OUR HISTORY

Kialea Williams (pictured right) an alumni from Swindon Dance went onto complete her training at the Rambert School and then to dance with Phoenix Dance Company and Michael Clark Company before moving abroad to join  Australian Dance Theatre. She won the highly prestigious National Critics’ Circle’s Award for ‘Best Modern Female Dancer 2007 (UK)’. She is Rehearsal Director for Tasdance, Australia.  Thomasin Gulgec another alumni, also went onto train at the Rambert School, joining Rambert Company after graduating, then later Russell Maliphant and Company Chameleon. He won the 2010 Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for ‘Outstanding Male Dancer (modern)’. Thom has now started to produce his own work and was  on of Swindon Dance’s Associate Artists 2017-18 

A famous alumni, Billie Piper (pictured left) went from Swindon Dance’s Texaco programme (Youth Talent Programme) – a coaching course for young dancers, to the Sylvia Young School before launching her career in the pop world and then t.v.

1980’s, Swindon Dance became the home of its own contemporary dance company ‘Theatre of Motion’ led by alumni and nationally acclaimed choreographer Pete Purdy. The company took a high-quality dance show with education work into dance venues across the UK and offered apprenticeships to three young dancers; Fiona Millward (a Rolf Movement® Practitioner), Tracey Smart (Arts Management) and Viv Slayford (our current Director & CEO, Swindon Dance).

During the 1990’s Swindon Dance ran a second educational based dance company ‘DansConnect’ that worked with guest choreographers such as Johnathan Lunn (a leading dancer with London Contemporary Dance Theatre), Banxy (an international Hip Hop dancer), Scott Ambler (dancer and Associate Artist with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures) and Nicky Smedly (known for her role as Laa-Laa in the Teletubies). This company employed five graduate dancers giving them their first steps into a career as a professional performer; Claire Morris (Fallen Angels Dance Theatre), Eleanor Duval (Mark Bruce Company), Helen Parlor (Motionhouse, Panta Rei Danseteater (Norway), Mobius and 2012 Paralympic Ceremonies (Asst Choreographer) and Artistic Director of MÓTUS),  Lee Smikle (Principal & Artistic Director of The Legat School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and Smikle Dance Studios in Brighton), Michelle Gaskell (Movement & Dance Tutor – Bristol Old Vic). Our Director & CEO Viv Slayford joined the company as the Company Administrator following a career move into arts management. Other dancers who joined DansConnect at a later stage included; Emma Carter (Motionhouse & tutor at Swindon Dance), Paula Harradine (Pilates tutor) and Stuart Waters (Motionhouse, BareBones, and ProteinDance).

Swindon Dance was one of the first dance organisations in the country to introduce an access and support programme, offering former students and up-and-coming artists across the country a space to rehearse and put on performances, as well as offering access to top quality dance initiatives to every child, young person and adult in Swindon and the south-west.

In 2005 Swindon Dance gained charitable status and also launched its Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) one of only nine such CATs in the UK. The CATs are supported by the Department for Education and offer pre-vocational training to talented young dancers aged 11-19. 2008 saw the CAT grow its cohort to 100-125 offering three programmes of training; two contemporary programmes based in Swindon and Exeter and a street dance programme based in Swindon. At this time it was the only CAT offering a professional training programme specifically designed for street dancers. 

98% of CAT graduates progress onto full-time training at some of the countries top vocational colleges and dance conservatoires. CAT alumni Jacob O’Connell and Jodelle Douglas made it to the finals of the BBC Young Dancer; Jacob for winning the contemporary category 2015 and Jodelle for winning the street dance category 2016. 

Swindon Dance has a long-time working friendship with the Royal Ballet School. The latest project the two organisations have joined together to deliver is the Primary STEPS programme, a national junior schools initiative.

October 2014, Swindon Dance received a Royal Visit by the Duke of Kent, which was followed early in 2015 by the presentation of the High Sheriffs Award.

Swindon Dance received a grant from BBC Children in Need to support the development of its SALTO! INTEGRATED PROGRAMME – a programme of dance for children and teenagers with learning difficulties.

In 2017 Swindon Dance became an authorised ISTD centre and the first organisation outside of ISTD to run its Level 6 Diploma in Dance Pedagogy. Swindon Dance followed this by becoming a CERTA approved centre launching in 2019 two Level 3 Diplomas; Access to HE (dance) and Access to HE (urban dance) for 16+ year olds, in partnership with New College, Swindon.

During the 2020s following the Covid pandemic, Cost-of-living crisis and an uncertain political and economic future, Swindon expanded its provision; working in partnership with alumni Kieran Warner (The Jam Movement) and Tyler Attwood (Your Next Move) Swindon Dance started its now renowned 5-day international street dance festival The Jam Festival & West Country Clash bringing together 100s of young people aged 11-plus from across the UK, Europe and internationally to work with leading practitioners and performers from the international street dance scene. This was followed with an international Litefeet weekend festival, Litefest. By autumn 2024 the CAT had also expanded adding two further programmes to its portfolio which now consists of; two contemporary programmes based in Swindon and Exeter, two street dance programmes based in Swindon and Exeter, and a ballet programme based in Swindon. Salto! Integrated Programme also expanded with the addition of Salto! Steps a performance group for older children with learning difficulties aged 15-20.

In 2025 Swindon Dance was awarded a £100,000 Capital grant to develop its changing facilities, this included a new accessible single use wet room backstage, new secure student changing rooms, secondary double glazing to its main dance studio and staff offices and upgrading and improving staff offices and working environment.

Summer 2025 the CAT will be celebrating its 20th birthday with the return of many alumni and professionals joining current students for a weekend of celebrations, graduations, films, workshops and a special gala event. Where will we go next?