Soft Tissue Injury Specialist

Phil Birch

Phil is a soft tissue injury specialist, with over 35 years experience in the fields of dance and performing arts. 24 years with Birmingham Royal ballet as possibly the most sought after treatment provider of the Jerwood Centre team. He has toured with the company across the globe from Australia to Japan, from the USA to cornwall. He has treated some of the dance world’s most famous icons including Rudolph Nureyev, Sylvie Guillem and Darcy Bussell. His West End credits include working with the casts of Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Joseph & his Technicolour Dreamcoat, Les Miserables. Hip Hop, Ballroom, Contemporary, Capoeira, Street, even Strictly Come Dancing, it’s unlikely you’ll find a style of dance with which Phil doesn’t have an affinity and an answer to an injury. Phil has worked with actors and singers for vocal balancing, professional footballers, martial artists, athletes and counts many famous names amongst his client list. Still passionate about the performing arts industries, with those clients he is able to treat on a regular basis, the body is his canvas, and he is totally focussed on making each one a work of art and perfection. Outside of the clinic, Phil is a keen golfer and keeps himself fit through mountain biking and the gym. He enjoys his family time and gets involved with charity work and fundraising.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING COACH, MARTIAL ARTS PRACTITIONER & PERFORMER

Darryl Canham

Darryl is a martial arts practitioner, performer and coach, a strength and conditioning coach and trainer, as well as an occasional action performer in Film and Gaming industries. After a successful career in advertising and marketing, his passion for physical health, fitness and personal performance led him to found the Kaizen Centre in Birmingham. Here over the last 10 years he has enjoyed great success in improving people’s performances as martial arts athletes, their physical conditioning and moving them into resilient states of physical health and beyond the injuries that high performance athletes get from time to time. As a physical trainer, Darryl has over the years, through referrals and reputation, rehabilitated many people and athletes back to peak performing abilities. His strength and conditioning accreditations go back over 25 years, so his experience as a coach has great depth. When not working with his clients, Darryl continues to live his passions of health and fitness, still a practicing martial artist, he also enjoys travel and adventures.

Pain Management Consultant

Dr Arasu Rayen

Dr Arasu Rayen is a Consultant in Pain Management. He has more than 20 years’ experience in treating wide variety of chronic pain conditions including persistent pain after injury in dancers. He treats his patients holistically in collaboration with multidisciplinary professionals like Phil. He consults at the BMI Priory Hospital Birmingham and West Midlands Hospital, Halesowen and treats more than 800 new patients and performs more than 800 chronic pain-relieving pain injections in a year. He was the Editor of Pain News, Official Publication of British Pain Society and a co – opted member of British Pain Society. He is a film buff, loves music and keeps himself fit through gym. He is a keen cyclist, had done several multiday charity cycling tours around the world including cycling in Alpes and Rockies, London to Paris, Geneva to Nice and Niagara to New York. He also has cycled through iconic routes including Alpe d’Huez of Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire.

Strength & Conditioning Coach, Performance Enhancement Specialist

Jamie Bond

Jamie is a former Principal of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Having risen through the ranks, he became arguably one of the most popular male Principals in the company’s history. His dance experience ranges from ballet to jazz and tap and his foundation in ballet began at the Royal Ballet School in London. Technically Jamie has always been a perfectionist, but it was love of characterisation and the dramatic roles that built his reputation as a true professional. Jamie’s experience includes coaching for a Michael Johnson Performance, a world-class athletic performance centre founded by multiple Olympic gold medal winner and world record holder Michael Johnson. Here, he has gained invaluable experience and knowledge about working with elite athletes. His expertise elicits enhanced performance and his belief is that good training is injury reduction training, though he has extensive experience in the rehabilitation from injury in the elite ballet dancer. Jamie has been responsible for the strength and conditioning programmes for dancers from BRB and has coached at the Elmhurst School For Dance developing the dancers of the future. Outside of S&C Jamie is a keen golfer, though if you see him on the course, be sure to run the other way!

Sports & Performance Psychologist

Carrie Johnson

BSc ARAD PDTD

As a student Carrie gained Bronze at The Genee International Ballet Competition and Young British Dancer of the Year Competition 2003. She has danced worldwide with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Ballett am Rhein (soloist), New Adventures (principal) Phantom of the Opera and the Mconie Company. Most recently she appeared in Disney’s ‘Nutcracker & The Four Realms’ choreographed by Liam Scarlett.

Throughout her professional career she became interested in the importance of the mind due to the prevalence of issues such as anxiety, loss of motivation, lack of confidence and setbacks attributed to injury encountered by dancers on a frequent basis. This prompted her to study Psychology & Sports Science, gaining a first-class honours degree, with her dissertation looking specifically at how ballet dancers training can affect their psychological well-being. Currently studying a Masters in Applied Sports Psychology, Carrie is providing psychological support for sport scholars at St Marys University and is passionate about supporting dancers in improving their well-being and performance using the knowledge she has gained.

As a graduate of the Professional Dancer’s Teaching Diploma 2015 (Distinction), she has an understanding of the current training climate being a ballet tutor at The Urdang Academy, London Studio Centre and Ballet Boost. She is a guest teacher for Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, New Adventures and Yorke Dance Project and has taught at the Royal Academy of Dance’s Singapore, Kuala Lumpar and Battersea Summer Schools and for their prestigious Phyllis Bedell’s Bursary.

Still involved within the performing industry, Carrie took on the role of Associate Artistic Director for National Youth Ballet’s 2019 season, nurturing young aspiring dancers of the future. Previously she has staged ballets by Christopher Hampson, Director of Scottish Ballet, and Olivier Award winner Drew Mconie for the company. Her innate understanding and experience within many aspects of the performing industry, combined with her academic credentials means she is equipped to provide tailored and specialised support to performers alike.

Dance Performance & Conditioning Coach

Zoë Hornby-Walsh

Zoë began dancing at the age of 4 at her local stage school, at the age of 9 she began to solely focus on her Ballet technique with Audrey Roper School of Ballet; taking her RAD exams and continuing to take her elementary level exams. Shortly after she began training with Julie Felix and at the age of 12, and went on to train at Tring Park School for Performing Arts, vocational school in Hertfordshire. During this time Zoë danced for 3 seasons with The National Youth Ballet company including in some of the following works;

Four Seasons; Frank Freeman, Aspirations; Samira Saidi, Colour Crazy; Janet Kinson, Alice in Wonderland; Wayne Sleep, Rainbow Bear; Jo Meredith (performance narrated by Joanna Lumley). Toured to Sadlers Wells, Birmingham Hippodrome, London Palladium, EM Forster Theatre Tunbridge Wells, Hackney Empire, Assembly Hall Theatre.

Returning from Tring, Zoë trained solely with Julie Felix before going on to study and complete her BA (HONS) in Ballet and Contemporary Dance at Rambert School for Ballet and Contemporary dance. It was during this period that she was selected as a supporting artist for commercial shoots such as; Giff Gaff; Halloween advert, DJ Fresh & Ms Dynamite; (music video), Reign Of The General; (film).

Whilst at Rambert, Zoë’s highlights were performing at The Barbican Centre alongside London Schools Symphony Orchestra in On With The Dance and performing alongside Rambert Company in Mark Baldwins; The Creation, performed at Sadlers Wells and televised by the BBC.

Immediately after completing her degree she joined Jasmin Vardimons junior company JV2 and gained a Professional Develeopment Diploma in Physical Theatre whilst touring the UK performing, Inbetween; by Jasmin Vardimon, You are You ; by Yungkyung Song, and Blazing Dust by André Rebelo.

Zoë has also worked alongside good friend Nathan LaFayette in his company The Jigsaw Collective creating and developing work together and performing around Birmingham.
As well as continuing her dance career, Zoë continues her own journey in coaching at the Kaizen Centre and with Dance Clinic. She is highly experienced and well placed to offer strength & conditioning programmes and support to dancers who seek are emulate achievements.

Dance Programme Development & Tuition

Sara Macqueen

Sara is a professional contemporary dancer and teacher based in Birmingham. After graduating Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2014 with a First Class Honours Sara performed across the UK and in Europe with companies such as Earthfall, M Dance Company and SEH. As a freelance choreographer and in collaboration with dancer Christopher Radford she has choreographed and performed at events such as Agitart Festival, Barcelona and Birmingham International Dance Festival.

Pursuing a passion for teaching in recent years Sara is employed as Creative Learning Practitioner at DanceXchange, Birmingham. A role focusing on teaching and developing dance in schools and nurturing youth talent through co-ordinating the Centre for Advanced Training program Dance Generation. She teaches freelance for ACE dance and music’s educational program and at schools Shenley Academy and University of Birmingham School, where she has nurtured students to success at Birmingham School Games competition and the regional final of U.Dance West Midlands.

In partnership with Darryl Canham, Sara has been developing and teaching ‘Primal Movement’ at the Kaizen Centre, a challenging work out class building strength and flexibility through natural human movement patterning and a fusion of contemporary dance skills, fitness, yoga and martial arts.

Sara brings great skill, charisma and lots of positive energy to the Dance Clinic team!

Professional Dance Performer

Christopher Radford

Christopher Radford is a Midlands based, professional dance performer, teacher and choreographer who works in the high energy styles of African, Afro-fusion and Contemporary.

Originally from Birmingham, Chris started dancing as a member of ACE dance and music’s youth company. He moved on to formal training at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds receiving a First-Class BPA(hons) Degree, and completed an apprenticeship with Scottish Dance Theatre, in conjunction with London Contemporary Dance School, receiving a Distinction Postgraduate Diploma.

After graduating, Chris became a freelance artist; performing nationally and internationally with companies including: Scottish Dance Theatre, Autin DT, ACE dance and music and Corey Baker Dance. He has internationally toured works by choreographers; Damien Jalet, Anton Lachky, Rosie Kay and Fleur Darkin, and has also been involved in research and video development with Extended Play Dance, led by Jamaal Burkmar.

Chris teaches regularly for the Centre for Advanced Training scheme, Dance Generation, and working with Darryl, has been developing new ways to integrate fitness, strength and physical/technical understanding into his teaching and practice. Chris loves to challenge physicality while channelling positivity, which is always apparent in his classes. He champions full bodied and dynamic movement styles, influenced by his dance background, that are accessible to all abilities.