Name: Emily Bullingham

Age: 22

Where are you from? Birmingham

I am currently…working as a Personal Trainer and a choreographer for Birmingham Youth Theatre after just graduating with a first-class BSc in Dance Science.

I am a LEAP Ambassador because… I align deeply with BRB’s LEAP mission of becoming an advocate for dance and the arts within the community. My determination to make steps towards my future career aspiration as a dance performance applied practitioner has led me to taking this rare opportunity to develop and refine my practical/managerial skills whilst building networks within the industry.

What are you passionate about? I’m passionate about bridging the fields of education, health and performance to ensure dancers have the support and resources needed to thrive physiologically and psychologically in the demanding industry. I aim to create new roles and opportunities in a managerial role for the dance industry that advocate for a holistic support system to ensure optimal development of the dancer at any level: amateur, pre-professional or professional.

An interesting fact about me is… I worked as a Research Assistant at London School of Contemporary Dance on their current project looking at the physiological demands and wellbeing of a dancer in education.

My first encounter with Birmingham Royal Ballet was watching my first ballet at the age of 12 and it being BRB’s The Nutcracker.

What motivates me to keep pushing forward with my career ambitions? My goal is to nurture and develop the next generation of dancers which motivates me to be a leading advocate in the industry that provide better support systems. The excitement of exploring the potential to define a new and what I believe to be a crucial role as a Dance Applied Practitioner means I can work to seek innovative solutions that ensures dancers well-being is a fundamental aspect of training and performance.