Meet the Team
Company Director
Kathy Young
Kathy was Dance Blast's Diversability Project Manager p/t overseeing the entire DiverseAbility and Aerial programs until September 2022 when she became our fulltime Company Director.
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Full Biography coming soon!
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Community Outreach Facilitator &
Project Manager
Zoe graduated from University of Hull in 2003 with a BA (Hons) Dance Degree and started her career as a Freelance Community Dance Practitioner in 2005.
Over her 19 years experience Zoe has worked with a range of ages and abilities in the community and education sector, making creative and contemporary dance accessible to children and young people in South Wales.
Zoe joined Dance Blast in June 2024 and is enjoying bringing Dance Blast back out into the communities of Monmouthshire.
Zoe Adcock
Administrator & Welsh Ambassador
Sue Maloney
Sue was a teacher for over 30 years working in both primary and secondary schools in England and Wales. Teaching a variety of subjects including Art and Welsh with responsibilty for careers and work experience. Sue has professional and personal experience of supporting young people with additional/behavioural needs. A Welsh learner, Sue has reached level Gloywi with Coleg Gwent Dysgu Cymraeg and last year achieved Certificate in Welsh Language Skills from Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Presently Sue is Dance Blast's administrator and Welsh ambassador. She is also the secretary for Dance Blast's Board of Trustees. Sue's daughter has been a member of MYDC for ten years. Sue enjoys baking, gardening and Pilates in her spare time.
Admin Volunteer
Sari Davis
Sari has been retired for several years. She is an economist and has worked with computers for more than 30 years, which has enabled her to become a volunteer.
Sari is involved with the admin side of Dance Blast and joined in 2022 and enjoys the work very much.
Kim Noble
Kim is originally from Monmouth and attended Monmouth Comprehensive School. Kim later trained at Northern School for Contemporary Dance. Based in Cardiff, Kim is an experienced and well respected dancer, choreographer and teacher, working in dance since 2008. Kim has many skills including: Circus skills- Static trapeze and aerial hoop/ dance/ harness and bungee work. Yoga- Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow and ‘Swing Hop’. Kim has performed with a numer of companies nationally and internationally and is a founder member of Kitsch & Sync Collective.
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Kim has lead MYDC since 2017 and has inspired many of the company to go on to study dance at university. More recently Kim has also become to Artistic Director for MCDC our inclusive adult dance company.
MYDC - Monmouthshire Youth Dance Company &
MCDC - Monmouthshire Connected Dance Company Artistic Director
MYCC - Monmouthshire Youth Circus
Company Artistic Director
Elle Edwards
Elle's circus life began in Las Alpujarras where she found herself living with a dance and theatre company on a sunny olive farm. After graduating from Circomedia in 2010, Elle began working for NoFit State Circus in their show Bianco, Turning Savage and has performed around the world as an aerialist, hula hooper, and street performer.
In 2023, Elle completed an MA in Directing Contemporary Circus and Physical Performance with a Leverhulme Scholarship, she now works as Company Director for MYCCC and creates site-specific productions in and around South Wales. Elle produces outdoor arts events and festivals across the UK, she is a founding member of Splatch Productions and the Circus Village partnership. She is passionate about the imagination and youth participation in circus and outdoor arts.
Atomic Street Dance Tutor & Choreographer
Hayley Feehan
Hayley started dancing at the age of five learning tap, jazz and modern in Dot & Margaret Watts stage school and progressed onto Catherines School of Dance in Cardiff. Hayley studied Ba (Hons) Degree in Dance at UWIC focusing on contemporary dance and choreography. Hayley won the Dilys Price award for most improved student in dance. Hayley started teaching dance while at university, teaching street, jazz and tap classes in Cardiff these classes are still running at present. Since leaving university Hayley has been a freelance tutor working with a variety of community and educational organisations working with many different age groups and abilities. Teaching has always been a passion of Hayley's, seeing participants enjoy themselves while engaging, developing and improving their dance and performance skills.
Fran Higginson
Fran trained at Laban, and has worked in community dance and education ever since. She is passionate about how dance and aerial circus can impact on people's wellbeing and believes wholeheartedly in dancing because it makes you feel good in body and soul. Inclusive practice is central to her work and she has explored and developed this with Blue Eyed Soul, Candoco, Amici, Paradance UK, DanceXchange and most recently Iris training with StopGap Dance Company. Fran has been learning Welsh for the last five years and is very pleased to use Welsh in conversation and in the studio.
Dance Tutor & Aerial Assistant
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Boys Blast Tutor & Choreographer
Sam Buswell
Sam Buswell, he/him, is a contemporary dancer who’s been moving since the age of 7, inspired by his sister, who got him into tap, modern, and ballet. Later on, during school and college, he discovered breakdancing and contemporary, styles that became his way of expressing himself through movement.
He trained at Trinity Laban, graduating with a First Class Honours degree and receiving the Marion North Award for Outstanding Achievement in Performance (out of a cohort of 200 students). After that, he joined VERVE, the postgraduate company at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, where he earned a Distinction and got a mention in Dance Europe Magazine for being “courageous, charismatic, and physically strong.”
After graduating, Sam freelanced with Motionhouse and Tamsyn Russell before landing a dream job with 2Faced Dance Company. Since then, he’s toured across the globe, from Abu Dhabi to China, and in 2023 stepped into the role of Rehearsal Director. He’s already led rehearsals for multiple shows.
For him, dance started as a way to express emotions and connect with others, and now, through teaching and performing, it’s become a way to help others do the same.
Photo credit: Emma Drabble
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Aerial Tutor
Jani Foldi
Jani is a Hungarian born daredevil.
He trained in dance and martial arts from an early age as a hobbyist, and pursued his dream to save the planet by becoming an Environmental Manager.
After he moved to the UK and lived in London for years, at the age of 24 he found Circus.
He trained and got his degree at the National Centre for Circus Arts, then his Master's at Circomedia Bristol.
He wouldn't have made it without some of the best training facilities and even more amazing teachers. Hangar Arts Trust (Fiona Lait), Aerial Days Archway (Clare Anderson, Genevieve Monastesse), Victor Fomin (Victor's studio Montreal), Lyndall Merry and many more.
He has travelled across the globe with different companies, but his heart belongs to Wales and the UK. Giving up touring life to settle down and help build local communities with arts, hospitality and entertainment.
Outreach Dance Tutor
Eluned Owen
Eluned grew up ballet dancing in Aberystwyth, and studied contemporary dance at the University of Winchester. She has worked with Dance Blast since 2024. She created her first work, Minlliw, with Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch in 2022, which was performed at Agor Drysau Festival in 2024. Also in 2024, she danced in Cyprus with Kokoro Arts, and performed as a member of NYDW. Since graduating Eluned has continued to train in Wales, and in 2025 completed the Seedbed training course with Stopgap Dance Company. As well as leading dance classes, Eluned has been a dance adjudicator at many Eisteddfods and competitions. As a teacher, Eluned is excited to choreograph and give dancers the space to be as creative as they want.
Kaiya Thomas
Kaiya started learning circus at the age of 8 with NoFit States youth circus and is currently studying at Circomedia She specialises in aerial and her favourite apparatus is silks although she does a mix of ground skills too, including partner acro, hula hoop, movement. Her past experiences include teaching, performing and volunteering with companies such as Circomedia, NoFit State, Circomotion and Up Side Down Circus. She has experience teaching all aerial disciplines, partner acro, conditioning and flexibility. Kaiya has always had a passion for circus and hopes to share her knowledge of circus with people around the globe.
Aerial Tutor
Aerial Tutor
Drew Morris
Aerial Tutor
Kevin McIntosh
Ballroom & Latin Tutor
Ann Brinkley
Ann began her adventure with dance at about 9 years of age and completed all her amateur medal tests as a child. At 16 she left school to work full time to enable her to embark on the competitive stage of her dance career. Ann was trained by world champions and danced up to championship level, very much supported by her parents. After a break from dance whilst she had children, Ann turned professional in her mid 30's, studying for her qualifications whilst gaining lots of teaching experience in a dance school in Lancashire. In 1998 Ann relocated from Lancashire to South Wales and has been self employed as a free lance dance teacher ever since. To teach and share Ann's love of dance with as many people as possible has always been her passion, and working with Dance Blast has helped achieve this. Come along to one of Ann's classes and give it a try. It's a wonderful way to enjoy exercise and make new friends. Keep dancing!!!!
Lauren Maloney
Lauren started dancing at Dance Blast when she was 17 yrs old, attending classes such as DanceAbility Adults and Adults Aerial Dance. Lauren is a Dance Assistant for DanceAbility Youth and Juniors and has most recently undertaken a training course about Inclusive Dance with Stopgap Dance Company. Lauren is also a member of Monmouthshire Connected Dance Company, performing locally and collaborating with choreographers during Dance Blast's Ignite Project.
DanceAbility Assistant
Dance Assistant
Lilly Webb
Lilly is a Commercial/ Hip Hop dancer and has a strong interest in musical theatre. She has taken part in a Dance Leadership course through Dance Blast and has qualified through Level 1. Lilly started dancing at Dance Blast when she was 10 years old, working her way up through the Atomic classes. She is currently attending Advanced Atomic and assists for the younger atomic classes and mini blast classes that are taught by Hayley on a Thursday, aswell as assisting Eluned on a Wednesday with Mini Blast. Lilly also works with “Tiny Toes Ballet”, helping to teach toddlers ballet.
Lilly loves to assist those who need help and enjoys watching dancers grow as they learn new techniques and skills.
Sammy Varley
Sammy has been a member of Monmouthshire Connected Dance Company since it's creation in 2015, performing, creating and collaborating with a variety of choreographers. Sammy is one of Dance Blast's Dance Assistant, supporting Youth and Junior classes in Chepstow. Sammy also enjoys dancing in Dance Blast's Zumba and DanceAbility Adults classes. As well as completing previous training with Stopgap Dance Company, Sammy has most recently completed their 12 week Seedbed Inclusive Dance training program.
Naomi Keevil
Naomi grew up in West Wales and began dancing at the Jane Guy School of Dancing in Aberaeron. Her love of movement and performance lead her to study Theatre at Lancaster University. She went on to work as an actor, performer, puppeteer, and education specialist with many companies including Theatr Powys, LoudMouth, Impelo Dance and PuppetSoup. She regularily works as a freelance facilitator and workshop leader running sessions in schools and educational settings.
DanceAbility Assistant
Dance Blast Co-Founders
Sally was co-founder of Dance Blast. She was our Company Director until September 2022 and Artistic Director from then until January 24.
Sally Carlson
Emma was co-founder of Dance Blast and Artistic Director of Monmouthshire Youth Dance Company from its inception in September 2007 until March 2017.
Emma Carlson
