Sarah Poekert
Artistic director | Choreographer
Sarah likes to push the boundaries of how we view dance; making work that encourages the audience to have an active role that impacts the journey of the performance. She is interested in how to allow performers to take ownership of the space while also giving the audience impetus and room to play within it. She strives to allow the audience to have a more tactile experience when watching movement. This is done in various ways for different work but has included site-specific work,
traditional theatre spaces, durational installations, physical
interaction and promenade type performances.
Sarah's work also investigates personal and collective memory and the imprint left within the body from past experiences. Her interest lies in uncovering the layers of movement material that already exists in every body using creative tasks, sensory information, imagery and improvisation. The result is work that comes from a personal place of reflection and is intimate and subtle yet meticulous and precise.
Sarah also teaches for Siobhan Davies Dance, Roger Williams University, Middlesex University, the Royal Academy of Dance, Beatrix Potter Primary School and is Artistic Director of Thrive Youth Dance Company.
Amy Foskett
Dancer
Amy grew up in Westbury, Wiltshire. She had her first taste of professional training on the CAT scheme at Swindon Dance, Amy went on to train at Trinity Laban Conservatiore of Music and Dance. After completing her degree Amy started up her own dance company Amy Foskett Dance (AFD) and has produced works that have been performed around the South West and London. AFD was commissioned for a new work ‘Burning House’ by Pegasus Theatre and Oxford Dancing which premiered in 2020 before the national lockdown. AFD prides itself on creating daring and absorbing dance works focusing on intricate partnering and driven by movement, designed to be watched and enjoyed by all types of people.
Amy Foskett was also part of Swindon Dance’s Young Professionals Programme 2018/2020. Amy has worked for Thrive Dance since 2018 and has been apart of the creation process for “Half Sewn” and the newest work.
Amy is also a passionate and experienced teacher having taught for Swindon Dance CAT, NLPAC, running their Contemporary Youth Company, Highgate Ballet School and Bath Spa University. Amy aims to open AFDYOUTH for the young dancers of Wiltshire.
Jay yule
Dancer
Jay works as a dance performer, choreographer and producer. Her work with dance artists Jo Fong, Janine Harrington and Theo Clinkard has fed into her creative practice, as well as her experience in puppetry, opera and immersive theatre. The content of her work is influenced by feminist philosophies, queer theory and is often of an existential nature. Jay has worked for Thrive Dance since 2018 and has been apart of the creation process for “Half Sewn” and the newest work.
Jay is a member of The Yonis, a girl band crossing art forms, encouraging fellow female identifying and non-binary people to take space and make noise. The Yonis have performed at the V&A Lates, Brainchild Festival as well as being Choreodrome artists at The Place 2019. Jay creates a bi-monthly zine called Viva La Vulva with creative partner Leah Airey. This zine is created at live workshops with the aim of bringing people together, encouraging collective creativity and challenging the hierarchies of printed publication.
Jay tries to foster an inclusivity into the way she creates, making art which can be viewed by anyone with the hope of imparting a sense of activism from watching or taking part.
daisy winstanley
Dancer
Daisy works as a London-based, Dance Artist and Teacher. Originally from the South-West, she completed her training at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance and Music. After completing her degree, she went on to tour nationally and internationally with MapDance, a postgraduate touring company, gaining a MA in Dance Performance. During her time in MapDance, she performed works choreographed by Shobana Jeyasingh, Lea Anderson, Hagit Yakira and Cai Tomas.
Daisy has worked for Thrive Dance since 2018 and has been apart of the creation process and performances of "Half Sewn". Other recent performance include Herstory & Pedalling the Tracks by Motus, under direction of Helen Parlor. All works follow her interest in either immersive theatre or site-specific performances, encouraging audience participation, pushing the boundaries of how art is viewed.
Daisy is an experienced teacher, regularly delivering Contemporary Dance and Creative Movement classes. She has taught for a number of Primary and Secondary Schools across London, Bright Horizon Nurseries, SGS College and Anna Davydova Dance School.
georgia fletcher
Dancer
Georgia fletcher graduated from London Studio Centre in 2017 and has since performed as a freelance dance artist for numerous companies including Anna Watkins, Mara Vivas, AFD & Thrive Dance. She has just qualified as a sports massage therapist and is setting up her own business on this path whilst continuing to perform freelance and teach holistic classes.
Rosemary copp
Graduate Apprentice
Rosemary graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire in June of 2021, and has since been working as a freelance contemporary dancer and choreographer. She teaches contemporary dance to students aged 11-15 at Highgate Ballet School and has started a graduate apprenticeship with Thrive Dance. Most recent performances include ‘Rebecca’ by Charles Linehan at the Bonnie Bird Theatre, and ‘Half Sewn’ by Sarah Poekert at the V&A
