Introducing Our New Summer Hosts: Bethan, Kevaughn and Will!
We are thrilled to announce that this summer, our team is expanding with the addition of three talented individuals: Bethan Siddaway, Kevaughn Laing, and Will Hodson. Each of them brings a unique set of skills and experiences to our organization, and we couldn’t be more excited to have them on board.
Bethan Siddaway is a highly accomplished dancer who trained in various styles during her time at De Montfort University, where she earned a First Class degree. With a passion for dance that knows no bounds, Bethan has immersed herself in the vibrant dance scene of Birmingham. She is currently a professional dancer in Company Apidae, which performed at the prestigious Birmingham Hippodrome as part of Breakin’ Convention in June 2022. Bethan is also actively involved in teaching dance to young people, using her fresh skillset obtained from a dance PGCE she completed earlier this year. Her commitment to continuous growth and learning led her to become a part of Elementz Ent Training Company and a RAD Step into Dance Practitioner in London.
Kevaughn Laing is a remarkable individual who identifies as Black and Deaf. He sees himself as a linguistic minority rather than a person with a disability, highlighting the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity. Kevaughn’s journey in working with artistic teams began in June 2020 when he had the opportunity to collaborate with Deaf dance leader Billy Read on activities for the Commonwealth Games. Since then, Kevaughn has made significant strides in his career. He performed with Troi Lee’s Deaf Rave, commissioned by Billy Read’s Def Motion, to open the Birmingham International Dance Festival in 2022. Kevaughn’s talent caught the attention of our creative director Johnny Autin, leading to his involvement in the dance performance “Cog in The Wheel.” Throughout the later stages of Covid Restrictions, Kevaughn collaborated with Deaf Explorer on creative videos for the Census and F-Words commissioning program by Creative Black Country. Now, Kevaughn is determined to focus on his role as a creative dance leader, aspiring to provide more opportunities for creative deaf individuals while advocating for the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing young people, particularly those of colour, in the arts.
Last but certainly not least, we welcome Will Hodson, who hails from Eastleigh, Hampshire and is currently freelancing in Birmingham. Will’s formal dance training began in 2013 with a foundation course at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. He further honed his skills at the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance, where he achieved First Class (Hons) during his studies from 2014 to 2017. Following his training, Will pursued a Master’s Degree at the University of Chichester while touring the UK and Israel with the postgraduate company MapDance from 2017 to 2018. Will has an impressive portfolio of work, including collaborations with renowned dance companies such as 2Faced Dance Company, ZoieLogic Dance Theatre, Luke Brown Dance, Tribe, Shaper Caper, and Protein. Currently, he is involved in various projects with Autin Dance Theatre.
With Bethan, Kevaughn, and Will joining our team, we are eager to see the incredible contributions they will make and the positive impact they will have in our project.
Welcome, Bethan, Kevaughn, and Will! Here’s to an exciting and inspiring summer together.
