Expressions 2026

Performance Line Up

Reflections by Nadenh Poan

Reflections is a contemporary dance duet inspired by the lush landscapes of the Cambodian jungle, Nadenh Poan’s childhood home as a young Disabled boy.

This intimate and personal work explores the tensions of leaving home, the echoes of memory, and the duality of belonging to two places at once. With loved ones and histories rooted in different countries, Reflections captures the bittersweet sensation of always existing between worlds.

Choreographed by Nadenh Poan and performed by Hannah Sampson and Asher Norridge, Reflections is enriched by Poan’s original music, which unfolds through immersive digital projections and artistic captioning. Created in collaboration with Deaf video designer and creative captioner Ben Glover, the visuals weave sound into an accessible and multi-sensory experience.

Reflections will be featured in every performance for Expressions 2026.

Wednesday 15 July, 1pm

Broomfield Youth Dance

Broomfield Youth Dance is a new collaborative project with Phoenix Dance Theatre. Phoenix Dance Theatre artists have been working with two classes of students to introduce them to dance and develop their artistic potential.  

Catherine Pugh  

Catherine started dancing with Step Change Studios in 2020 and has continued to develop her skills as a dancer for six years. She has competed in the Welsh National Eisteddfod in 2023, placing second, and performed at Expressions 2024. She was seen in dance films at Llandudno Museum in North Wales in March 2026 and will competing in the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen, North Wales in July 2026.

Step Change Studios is an award-winning, pioneering dance company committed to making dance accessible for everyone.

Sense Open Movement

Sense is a national charity, supporting disabled people with complex needs. Sense Arts is an NPO positioned within the wider charity with a National Inclusive Dance Programme led by Artistic Director Lisa Simpson. Lisa is a disabled artist. She is a non-verbal choreographer, who developed the Simpson Board to support her own access needs when creating dance works.  

Sense Open Movement brings together two Rotherham dance groups that are part of the Sense Arts National Inclusive Dance Programme. Rooted in Disability Arts practice, the dance makers have been exploring inclusive choreographic methods developed by Lisa Simpson, using Easy Read Simpson Boards and a range of sensory props. The groups focus on supporting each dancer to develop and share their own artistic practice.

Line up subject to change.

Wednesday 15 July, 7pm

Ascendance: FUSE Dance Collective

Ascendance is a dance for health charity, based in Leeds, delivering creative participatory and development experiences for adults aged 50+, including those with Parkinson’s. We believe that everyone has the right to participate in dance and movement activity, regardless of age or ability, and that anyone can develop as an artist, choreographer or teacher at any stage of life.

Our community performance company, Fuse Dance Collective, welcomes mature dancers of all levels to create, perform, and connect through inclusive dance.

Hollie Shackley

Hollie Shackley is a wheelchair dancer with over 17 years of dance experience across a variety of styles. She is also a software engineer with a degree in computer science, which helped lead her to the idea for this piece. 

Kavina Pound

Kavina Pound is an older, disabled dancer, parent and carer. She has worked in inclusive dance for many years, teaching with Slide and Biodanza. Alongside her daughter, they have an inclusive dance brand, Danzability. She is part of the Tramshed Steering Group for Disabled Artists, has danced with Corali and regularly performs with Freestylers. She recently graduated from the Access all Areas Performance Making Diploma. She has always been involved in Disability advocacy and arts, speaking on panels and talks, including the 2024 Artist Archive event at SDS speaking on her journey as a Disabled, older dancer.

Northern Ballet’s In Motion

In Motion is a specialist wheelchair dance programme. Classes are designed to develop strength, flexibility and creative expression through Northern Ballet’s unique training methods, letting dancers’ creativity flourish and gaining confidence to move in new ways.

NSCD Creative Dance

Northern School of Contemporary Dance's Creative Dance group meets weekly to give adults with learning disabilities the opportunity to share and develop creative skills through dance. They are a diverse group bringing together a mix of backgrounds, experience and ages, from 20 up to 75! They explore a range of creative techniques to expand movement and choreographic skills, celebrate individuality and create opportunities for peer leadership. All of their work is created in collaboration, so every piece is a reflection of our group members and their talent. Creative Dance is a diverse group who enjoy coming together to share their love of dance.  

Line up subject to change.

Thursday 16 July, 1pm

Dance Academy at Mind the Gap Theatre Company

Part of the Mind the Gap Arts Academy, our Dance Academy is a group of contemporary Dancers who meet every Thursday to work on technique and bring original choreography to life. Through ensemble work, duets, and solo performances, they push the boundaries of what dance can be.

Instagram: @mtgstudios

DAZL Xtreme

DAZL (Dance Action Zone Leeds) is a dance & Health Charity. The DAZL Xtreme group comes together every week to learn different styles of Dance. They also participate in competitions for Street / Cheerdance / Lyrical and some Freestyle. The group includes a mixed age group of male and female dancers with physical or learning disabilities.

Shine

Shine Team are a group of talented individuals who have a passion for dance, performance, music and being together. The group has run for over 25 years and had an amazing experience performing and meeting other groups at Expressions 2025. 

Instagram: @shineteam3

Unbound Dance Theatre

Unbound Dance Theatre is an inclusive dance company that develops dance workshops and performances specifically tailored for people who are blind or visually impaired. By incorporating touch, innovative sound technology, verbal prompts and other sensory experiences, the participants are free to fully engage with movements.  

Unbound Dance Theatre is a Community Interest Company that aims to liberate lives through movement. The company’s mission is to champion inclusivity, connection and expression. Rooted in its work with the blind and visually impaired community, its commitment is to break down barriers and nurture a dance culture where everyone feels recognised, valued and free to express themselves fully.  

Line up subject to change.

Thursday 16 July, 7pm

Dance 21

Dance 21 are a dance group for young people with Down syndrome. They meet weekly and give the young people a chance to socialise, exercise, learn and help create new dances.

Illuminate Youth: Phoenix Dance Theatre  

Illuminate Youth are weekly dance sessions for young people aged 6-14 with additional needs run by Phoenix Dance Theatre. The sessions introduce young people to dance in a fun and inclusive environment. We develop our participants’ dance technique, co-ordination and creativity, with a strong focus on celebrating individual self-expression. We also focus on community, providing respite for families/carers, support and socialisation. Illuminate is open to every young person who finds enjoyment in dance.

Kate Stanforth

Kate Stanforth is a disabled dancer, choreographer and founder of Kate Stanforth Academy of Arts. Her work focuses on inclusive practice and authentic representation, including a recent partnership with The Royal Ballet School to provide termly inclusive ballet sessions. Kate creates opportunities for disabled and non-disabled dancers to train, perform and create together.

National Youth Ballet All In! Performance Company

NYB All In! explores how ballet can be taught and choreographed in a more inclusive way. They will be presenting a short film, explaining the concepts behind the project and the importance of making ballet accessible to all.

Instagram: @nationalyouthballet_ofgb

Northern Ballet’s Ability

Ability is a weekly dance course for adults with additional support needs who want to develop their dance technique and skills alongside like-minded people. Dancers are nurtured and challenged through our unique training methods which are adapted to meet individual needs.

Northern Ballet’s In Motion

In Motion is a specialist wheelchair dance programme. Classes are designed to develop strength, flexibility and creative expression through Northern Ballet’s unique training methods, letting dancers’ creativity flourish and gaining confidence to move in new ways.

Talent Development North @ TIN Arts

Matthew Atkinson and George Williams are members of the Talent Development North programme and work with TIN Arts.  

Matthew has trained at TIN Arts for over 10 years and has performed with various TIN Arts’ groups at platforms and festivals in locations across the UK. In 2022, Matthew joined the National Youth Dance Company and was a member for two years.

George has trained at TIN Arts since 2011. In 2015, George joined the National Youth Dance Company and presented work created by Michael Keegan-Dolan. The following year, George created his first solo work WIRED which toured outdoor festivals nationally, and then from 2017-2020, George led the formation of the Talent Hub programme which brought together dancers with a learning disability or autism to train and create new work for touring. 

Line up subject to change.