It’s been an inspiring and action-packed week, working alongside a brilliant team of performers and puppeteers to bring Eko’s farewell 2025 UK Tour to life. Now, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the incredible 2025 cast of Out of the Deep Blue !
Freya Davis is a Midlands-based freelance dance artist working in performance and community dance settings. She undertook her formal training at the University of Derby and went on to achieve a Distinction on the University of Salford MA: Dance Performance and Professional Practice course under the artistic direction of Joss Arnott as part of Emergence. Freya has worked with companies such as Kate Taylor, Lisa Simpson Inclusive Dance, Autin Dance Theatre, Ludus, Turned on Its Head and Adaire to Dance.
Nina Grindley is based in Leeds/Birmingham and is currently undertaking a BA at Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She graduated from West Midlands CAT scheme and Linden Youth Dance Company in 2023. In 2020, Nina was selected to be a part of One Dance UK’s Young Creatives programme, her final piece was titled ‘除け者 – NOKEMONO’. In 2022, Nina collaborated with contemporary artist Lucy McLauchlan, to create live improvised movement within her installation ‘Expressive Deviant Phenology’. This was part of ‘Found Cities, Lost Objects; Women in the City’, an exhibition in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery that encouraged visitors to view the city through a woman’s eyes.
Laura Hague is a London-based dance artist and choreographer working across Jazz, Commercial, Contemporary, and circus industries. She has performed with Alleyne Dance, Ascension Dance, Incandescence Circus, Boomtown Festival, FILA, NIKE, and The Royal Albert Hall. Her choreographic credits include Sky Arts, LIPA (UK), The Distance Disco Project (USA), and The Vintage Circus (Palestine). Laura’s full-length show, ‘Do You Understand Me?’, reflects her passion for creating work that educates audiences on social and political topics through emotive and entertaining movement. She continues to develop her own work, blending powerful storytelling with dynamic choreography.
Mandy Tan is a contemporary dance artist and educator from Singapore, based in London. Her movement style blends acrobatics, floorwork, and her early training in classical Chinese Dance and Ballet, creating a continuous flow of energy. She brings elegance and athleticism to her performances, choreography, and teaching. Mandy creates works for stage and film while teaching contemporary dance to adults. Her approach fosters a playful, supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to express themselves freely through movement, reflecting her belief that dance is for everyone.
Jamie Higgins is a professional aerial dancer with over a decade of experience in the circus and dance industry. Jamie trained as a dancer, and then an aerialist and has found the marriage between these two art forms to be highly complimentary. After graduating London Contemporary Dance School (2008), Jamie has spent the last 15 years performing all around the world, his expertise have given him the chance to perform at The Royal Opera House, Bregenz Opera house, Opera de Lille, performing with some amazing companies, Gravity & Levity, Fidgetfeet, Levantes Dance Theatre, and performing in shows such as The Olympics, The Commonwealth Games, Bear Grylls arena tour (Endeavour).
Sarah Butler is a freelance dance and theatre artist based in South Derbyshire, specializing in dance, theatre, and puppetry. She collaborates on devised work, often performing outdoors and in unique spaces. She works extensively with Autin Dance Theatre, Jess Murray Dance, Rebel Sparks, and Spiltmilk Dance as a performer, choreographer, and mentor. Past credits include Tell Tale Hearts, Glasshouse Dance, and Birmingham Opera. She is an Engagement Artist for NDCWales and a lecturer in Physical Theatre. As EMDAN’s coordinator, she secured Arts Council funding for its mentoring program, scratch night, and artist support from 2024-2025.
Will Hodson is a freelance dance artist based in Birmingham, originally from Eastleigh, Hampshire. He began training in 2013 at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance before earning a First-Class (Hons) degree from the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance (2014–2017). He completed his Master’s at the University of Chichester while touring with MapDance. Will has performed with 2Faced Dance Company, ZoieLogic Dance Theatre, Luke Brown Dance, Tribe, Shaper Caper, and Protein. He currently collaborates on various projects with Autin Dance Theatre, bringing his expertise as a performer and facilitator to the contemporary dance scene.
Frank Hickman is a Birmingham-based freelance dance artist. Since earning his Performing Arts degree in 2017, he has explored both powerful and vulnerable movement. Passionate about mental well-being, he participated in Restoke’s ‘Man Up’ (2018). He has performed with companies like Restoke, Highly Sprung, and Autin Dance Theatre, working in dance theatre, children’s theatre, and large-scale puppetry. Touring internationally, he has spent two years with ‘Out of the Deep Blue’ and performed as a puppeteer in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. Frank continues freelancing with Autin Dance Theatre, bringing dynamic performances to audiences across the UK and beyond.
Patrick Webster is a dance artist working in performance and teaching, whose mission is to share the freedom and joy of dancing with others. They began their training in Birmingham at Dance Xchange and RDC Youth, before graduating with First Class Honours from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Since graduating, Patrick has performed across stage, screen and site-specific dance productions. As a teacher, they teach dance technique and creative dance to people aged from four to 74, as well as acting as a rehearsal assistant and coach to numerous dance companies for older adults. Patrick has been supported by Studio Wayne McGregor (through the Peer Programme and FreeSpace Programme), and New Adventures (Overture Programme).
