Operational Team and Board of Trustees
Helen Linsell
Artistic Director
Since completing her Postgraduate Diploma in Community Dance at Laban in 2001, Helen has worked extensively as a Community Dance Practitioner. Her roles have included Youth Dance Practitioner for South East National Dance Agency, Dance Development Officer for Crawley Borough Council and Education and Community Dance Practitioner for Laban. In 2007, Helen joined Dance United, working at The Academy in Bradford with young offenders and women in prison.
She became Academy Director in 2008 and Artistic Director when the Academy evolved into Dance United Yorkshire in 2011, continuing to specialise in social inclusion. Helen has directed independent projects in South Africa, Namibia and Jamaica as well as facilitating for organisations across Yorkshire. She also continues to deliver behaviour management training, mentoring and artist development and works as an assessor for Trinity College London. Helen published her ‘Behaviour Management and Communication in Practice’ in 2012 and completed an MA in ‘Psychodynamic Approaches to Working with Adolescents’ in 2017.
Duncan Bedson
Executive Director
With a BA Honours Degree in History and a background in customer service and facility management, Duncan was recruited by Dance United in 2006 to manage their Academy facility in Bradford. His portfolio rapidly expanded to encompass many of the other organisational and support responsibilities associated with Dance United’s unique provisioning.
In 2011 Duncan was tasked, along with 2 other members of the management team (including Helen Linsell), to found Dance United Yorkshire.
Appointed General Manager and Executive Director, Duncan has overall accountability for the non-artistic side of the company. His wide-ranging role includes financial management, recruitment and referral coordination, project management, safeguarding lead and line management responsibility for the admin and support team.
Abbie Padgett
Projects Manager
Abbie graduated from York St John University in 2019 after studying Dance BA (Hons). Whilst at university she volunteered as a placement student with Dance United Yorkshire and has been working on DUY’s projects ever since.
In September 2020 the charity was delighted to appoint Abbie to a full-time role, working alongside the General Manager to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of DUY’s demanding company administration, social media reach and project management requirements. Abbie’s passion is supporting young people in creating positive changes to their lives, as well as enabling them to push themselves beyond their limits and unlock their often-unrecognised potential.
Abbie is proud to say that she is born and bred in Bradford, and equally proud to be a huge supporter of Bradford City Football Club.
Isobel Frost
Freelance Dance Artist
Izy graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) in 2023 with a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance. During her time at NSCD, Izy decided to complete her teaching placement with Dance United Yorkshire and since then has loved the work that DUY do. In February 2024 she started volunteering with DUY, supporting the Women's Company and the RESI/dance programme. Since September 2024 she has helped with multiple projects and the RESI/dance programme, joining the teaching team as a freelance artist. Izy loves to work with both adults and children, increasing their confidence and self-worth one dance class at a time.
In Izy's spare time she dances with an LGBTQ+ dance company which tours across Yorkshire at various venues. She also loves to bake bread and make homemade soup.
Tallulah Shannon
Freelance Dance Artist
Tallulah is a freelance dance artist based in Sheffield. She graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2024 with a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance. During her training, she developed a strong interest in community and intergenerational dance, leading her to create a Mother and Daughter Dance Project in Derbyshire in 2023. That same year, she was introduced to Dance United Yorkshire (DUY) through a teaching placement with their youth company.
After graduating, Tallulah co-choreographed a large-scale intergenerational piece as part of a collaboration between DUY and Akram Khan Company. The work brought together performers of all ages for a performance on the Alhambra Theatre stage in July 2025.
She continues to work with DUY and is passionate about making dance accessible, joyful, and inclusive. Alongside this, she teaches pre-vocational dance, runs children’s theatre workshops, facilitates an intergenerational choir, and performs in both outdoor family theatre and a band.
Elliot Augustine
Freelance Dance Artist
Elliot is a freelance dance artist from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. He graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance with a BA and MA in Dance Performance in 2019, during which he completed an apprenticeship with Phoenix Dance Theatre. Since graduating, Elliott has worked extensively with Dance United Yorkshire, teaching, choreographing, and creating inclusive work with people of all ages. He co-choreographed Doodles and Daydreams, a large-scale community piece in Bradford, and continues to lead projects that centre creativity and accessibility.
Elliott is currently the Regional Dance Ambassador for Bradford, a role in partnership with New Adventures and the Alhambra Theatre, where he connects local communities with the themes of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake.
In the lead-up to Bradford City of Culture 2025, he was selected as an emerging choreographer for Memories of the Future, a collaboration between Akram Khan Company and DUY. He also works with Men in Recovery, using movement to support addiction recovery.
His practice centres on storytelling, connection, and inclusive access to dance.
Jorden Brooksy
Freelance Dance Artist
Jorden Brooks is a freelance dance artist based in Leeds. She trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2022, and went on to join NSCD’s postgraduate company VERVE, touring internationally and performing works by Extended Play, Faye Tan, and Kor’sia.
Since graduating, Jorden has worked with Excessive Human Collective and Tamar & Jo, assisted as a Movement Director with the National Youth Theatre, and interned as a Rehearsal Director with Perfectly Serviceable. As a choreographer, she presented her work Step Jockey at Resolution Festival 2024 and is currently creating new work with Hull Dance Youth Company, with an R&D planned in Hull this spring.
Jorden joined Dance United Yorkshire in October 2024, initially co-facilitating a men’s project in Castleford. She now leads regular sessions, choreographs performances, and nurtures a supportive creative space. Alongside this, she delivers outreach for Sadler’s Wells and NSCD, and is passionate about inclusive, collaborative, high-quality dance experiences.
Kian Crabtree
Freelance Dance Artist
Kian graduated from DeMontfort University in 2021 with an upper second class degree in BA Honours Dance: performance and choreography. Whilst at university he was part of multiple external dance projects such as; Code Crew, West Side Story, and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Curve Theatre in Leicester.
Alongside his studies he spent the years 2019/20/21 as a One Dance UK & Dance Consortium ambassador focussing on educating the next generation about the accessibility of dance and how to get involved through training, workshops, auditions and CAT schemes etc. Speaking at national events he would educate and inspire young people to take a step into the dance sector.
Since graduating he has worked closely with Dance United on multiple Projects including; Homeland, Free and Memories of The Future. Moving forward he wishes to focus on the teaching and coaching of the next generation and help to guide them through their dance journey which is shown through one of his current roles with the Pauline Quirke Academy as a Comedy and Drama teacher.
Ann-Marie Teed
Trustee - Chair (since January 2023)
Ann-Marie is the HR Director for Factory International and has worked at a senior level in both HR Operations and change management programmes for over 20 years.
She has led HR teams at board level within the private sector and has extensive experience of delivering change initiatives through large, complex transition and transformation programmes within both the private and the public sectors.
Before joining Factory International she focused her skills, experience and expertise to support a broad range of SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) and third sector organisations in the North of England, including those engaged in the arts, culture and music
Shazad Ali
Trustee
Shazad Ali works at Co-op Grange Academy in BD5 as the Lead of Alternative Provisions. Shazad has ten years of experience supporting young people in a school setting, community engagement and youth work.
His last employment was at Bradford Academy for six years. The roles he undertook whilst there were pastoral support worker, a lead practitioner for behaviour, lead for on-site and offsite alternative provisions and staff governor.
Shazad has a 2:1 BA honours in Criminology.
Shazad is also a treasure at Manningham Allstars FC and a board member at EdClass Alternative Provisions. He has had strong relationships and connections with businesses such as CEO, MDs in Bradford, and sorry ring areas.
Shazad has had a 5-year working relationship with DUY during his time at Bradford Academy, referring students to DUY’s intensive projects.
Nikki Crane
Trustee
Nikki trained in dance and has over thirty years’ experience working in the arts, first as a practitioner and then in strategy and funding. Whilst at Arts Council England she led the development of the Arts Council’s first national strategies for Arts and Criminal Justice and Arts and Health. As Head of Arts Strategy at Guy's & St Thomas' Charity she managed an £8 million portfolio of arts and health programmes.
Currently, Nikki is King's College London’s lead for arts and health and wellbeing. This role includes supporting the development and delivery of 'SHAPER' (Scaling-up Health-Arts Programmes: Implementation and Effectiveness Research). This is the world’s largest study into the impact of arts on physical and mental health, and is supported by a £2m award from Wellcome Trust. Nikki is also a consultant on Scottish Ballet’s Dance Health programme and is a member of the advisory committee for the National Centre for Creative Health.
Blair Davies
Trustee
Blair was a Chief Superintendent with the UK Police and for over 30 years served in various operational, investigative and command roles. For 3 years he was a Director of the National Police College in Bramshill, training senior police officers from the UK and abroad in strategic command and leadership skills. After retiring from the police he was engaged by HM Government for 12 years in Africa, leading democratic policing reform projects in Ethiopia, Botswana and Nigeria.
Whilst in Ethiopia he became involved with the Adugna Dance Company, a collective of street children who were to subsequently inspire Andrew Coggins and others to create Dance United in London. Blair joined the board of Dance United in 2007, and became a founding director of Dance United Yorkshire in 2011. He was chair of DUY from 2014 to 2023 and is passionate about DUY’s transformative role in addressing social justice issues of equality, inclusivity and realisation of human potential.
Dawn Holgate
Trustee
Dawn is a respected dance educator, choreographer, and advocate for inclusive arts. She began her career with Phoenix Dance Theatre as one of its first female dancers before becoming the company’s first Education Manager, where she established the Phoenix Dance Academy, a legacy that continues to shape young dancers today.
Dawn is currently the Course Leader for the Foundation Dance Degree at The Mill School of Performance (University Centre Leeds) and has played a key role in developing youth dance across Yorkshire, founding 11 youth dance groups in the East Riding. She is passionate about creating accessible, high-quality training opportunities for young dancers and emerging artists.
She has been the Resident Choreographer for Leeds Grand Youth Theatre for over a decade, leading choreography for productions including The Addams Family at City Varieties Music Hall. She also works as a freelance movement director, supporting regional theatre and performance projects.
Gemma Pearson
Trustee
Gemma is a resident of Bradford and been associated with DUY since 2016, when two of her children became involved with DUY’s intergenerational piece Doodles and Daydreams. Gemma subsequently joined the Bradford Women’s Company and participated in the making of Here I Am, the DUY film that has since featured at various film festivals. Her children are members of the Holme Wood RESI/DANCE project.
Gemma currently works as a Mental Health Peer Support Worker, using her lived experience of mental illness to support those in mental health crisis. She has undertaken a wide range of healthcare studies including conflict resolution, safeguarding and preventing radicalisation. Gemma recently completed, with first class honours, a degree course in Occupational Therapy at the University of Bradford.
Mohammed Saeed
Trustee
Saeed is an emerging dance artist with a deep passion for movement and storytelling. He began his dance journey in 2017 when he joined a Dance United Yorkshire project, having never danced before. Since then, he has dedicated himself to the art form, developing his skills and carving out exciting opportunities in the dance world.
Saeed’s commitment and talent earned him a place at the prestigious New Adventures Cygnet School, where he trained with leading industry professionals. He has since worked on several collaborative projects between DUY and New Adventures, gaining valuable experience in performance and creative processes.
His time with DUY has also taken him beyond the UK, including his participation in Dream Dare Do, an international exchange with a dance company in Aruba. Now studying for his undergraduate degree in Dance at Leeds Beckett University, Saeed is keen to use his lived experience to inspire and support others.
Andrew Coggins
Honorary President
Andrew’s early career was in theatre production and large-scale music-theatre performance. He went on to study for a degree in Politics and Philosophy at York University and, after graduating, became one of the earliest independent producers of the Channel 4 era. Much of his programming involved co-productions with the BBC, including documentaries from within communist Poland.
A feature-length BBC documentary in Ethiopia served to highlight the plight of street children and his response was to help establish Adugna, a five-year intensive contemporary dance training programme for eighteen former street and working children. The success of the project led to the creation of the original, award-winning Dance United company – the precursor to Dance United Yorkshire. In 2011, Andrew was awarded an MBE for services to contemporary dance and disadvantaged young people.