A dance teacher wear’s many hats. Some days we act as a therapist while others we are an advisor. Sometimes a mentor and often a role model. We have all entered into this vocation to change lives, support healthy child development and maybe even inspire the pursuit of a career or education in dance. At the post-secondary and professional level this role does not change much, as professors, artistic directors and ballet masters have indicated that their roles involve aspects of mentorship, guidance and teacher. Today we will take a deeper look into the role of the mentor specifically for early career dance artists.

GUEST: After completing her undergraduate training in Dance Theatre at Trinity Laban where she later also completed her master’s degree, Nina Atkinson founded the Loop Dance Company in 1993. In 2004 Nina returned from a two-year sabbatical in New York studying at the Limón Dance Foundation and in 2008 returned to New York to study on the first Limón Teachers Program. Nina’s research interests lie in creating artwork for unusual spaces, from large-scale site-specific work to intimate installation experiences. Nina is, a Lecturer at Canterbury Christchurch University and University of Roehampton and is currently a Visiting Lecturer for Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in their post graduate diploma in Community Dance program. She is currently studying for her PhD at Coventry University.