Co-Director

Helen has worked in the Midlands dance sector for 19 years as a teacher, dancer, and choreographer. She has delivered dance in a wide variety of settings, including care homes, youth groups, day centres, homeless hostels, schools, and further education colleges. Her teaching spans across BTEC, GCSE, A-Level, and Degree courses.

For the past decade, Helen has specialised in inclusive dance, collaborating with organisations such as Midland Mencap, Cerebral Palsy Midlands, Para Dance UK, and Whizz Kidz UK. She is passionate about making dance accessible to all and founded Freewheelin in 2017—Birmingham’s first wheelchair and inclusive dance group. The group are two-time National Para Dance champions and have performed at the Birmingham International Dance Festival and European Basketball Finals.

In 2022, Helen was a Dance Captain for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, working with over 1,500 volunteers. A committed advocate for inclusive dance, she has appeared in a Parable Dance film on best practice and has spoken at the House of Lords on inclusive physical activity. Helen has trained with renowned inclusive dance organisations including Axis Dance, Candoco, Stopgap, Frontline Dance, and Shropshire Inclusive Dance.

Co-Director

Amy Dalton-Hardy is a UK-based freelance arts consultant with over 19 years’ experience across the cultural sector. She specialises in strategic development, facilitation, funding, and mentoring – supporting artists, freelancers, and organisations to build sustainable, inclusive, and imaginative practices.

Since going freelance in 2020, Amy has raised over £3 million for clients and delivered major consultation and strategy projects, including work for Culture Central, Coventry University, and Nottingham City Council.

Amy actively champions better systems and support for freelancers, disabled artists, and underrepresented voices in the sector. With a values-led, plain-speaking approach rooted in her working-class background, Amy brings clarity, empathy and critical insight to everything she does alongside a long history of working in dance, as a former artist, teacher & producer.

Amy is Chair of Gloucester Guildhall NPO Steering Group, Member of WMCA Cultural Leadership Board and Trustee of 2Faced Dance.

Her work now focuses on advice on governance, developing funding bids, shaping place-based cultural strategy and mentoring creative leaders to thrive in challenging conditions.

Read more about Amy at: www.amydaltonhardy.co.uk

Co-Director

Rosie is a freelance Festival Producer with over a decade of experience delivering creative, inclusive, and engaging outdoor arts, festivals, and community-based projects. Her work is rooted in a passion for public participation, storytelling, and creating spaces where people of all backgrounds can come together through art and culture.

She has played key roles in numerous high-profile events, including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Sanctuary by Artichoke, Queens Heath Pride, and Flatpack Film Festival. Rosie’s experience spans everything from creative producing and artist liaison to site management and access coordination.

In addition to her freelance work, Rosie is the Development Manager for Misfits Music Foundation, a Birmingham-based charity that brings adults together through community music-making. She is also the Executive Producer for Brum Rocks, a major participatory music event taking place in July 2024, celebrating music, collaboration, and local talent.

Rosie is deeply committed to equity in the arts and creating joyful, welcoming experiences in public spaces. Her collaborative approach and enthusiasm for building strong creative communities continue to drive her work across the Midlands and beyond.

Dancer

Rebecca has been involved in inclusive dance since 2017 when she joined the community group FreeWheelin Dance. Initial training in Para Dance sport led her to compete in UK competitions winning the title of UK National Champion. Rebecca has since gone on to represent Team GB at an international competition.

Rebecca has been part of several notable performances, including Birmingham International Dance Festival and the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

Since joining Propel Dance in 2023, Rebecca performed the role of the Snow Queen in the short tour of this production. She also performed at the ‘Empower in Motion’ event at Sadlers Wells, the Paralympic Games Homecoming event and the One Dance UK Awards ceremony.

Rebecca is passionate about promoting the message of inclusive dance and was part of the ‘We are Undefeatable’ campaign to promote the benefits of keeping active with a long-term health condition.

Dancer

Piotr is a highly acclaimed wheelchair dancer, boasting an impressive record of 6 World Championships, 5 European Championships, 11 Polish Championships, and 8 World Cup crowns between 1999 and 2021. His unparalleled dedication has solidified his status as a true pioneer in the sport.

He has graced the stages of prestigious ballroom competitions like the German Open, Blackpool (UK), and Snowball Classic (Canada), performing alongside renowned dancers such as Michał Malitowski & Joanna Leunis. His talent also led him to appear on Romania's Dancing With the Stars.

Beyond competition, Piotr has significantly popularized wheelchair dance sport, performing and teaching in numerous countries. Notably, he was the first artist hired by Apple, performing at the Steve Jobs Theater with Infinite Flow Founder Marisa Hamamoto. He's also performed for major companies including Google, Facebook, Adobe, Dior, and Giorgio Armani. Today, Piotr continues to teach worldwide, promoting inclusive dance and inspiring countless others to pursue their passion.

Dancer

Lauren is a Midlands-based freelance dance artist, performer, and facilitator specialising in inclusive dance practice. Formerly a primary school teacher with a background in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), she transitioned to the arts to champion accessibility and diversity.

She performs with Propel, the UK’s only all-wheelchair professional dance company, with credits including R&D for Snow Queen and the Paralympic Homecoming at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena. Her wider performance experience includes the dance film We Meet Again (ID Dance), appearances with Stepchange Studios at Sadler’s Wells and Forward Motion in Miami, R&D with Resident Island Dance Theatre (Taiwan), and Fiddler on the Roof at Curve Theatre.

Lauren also delivers inclusive dance sessions across the Midlands, primarily with ID Dance and Sense. A proud Disabled creative, she is passionate about challenging assumptions around who dance is for. Her work spans performance, collaboration, mentoring, and project leadership, including guest lecturing and access consultancy.

Dancer

Until 2021 Becky was a Dance & PE Teacher, Personal Trainer & Professional Dancer. During her professional dance career, Becky toured with Europe's number 1 MJ touring tribute show 'Forever Jackson', was Head dancer for a leading holiday company, and performed in a Bruno Mars tribute show '24k Bruno'.

A variety of health conditions in 2021 motivated Becky to create new opportunities for others & she started teaching inclusive dance & adaptive fitness classes, via FlexFit with Becky, reaching class participants internationally. Becky created inclusive dance content for WheelPower & Active Essex & also created a SEND dance programme for schools.

Becky returned to mainstream dance classes in Essex & London in 2022, adapting choreography to work in her wheelchair. She choreographed & performed at the British Wheelchair Basketball National Finals in 2024 & performed in multiple theatre shows with Hip Hop Pop. Becky wanted to push boundaries, challenge herself & inspire others; 'Getting back on stage again was the best feeling ever!'

Outside of dance Becky enjoys fitness and recently qualified for the Hyrox World Championships. 'I have a new appreciation of what my body can do & I am truly grateful for every opportunity. I hope to show others that having a disability doesn't mean you have to stop doing what you love.'

Dancer

Milly is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and movement specialist based in the West Midlands. With a BA (Hons) in Dance & Choreography from Falmouth University, her practice combines improvisation, multimedia art, dance for screen, and accessibility to empower individuals through movement.

For 22 years, Milly was an able-bodied dancer but acquired a spinal injury after a road traffic accident in December 2024. Before this, she trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, commercial, musical theatre, tap, and acrobatics. She now draws on this diverse background to make dance more adaptable and inclusive for all.

As a wheelchair dancer and neurodivergent artist, she focuses on challenging traditional dance norms. Milly is deeply committed to the belief that dance is for everyone: movement is a universal language. She works across a range of schools and companies—teaching, creating, performing, and podcasting to promote representation and foster true belonging in the dance world.

Dance is for every body—and every body belongs.

Dancer

Ayuna began her life in Siberia, Russia, living actively until a spinal cord inflammation at age 15 changed her path, resulting in her becoming a wheelchair user. Since then, she has embraced a life full of movement, expression, and creativity—finding renewed purpose through dance.

Before her injury, Ayuna took part in ballroom dancing and longed to return to the dance floor. That dream became reality in 2022 when she won Dance Westminster, a competition celebrating disabled dancers, hosted by Step Change Studios. She has since trained with inclusive dance organisations including People Dancing and Leicester ProDance Initiative, and supported workshops at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, introducing students to integrated dance.

Currently, Ayuna is part of One Dance UK’s Young Creatives Programme, further developing her choreographic voice. Her love for movement extends beyond dance—she’s a multi-sport athlete and mountain climber—but the stage is where she feels most alive.

For Ayuna, dance is freedom, connection, and joy. Being part of this production is the realisation of a lifelong dream, and she’s thrilled to share her passion with audiences.