About Dance Ahead CIC | Community Dance Theatre

Our Story

Dance Ahead CIC is a community-focused dance theatre company based in Cumbria, creating immersive, site-responsive performance and participatory experiences that bring people together across generations. At its heart, Dance Ahead CIC creates spaces where people feel invited to participate, not just observe.

We exist to increase access to inclusive, high-quality dance theatre for people living in underserved and rural communities across Northern England. Through workshops, performances and community-led projects, we create opportunities for social connection, creative expression and cultural participation. We work in accessible, often non-traditional spaces — reaching people where they are, physically and socially.

Alongside our community work, we support artists through collaboration, skills-sharing and creative exchange, building pathways for confidence, learning and professional growth as the organisation evolves.

From 2008 to Now

Dance Ahead was founded in 2008 by Artistic Director Zoë Leigh Gadd with the aim of broadening theatre audiences in Carlisle and placing contemporary performance into everyday life.

Early projects explored how dance and theatre could exist beyond traditional stages — appearing in shop windows, street spaces and commercial environments. These works shaped Dance Ahead’s distinctive style: immersive, visually striking and rooted in real places.

In 2015, the company began creating larger-scale, community-embedded works. Supported by Grants for the Arts, productions including #HiddenSpaces15 and The Glass House brought together professional artists and participants aged 6 to 79. These site-specific experiences reached over 500 audience members and confirmed what Dance Ahead does best: creating work with communities, not just for them.

Our Artistic Approach

Dance Ahead creates contemporary dance theatre that is immersive, site-responsive and emotionally accessible. Our work blends movement, storytelling, music and design to form experiences that invite audiences to explore, reflect and connect.

Rather than asking people to observe from a distance, we design encounters that encourage curiosity, agency and play. Audiences may move through spaces, encounter performers at close range or become part of the unfolding story. This approach makes dance welcoming and relevant — even for those new to theatre.

Collaboration & Community

Collaboration sits at the heart of everything we do. We work with artists, schools, community groups, businesses and cultural partners to create work that reflects the voices and experiences of the places we serve.

As we grow, we are developing more structured opportunities for artists to learn, contribute and experiment through collaborative projects and shared practice. Our ambition is to support sustainable creative pathways, particularly for artists based in rural and underserved areas.

Why We Became a CIC

After many years of delivering socially engaged work, Dance Ahead became a Community Interest Company in 2025 to reflect what the organisation had always been in practice: driven by public benefit.

As a CIC, all surplus income is reinvested into creative projects, artist development and community programmes. This structure strengthens governance, accountability and long-term sustainability.

Looking Ahead

Dance Ahead CIC continues to evolve, but our purpose remains clear: to make dance theatre visible, accessible and meaningful in everyday life.

We aim to expand our reach across rural communities, deepen partnerships and develop immersive formats that connect people through shared creative experience. We are committed to building creative infrastructure that supports artists, strengthens communities and invites people of all ages into imaginative, shared worlds.

Our Values

Dance Ahead CIC is rooted in collaboration, equality and the belief that creativity is strengthened by diverse voices and lived experience. Access and inclusion are central to our practice, with a strong focus on intergenerational participation and welcoming people from all backgrounds. We create open, responsive and playful spaces where everyone — regardless of age, identity, ability or circumstance — can experience, contribute to and shape the work we make.

What We Do

Create original immersive dance theatre productions
Deliver intergenerational workshops and participatory projects
Bring performance into non-traditional and everyday spaces
Increase access to high-quality performance in underserved areas
Use movement to foster connection, wellbeing and creative confidence
Support artists through collaboration and creative exchange

Governance

Dance Ahead CIC is a Community Interest Company committed to inclusive, artist-led practice and long-term community benefit.

The organisation is supported by a voluntary Board of Directors who provide strategic guidance, artistic insight and financial oversight. Together, the Board strengthens the company’s resilience, accountability and creative ambition, ensuring our work remains rooted in community voice while maintaining professional standards.

Board of Directors

Zoë Leigh Gadd — Chair & Executive Director

Zoë Leigh Gadd is Chair and Executive Director of Dance Ahead CIC. Since founding the company in 2008, she has led its evolution into a community-focused, artist-led organisation placing access, curiosity and collaboration at the heart of its work. She has held teaching and leadership roles at institutions including the University of Cumbria, Rose Bruford College, Wilkes Academy, London Studio Centre and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and is a qualified Pilates instructor alongside being a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her practice centres place-based performance, embodied learning and international exchange, ensuring Dance Ahead CIC remains ambitious, inclusive and responsive to the communities it serves.

Richard Milburn — Non-Executive Director

Richard brings over three decades of experience across arts leadership, writing, directing and education. Formerly Principal Lecturer at the University of Cumbria’s Institute of the Arts, he received a Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence and founded major arts initiatives including inCahoots!, Carlisle Arts Festival and Bedfringe. His work has been produced regionally and nationally, and he continues to develop innovative community and youth arts projects. Richard supports Dance Ahead CIC with strategic oversight, governance and long-term sustainability.

Victoria Barbé — Non-Executive Director

Victoria is a lyric soprano trained at the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she is Vocal Study Leader at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music and Senior Lecturer in Singing at Performers College Birmingham. Her performance career spans opera, musical theatre and crossover work, including appearances at the Royal Albert Hall and Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. Victoria brings artistic depth and higher education leadership experience, supporting Dance Ahead CIC’s creative ambition and commitment to inclusive, high-quality practice.

Zamira Kate Mummery — Non-Executive Director

Zamira Kate Mummery trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and London Contemporary Dance School and later gained Premier Level 2 and 3 Personal Training qualifications. She has expanded her expertise through Pre- and Post-Natal Personal Training training and continued professional development with Lift The Bar, focusing on supporting women’s health and confidence through movement. She has performed and taught widely, including work with Rambert Dance Company and Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, and previously served as Foundation Course Leader at London Studio Centre. An Arts Council England-funded choreographer, Zamira brings inclusive practice expertise and a strong commitment to community-focused artistic development.

Adam Russell — Non-Executive Director

Adam is a dance artist, educator and community practitioner whose work spans performance, choreography and participatory arts. A qualified primary school teacher with extensive SEND experience, he develops accessible and inclusive projects that connect communities with dance. He has secured funding from Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other public and private supporters, and has toured independent projects across the North of England. His experience in cross-cultural exchange, community-led performance and project development supports Dance Ahead CIC’s growth and civic engagement.