Rehearsal Directors
Mikaela Polley
Mikaela joined Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) in 1990 where she worked as a soloist dancing in a large range of works, from the major classics to works by Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp and Hans Van Manen. In 2001 she joined Rambert as a dancer and in 2008 made the transition to full-time Rehearsal Director. Mikaela has a keen interest in choreography which began during her time at BRB and has continued whilst at Rambert. Two of her works have entered the Company repertoire - Momenta (2005) and Two Solos as a Tribute to Norman Morrice (2008). In 2007 she was commissioned by ROH2 to create a new work, Coast, and in 2009 was commissioned by Ballet Central to create Ascent, with a new score by Philip Feeney, which toured extensively around the UK.
Mikaela teaches both classical and contemporary class for the Company, and has taught on summer schools at Rambert, Central and Royal Ballet. She also works extensively in education projects both at BRB and Rambert.
Simon Cooper
After graduating from the Royal Ballet School in 1989, Simon began his professional career as a dancer with the English National Ballet. He joined Rambert Dance Company in 1994 where he embarked on a successful career earning him a Time Out award for Best Performer in 1998. In 1997 Simon was invited to perform the role of the Lead Swan in the London season of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake with Adventures in Motion Pictures. He toured the UK with the production throughout 1999. 2005 took Simon to Japan where he performed with Adam Cooper Productions dancing the lead role in Les Liaisons Dangeureses. In 2006 he became the first recipient of the JADE Fellowship Award and stopped performing with Rambert Dance Company. Simon has recently been working with the Northern School of Contemporary Dance as Rehearsal Director for the Post Graduate Company Verve. Simon re-joined Rambert as Rehearsal Director in March 2009.
Photos: Simon Weir