Hannah Smith - President
My name is Hannah and I’m a second year English student, and CUDS President for 2020/21! In this role, I’m really excited to continue the society’s work in supporting Cambridge’s dance societies and dancers, and planning some exciting events both for quarantine and beyond! I’ve been dancing for 18 years, training in ballet with Kingston Ballet School and the Royal Academy of Dance to Advanced 2 level. Before coming to university, I also enjoyed teaching at my local ballet school, and studying contemporary with Rambert’s G2. At Cambridge I have continued taking ballet classes, but have also joined Dancesport Team, competing first with the Beginners’ Team and then with Second Team. This has given me the chance to represent Cambridge at competitions across the country, including participating in the Team Match at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. Cambridge is full of exciting opportunities for dancers and as President of CUDS, I look forward both promoting and contributing to these!
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Hazel Nicholson - Vice President
I’m Hazel, the vice president and a third year geographer at Robinson. I’ve been dancing since I was about 5 and have done tap, ballet, modern, and jazz alongside lots of musical theatre. I trained at the Alaska Dance Theatre and Sitka Fine Arts Camp in the US and Steps Dansestudio in Norway. Moving around has exposed me to lots of different styles and methods, helping me to see how diverse the dance world is. In Cambridge I’ve been taking tap and jazz classes with CUTAZZ and the occasional ballet class with the Ballet Club. I’ve met so many amazing people through dance here and I’m excited to help others explore what Cambridge has to offer. In my role as VP I’ll be compiling information on classes and other dance events as well as providing support for the others on the committee.
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Megan Hsu - Treasurer
I’m Megan, a rising second year Historian at Trinity. Before coming to Cambridge, I was captain of my high school team, dancing a fusion of street and contemporary styles. This year, I joined CUTAZZ and co-choreographed a piece for the show. I love being a part of this big dance family where I can learn from and share with people who are just as passionate as I am. While I mainly dance street and street jazz, I love being surrounded by all kinds of dance and hope to try out more styles. As Treasurer, I hope to work with the committee to hold events and provide support so that the dance community can continue flourishing in Cambridge!
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Alice Miller - Venues Officer
I’m Alice, a second year maths student at Trinity Hall. Since the age of three, I have trained mainly in ballet, with a bit of contemporary and jazz on the side. Over the past year I have mainly danced with CUTAZZ as part of their ballet competition team, as well as doing classes with CUBC. I have also done weekly beginners ballroom and latin classes and began tap towards the end of Lent term. As the venues officer, I am responsible for finding and booking rooms for our events and I’m looking forward to helping the society continue to grow over the next year!
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Jasmine Coomber - Events Officer
Hi! I’m going into my third year, studying physics at Caius college. I love all styles of dance, having studied jazz, tap and ballet (Cecchetti method) from a young age. I took part in productions with London Children’s Ballet and National Youth Ballet, and before coming to Cambridge, I spent a year at London Studio Centre on the ballet course. In my first year at Cambridge, I co-choreographed A Chorus Line at the ADC with the musical theatre society. I have also performed with the CU Ballet Club, playing Kitri in Don Quixote (2019) and Hermia in A Midsummer Nights Dream (2020). In between shows (and lectures!) I go to ballet classes as much as a can and otherwise do yoga in my room! As events officer, I’m looking forward to getting in touch with lots of inspiring dancers to teach routines and repertoire, and share their knowledge with the Cambridge dance community!
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Stella Rousham - Events Officer
Hiya, I’m a First Year (going into Second Year) HSPS student at Homerton, specialising in Social Anthropology. I have a predominantly ballet and contemporary background, having been part of the Centre for Advanced Training scheme at The Place from 2014 – 2018. Last year I acted as movement director for the play ‘Wife’ performed at Pembroke Cellars and was part of Queens’ Contemporary Dance Society. I’m also an avid dance writer. I was a reviewer for ‘Resolution Festival’ at The Place in 2019 and I am a regular contributor to the ‘Dance Art Journal’. This year as events officer I really wanted to organise workshops with independent dance artists, particularly exploring improvisation, Gaga technique and site-specific choreography. I also want to start a wider conversation and series of talks focussing on how dance overlaps with other disciplines such as history, politics, visual arts, and gender
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Emma Guenther - Publicity Officer
Hi everyone! I’m Emma, a first year Medic at Peterhouse and I’m so excited to be more involved with dance at Cambridge this next academic year. Dance has been an important part of my life from age 3 and I have trained in various styles including ballet, tap, jazz and modern and have some teaching experience too. At Cambridge this year I was on the jazz and ballet competition teams and was involved in the Cutazz show which was so much fun! I’m hoping to be involved with more styles of dance next year and I am looking forward to sharing lots of exciting events with you all and to encourage dancers of any ability to get involved in the variety of styles available at Cambridge!
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Ella Palmer - Socials Officer
I’m Ella, a first year languages student at Newnham. I have been dancing since I was 3 (what a surprise!) training in tap, modern, and ballet, and have also done contemporary, jazz, and a little bit of many other styles. Since coming to Cambridge I have tried DanceSport, choreographed for theatre, and been part of the CUTAZZ competition team. I am astounded by the array of styles and societies out there for dance – a lot of which I wasn’t even aware of before joining the committee! And as socials officer I’m planning to organise lots of fun events for everyone who loves dance to mingle and get to know each other.
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Senior Treasurer - Prof. Nicola Clayton
Prof. Clayton is Professor of Comparative Cognition in the Department of Psychology, a Fellow of the Royal Society, Honorary Fellow of the American Ornithology Union and Scientist in Residence at Rambert. She is also co-founder of The Captured Thought (https://thecapturedthought.com), a Science Arts collaboration that explores the subjective experience of thinking and remembering.
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