East Midlands
Dance Artist Network
Connect. Inspire. Mentor.Weaving a tapestry of support for East Midlands Dance Artists
EMDAN is a C.I.C. and works across the region in partnership with other arts organisations creating professional development opportunities, advocating for those working in the industry, as well as disseminating sector relevant information.
About
East Midlands Dance Artist Network C.I.C. (EMDAN) is a dynamic & interconnected network providing a platform that serves as a vital hub for dance artists in the East Midlands to develop their creative work, dance practice & skills for a successful career. The ultimate goal is to build sustainable collaboration, resource-sharing & skill development within the region.Our vision is to expand & continuously support our empowered East Midlands dance community & organisation. We aim to provide and increase sustainability, capacity, accessibility & participation in dance activities and events, heighten visibility for artists, their work & practice and create a palpable sense of support & collaboration within the network. Ultimately, we seek to make a positive difference in the cultural landscape, creating a community where creativity flourishes, with artists finding the support & resources they need to excel in their dance endeavours.EMDAN C.I.C. was established in 2018. From 2021 we have received regular, continuous support from FABRIC, Nottingham. Since 2023 we have continued to develop and expand our supporting partnerships with organisations across the East Midlands. In September 2024 we received Arts Council England funding for a 14 month programme and became a C.I.C. in September 2025.Our directors, Sarah Butler and Alice Marshall are founding members and our funding covers 2 part time freelance roles in project management (Sarah Butler) and administration (Karla Jones). We also offer a variety of project by project freelance contracts employing up to 80 freelance dance artists and have a 15 member strong steering group.Our range of in person and online activities include; mentoring programmes and scratch nights, classes, artist days, CPD and workshops, information sharing and collaborative relationships.If you would like to know more about the network or ask any questions all of our details can be found on our contact pageWe are extremely fortunate to have essential, ongoing support from the following partners:Arts Council England, The Hub Sleaford, Lakeside Arts,
De Montfort University Leicester, LCB Depot,
FABRIC Nottingham, and Chapel Street Arts Centre
Meet The Team
EMDAN is managed by a core team of three as well as a wider steering group who support the network voluntarily.The team are all East Midlands based dancers and have a wealth of experience in dance performance, choreography, teaching and production. They come from a wide range of backgrounds bringing expertise to the leadership and progression of the network.
Sarah Butler - C.I.C. Director and
Project Manager
Sarah is a freelance dance and theatre artist based in South Derbyshire, with extensive experience working as a multi-skilled performer, maker and facilitator across dance, theatre and puppetry.She has toured widely across the UK and Internationally as a performer/ rehearsal director with companies including; AutinDT, Spiltmilk Dance, Glasshouse Dance, Beautiful Creatures, Coreo Cymru/Wales Millenium Centre, Tell Tale Hearts, Tutti Frutti Productions, Katie Green, Inspirate UK.
As a choreographic mentor she has had the pleasure of working with wonderful companies to support their work in development, including: Linden DC, Deaf Explorer, Rebel Sparks, Spiltmilk Dance and RESETDanceCo.Her teaching and facilitation practice includes; Engagement Artist for NDCWales, Undergrad/Postgrad lecturing at Derby University and University of Lincoln, workshop facilitator for RSC and Birmingham Hippodrome and leading pro classes across the Midlands: Tom Dale Company, Brum Pro Class, Creative Pro Exchange, EMDAN Open Contemporary.Sarah is a founding member and co-Director of East Midlands Dance Artist Network C.I.C.(EMDAN). As project manager/ coordinator, she has successfully secured Arts Council Funding and a wide range of organisational partnerships to support EMDAN’s activities/ artist support since 2024.
She is passionate about dance in her region and bringing together, developing and supporting the vibrant dance community that exists across the East Midlands.
Karla Jones - Administrator
Karla is a freelance dance artist and producer based in north west Nottinghamshire working in socially engaged contexts across the East Midlands.She specialises in working with older adults in dance and currently works with HandMade Theatre, Movement for All and Jigsaw Homes and has recently established the Generate Network creating a national framework for older adult dancers.At the opposite end of the age spectrum she also runs family dance sessions with CANVAS Derby and has previously worked with The Spark Arts and Talent 25 as well as being lead artist for Junction Arts' Everybody Dance project.She is trained with disability specialist movement, play and theatre in the Bamboozle Approach and The Hubbub Way and has worked extensively with both organisations.Production roles include working with Platform Thirty1 on their Lean On programme as well as producing for Hubbub Theatre Company and now working as administrator for EMDAN.She is passionate about supporting the thriving dance ecology in the East Midlands and wants to put the region on the map as a viable place to carve out a career in dance.
Alice Marshall - C.I.C. Director
Alice Marshall is a Senior Lecturer and Research Academic, as well as Artistic Director of Adaire to Dance, an Arts Council England-supported company creating work across the UK.Her interdisciplinary practice blends choreography, original music, and digital media to explore unheard social themes. Alice explores this through accessible dance and the emotional resonance of movement.She has presented internationally on her research and solo-authored Entertainment in the Performing Arts (Routledge). She is a dedicated advocate for regional arts, serving on the boards of Arts Derbyshire and Hubbub Theatre and co-directs the East Midlands Dance Artists Network CIC.As co-director of EMDAN, Alice has played a central role in its development since inception. She brings extensive connections across cultural organisations in the Midlands and champions the training, development, and retention of local dancers. Committed to strengthening the region’s dance ecosystem, Alice supports initiatives that create pathways for emerging talent and boosts collaborations between artists and organisations.
Steering Group members:Ana Raquel-Azevedo
Claire Pring
Danni Lane
Emma Bouch
Frank McCarthy
Huai-Wen Chang
Katie Kelsey
Kiera Sanderson
Kerryn Wise
Kirsty Russell
Seraina DejacoThe slideshow below shows you all of the wonderful steering group members who give up their time voluntarily to support the work of the network.If you click on an image you will be redirect to each of their online spaces to find out more about them.
What our steering group members have to say about EMDAN:"For me, EMDAN is about connection through a welcoming space for investigation and development with ongoing reliable support. Chance for ongoing learning, progression and sharing practice. Advocacy for dance artists/ professionals, signposting, celebrating with artists at the heart. Feedback I often hear is that the shared space and experience is so valuable, in an often quite independent career as dance artists. EMDAN has impacted the ever growing community by providing the support and opportunities above, and much more, in a challenging dance/wider arts climate. Opportunities for artists to develop, connect and share"
Danni Chell, Artistic Director MSDC, Derby"Although our community is relatively small and spread out geographically, having a network helps you to feel part of something and that there are like-minded people around. This is so important to me at the moment when our world feels politically and socially more and more divided. Although due to time, I cannot attend every event, the ones I have attended have felt really friendly, supportive and inclusive. For example, the workshop with Northern Rascals felt like a fun, safe and open space to dance. In addition, the EMDAN WhatsApp group helps me to feel connected even when I cannot get to all the in-person events like the regular Open class"
Kerryn Wise, Senior Dance Lecturer DeMontfort University, Leicester, Freelance dance artist/ choreographer
Events
We host a weekly Open Class every Monday during term time at FABRIC, Nottingham 6 - 7.30pmClass is taught by professional dance artists from across the East Midlands and is open to all.You can book your spot on our Spring term classes by clicking the image below
Derby Dance Network also host regular Pro Class at Chapel Street Arts Centre, Derby.Pro Class is running in February and March 2026, you can book onto the classes by clicking the image below
Past Events
Mentoring Programme and Scratch Night 2025
The slideshow below includes images of our 5 mentees, Kim Bormann, Bethany Smith, Ria Ashcroft, MSDC Dance and Rebekah Heathcote. As well as our 4 mentors Ruth Lee, Sophie Thorpe, Jen Sumner and Pete Shenton.You can click on each image to be taken to their online links and find out more about everyone involved in the programme (images by Chris Webb Photography)
In September 2025 with support from Arts Council England, FABRIC Nottingham and Lakeside Arts, we delivered a highly successful East Midlands Mentoring Programme and Scratch Night providing essential support for 5 artists/companies from across the region to develop new work.This included;*£400 bursary
*2 days studio space at Fabric Nottingham/ Chapel Street Arts Centre with Choreographic and Dramaturgical mentoring support
*2 days meeting room space at Fabric Nottingham
*Sharing of work in progress at EMDAN Scratch Night at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham
*3 hour 1-2-1 Career Sustainability Mentoring Session
*3 hour 1-2-1 Health and Well-Being Mentoring Session
*2 hour Group Health and Well-Being Session
*Online Group Introductory Sessions with each of the four mentors – Choreography, Dramaturg, Career Sustainability, Health and Well Being
Group Evaluation sessionThroughout 2024/2025 we were also proud to offer continuing artist training activities including;*EMDAN Open class with local dance artists from across the region and guest artists from across the UK
*CPD Artist Days/Choreo Days with experienced, highly skilled companies/artists including Tom Dale, Alice Marshall, Amy Butler, and Laura Kenyon
*Piloting guest artist workshop and performance with Northern Rascals at Lakeside Arts
*Supporting Derby Dance Network to develop, pilot and deliver regular Pro Classes in Derby at Chapel Street Arts Centre"Well done once again for the wonderful Scratch Night event last night, and for all the hard work and care leading up to that moment providing a development opportunity for the artists. As someone who isn’t always in the studio in the heart of creative spaces so much anymore, it felt like a poignant moment, the coming together of an artistic community by and for that community, working together to underpin and support the work of individuals collectively. Thank you and well done"
Hannah Sharpe, Director of Producing and Programmes FABRIC, Nottingham
Latest News
We send out regular monthly newsletters via our mailing list, you can sign up to receive these mail outs by clicking hereWe also have a WhatsApp group with around 170 members where we share class information, workshops and job opportunities. The link to join is here
Contact
We're always keen to hear from anyone who would like more information about the network.You can click on the icons below that will take you to our Instagram and Facebook pages which are updated regularly with all the goings on from the network.You can also drop us a line via email: [email protected]