THE CREATIVE TEAM AT MDX
DANCE - 2026
LEROY DIAS DOS SANTOS
LECTURER - PERFORMANCE
Throughout his career Leroy has had the pleasure of meeting and working with prestigious people such as HM The Queen, Prince Charles, Jermaine
Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Jason Statham, Will.I.AM, Jessie J, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Sugababes, Aston Merrygold and choreographers such as Jermaine Brown, Rafael Bonachela, Shobana Jesaysingh, Mavin Khoo and companies such as The English National Ballet. After graduating in 2007, he performed in theatre productions such as 'Carmen Jones' (2007) at The Royal Festival Hall, 'La Traviata' (2007) and 'Aida' (2008) conducted under The Welsh National Opera. He is also a member of the street dance sensation Flawless, who were finalists on ITV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ (2009). They featured in movies such as ‘Street Dance 3D’ 1 and 2 by Vertigo films (2009) and have currently been touring their theatre production ‘Chase the Dream 2’ (2018-2019) across the UK and internationally.Louise’s research with Dr Lise Uytterhoeven is published in the Research in Dance Education Journal and her writing about dance careers can be found in the One Dance UK Education Bulletin. Louise has participated in One Dance UKs ‘Dance Teaching Mentoring Programme’ and the Royal Opera House’s ‘Creative Learning Practice Programme’, receiving creative mentorship from Jasmin Vardimon Company, Studio Wayne McGregor and MÓTUS. As well as performing, he has also had the opportunity to choreograph and collaborate with Susie Mckenna on ‘Mandem On The Wall’ Live Show at Hackney Empire (2015) and ‘Macbeth’ with Twist Theatre Company (2015-2016), ‘Hosea’s Girl’ (2015) a Hip Hop spoken word play written by Anastasia Osei- Kuffour.
Leroy is currently based at Middlesex University and IRIE! Dance Theatre teaching urban/hip hop social dances, contemporary technique and choreography. He has also had the opportunity to work with different dance institutions such as Urdang Academy and Roehampton University, which have all played a significant role to his teaching.Instagram: @leroyfx Web: www.leroydias.com
Contact: l.diasdossantos@mdx.ac.ukImage: Josh Chow SIÂN HOPKINS
SENIOR LECTURER - PERFORMANCE
Siân Hopkins, Programme Leader for BA Dance at Middlesex University is a performer, creator, teacher. She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Dance, and an MA with Distinction in Dance Performance with Specialisation in Ritual from Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Since graduating, she has had the pleasure of working with a variety of companies, independent artists, and projects both near and far.
The most inspirational time she spent dancing was in cathedrals and sacred sites with Moving Visions Dance Company (2006-2018), seeking the numinous and exploring meaning in the arts. This work led to pursuing a career in dance education and becoming Research Assistant to Dr Ross McKim as well as Principal Artist and Rehearsal Director for the company. Siân's research interests lie in teaching methodologies focussed on the cultivation of positive self-perception through dance training and performance.She has been a dance lecturer at Rambert School (2012-2021) and a guest teacher at dance institutions around the UK as well as in Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada. Siân has restaged iconic works and choreographed for graduation showcases. Choreographic commissions include various site-specific and cathedral-based projects, Cantata Dramatica's choral dramatisations and collaborative screendance productions. She is also Lead Lectuer for Contemporary with the ISTD, training teachers and examiners in the contemporary syllabi. Siân co-founded Kamavera Dance Theatre with musician and composer Tom Kirkpatrick in 2019, engaging in collaborative creativity and expression through screendance and live performance. The themes explored through the company's work aim to inspire curiosity and reflection, going hand in hand with the belief that dance enables us to become more empathetic, open, and generous human beings. Instagram: @sian.louise.dance
Contact: s.hopkins@mdx.ac.ukImage: Karl SchoemakerANGELA WOODHOUSE
SENIOR LECTURER - CHOREOGRAPHY
Angela draws ideas from an inherited training in interdisciplinary practice, placing the dancing body within various contexts. She received the Lisa Ullmann scholarship to study with Alwin Nikolais and Murrey Louis in New York, and since has worked with Reinhild Hoffmann (Berlin) and Sara Pearson (USA).
Angela’s artistic practice is concerned with audience relations, performance installation, site work and collaboration. Since 1997 Angela has developed a number of innovative dance performance and installation works, many in collaboration with artist Caroline Broadhead and more recently artist Nathaniel Rackowe. Intrinsic to these works has been the potency of intimacy and of near or actual touch between viewers and performers. Her work has toured extensively both nationally and internationally. Past works include Between (2011-13), Censored(2010) in collaboration with Tate Artist Rooms/ Jenny Holzer, Sighted(2009), for Deloitte Ignite at The Royal Opera House, later reconstructed for Collect 2015 at Saatchi Gallery, and endings for Transitions Dance Company (2009/10). Angela was selected as one of the commissioned artists for the inaugural Place Prize 2004 with Threshold.
In regard to current projects, Angela has developed (Un)touched (2014 – 20) with artist Nathaniel Rackowe (shortlisted for the Jerwood Choreographic Project 2013) premiering as part of ‘Artists at Work’ at One Canada Square, Canary Wharf (2016) with further performances at Fold Gallery, London, The National Museum in Belgrade, and the Opera House, Oslo as part of CODA International Dance Festival. Other recent works include Close Distance (2017) commissioned by Nottingham Galleries and Museums, an installation in collaboration with artists Caroline Broadhead and Nic Sandiland for the 16th Century manor Wollaton Hall; (de)figured (2018) with Nathaniel Rackowe, an evolving installation commissioned by Elephant Magazine and subsequently re- worked for Royal Society of Sculptors and Alserkal Lates Festival (2019) in Dubai; Thermal Duets (2019), a series of short duets for ipods using thermal technologies shown in London, Brazil and Peru.
Angela was visiting choreographer / director for The London College of Fashion MA Costume for Performance (2015 -2017). She has taught at the Tanzhoff Akadamie, Switzerland, Central St Martins School of Art, London, Trinity Laban, London Contemporary Dance School, and Wimbledon College of Art. In 2018 she was Artist in Residence for the MA Creative Practice (Trinity Laban/Independance) at Siobhan Davies Studios. Her work has been supported by Arts Council England, Middlesex University, English Heritage, Canary Wharf PLC, and other foundations.
Instagram @woodhouse642 Web: https://angelawoodhouse.co.uk/
Contact: a.woodhouse@mdx.ac.ukDR ROSS MCKIM
GUEST REPERTOIRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Ross McKim's career in dance is marked by his innovative approach to performance and his commitment to exploring the numinous experience of dance. He has been a principal dancer for prestigious ballet and dance companies, including The Royal Danish Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada and London Contemporary Dance Theatre. As Artistic Director of Rambert School for 30 years, he trained dancers and shared his passion for movement and expression with many dance artists. McKim's work has been recognised internationally, and a documentary "The Gospel of Ross McKim" made of his contributions to dance. His work is further explored in his books, which delve into the philosophical and creative processes of his work with Moving Visions Dance Theatre, a cathedral dance research project company.THE CREATIVE TEAM AT MDX
THEATRE ARTS - 2026
THEATRE ARTS
DR MEG CUNNINGHAM
Meg is a designer, researcher and teacher.
Meg’s design work includes a wide range of environmental experiences seen in collaborative theatre, spatial installation and themed entertainment.
Originally from California, she holds a Bachelors of Architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (in California) and an MFA in Scenic Design from Carnegie Mellon.
Before moving to London, Meg was the Senior Art Director for Wyatt Design Group, a themed entertinment design company in Los Angeles, where she worked on multiple projects and attractions, including AMC’s The Walking Dead Attraction at Universal Studios, Hollywod and Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, a 4D interactive ride for Six Flags parks.
As part of her practice-based PhD at University of Surrey (completed 2022), Meg designed environments for several immersive theatre productions/festivals in England, including The Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival and Boomtown Fair. One of her other design projects, the immersive-interactive show The Church of the Sturdy Virgin with Dank Parish collective, took over the entire Waterloo Unit 9 tunnels at London’s VAULT Festival in 2018 and included design of many interconnected environments.
Meg has been a Lecturer of Scenography at Middlesex University, London since 2020. She is also the programme leader for BA (Hons) Theatre, and served as the programme leader for MA Arts Management. She has been privileged to supervise 2 PhD by Public Works candidates to completion in 2025.
Both Meg’s practice and research explores how architectural and scenographic design helps tell the story of an immersive world.
Web: https://megcunningham.com/
contact: m.cunningham@mdx.ac.ukTHE CREATIVE TEAM AT MDX
TECHNICIANS - 2026
EVENT PRODUCTION & LIGHTING
MIKKEL SVAK
A transdisciplinary artist, Mikkel Svak is an autodidact lighting and stage designer. Trained as a dancer at the Rambert School (UK) and in Horton pedagogy at the Alvin Ailey School (US), he started his career in the arts as a unicyclist and fire performer in Denmark aged just 11 before becoming interested in contemporary dance and physical theatre in his late teens. Today he lives and works in London, UK, with a focus on the visual expression of movement and lighting, and a particular interest in the integration of visual arts and live motion. This is his 20th year of designing for MDX Dance.COSTUME
AYLIN ALTINELLI
Aylin has been a costume maker / supervisor for Theatre, Film and Television since 2002. She has worked on numerous TV and Film productions in Istanbul as a Costume Supervisor for five years before deciding to move to the UK in 2007. In 2013, Aylin completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Theatre Costume at RADA and became a freelance costume maker and supervisor in the UK. Over the years, she has worked for various Theatre, Film and Dance companies such as Richard Alston Dance Company, Haymarket Theatre Academy (MTA), West End shows; 'Magic Goes Wrong" at Apollo Theatre and "Witness for the Prosecution" at County Hall, English National Opera and New English Ballet Theatre. Currently, she works for Middlesex University as a costume technician. www.aylinaltinelli.comCAROLINE HAGLEY
Caroline has worked in costuming for over 25 years and has worked in theatre, dance, theme parks, ice shows and TV as a supervisor, designer, maker, and running wardrobe. Notably she has worked for Northern Ballet Theatre, English National Ballet, The Bolshoi, Kirov, and spent 11 years working for Rambert Dance Company as their Costume Supervisor. Caroline joined Middlesex University in 2016 and enjoys being able to share her skillset and knowledge with the students.