MEET NOT YOUR CIRCUS DOG COLLECTIVE

Stephanie Newman

Actor, Dancer & Theatre-Maker

I am one of the co-founders of Not Your Circus Dog Collective, making cutting-edge crip queer performance: I co-devised and performed in Not F**kin’ Sorry!.

Steph is a professional performer in dance and theatre. Steph graduated from RCSSD gaining a diploma in Performance Making, created by Access All Areas in 2015. Steph is also a member of the professional company at Access All Areas.

CREDITS

Imposter 22 (2023), the Royal Court Theatre and Access All Areas Productions
Molly House Production (2021), DUCKIE and Not Your Circus Dog
Not F**kin’ Sorry – National Tour (2021-2023), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
Not F**kin’ Sorry (2019), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
Joy (2017), Theatre Royal Stratford east

Housni (DJ) Hassan

Dancer, Actor & Deviser

I am one of the co-founders of Not Your Circus Dog Collective, making cutting-edge crip queer performance: I co-devised and performed in Not F**kin’ Sorry!.

DJ is a professional choreographer, dancer and actor. Dj Graduated from Performance Making Diploma at RCSSD back in 2015.

DJ was the first person with a learning disability to get a personal development grant from Arts Council England. With this, he embarked on his Silver Arts Award journey overseen by Corali Dance Company. DJ then secured three placements with Wayne McGregor/Random Dance, Jonzi D Productions and New Adventures. DJ has been a Support Artist for Corali and Whippersnappers, as well as a Performer.

CREDITS

Imposter 22 (2023), Royal Court Theatre and Access All Areas Productions
Super Hot Hot Dog (2023), Corali Dance Company
Not F**kin’ Sorry – National Tour (2021-2023), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
The Manifesto for the Perfect Cup of Tea (2016), Corali Dance Company Over (2016), Corali Dance Company
The People Race the Fish (2016), Corali Dance Company
Origami Atoms (2015), Corali Dance Company
Hearts and Faces (2015), Corali Dance Company

Xandri/Emma Selwyn

Actor, Performance Artist, Director,

Writer, Facilitator

I am one of the co-founders of Not Your Circus Dog Collective, making cutting-edge crip queer performance: I co-devised and performed in Not F**kin’ Sorry!

Xandri/Emma graduated from the Access All Areas’ 2016 Performance Making Diploma at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2016. In 2021, Emma made their directorial debut in The Interrogation, an app-based immersive show which went on to tour nationally.

They are currently working with Access All Areas as an Associate Director and run regular masterclasses. They co-directed NHS England’s Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training films, and teach on the Performance Making Diploma.

CREDITS

Not F**kin’ Sorry – National Tour (2021-2023), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
Molly House Production (2021), DUCKIE and Not Your Circus Dog
unReal City (2020-2022), Access All Areas Productions and dreamthinkspeak
Not F**kin’ Sorry (2019), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
#BinariesBeGone (2019), Access All Areas Productions
My Hands and Feet are Wiggling (2016), Steakhouse Live and Access All Areas Productions

Adam Smith

Actor, Performance Artist, Director,

Writer, Facilitator

I am one of the co-founders of Not Your Circus Dog Collective, making cutting-edge crip queer performance: I co-devised and performed in Not F**kin’ Sorry!.

Adam graduated from Performance Making Diploma at RCSSD back in 2015, and also has a BA and MA in Music Performance. Adam is a trainee Director on Transforming Leadership with Access All Areas. His first production co-directed production was 'Still, Here'. Adam is also a regular MC for Tramtastic Nights at Tramshed Theatre. Adam was invited to host Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank Centre back in Feb. 2020. Adam has most recently worked with Prime Theatre Back with teenagers, teaching them Protest Theatre.

CREDITS

Everybody With Me Always (2023), Freestylers
Not F**kin’ Sorry – National Tour (2021-2023), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
Unheard Voices (2023), Ignite Me Workshop Theatre
Can You Save Jason (2023), Ignite Me Workshop Theatre
1797, The Mariner’s Revenge (2022), History Riot
Everybody With Me Always National Tour (2021/22), Freestylers
Molly House Production (2021), DUCKIE and Not Your Circus Dog
History Riot – R&D (2021), Tramshed
Not F**kin’ Sorry (2019), Not Your Circus Dog and Access All Areas Productions
Listen Up Doc, House of Parliament: Role play consultancy (2018), Access All Areas Productions
Pullens Journey – R&D (2018), Vital Xposure
Madhouse re:Exit – Voiceover (2018), Access All Areas Productions
It’s My Move National Tour (2017/18), Face Front
Pullen’s Party (2017), Vital Xposure and Access All Areas Productions
Princess of the Graveyard Palace (2017), Face Front

Liselle Terret

(Director, Researcher, Writer, Deviser, Performer)

I am a neuro-divergent socially-engaged performing arts teacher lecturer, researcher, director, performer and facilitator. I am an Associate Professor in Performance at University of East London. My research informs my teaching, and its impacts are intertwined and cumulative.

I am one of the co-founders of Not Your Circus Dog Collective, making cutting-edge crip queer performance: I devised, co-wrote and directed Not F**kin’ Sorry!, premiered at Soho Theatre, London, Nov 2019 & 2022, Purcell Room, Southbank, 2022 "Terret ...for (her) meticulous work, curating highly emotive and provocative content, balancing the show’s sorrows and joys with such finesse.” (Disability Arts Online 2020).

My practice-based-research disrupts theatrical norms through a radical Crip, Queer, collaborative and feminist approach across my solo work (as Doris La Trine), mentoring, consultancy, teaching, writing and directing. My research practice is in the form of theatre-making and is further extended and documented by writing grounded in the ethic of care and collaboration, to bring the lived experience of learning disabled and autistic artists to the centre for emancipatory self-representation.

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Heather Johnson

Creative Support

As a creative support, Heather has worked with Access All Areas on their productions Not F**kin’ Sorry (Soho Theatre), The Interrogation (BAC), unReal City (BAC/Brighton Dome), Imposter 22 (The Royal Court Theatre) and A Small Enclosed Room with Alfie Murphy (Lowry.) She also supports artists across a range of Access All Areas’ work, including artist development, consultancy, advocacy and training panels and on their Performance Making Diploma course. Heather has mentored artists on our Transforming Leadership programme – working 1:1 with artists to develop their skills of leadership across directing, facilitation and governance.

Heather has a Ba (Hons) in Drama with English from The University of Manchester and an FdA in Professional Acting from The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Katie Wheeler

Access Officer

Katie is the Access Officer for Access All Areas where she supports the access of AAA artists, diploma and wider AAA programmes including new work. She also is part of the consultancy team delivering training to some of the world’s leading organisations in TV film and theatre.

Katie previously worked as a Support Mentor for several artists on the first iteration of Access All Areas’ Transforming Leadership Project between 2020-2022 before transitioning into her role today.

Katie trained at Brighton University in dance, theatre and choreography. She has 8 years of experience in participatory arts, leading workshops for disabled adults, people with Parkinsons and young people in London and Devon.

Katie is a Non-executive Director and original member of Far Flung, an inclusive creative arts company based in Plymouth, where she previously led multiple projects across the city as well as dancing professionally with disabled and non-disabled performers in much of their work.

Nick Llewellyn

Consultant

After taking over and reshaping the company in 2008, he co-founded Access All Areas’ Performance Making Diploma at Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, where he is still a visiting lecturer.

Nick has devised, directed or co-directed most of our productions, including A Small Enclosed room with Alfie Murphy, unReal City, The Interrogation, MADHOUSE re:exit, and The Misfit Analysis. He also directed numerous community shows for our Black Cab Company (formerly Rainbow Drama).

Previously, he was Artistic Director at Hackney Shed, Outreach Officer at Hijinx Theatre, and ran the self advocacy consultancy company Advocreate.

Nick has an MA Performance Making and BA (hons) Drama and Education.

As an advocate for inclusion Nick takes part in many talks and panels, and has worked on artistic projects across Europe through AAA’s consultancy programme.

At the heart of Nick’s practice is co-creation, and he makes sure it’s part of Access All Areas’s DNA.

Emily Norris

Stage Manager

Emily is a London-based Company Stage Manager, Access Manager, and Musician. Informed by their own experience as a queer, disabled, and Neurodivergent creative, Emily specialises in facilitating accessible and inclusive performance. They have worked with organisations including Access All Areas, Battersea Arts Centre, Candoco Dance Company, Deep Listening Institute, Duckie, Pink Singers, Zoo Co, and more.

In addition to their freelance work, Emily works as a music specialist in the public libraries' sector. They have an MSc in Performance Science from Royal College of Music and a BMus Hons in Musicologies from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Emily joined Not Your Circus Dog Collective in 2019 and has worked with the Dogs on Not F**kin' Sorry, Molly House/Princess Promenade, and educational workshops.

Zor Khare

Research Intern And Social Media Manager

Zor has been instrumental in the creation of the website and a majority of the information currently available is Zor's incredible hard work. Between working on admisinstrative tasks, researching for NFS and interpreting data, they have been an invaluable asset.

Within their role, they performed a wide range of tasks such as researching, website development, social media management, transcription, photography, videography and much more.

Their social media prowess has been incredibly helpful for sharing NFS with the world. They are also skilled in stage management and tech support.

Felix [He/They]

Research Intern and Visual Designer

Felix has been supporting NFS as an assistant to Liselle Terret with focus on visual design on the website as well as researching current laws and the many challenges disabled people face. Outside of NFS, he does illustration, animation and composes music, skills that have assisted him in working alongside the dogs with the aims of supporting their amazing talent.