Matthew Cole

Matthew trained at Colne Bank School of Dancing before leaving to study Dance and Musical Theatre at Laine Theatre Arts.

Directing credits include: Resident Director on The Railway Children, Resident Director on West Side Story, Resident Director on the Take That musical Never Forget and Associate Director on Carmen La Cubana, a new version of Carmen Jones (Châtelet Theatre, Paris).  

Choreography credits include: Little Shop of Horrors (UK Tour); RAGS The Musical (Theatre Royal, Stratford East); Footloose (UK Tour); Pure Imagination - The Songs of Leslie Bricusse (St. James Theatre); Bette Midler and Me (Edinburgh Festival and UK Tour); Amour (Royal Academy of Music); Jerry’s Girls (St. James Studio and Jermyn Street Theatre); The Return of the Soldier (Jermyn Street Theatre); Vampirette (Manchester Opera House); Angelina Ballerina the Musical (UK and Australian Tour); Pantomimes including Aladdin, Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk (Qdos Entertainment); Assistant Choreographer on the Take That musical Never Forget (UK Tour); Choreographer for comedian Pam Ann (International and US Tour) and Assistant Choreographer for the International Trend Awards for Wella Professionals (New York). 

Associate Choreographer credits include: Guys and Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre and Phoenix Theatre). 

Television credits include: Assistant Choreographer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing (BBC).

Performing credits include: Saturday Night Fever; Disney’s Beauty and the Beast; Miami Nights; Cats; Chicago; Guys and Dolls; The Rocky Horror Show; Zorro; They’re Playing Our Song; Candide andPriscilla Queen of the Desert.

Television credits include: Children In Need and Comic Relief (BBC) and The Royal Variety Performance and The Paul O’Grady Show (ITV).

Future Choreography credits include: Side Show (Southwark Playhouse).

Charlie Morgan

Charlie studied at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has an MA for training actors in movement. She also trained at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts, Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts & Colne Bank School of Dancing

Movement Direction and Choreography credits: Timon of Athens, Saul and the Witch of Endor, Venus and Adonis, Acteon ( London Guildhall, Silk Street, Hatchlands, Trinity Laban, Black Heath Halls, St Mary at Hill), Ceruleo (GSMD) The Hired Man (Leicester Curve, Mercury Theatre), Saer Doliau (Finborough Theatre, Earls Court), The Time of my Life (Watford Palace Theatre), Flo+Sam:Operatic Salvage (Metal, Chalkwell Park), The Tower's of Ilium (Short Film), Dear Brutus and Badenheim 1939 (GSMD): For the Mercury Theatre, Colchester: Aladdin, The Wall, You can Always Hand Them Back, Cinderella, Quadrophenia (Mentor), Jack and the Beanstalk, The Winter's Tale (Assistant Director), The Rivals, Aladdin, The Grapes of Wrath, King David, Man of Blood, Hell is Empty and all the Devil’s Are Here!, Cinderella, TWO, Sleeping Beauty, IPH, Death of a Salesman, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Beauty and the Beast, Brass Balls. She has also worked on a variety of corporate events, commercial shows, drama school productions, summer schools and workshops.

Charlie currently teaches movement at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Mountview and ALRA.  She has also worked at RADA, Drama Centre, Guildford Stage Academy, Italia Conti, Colchester Institute, Dance East and Creative Partnerships. She continues to work on a variety of plays, operas and musical theatre.

Hannah Redfearn

Hannah first fell in love with dance and began her training with Colne Bank School of Dancing at the age of 11 until 18. During this time she was also taught by Sarah Pritchard at Colchester Sixth Form College where she received an A*. 

Hannah graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2015. She then went on to be elected as Trinity Laban’s Vice-President of Dance for the student’ union. During her time in professional training at Trinity Laban, Hannah studied in ballet, release, Cunningham, Graham, choreography and improvisation. She has worked alongside choreographers such as; Lea Anderson, Valerie Preston-Dunlop, Zoi Dimitri, Struan Leslie and Alison Curtis-Jones.

Hannah recently appeared in the BBC Four documentary ‘Dance Rebels’, which celebrated the pioneers of the modern dance scene. Hannah developed a diverse extra-curriculum dance programme, as well as hosted many social events for more than 1000 Trinity Laban students, during her time as Vice-President of Dance. Hannah is an experienced ballet teacher having worked for Angelina Jandolo Dance, she has also taught contemporary dance to young people and adults.

Clare Craze

Clare trained in Ballet, Tap and Modern at the Colne Bank School of Dancing from the age of five until she went to study dance full time.

After training in Ballet, Tap and Modern with Miss Jenny at Colne Bank School of Dancing from the ages of 5-18, Clare trained in Performing Arts at Middlesex University and Dance and Choreography at the University of South Florida, 

Theatre credits: Dirty Dancing, Penny, Secret Cinema, London, Heartbeat of Home, featured dancer/dance captain - world tour- Riverdance, Burn The Floor, Latin American dancer - world tour,Burn The Floor - Broadway, choreographer /directors assistant, Jason Gilkiso. Ireland's Call, the musical, ensemble - UK tour and Walt Disney studios- Paris, Sleeping Beauty/puppeteer, animagic 

Television credits:Dancing with the Stars - Turkey, professional dancer/choreographer, The Voice - Turkey, dancer/choreographer, Leona Lewis, dancer, X-Factor, Ellie Goulding, dancer, Children in Need. Humans series 2, actress- Scientist, Channel  and Alesha Dixon’s Street Dance Stars, CBBC/ BBC, and multiple TV commercials and music videos.

"Thank you to Miss Jenny for all the hard work, help, support and encouragement she has always given me."

Lucas James

Lucas began his career in Performing studying singing with Alison Benz and
dancing with Colne Bank School of Dancing, following this he went on to
study full time on the  intensive musical theatre programme at the Musical Theatre Academy in London.

Theatre credits include: Jan May in 'Ting Tang Mine', the Courtyard Theatre;
Liam/Dance Captain in 'Just the Ticket', Eddie in 'Sunshine on Leith', Dance
Captain in 'Something Old, Something New', all at the Bridewell Theatre;
Scaramouche in 'Beauty and the Beast', Bernie Grant Arts Centre; Harvey Johnson in 'Bye Bye Birdie', Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre; Murph Dunne in 'The Blues Brothers', Italian national tour; Featured singer in 'Cool Rider; Live', Lyric Theatre; Dr John Watson in 'The Sherlock Holmes Experience', Les Enfants Terribles. 

Lucas is also a regular cabaret singer, having most recently performed in
and written material for 'The Others Present: A Random Cabaret' at the Lost Theatre. 

Maryam Hamidi 

Maryam attended CBSoD as a teenager and it has had a profound impact on your career that has followed. Whilst choosing to pursue her other passion of acting rather than dance Maryam still credits her time there as instilling precious discipline, dedication and crucially respect for her colleagues in her work in the performing arts.  

After her training at Colne Bank she went on to study at drama school in Scotland where she has been based since and continues to work extensively on stage, screen and radio. She has worked with the National Theatre of Scotland, Tara Arts, the Tron Theatre, The Paper Birds amongst others. On radio she has worked primarily for the BBC. On screen she played the regular character of Leyla Brodie in BBC Scotland's primetime drama 'River City' for many years. Her film credits include, 'Where Do We Go From Here', 'Honour' and 'Last Night in Edinburgh'.

On stage she continues to work in devising performance and in physical theatre practice much strengthened by her early dance training. She is also a writer and director for stage and now enjoys teaching actors screen practice.

She still secretly tap dances when sat at the table.

Katy Osborne

Katy originally trained at Colne Bank School of Dancing and NYMT followed by full time training at Laine Theatre Arts.

Theatre Credits include: Swing 2nd cover Lisa in Mamma Mia! London, Swing in We Will Rock You (original cast, Cologne), Ensemble in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK tour), Ensemble in Hello, Dolly! (UK tour), Ensemble, 1st cover Lisa in Mamma Mia! (International Tour), , Ensemble in The Bet (Criterion), Ensemble in Hello, Dolly! (Theatre Royal, Lincoln), featured soloist in West End Laine (Aldwych), and leading lady roles in pantomimes across the country for Qdos, including Wendy in Peter Pan (Richmond).

Other work includes: Performing at the Olivier Awards, the ITV Abba Christmas special, advert for Pot Noodle and the cast recording of We Will Rock You (Cologne).  She is also a founding member of the band 'The Dolly Girls' and is an avid fundraiser and teacher for the Tuloy Foundation, Manila.

Katy is thrilled to be a part of the original cast of ‘Big’ and thanks everyone in her life for their support in all her ventures.

Shelley Kyne

Shelley began dancing from the age of four at Colne Bank and at 16 was awarded a place at the Urdang academy in London to study musical theatre.

Credits include: Recent appearances on itv This Morning, Channel 4 Euro trash, MTV commercials , Channel 5 , Big Brother Choreographer for DB hotels and spas, Malta and The UK wedding show, London. Dancer 'Thursford Christmas spectacular', Norfolk (three seasons) Samsung awards, Monte Carlo, Virgin Media awards, London. Kerrang awards, London. The worlds largest casino 'the venetian' Macau , China and events in the Cotai Arena.Dancer/ singer, Regent Seven Seas Mariner, US and Europe 'Best of the Musicals' European tour dance captain /solo vocalist. Showgirl/ Can Can dancer 'La Nouvelle Eve' Paris.
Palazzo Vatiete' Germany. Sonique tour, Poland.

She has also danced and modelled for various brands such as Selfridges, Adidas, Reebok, Agent Provocateur, Berlei sportswear, Louboutin, Bloch and Martini. 

Lisa Hillier

Lisa trained at the Colne Bank School Of Dance from the age of six until she graduated at the age of 16. Lisa then went on to train professionally at Laine Theatre Arts, Epsom and received a Musical Theatre Diploma.

After graduating Lisa worked professionally in touring musicals such as Scrooge, Summer Holiday and Fame, pantomimes, summer seasons, television, film and for Disney UK. Lisa then achieved her dream of working in the West-End. She understudied the role of Pearl in Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria. Lisa then went on to understudy Sophie in Mamma Mia at the Prince Edward and Prince of Wales Theatre for three years.

Lisa was part of the original production of Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang at the London Palladium working alongside Brian Blessed, Michael Ball and Richard O'Brian. She also recorded the cast recording album. Lisa then went on to play Teen Queen in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre for three years. Whilst working there Lisa performed on stage with Brian May and Roger Taylor.

Since having her two children Lisa has changed her profession and is now a qualified Level 2 Exercise To Music Instructor and runs her own business teaching dance/fitness classes. Lisa is licensed in teaching Zumba, Zumba Gold and Clubbercise and runs community-based classes on a weekly basis.