Committee

The committee is behind the running of the CU Ballet Club.
We organise everything from daily classes, performances, teachers, competitions, social events to merchandise.
We meet regularly to make important decisions and plan ahead for upcoming events.

The committee is elected at our AGM at the end of Lent Term each year and serves for one year.
Candidates are required to submit a manifesto and give a short speech on why they would like to join and what they will bring to the club. All members are encouraged to attend and vote at our AGM.

If you have any questions please get in touch with us here.

COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT - CHLOE WARD

Chloe is a first year English Literature student and began ballet at the age of six. She has trained in ballet, contemporary, modern jazz and tap alongside her academic studies, with a particular focus on ballet and contemporary through the Northern Ballet Associate scheme, which she attended for 5 years. She achieved Distinction in her RAD graded examinations up to Grade 8 and vocational examinations to Advanced 1 level. Chloe has featured in various performances during her time dancing, highlighting her performance with National Youth Ballet at Sadler’s Wells theatre in London (2016) as one of the most inspirational to her love of performing onstage. Since beginning her studies at Cambridge, she has danced with Trinity College Music Society in their opera ‘Giulio Cesare’, choreographed a contemporary dance featured in Robinson College’s Light Festival, and performed with the Ballet Club in ‘Scheherazade’ and as Titania in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream'.

VICE-PRESIDENT - ANNA BIRD

Anna began dancing at the age of three and performed regularly in her studio’s productions. Anna also studied tap and jazz dance, but was always most fond of ballet. She had a break from dance during her undergraduate degree. Then on moving from the US to Cambridge in October 2019 to start her PhD in Chemical Engineering, the ballet club reinvigorated her love for dance. As an engineer, Anna is well trained in project management and organizational skills, and is looking forward to aiding the club’s members and the committee in any way that she can! Anna is also a cellist and is part of the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra. She loves being able to express and experience music through both orchestra and dance.

Photo credit to Alex Lake

TREASURER - JONATHAN HOARE

Jonathan is a second year Phys Natsci student and has done ballet since the age of eight, when he was inspired by watching Billy Elliot! Jonathan really enjoyed the classes and shows during his first year at Cambridge, so decided during his second year to get more involved in the club by becoming Treasurer. He has prior experience of working in a committee through being Men’s Captain and Head Coach for the Cambridge University Olympic Gymnastics Club.

SECRETARY - SCOTT LEE

Scott joined the ballet club two years ago at the start of his PhD. He had his first glimpse of ballet when he attended a production of The Nutcracker two years ago, and was immediately inspired to start taking ballet classes. Joining the ballet club has been one of the highlights of his experience at Cambridge and he greatly enjoyed his first soloist role playing Alaeddin in Scheherazade. Previously, he was a student ambassador at King's College London throughout his undergraduate degree, helping to organise and run many events such as university open days and guest lectures. He is looking forward to working together with the rest of the committee to serve our large community of dancers.

SOCIAL SECRETARY - ANDREAS PAPASAVVAS

Andreas is a second-year law student and began ballet classes in October 2019. The desire to get involved with ballet originally emerged when he was watching the club’s performance of Don Quixote last year. He has since played the part of the Evil Magician in Scheherazade and is currently attending the club’s Beginners 2 class, which he enjoys immensely. He is also a member of Clare College’s Christmas Fair Committee for 2020. Andreas wants to share his enthusiasm for ballet with the other club members through organizing and coordinating various formals, trips and social events, providing for some much needed breaks from the intensity of academic life and the fast pace of life in general.

Photo credit to Alex Lake

PUBLICITY OFFICER - DONNA SMITH

After moving to Cambridge six years ago to work as a publishing editor, Donna was delighted to discover that the ballet club welcomes non-students. She started dance classes when she was three years old and has enjoyed it ever since. Highlights last year were passing the RAD Intermediate exam and dancing en pointe on stage for the first time. Donna was previously a dance society committee member during her undergraduate degree, and is looking forward to contributing to the organisation of the shows and running of the ballet club this year!

TECHNICAL OFFICER - HAYLEY JACKSON

Hayley first joined the ballet club in 2017, while on a placement year for her Natural Sciences degree at the University of Bath. After her final year, she re-joined the club in September 2019. Hayley has done ballet since the age of four, completing the RAD exams up to grade 8, but danced fairly casually and has particularly found a love for ballet as an adult. She loves that being part of the ballet club allows her to continue improving and has given her the opportunity to be part of two shows so far. Hayley is looking forward to taking up the challenge of tech officer!

COSTUMES TEAM - KIMBERLEY, BARRY, CLAIRE AND JENIFER

Last year’s costumes officers Kym and Claire have expanded their team to include Barry and Jenny. They have all been dancing with the club for many years and collectively have performed in almost every show since 2009. They have become close friends through the ballet club and are hugely enthusiastic about providing costumes and stash for the club this year.