Arts1 School of Performance: Emma Annetts

Degree Course Leader

Emma Annetts

Prior to degree training, Emma competed for 10 years Nationally and Internationally as a British Gymnast and was invited to train with the prestigious Cirque du Soleil company in Montreal as a dancer and acrobat.

Emma graduated from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts with a 1st Class BA (Hons).
Upon graduating Emma was selected as one of only three UK dancers to join an illustrious cast of international artists, to create Celine Dion’s show ‘A New Day’ at The Colosseum, Las Vegas under the direction Franco Dragone and Emmy award winning choreographer Mia Michaels. Emma went on to perform with a wealth of International artists on both stage and screen including Elton John and Justin Timberlake.

Emma began a choreographic career in 2008 when she became assistant choreographer to Emmy nominated contemporary choreographer Stacey Tookey on hit TV show ‘So You Think You Can Dance Canada’. She continued to collaborate with Stacey for 4 seasons of the show and on a variety of International TV and Film projects for the next 5 years. Emma went on to assist renowned choreographer and movement director, Francesca Jaynes in varied settings, including ‘Guys and Dolls’ (New Wolsey), Comedy of Errors (Stafford) and TV commercials.

As a choreographer, Emma has developed a varied career, spanning contemporary dance, musical theatre, movement direction and film. Theatre credits include: Holes (Nottingham Playhouse, UK Tour), Kings of Broadway (Palace Theatre), NT Connections (Olivier Theatre), Bomber’s Moon (Park Theatre), Touched (Nottingham Playhouse), Beauty and the Beast (Huddersfield/Barnsley), Run (Polka Theatre). Emma worked alongside Oscar winning actor Jim Broadbent and multiple award winners, Jeff Goldblum and Lindsay Duncan on feature film ‘Le Weekend’, directed by Roger Michell.

For the past decade Emma has worked as a choreographer and lecturer at some of the most prestigious training institutions in the UK, including Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Credits Include: Urinetown (Claire Brown), Sister Act (Brodie Ross), Oklahoma, Parade, The Hired Man, Company, Carousel (Christian Burgess), Marathon ’33 (Rachel Grunwald), Merrily we roll along (Thom Southerland), A man of no importance (Adam Penford), City of Angels, Little Women (Lise Olsen). Emma’s unique and narrative approach to contemporary dance has lead her to produce dozens of commissions for The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), Rare Studio and The BRIT School, regularly presenting work on the main stage at MOVE IT, London Excel. Emma has also directed and choreographed three full length, original dance theatre productions for LIPA.

Emma is an experienced, passionate and positive dance facilitator, who strives to encourage individuality and artistic voice through dance excellence.