local artists, local creativity
SpinDrift Dance was co-founded by teachers and freelance performers Suzie West and Sam Dukes in 2010 to find new creative outlets for dance in education and the local artists surrounding it. Now directed by Suzie West, SpinDrift continues to enchorage collaboration, strongly connected dance ecologies and a focus on local creativity. We strongly believe that we are stronger together and most productive when ideas bounce off each other.
Live performance and collaboration is at the heart of every project. We learn create and innovate alongside the school, community or choreographer to bring education and current dance practice together. Suzie West's research in aspirational pedagogy and Dance Creative Partnerships underpin the principles of their collaborations, learning experiences and performance opportunities.
SpinDrift are resident at schools in Devon and Cornwall and have facilitated dance support packages for secondary and primary schools across the South West. With their unique knowledge of dance education SpinDrift have brought professional choreography platforms and their artists to community colleges, created cross generation projects, delivered cross curricular festivals and produced many bespoke experiences for specialist groups of children and community groups.
SpinDrift invite local dancers of all ages to perform and make with us.
SpinDrift interweave current national and regional choreographers, film makers, photographers and musicians with dance and education.
SpinDrift celebrate real stories, memories, places and relationships that matter to the South West
SpinDrift learn , listen and innovate with our partners, communities and teachers
SpinDrift curate and deliver high quality, accessible and sustainable dance experiences for educational settings and their surroundings
Live performance and collaboration is at the heart of every project. We learn create and innovate alongside the school, community or choreographer to bring education and current dance practice together. Suzie West's research in aspirational pedagogy and Dance Creative Partnerships underpin the principles of their collaborations, learning experiences and performance opportunities.
SpinDrift are resident at schools in Devon and Cornwall and have facilitated dance support packages for secondary and primary schools across the South West. With their unique knowledge of dance education SpinDrift have brought professional choreography platforms and their artists to community colleges, created cross generation projects, delivered cross curricular festivals and produced many bespoke experiences for specialist groups of children and community groups.
SpinDrift invite local dancers of all ages to perform and make with us.
SpinDrift interweave current national and regional choreographers, film makers, photographers and musicians with dance and education.
SpinDrift celebrate real stories, memories, places and relationships that matter to the South West
SpinDrift learn , listen and innovate with our partners, communities and teachers
SpinDrift curate and deliver high quality, accessible and sustainable dance experiences for educational settings and their surroundings
Suzie West
Has a passion for dance education and a firm belief that teachers should still get the chance feel like artists. With eleven years of teaching in a secondary school environments and performing for companies and choreographers across the UK, Suzie epitomizes her ethos. As well as directing SpinDrift, she is employed at a number of schools as a dance and specialist, consulting for primaries, GCSE dance and A-level. Suzie has a vested interest in local stories, beauty spots and people when making work, She specialises in site specific performance, large community performance and creative partnership and has also worked for Rogue Theatre, Attik Dance and C-Scape.
Her research and pedagogy has led her to lecture across the UK at Dance UK & NDTA Conferences, Laban, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Exeter University and Denmark. Suzie is currently working on her MA in Creative Education and developing her Action Research practice with Stomping Ground.
Has a passion for dance education and a firm belief that teachers should still get the chance feel like artists. With eleven years of teaching in a secondary school environments and performing for companies and choreographers across the UK, Suzie epitomizes her ethos. As well as directing SpinDrift, she is employed at a number of schools as a dance and specialist, consulting for primaries, GCSE dance and A-level. Suzie has a vested interest in local stories, beauty spots and people when making work, She specialises in site specific performance, large community performance and creative partnership and has also worked for Rogue Theatre, Attik Dance and C-Scape.
Her research and pedagogy has led her to lecture across the UK at Dance UK & NDTA Conferences, Laban, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Exeter University and Denmark. Suzie is currently working on her MA in Creative Education and developing her Action Research practice with Stomping Ground.
Sophie Northmore
Employed by SpiNDrift to lead the Delicately Placed commission for Plymouth, Sophie’s training began in acrobatics and followed on into dancing, taking a Foundation Degree at The London Studio Centre and a BA (Hons) Degree at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of music and dance. She is currently working in Plymouth on a Freelance basis for the Theatre Royal Plymouth, Far Flung Dance Theatre, Exim Dance Company and has horeographed for SpinDrift Dance Collective. 2018 has been a productive year for Sophie as she has performed with Joli Vyann, The Cohan Collective and choreographed her own work for her newly founded company ALATS.
Robert Mennear
Robert left Cornwall for London to further develop his studies in Contemporary Dance at ‘The Place’ (London Contemporary Dance
School). Here he gained both his BA (hons) Degree in Contemporary Dance and his Postgraduate Diploma in performance with the touring company Edge07.After his training at The Place and touring with the company Edge07 Robert continued working in London as well as touring nationally and internationally, performing with such dance companies as Jose Vidal Company, Ffin Dance and Ijad Dance Company. Roberts keen interest in teaching lead him to work in established institutes, schools and academies across London. Robert continues to perform in London but decided to make base back home in Cornwall in 2011.Since his return Robert has performed with the likes of Cscape Dance Company, Angela Praed and Rogue Theatre as well as maturing his on going relationship with Freefall. Robert also has strong aims and desire of pursuing his own choreographic journey, as well as continuing to establish himself across the South West as a dance practitioner spanning across all ages and abilities. Robert is committed to developing Dance in the South West and has set up Boys Dance Groups in Devon and Cornwall, co- directed Cornwall Youth Dance Company and most recently, established an Adults Attik 360 community group in St Austell for Attik Dance.
Robert left Cornwall for London to further develop his studies in Contemporary Dance at ‘The Place’ (London Contemporary Dance
School). Here he gained both his BA (hons) Degree in Contemporary Dance and his Postgraduate Diploma in performance with the touring company Edge07.After his training at The Place and touring with the company Edge07 Robert continued working in London as well as touring nationally and internationally, performing with such dance companies as Jose Vidal Company, Ffin Dance and Ijad Dance Company. Roberts keen interest in teaching lead him to work in established institutes, schools and academies across London. Robert continues to perform in London but decided to make base back home in Cornwall in 2011.Since his return Robert has performed with the likes of Cscape Dance Company, Angela Praed and Rogue Theatre as well as maturing his on going relationship with Freefall. Robert also has strong aims and desire of pursuing his own choreographic journey, as well as continuing to establish himself across the South West as a dance practitioner spanning across all ages and abilities. Robert is committed to developing Dance in the South West and has set up Boys Dance Groups in Devon and Cornwall, co- directed Cornwall Youth Dance Company and most recently, established an Adults Attik 360 community group in St Austell for Attik Dance.
SpinDrift Education Team
Becky Miles- Education CPD Practitioner and Primary School Practitioner
Isolde Allen - Sugar Smart Blast and Primary Pracitioner
Lauren Pomfret - Community Dance Practitioner
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Daisy Harrison - Secondary School Dance Practitioner
Miranda Howard - Community and Education Practitioner
Jaz Watts- Moast - Primary School Practitioner
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Our Collective...18/19
Lauren Syrett, Kay Crook, Gem Smith,, Becky Miles, Charlotte Luke, Lauren Pomfret, Daisy Harrison, Sophie Northmore, Nadjeschade Schaefer, Hannah Saunders, Becca Moss, Miranda Howard, Isolde Allen, Rob Mennear, Clare Parker, Jaz Moast, Emily Woodman, Nathan Marshall, Iain Marshall, Maria Woodman, Laura Cutlan, Ben Mandeville, Kane MIlls, Harry Scott,