TRACY TINKER  |  REHEARSAL DIRECTOR

Born in South Yorkshire, Tracy studied at Electric Theatre Studios, Barnsley College, receiving A Levels in Dance, Theatre Studies, Theatre Design and Textile Design. She continued her studies at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and upon completion joined The National Contemporary Dance Company of Wales, Diversions.

After leaving Diversions in 1992 she taught contemporary classes at numerous colleges and universities in England and Holland, meeting Philip Taylor during a project in Humberside. She studied for a degree in Arts Practice and Cultural Policy which she received in 1994 from Coventry University, and directly thereafter joined Philip Taylor in Augsburg as a dancer with his company, which in 1996 moved to Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich.

She danced with Ballet Theatre Munich (BTM) until 2000 and from 2000 until the closing of the company in 2007 Tracy was Rehearsal Director, choreographic assistant and in 2004 was also made Associate Director. When BTM closed Tracy moved back to England and spent a year as Rehearsal Director for Verve, the postgraduate performance company of NSCD. She became Rehearsal Director for Phoenix in July 2009.

AZZURRA ARDOVINI  |  DANCER

Azzurra started her training in ballet and contemporary in Florence, before moving to the UK to continue her training at London Contemporary Dance School (LCDS) from 2003 to 2006, where she worked with Kerry Nicholls, Sean Feldman and Jan De Schynkel. In 2005 she was awarded The Robert Cohan Prize for outstanding potential and after graduating with a First Class Degree she joined EDge Dance Company.

Azzurra has a long standing working relationship with Frederick Opoku Addaie which began with a piece for The Place Prize 2006 that went on to be selected for the Finals and won the First Prize at the International Choreographic Competition in Burgos, Spain. Since graduating she has worked with Rosemary Lee, Jonathan Lunn, Rashpal Singh Bansal, ENO, Ajose Cutting Dance for The Place Prize 2008 and toured internationally with Henri Oguike Dance Company. She has taught at LCDS, East London Dance, for Yorkshire Young Dancers and in several colleges in Italy. Azzurra joined Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2009, and continues to pursue choreographic interests having recently choreographed two pieces with fellow Phoenix dancer Phil Sanger – Nothing in the Real World for the Phoenix Youth Academy and One in 285,000 for the 2011 Phoenix Dance Theatre and Northern Ballet choreographic workshop.

Azzurra's monthly blog can be found at http://azzurra.posterous.com/

GLENN GRAHAM  |  DANCER

Born in Nottingham, Glenn started his professional training age 19 at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance.  On graduating in 2003 Glenn joined Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, performing in Nutcracker! and Swan Lake for the Sadler’s Wells seasons and touring extensively throughout the UK, Japan and South Korea. During the 10th anniversary tour of Swan Lake, Glenn performed the principal role of the Swan/Stranger in Paris and USA.

In 2006 Glenn joined Compañía Metros de Danza under the direction of Ramon Oller and later Ballet Santa Coloma under the direction of David Campos in Barcelona. From 2007/10 he joined Introdans, in The Netherlands, touring the world dancing signature roles in choreography by Matz Ek, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Paul Lightfoot & Sol Leon, Inbal Pinto, Hans Van Manen, Fernando Melo, Nils Christie, Cayetano Soto, Robert Battle and Alwin Nikolias. Whilst with the company he choreographed the piece Intimate Windows for Introdans 2009 DANSEMAKEN, a collaboration with Dutch fashion designers.

In 2010 Glenn returned to New Adventures to perform the role of the Angel in Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, before joining Phoenix Dance Theatre in August 2011.

CHIHIRO KAWASAKI  |  DANCER

Chihiro was born in Japan and trained in ballet at A & S Ballet in Kyoto, before moving to the UK at 14 to continue her training. After completing four years at Arts Educational School in Tring, she went on to gain a Certificate in Contemporary Dance at London Contemporary Dance School (LCDS).

Chihiro joined Henri Oguike Dance Company (HODC) in August 2005 as part of LCDS’s postgraduate apprenticeship scheme and became a full time Company member the following year. During her time at HODC she toured internationally and worked with various choreographers including Aletta Collins, Jean Abreu, Nuno Silva, Sarah Linstra and Darren Johnston. She also worked closely with Rehearsal Director Nuno Campos.

Interested in the potential combinations of dance and martial arts, Chihiro took a year off dancing before coming to the UK to study Karate and has won several national competitions in Aikido since taking it up in 2007. She joined Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2009.

PHIL SANGER  |  DANCER

Phil trained at the Electric Theatre Studios, Barnsley College and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. He has worked in Dance, Theatre and Music for over 10 years producing work of his own design supported by Arts Council England and also working under the direction of some of the UK's leading choreographers such as Fin Walker, Kim Branstrup, Glen Wilkinson and Hofesh Schechter.

In 2006 he returned to NSCD to join the postgraduate performance company Verve. Phil then went on to work with Slanjayvah Danza and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company before joining Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2009. Phil has choreographed numerous pieces, most recently working with fellow Phoenix dancer Azzurra Ardovini to choreograph Nothing in the Real World for the Phoenix Youth Academy and One in 285,000 for the 2011 Phoenix Dance Theatre and Northern Ballet choreographic workshop.

RYU SUZUKI  |  DANCER

Ryu was born in Japan and trained in Jazz before moving to the UK in 2007 to study at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary dance. Whilst at Rambert School he danced pieces by Regina Wielingen and Martha Graham and in his final year with Rambert, Ryu was chosen to dance with the Rambert company performing Itzik Galili’s A Linha Curva. Ryu joined Phoenix after graduating in 2010, and choreographed Good Call for the 2011 Phoenix Dance Theatre and Northern Ballet choreographic workshop.

GENEVIEVE WATSON  |  DANCER

Genevieve was born in Buckinghamshire, England and trained at The Royal Academy of Dance, Battersea, followed by The Arts Educational School, Tring. She then went on to gain a first class BA(Hons) degree at London Contemporary Dance School. During her time at LCDS she worked with Marc Brew, Sasha Roubicek, Jan De Schynkel and Anna Williams and performed works by Merce Cunningham, Richard Alston and Siobhan Davies. Genevieve also worked with Fish In A Bowl Dance Company as part of Artelier and Frauke Requardt for the Back To Front Gala at Sadler’s Wells. After graduating in 2009, she joined the Richard Alston Dance Company as an apprentice dancer, becoming a full company member the following year. Genevieve has recently achieved a Masters Degree in Performance. She joined Phoenix Dance Theatre in August 2011.

JOSH WILLE  |  DANCER

Born in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, Josh started as a gymnast competing for the East of England before dancing at Footlights Dance Centre, and then going on to train at Central School of Ballet, London. Josh Graduated in 2009 with BA (Hons) and joined Phoenix Dance Theatre the same year.

VANESSA PANG  |  APPRENTICE DANCER

Born in Hong Kong, Vanessa trained at the Royal Ballet School (SA) and as a gymnast competing for the South East of England. She continued her studies at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary dance, graduating with a BA (Hons). Whilst at Rambert School Vanessa performed works by Mark Baldwin, Kerry Knicholls, Ross McKim and Martha Graham. More recently she has performed with Moving Visions Dance Company and ThickSkin, with whom she performed at the Lawrence Olivier Awards. Vanessa joined Phoenix in August 2011 as an apprentice dancer under the London Contemporary Dance School scheme.