioning

Druanne Roberts MCSP SRP OCPPP
Physiotherapist &Tutor

Having gained experience working for the Remedial Dance Centre, Professor Duffy at the National Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford and previously at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, Druanne Roberts has specialised in the identification and treatment of injuries for many years. She is currently a member of the Physiotherapy Advisory Group of Dance UK.

Paul
Body Conditioning Tutor

Paul started Gymnastics at a very young age and competed in six piece gymnastics (floor, parallel bars, rings, vault, pommel and high bar) at which he was very successful including a seven year run placed in the top three at the regional championships and qualifying for the National Finals. At the age of 15 Paul joined Bromley Valley Gymnastics Club where he changed disciplines to Sports Acrobatics (partner-work). In this he became the Regional Champion and was seeded fifth in Great Britain. He also competed for the country internationally including a competition in Amsterdam where the team finished fifth. During this time Paul’s team became British Champions at Team Gym and achieved sixth place in the European Championships (Britain’s highest placing). Paul is now a Senior Coach, highly qualified in the teaching of gymnastic skills and different styles of fitness training.

Administration

Sue Danby DCL (Dunelm), FRAD, LRAD, ARAD
College Registrar

Sue Danby was the Principal of the College of the Royal Academy of Dance from 1979 to 1999 where she initiated a BA (Hons) degree in The Art and Teaching of Ballet and, later, a B Phil (Hons) degree in Ballet and Contextual Studies, both validated by the University of Durham. In recognition of her services to classical ballet education the University awarded her with an honorary doctorate and in 2000 the Royal Academy of Dance made her a Fellow. Dr. Danby took up the post at Bird College in 1999.

Gillian Davis
Finance Administrator

With a background in insurance and finance, Gillian has worked in a variety of administrative roles.  She joined Bird College in 2007 and is also the Health & Safety Co-ordinator.

Kerensa Gardner
Assistant to the Registrar

Kerensa started her working life in banking and then spent 17 years within the aviation insurance industry. She has since spent a number of years in secretarial/administrative roles within schools. Kerensa joined Bird College in October 2007 in the Registry office where she is also responsible for Human Resources and Accommodation.

Erica Lawrence ARAD, AISTD
Agency Manager

Erica trained at Bird College, graduating in 1992 and has appeared in several National tours and Repertory productions including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Martha), Me and My Girl, Beauty and the Beast, Magic of the Musicals and The Cotton Club. As a dancer/ choreographer she toured in cabaret in Germany and Portugal and worked for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as Dance Captain and Assistant Choreographer.
Further choreographic work includes Our Day Out (People’s Theatre, Birmingham), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Epsom Playhouse), Pirates of Penzance (Leatherhead Theatre) and a Gala evening at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London
Erica also set up and ran her own Theatre in Education Company “dancexpress” for several years and has taught at various colleges, gaining her Certificate in Education in 2004.

Jo Leary
Programme Administrator

David Page
Finance Administrator

David has worked for a number of financial companies in an administrative capacity. He joined Bird College in 2001 and is responsible for all aspects of financial administration.

Ray Pearce
Premises Management

Ray is responsible for the general maintenance and cleaning of the buildings. He also handles the day-to-day issues of Health and Safety.

Board of Directors

Tony Clayton – Chair, Non-Executive Director
Tony has been associated with the College since the development of the degree programmes with the University of Greenwich. He held the post of Dean of Faculty at the University before being appointed as Director of the Natural Resources Institute. The Institute was a former Government agency responsible for technical support in third world countries most notably in Africa and Asia. He has held the post Chair of a large acute NHS hospital in Kent. Currently he is also Chair of the Medway Swale Estuary Partnership and a Director of the Chatham Maritime Trust.

Shirley Coen – BA (Hons) FRSA
Principal and Chief Executive

Shirley is the Principal and Chief Executive at Bird College with special responsibility for staff contracts, non-teaching activities and the day to day running of the College. Shirley graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 1981 with a BA Honours degree in English and Education. Following this she was employed by a firm of chartered accountants where she successfully completed their Graduate Conversion Course. Since then Shirley has worked for a variety of commercial companies and for two local authorities – Lewisham and Islington – where she was the project manager for the compulsory competitive tenders for building repairs and then housing management. In both instances the bids were successful and retained in-house, with Shirley responsible for the implementation process. Shirley joined Bird College as Finance Manager in May 1998; her experience working within local authorities proving of particular benefit in relation to the continually changing and developing nature of the funding streams. She has been responsible for three successive and successful funding submissions and has forged close links with various external agencies, which include the DfES, HEFCE and the LSC.

Luis De Abreu MA, PGCE
Vice Principal & Artistic Director and Foundation Degree

Luis De Abreu trained at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, under the direction of Doreen Bird, Luis De Abreu went on to train in Drama at the Poor School where his tutors included Paul Caister, Bardy Thomas, George Hall and John James. Other training has included a Script and Story Structure Course with Robert McKee, Approaches to Physical Theatre at Middlesex University a Mask Workshop with the Pleiades Company and Kasm Mask, and Commedia dell’Arte with Antonio Fava. He has also completed an MA in Physical Theatre at the University of Surrey and Royal Holloway University of London, and a PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University College. Performing roles include Heinz in Today, Albert Parker in When We Are Married, Toby in Ways and Means, Mr Burnum in Hands Across the Sea and Lucio in Measure for Measure.

Luis was also one of the original Bird Theatre Company members. He Joined the College as a Drama Tutor in 1996 and was later promoted to Head of Drama and Performance Studies. He was also Agency Manager for Bird Personnel Management from 1998 - 2005. He was appointed Vice Principal & Artistic Director of Bird College in 2005. As a director, he has worked on Hands Across the Sea, Bouncers, Barnum, The Wiz, The Owl And The Pussycat, Line, Teechers, Infidelities!, Road, Habeus Corpus, Private Wars, Commedia dell’Arte, Children of Eden, The Life, I love you, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Fascinating Rhythms, Who Could Ask for Anything More?, Bat Boy, Kiss Me Kate, Songs for a New World and Legends, Icons and Idols. Other productions include choreography and direction for Dentro Da Minha Cabeça and choreography for Metamorphosis (Dance Theatre). Publications include A Career into Dance for CDET. He was part of an AHRB Innovation Research Project, 19th Century theatre rehearsal process, which was headed by Dr G Bush-Bailey & Dr J Bratton at Royal Holloway University of London. He wrote and designed the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting for Bird College which was successfully validated by University of Greenwich for five years as well as the Pre-Vocational Foundation programme in Dance and Musical Theatre. He is currently External Examiner for the BA (Hons) Physical Theatre programme at St Mary’s College, Surrey University. 

Gavin Barker – Non-Executive Director
Gavin Barker trained as a dancer and spent the first five years of his theatrical career performing in musicals across the country.

He started working as an agent in 1993 with James Sharkey Associates, cutting his teeth with such clients as Vanessa Redgrave, Jonathan Pryce, Michael Ball and Elaine Paige.

Upon the retirement of James Sharkey in 1998, Gavin set up his own agency Gavin Barker Associates, and is based in Wimpole Street. His client list includes actors Vanessa Redgrave, Timothy West, Gwen Taylor, Bernard Cribbins, Susie Blake, Rudolph Walker and John Barrowman and a list of upcoming young talent. On the musical front he is manager of the cabaret group Fascinating Aida and the comedienne Dillie Keane. Gavin represents major creatives including the choreographer Craig Revel Horwood, theatre directors Giles Havergal and Tim Luscombe, and the award winning ballet choreographer Michael Corder.

Gavin is a regular guest lecturer at a number of drama schools.

Anthony Bowne

Dr Mollie Davies MBE, FRAD
Non-Executive Director

Following a teaching career in movement and dance, first in schools and then in higher education, Mollie Davies retired from her post as Head of Dance Studies at Roehampton Institute, University of Surrey, in 1990. In addition to teaching and production work at Roehampton she established undergraduate degrees in association with London University and the University of Surrey, co-directed, performed and choreographed for the Orchesis Dance Company and obtained a PhD from the University of London for her research into movement related to cognition in young children.

Post retirement, Mollie has retained an interest in both the state and private sectors of education. She has been involved in consultancy work, postgraduate tutoring; external examining in colleges and universities throughout the UK – and writing. Consultancies have included the Royal Academy of Dance and Bird College where she has worked specifically on the creation and development of undergraduate degrees and she has served on validation panels of the London Contemporary Dance School and the Laban Centre.

For ten years Mollie was the United Kingdom Chair of Dance and the Child International (DaCi) and the international Chair for three years. For much of that time she was Patron of Sutton Young Dancemakers and Chair of their Management Committee and a member of the Lisa Ullman Travelling Scholarship Fund.

In 2003 Mollie published a new book - Dance and Movement in Early Childhood and. in February 2005 Roehampton University named a new building - the Davies Dance and Physical Education Building - in her honour.

Cllr James Hunt

Glynn Jones

A Bexley resident for the past 30 years,  Glyn was a member of the Metropolitan Police from 1962 until 1995 when he retired as a Detective Superintendent.  During his career he served throughout the London area and in a number of centralised departments, but the majority of  his service  was spent in Special Branch.  On retirement he trained and qualified as a City of London Tour Guide, and has also spent time as a Cycle and Road Safety Instructor for Kent County Council.

Glyn has been a member of the Friends’ Committee since 1995 and its Chairman for the past nine years.  He is married with two daughters both of whom attended Bexley Music Centre and have benefited greatly from the musical opportunities  and friendships it generated.  A late starter as a student of the saxophone, Glyn is also a member of the Bexley Band.

Professor Alastair Pearce
Non-Executive Director

As Principal of Rose Bruford College Professor Pearce’s main interest is in the management of higher education institutions. He comes from an academic background having lectured in music analysis and musicology at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Additional interests at that stage of his career included the development of robust quality assurance systems and effective strategies for course management. After many years in music higher education, Professor Pearce became Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Central England, a job that showed him the generic, rather than subject-specific, nature of many aspects of academic leadership. He moved to Rose Bruford College in 2001, a college of about 1000 students studying undergraduate, postgraduate and research courses in disciplines related to the theatre. As one might expect, his interests now include the ways in which small colleges can best negotiate their ways through the minefields of British higher education today, funding policies and the management of incredibly talented and dedicated colleagues for whom passion for their subject is central to their professional lives.

Martyn Skinner

I am now a self employed consultant who specialises in Asian Business Markets, notably Vietnam and the Philippines. The work is varied and ranges from providing “in-depth” country briefings to senior staff prior to them taking up appointments in the region, to advising and assisting companies when seeking to develop a presence in the markets. I also advise companies operating in the agricultural sector, frequently with links to the sugar industry in South East Asia.

Prior to this I was an advisor with the UK Government’s Department of Trade and Industry between April 2000 to March 2007, initially on a full-time seconded basis but for the last two years as a part-time independent consultant.  The key roles throughout were to advise the Government on trade policies and provide assistance to companies regarding trade and investment opportunities, especially those seeking to develop a presence in Asian markets, notably the Philippines and Vietnam. During this time and based on the experience and understanding gained over almost 30 years, I worked with numerous UK companies in a wide range of sectors providing both detailed market guidance as well as input on broader issues such as business relationships and culture. In this capacity I continue to visit both countries several times annually and over the years have built up a widespread network of connections with industry and government.

Before joining the DTI, I was with the Tate & Lyle Group for almost 30 years, having joined soon after graduating as an Economist in 1971 and since then have worked in wide range of operating areas. The last 12 years was spent with the International Sugar Investments Department, focusing on South East Asia, initially identifying and investigating potential areas of investment and then working with a small team evaluating and developing projects. A visit to Vietnam in 1992 identified one such opportunity and subsequently working as Project Manager this was progressed into an US$85m investment in rural Northern Vietnam. This Joint Venture operation is now widely recognised as the most successful in the agricultural sector. Similar opportunities were developed in several parts of the Philippines. During this time work was also undertaken in China, India and Thailand and visits made to most countries in Region. Previous work within the T&L Group at management level included molasses trading, industry and market economic analysis, accounting and distribution.

I am married and have two daughters, both former students of the Music Centre and members of various groups including the Bexley Youth Orchestra prior to going to University. I was a member of the “Friends” for many years before being invited to join the Board as a Director of Bexley Music Academy.  I became Chairman for BAMPA’s last nine months and fought hard to restore its viability when the perilous financial position was discovered.

Keith Turner

Sue Brice

Sue Brice trained at Laine Theatre Arts; she has danced, taught and choreographed extensively all over the country as well as in Germany and Vancouver, Canada. She currently works for Performers College and Bird College as a jazz tutor. Sue was made an ISTD Modern Examiner in 2000 and regularly teaches freelance and for the Imperial Society.

Nick French

Nick French trained at Laine Theatre Arts. West End experience includes 42nd Street, Me and My Girl, West Side Story, La Cage aux Folles in concert, Mack and Mabel in concert, This and That, and A Glamorous Evening with Evelyn Laye.
Film experience includes Firelight and Emma. He has taught at various schools and is an examiner for the Imperial Modern Theatre Dance Branch. His Cert Ed was gained in 2002.

Danielle Coleman

David Buckley

Board of Trustees

Dr Jo Butterworth – Chair

Jo Butterworth is currently Director of the MA Choreography programme at Fontys University Dance Academy in Tilburg, Holland. This part-time appointment allows time for a range of consultancy work in dance education. Her early career was as a dancer (with the GoJos) and choreographer, and then as Head of Dance at Starcross Comprehensive School in Islington (now Elizabeth Garrett Anderson).

From 1979 she was a lecturer at Bretton Hall College now part of the University of Leeds, and was responsible for the validation of the BA Hons Dance programme in 1988, the first degree course in the North of England. Jo was Head of Dance from 1988, running the BA Dance degree, and more recently she held the role of Programme Manager for the MA in Performance Studies and also for the innovative MA in Choreography, which was originally taught part-time in Yorkshire and Holland. She retired from the University in 2005.

Research interests focus on dance making and its applications in a variety of contexts, which led to the Arts Council-funded project The Greenhouse Effect: the art and science of nurturing dancemakers between 1997-1999. Her doctoral research developed a model for the learning and teaching of choreography in the tertiary sector, and her research continues to pursue dance processes and pedagogy. She is author of Understanding Dance for the Open College of the Arts, and co-editor of the Dance Makers Portfolio with Gill Clarke. Three further books about choreography are now in process.

Jo is Chair of Random Dance Company Board, a board member of Northern Ballet Theatre, and for 8 years was a member of the Board of Motionhouse Dance Theatre. For many years she was Chair of SCODHE, the Standing Conference of Dance in Higher Education in the UK, and Chair of the Dance Section of ELIA, the European League of Institutes of the Arts. She is currently Chair of the Bird Foundation.

Gill Clarke

Gill has had an extensive teaching, choreographing and performing career. She danced with Janet Smith and Dancers, and was a founder member of Siobhan Davies Dance Company and international teacher of professionals and companies including Rosas, DV8 and Yolande Snaith Theatredance. In 1995 she directed the Choreographers and Composers Exchange, and is a frequent mentor to emerging choreographers. She is closely involved with Chisenhale Dance Space, and is a member of the Executive of Dance UK. In 1998 she co-authored, with Rachel Gibson, the Independent Dance review for the Arts Council of England. Gill Clarke is now Head of Performance Studies at Laban.

Patrick Deuchar

Patrick was chief executive of the Royal Albert Hall from 1989-1998, during which time he was instrumental in making changes that took the Hall from operating in the red to a profit of 1.8 million pounds. Changes he made included restructuring the organisation, increasing efficiency, implementing business plans and budgeting properly. Patrick now lives in Devon.

Richard Matchett

Dick has experience in marketing and education with London Contemporary Dance Theatre and London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet). As Dance Officer with the Arts Council of Great Britain he gained experience in the fields of funding and strategy and, as a freelancer, has also dealt with administration and selling for the Academy of Indian Dance and English heats of the Prix Lausanne. He has also been involved with Dance at the South Bank Centre. Board experiences include Extemporary Dance, V-tol Dance Company and Dance UK.

Dick is interested in dance education, developing audiences for dance, world dance, mentoring dance as well as training and selling dance.

Ian Bramley at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards presented Dick Matchett with the Dance UK Industry Award on 20 January 2005 at London’s Royal Opera House. The award honours Dick’s unflagging commitment to dance expressed through his extensive support of emerging dance artists and professionals, with whom he generously shares his considerable knowledge and experience, and through the time that he has given and continues to give to many organisations as a board member.
Ian Bramley, director of Dance UK and chair of the panel of judges, said: ‘Dick is truly astounding in his commitment to ensuring the future of dance through his support and mentoring of those working in dance and his constant delight in new work and new artists. I can’t think of a more worthy recipient.’

Adrian Mezzetti – Company Secretary

As a solicitor for more than thirty years Adrian is principally involved in commercial and corporate law. He is a partner in Gregory Rowcliffe Milners, a Bedford Row law firm, where he is also the partner responsible for charity clients, which include a London Hospital. He is Company Secretary of the Bird College and of the Doreen Bird Foundation.

Dr Lorna Sanders MA PhD

Lorna trained at the London College of Dance and Drama and has an MA in Dance Studies from the University of Surrey, where she has also completed doctoral research in education and analytical frameworks, entitled Dance Education Renewed: a theoretical reconceptualisation of the subject of dance in education. A strong focus of the thesis was an investigation of the GCSE and A Level dance specifications which she has taught, moderated and examined for many years. She has also taught GCSE and A Level for local vocational dance schools and a range of courses in history, aesthetics, education and dance analysis in higher education contexts. While her family were growing up she taught a range of dance techniques (Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, Jazz, Ballroom and Latin American) in adult education settings. She delivers numerous in-service training courses for teachers on behalf of a range of organisations and in particular for the National Resource for Dance, where she has been a regular contributor to the annual summer schools for the last ten years. Lorna has written many resources for teachers and has also been involved in tutoring PGCE students. In 2005 she was invited to lecture in Taiwan at the summer conference of the Tainan Women’s College of Arts and Technology.

Lorna is also a free lance education consultant. She was involved in the production of gifted and talented recognition criteria and differentiation procedures for use in schools as the dance contribution in the Arts Guidance Document, published by DfES. The document can be found on www.creativegeneration.org.uk. Further to this, she developed the Gifted and Talented Framework for the Youth Sport Trust and Dance Network. This featured the creation of a model of good practice to support gifted and talented dancers within the school setting as part of the government’s PESSCL strategy. In 2006 she was on the DCMS Steering Committee for the Dance Links aspect of PESSCL. Currently she is assisting with the Royal Ballet School’s Primary Steps education outreach programme in Dagenham.

In addition to a huge range of teaching resources published by the National Resource for Dance, Lorna has written numerous articles for the Dancing Times and is also the author of two books on Akram Khan’s Rush and Henri Oguike’s Front Line. Lorna is also a founding Trustee of Woking Dance Space which is a not for profit organisation offering recreational dance classes for young people and adults.

Bird College welcomes applications from all sections of the community regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender. The College is committed to meeting the requirements of learners with special educational needs.

BA(Hons) Dance and Theatre Performance

Applicants to the three year, full-time BA (Hons) Dance and Theatre Performance should normally be 18 years of age before September 1st of the enrolment year and hold two A Levels or one A Level and an equivalent Further Education qualification. Candidates must pass the College Audition.

click here to view and download an application form


National Diploma in Musical Theatre

Applicants to the three year full-time National Diploma in Musical Theatre should normally be 16 years of age before September 1st of the enrolment year and hold a minimum of four GCSE Level certificates or the equivalent. Candidates must pass the College Audition.

click here to view and download an application form


Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting

The College admission policy ensures a high quality intake of students seeking to enter theatre or theatre-related employment. The main criterion for access to the programme is in line with that of the University:

The admission for each student will be based on the reasonable expectation that the student will be able to achieve the learning outcomes and the standard required for the particular award. (1997 University of Greenwich Academic Framework, p.6)

Applicants seeking entry to the Foundation Degree programme are predominantly performers most of whom normally hold traditional qualifications in the form of English GCSE, minimum grade C. 180 points at AS/A Level, with a minimum grade "C" in two A Level subjects; or a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts with a high profile; or GNVQ Advanced in Performing Arts. However, candidates who have relevant attainments in the theatre context they wish to pursue can apply without the full range of academic qualifications normally required for a programme in higher education. Care is taken to ensure that only those students with a successful profile of performance/creative work and who show aptitude for the programme are offered places. All applicants must have some drama experience. Applications are welcome from mature entrants, those from over-seas, and those currently working in the arts or related areas and who are able to demonstrate that they have relevant experience and the potential to succeed on the course. Applicants attend an audition and an interview.

click here to view and download an application form

Pre-vocational Foundation Year in Dance and Theatre Performance

This course is for Candidates who are 16+ at the start of the course.
Applicants are normally expected to have received some prior dance training. All candidates must successfully pass the College Audition for this programme. This is a carefully conceived assessment and is conducted by senior teachers to assess potential skills in dance, singing and drama, as well as suitability for a career in the theatre profession. Applicants that have auditioned for the BA (Hons) Degree or the National Diploma will not be required to have an additional audition for the pre vocational course and be offered a place on this course based on their audition.

Through individual interview, personal qualities such as motivation, communication and flexibility are assessed and career aspirations are discussed. Candidates are notified of the audition date and procedure upon receipt of the completed application form, fee and enclosures and after the advertised closing date.

click here to view and download an application form

MA by Research: Dance and Musical Theatre

Entry requirements and conditions:
A first degree at 2.i or above is the normal pre-requisite. In exceptional cases we will interview students with 2.ii degrees or equivalent and appropriate professional experience.

All students that meet the entry criteria will be interviewed. Candidates must be aware that a place cannot be offered unless a suitable specialist supervisor is available.

How to apply:
Application forms for the MA by Research are available from: University of Greenwich enquiries: Email: cinfo@gre.ac.uk; Telephone: 0800 005 006. Candidates are encouraged to make informal enquiries to The Vice Principal – Academic at Bird College to discuss their area of research / dissertation topic before they submit the application form.

The application process is in two parts:

Stage One: Applications, accompanied by a research topic outline of 500 words, should be sent to:
The Postgraduate Admissions Officer, Bird College, Birkbeck Centre, Sidcup, Kent DA14 4DE or emailed to: admin@birdcollege.co.uk. Application forms are available from Bird College on 020 8300 6004

Deadline for completion of a Stage One application is 1st June for a programme start in the following September.

Stage Two: Once Stage One has been approved by Bird College, the candidate will make a formal application to the university. Full details of this second stage will be given following successful completion of Stage One.
Deadline for completion of a Stage Two application is 1st September for a start that month.

Proposals should be emailed to the Vice Principal Academic Director at nigel.morgan@birdcollege.co.uk

Policy Statements

Ethnicity of all NDPMT students at the College, June 2007: 91% White origin; 4% Mixed origin; 4% Black origin; 2% Asian origin.

Equal Opportunities

Bird College promotes the concept of Equal Opportunities for all. We recognise the need to counteract ideas and instances of individual and institutional discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability. We seek to provide a learning environment which dispels ignorance and prejudice, promoting Equal Opportunities by:

a) adopting the use of inclusive language;
b) examining teaching materials within Departments;
c) challenging inappropriate remarks to or about an individual or group;
d) valuing the role of all members of the College and encouraging them to participate and lead in all College activities;
e) considering the practicality, where necessary, of adapting premises and equipment and providing special aids for the disabled;
f) stressing the need for all members of the College to listen to each other as part of a sound work ethic;
g) promoting positive views of all members of the wider community.

All students are selected without regard to race or ethnic origin, gender or sexual orientation. Age and disability are disregarded providing they can successfully complete a physically demanding specialised dance training course of three year’s duration, followed by reasonable expectations of a professional performance career in dance. In cases where this is not thought to be possible the College will seek to guide the applicant towards an appropriate alternative.
The policy will be monitored and will be reviewed annually.

All members of the College are required to observe and comply with this policy.
Any instances of harassment will be dealt with seriously. It will be investigated under the College’s disciplinary or grievance procedures.

Legal Statements

Copyright
1. By viewing the Bird College website the user is deemed to consent to all terms and conditions set out below. If you have any questions regarding the terms and conditions, you should contact the Assistant to the Principal.

2. The College reserves the right at all times to vary, change, alter, amend, add to or remove any of these items. By browsing the website you accept that you are bound by the current terms and conditions and notices and we therefore recommend that you check these each time you visit the site.

3. All copyright and other intellectual property rights in any material contained in this website is either owned by the College or has been licenced to the College by the rights owners. The website contains trademarks, including the College’s name. Use of these trademarks is forbidden unless prior written permission has been obtained from the owner of the trademark.

4. The user may access any part of the site and download or copy material (by printing off individual pages on to paper) or download material onto disc (but not on to any server or other device connected to a network) for personal non-commercial use only. The College shall retain the copyright in such material or where the material has been licenced to the College, by the rights owners of the material.

5. Links to the College website are not permitted other than to the Home Page except with prior written permission. Links to the College website from within a frameset definition are not permitted except with prior permission.

6. You may not remove any copyright, trademark or intellectual property notices contained in the original material from any material downloaded or copied from the website.

7. Copying, distributing or any use of the materials contained on the web site for any commercial purpose is prohibited.

8. You may not create a database by systematically downloading substantial parts of the website.


Disclaimer

1. The content of the website is for general information only and does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation upon which a specific decision should be made. The College has done its best to ensure the accuracy and currency of the materials contained on its website but excludes any warranty express or implied as to quality, accuracy, timeliness, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose of the material contained this website. The College will not be liable for any claims, penalties, loss, damages or expenses arising from the use or the inability to use the website or from any unauthorised access or alteration to the website [by a third party]. This clause shall not exclude liability for death or personal injury directly caused by the negligence of the College.

2. The College accepts no responsibility for loss or damage that may arise from reliance on information or advice contained on its website.

3. The College website includes links to external websites. These links are provided to help you find additional information quickly and easily. The College accepts no responsibility for the content of these websites and specifically excludes to the fullest extent permitted by law all liability that may arise with respect to or as a result of such material causing damage, costs, injury or financial loss of any kind.

4. Whilst the College website may from time to time contain advertising material, the College does not endorse or accept any liability for any of the products or services so advertised, or for any error or inaccuracy in the advertisements. Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion on the website complies with all relevant laws.

5. These terms are not intended to confer any benefit on a third party under the provision of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

6. Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved to the College.

7. The College reserves the rights at any time to suspend or terminate your access to or use of the website.

8. (a)These Terms & Conditions of use shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with English law. The courts of England shall [subject as set out in clause 17(b)] have exclusive jurisdictions in relation to any claim, dispute or other matters arising therefrom.
(b) For the exclusive benefit of the College, it shall retain the right to bring proceedings in the Courts of the country of residence of any user of the website.

9. We may intercept and monitor all communications with the College.

10. If any provision of these terms and conditions is found to be invalid by any Court having competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of that provision will not effect the validity of the remaining provisions of these terms and conditions which shall continue to have full force and effect.

11. The failure by the College to exercise any right or remedy under these terms and conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that right or remedy.

BA(Hons) Dance & Theatre Performance validated by University of Greenwich

The BA (Hons) in Dance and Theatre Performance is a practically based degree programme, providing the same amount of training and performance opportunity as the Diploma, with the increased academic rigour which can enhance career potential. The degree is validated by the University of Greenwich, who continue to support and encourage the College’s independence and unique character.

The College successfully integrates an intensive three year professional training with an internationally recognised degree level qualification. The programme is designed to produce highly skilled performers equipped with professional abilities and transferable skills to enable them to adapt to a rapidly changing work environment. Although study for a degree qualification will require a substantial level of academic work, students will not be spending all their time in a classroom. The course is performance based, which means that dance, drama and singing form the major part of the programme.

Funding for the BA and the FD:
This programme is funded by HEFCE via the University of Greenwich. Student ‘top up’ contributions apply at the current rate, and students may access the student loan system. Full details can be given by the college on request.

Year One
Year 1 is conceived as a ‘starter pack’ where the principles of performance work are introduced through a series of discrete but related disciplines at the end of which students are expected to have achieved:

• a basic working knowledge and acquisition of a variety of dancing, singing and acting performance techniques
• a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of a dancer’s body, body maintenance and care, and common injuries
• acquisition of fundamental observational skills required to appreciate the qualitative range and variation within dance performance
• a language of appreciation which allows them to perceive and communicate components of dance performance and which enables them to make an intuitive and critical response to dance works
• ability to appreciate the origins and structural developments of Western Theatre Dance identifying key dancers and choreographers
  

Year 2 involves an extension and reinforcement of experiences introduced in Year 1. The emphasis in second year study is towards the highest possible acquisition of executant skills and the occasional relating of these to in-house production contexts and the annual performance. The learning outcomes are summarised as having achieved:

• technique and performance development in terms of difficulty, complexity and extended range
• increasing awareness of a range of spoken word contexts including personal exploration of duo and trio relationships, correct use of voice dialects and ways in which to analyse scripted pieces
• strong vocal techniques and a personal repertoire of solo songs in varying styles
• practical applications of music theory and knowledge of 20th century composers and music
• recognition and classification of key issues in Health in Performance including body conditioning, nutrition and prevention and care of common injuries
• a formal language of dance analysis for purposes of presentation of choreographic outlines of professional dance works, identifying choreographic style and making interpretative statements
• critically examine the origins, influences and key personalities of Musical Theatre in Britain from 1940 onwards
• ability to explore, analyse and reflect upon visits to West End performances
• ability to prepare for, participate in and reflect upon ‘Dance in Education’, ‘Community’ projects and the College performances which take place in schools, community centres and commercial theatres

In the final year of study attention is turned to specific concerns of the professional theatre and principles of company membership. ‘It reflects the synthesis of knowledge, skills and competence and equips students with tools of analysis and evaluation’ (University of Greenwich Academic Framework 1997 (p.53).

By the end of the third year students will be able to:

• plan and organise their programme to their individual needs
• understand and respond to the demands of company class
• command secure technique
• perform Musical Theatre repertoire
• research, create and perform a solo project
• achieve technical and artistic development to professional level
• understand, evaluate and respond to theatrical discipline and company membership
• critically appraise and reflect upon theoretical perspectives and their relevance to personal and company performance
• plan and carry out a significant piece of individual research which demonstrates a range of critical and evaluative skills, and share this with teachers and peers through an appropriate presentational mode.
• attend auditions with confidence
• review and evaluate contractual and administrative procedures related to employment within the profession

National Diploma in Musical Theatre validated by Trinity College London

The three year National Diploma in Musical Theatre is designed for those students with a specific vocational focus. It will equip them with the technical and creative skills necessary for a career in the performing arts.

This programme offers the students an intensive professional training. It aims to develop technical, artistic and creative skills to a professional level to prepare students for a successful and diverse career in Theatre Performance.

The Diploma is principally a performance based programme with the majority of time dedicated to dance, drama and singing. The remaining time, approximately one quarter of the curriculum, is spent on developing awareness of the broader contexts essential within professional practice, such as Fitness, Health & Safety, Music Theory and Appreciation and History of Musical Theatre. These courses are taught through short lectures and practical workshops.

National Diploma to BA (Hons) Conversion Course

An exciting new opportunity will soon exist for students with a National Diploma qualification to upgrade this to a BA (Hons), validated by the University of Greenwich. This will be a one year distance learning programme, allowing a graduate to continue their academic studies in their free time whilst in employment. The programme will comprise some short, intensive teaching periods at the College, and then the student will use email to communicate with their tutor and submit work.

This programme is scheduled to be presented for validation from September 2007.

The Dance and Drama Awards
The Dance and Drama Awards (DaDA) are scholarships funded by the Learning and Skills Council and are for individuals who want to become professional dancers, actors or stage managers. The Dance and Drama Awards are given to students who display the most talent and potential at their audition.

The Awards offer greatly reduced tuition fees but the student will be asked to make a contribution. They will also provide access to income assessed support to help with living costs and student fees contribution.

You will only be eligible to receive a Dance and Drama Award if you take the Trinity College London qualifications. These courses last between one and three years and are at National Diploma or Certificate level, such as the National Diploma in Musical Theatre course offered here at Bird College.

The Dance and Drama Awards do not fund students taking degree courses.
The student must be an EU national at the start of the course and have been resident for the three years immediately preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.

For further information about the awards and eligibility, please visit the DaDA website at www.direct.gov.uk/danceanddrama

National Diploma in Musical Theatre course syllabus

Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting validated by University of Greenwich

This practical, performance-based degree programme provides students with opportunities to acquire and develop acting skills and techniques which can be applied to three vocational areas: acting in theatre, acting in the community and acting in television. The emphasis is on creativity and expressiveness involving an exploration of the current mix of cultures and their different forms of theatre and analysing ways in which such intercultural exchanges enrich and influence the performing arts.

The course is developmental and promotes independent learning and self-management skills fostered through the creation of original dramatic works and the application of theatre practices in the community. In order to provide students with experience in a wide range of professional contexts in which they might seek employment, work placements play a key role in the degree programme. Upon successful completion of the two year course of study, students have the option to progress to a third year in higher education converting their Foundation degree qualification into a BA (Hons).

Level 1 provides a foundation for students to explore and acquire both traditional and contemporary acting skills which can be applied and modified accordingly across theatre, wider community and television in order to meet their specific requirements.

The courses covered in level 1 are:
The Speaking Voice
The Actor and the Singing Voice
Twentieth Century Actor Training
Chekhov Revisited
Body Praxis
Character Study
Acting for Television and Radio
Intercultural Performance for the Community

Level 2 involves further development and reinforcement of the skills acquired in Level 1, and provides new opportunities for students to improve their skills as performers and creators. It continues to develop independent learning skills and prepares students for their professional career through further acquisition of self-management skills.

The courses covered in level 2 are:
Voice and Text in Action
Vocal Studies
Making Theatre of Twenty First Century
The Italian Comedy
Approaches to Physical Theatre
Script and Character Analysis
In Front of the Camera
Acting in and for the Wider Community

The development of this programme focuses on change: both the changing employment patterns, and the changing nature of theatre. Thus a major consideration is to offer a wide range of employment potential and to maximise the student's ability to compete successfully in the marketplace. Through this ethos career prospects for graduates are excellent. By the end of the course, graduates are ready to work in a wide range of theatre related outlets. These include acting in the theatre, the wider community and television, as well as touring in theatre companies. Through independent learning, graduates gain the knowledge and practical skills necessary to create, generate and direct their own work. With further study and experience within the creative industries graduates are able to maximise their career opportunities. Within the current social and artistic context the knowledge and skills in the field of creative industries together with the transferable and personal skills acquired within this programme make the graduates highly valued employees.

Students who successfully complete the Foundation Degree also have the opportunity to further their academic achievements by entering the third year of a related BA (Hons). The top up year currently available to students is Greenwich's BA (Hons) in Creative Industries. This is possible by the successful completion of two short bridging courses to be undertaken at the end of year two (Level 2).

Funding for the BA and the FD:
This programme is funded by HEFCE via the University of Greenwich. Student ‘top up’ contributions apply at the current rate, and students may access the student loan system. Full details can be given by the college on request.

Pre-vocational Foundation Year in Dance and Theatre Performance

Introduction
This one year course is a practical, performance-based programme that aims to help those talented students that have the potential for full time vocational training but have not achieved the necessary technical standard required for entry. The programme offers students the opportunity to study and improve their technique through the participation of daily classes in Ballet, Tap and Jazz, Contemporary, Singing, Acting and Musical Theatre workshops. The nature of the programme is vocational in order to equip the individual with a wide range of skills that will enable them to achieve the necessary technical standards required for entry to prevocational colleges. Students on this course will automatically have a free audition at Bird College but will also be encouraged to audition at other vocational colleges.

Structure and content of Course
In terms 1, 2 & 3 students will participate in daily classes in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Singing, Voice, Drama and Musical Theatre. Students will also be coached in audition techniques in preparation for their vocational auditions: areas covered are suitability of song, dance and monologue as well as interview techniques, photographs and application forms. Students will also study, through lectures, issues concerning the healthy dancer/ performer.

Attendance requirements
30 weeks of full time training over 3 terms.

Assessment
Continuous course work and end of programme assessments in each of the disciplines.

Progression Routes to Vocational Qualifications
On successful completion of the course, graduates will automatically be given an audition for Bird College's vocational courses either through the FE or the HE route. Students will be given guidance on other suitable vocational colleges and advice is given throughout the course.

Fees
£5000.00 for the year payable in two instalments. The first instalment will be payable on or before the first day of the course (September) and the second instalment on the first day of the second term (January).

Funding
Grants are not usually available but you should contact your Local Education Authority for advice, you may qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). Further information on the EMA can be found on www.ema.dfes.gov.uk

MA by Research: Dance and Musical Theatre validated by University of Greenwich

This programme represents a new opportunity for research and study in the field of Dance and Musical Theatre at Masters level. The programme lies within the well-established MA by Research offered by the School of Humanities at the University of Greenwich, with subject-specialist support provided through Bird College. The duration of the programme is one year full time or two years part time.

The School of Humanities within the University of Greenwich is a large and dynamic school with over 2000 students - full and part-time - on programmes from foundation to postgraduate level. The subject areas currently being offered within the MA by Research include:

• Applied Linguistics
• Cultural Geography
• English (including Creative Writing)
• History
• Modern European Philosophy
• Politics
• Theological Studies
• World Trade and Development

Subject to validation by the University of Greenwich, the Dance and Musical Theatre subject area will be added to this portfolio from September 2006

The MA by Research is the first programme at postgraduate level for Bird, and represents an exciting opportunity for the College to develop a research portfolio in a subject domain that is much neglected within the academic research community, yet crucially important to the profile and commercial success of British theatre. We believe that students researching within Dance and Musical Theatre will benefit greatly from being closely involved with other research students within a broad field of Humanities. Indeed, the opportunity to study in the School of Humanities with its rich, diverse and stimulating research-oriented programmes, and the wider context of the University itself, will provide a firm and dynamic base from which research of the highest order and value will emerge.

Vocational experience courses

Bird College is committed to enabling young performers identify, develop and nurture their individual skills.

Our short courses are suitable for anyone who wishes to pursue their interest in dance and theatre performance, and particularly for those who might be considering full time training. Members of our highly regarded faculty teach on the Summer Shorts courses, together with West End artists and international choreographers who teach repertoire.

Places are limited so please book early!
For course listings and an application form click below right.
Or contact Erica Lawrence on 020 8308 6994
or email erica.lawrence@birdcollege.co.uk

We'll have something that fits you!
Easter Experience

This Course is designed for students who have some basic training in dance and who wish to further develop and improve their technique in Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Ballet and Musical Theatre.

This fun packed week is taught by both in-house and visiting tutors all of whom have a wealth of professional expertise. The week culminates with an in-house performance at our Studio Theatre.

senior experience - for boys and girls aged 14 plus
14-18 April 2009     10am to 5pm

junior experience - for boys and girls aged 10 to 14 years
14-18 April 2009     10am to 5pm

Course fee is £220 per person. If accomodation is required (aged 14 plus only) add £110.
Download application form (110K)

We'll have something that fits you!
International Summer School

This course provides its participants with the opportunity to work with top international choreographers from the world jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet and musical theatre.
The programme is offered at 2 levels to cater for both beginners and those with more experience. This fun packed week culminates in an in-house performance at our Studio Theatre.

senior school 1 - for boys and girls aged 14 plus
28 -1 August 2009     10am to 5pm

senior school 2 - for boys and girls aged 14 plus
4-8 August 2009     10am to 5pm

junior school - for boys and girls aged 10 to 14 years
28 -1 August 2009     10am to 5pm

Course fee is £220 per person. If accomodation is required (aged 14 plus only) add £110.
Download application form (110K)

We'll have something that fits you!
Jazz Dance

This successful course is for boys and girls aged 14 plus who are interested in street dance, hip hop, locking, popping, boogaloo and commercial jazz. The fun packed week gives the opportunity to work with leading tutors and choreographers from the world of jazz dance.
The programme is offered at 2 levels to cater for both beginners and those with more experience. The week culminates in an in-house performance at our Studio Theatre.

18-22 August 2009     10am to 5pm

Course fee is £220 per person. If accomodation is required (aged 14 plus only) add £110.
Download application form (110K)

We'll have something that fits you!
Musical Theatre School

Participants work with highly qualified musical theatre tutors, gaining skills in song, dance and theatre performance. The programme caters for both beginners and those with more experience, working with current West Artists on repertoire from prominent musicals.The week culminates in an in-house performance of the work covered during the course.

senior school - for boys and girls aged 14 plus
11-15 August 2009     10am to 5pm

The senior group focuses on preparing the individual to audition for vocational FE and HE Musical Theatre courses with guidance on choices of material to suit the individual. Offers 2 levels to cater for beginners and those with more experience.

junior school - for boys and girls aged 10 to 14 years
11-15 August 2009     10am to 5pm

Course fee is £220 per person. If accomodation is required (aged 14 plus only) add £110.
Download application form (110K)

We'll have something that fits you!
Classical Ballet and Contemporary

This course provides its participants with the opportunity to work with top international tutors from the world of ballet and contemporary.
The programme caters for both beginners and those with more experience.
Throughout the week students will develop their technique in the disciplines and learn repertoire from recognised works. This fun packed week culminates in an in-house performance at our Studio Theatre.

senior school - for boys and girls aged 14 plus
18-22 August 2009     10am to 5pm
The senior school is offered at 2 levels to cater for beginners and those with more experience

junior school - for boys and girls aged 10 to 14 years
18-22 August 2009     10am to 5pm

Course fee is £220 per person. If accomodation is required (aged 14 plus only) add £110.
Download application form (110K)

Key Dates