Core Team

Dr. Ann Hutchinson Guest (Director) is founder of the Language of Dance Centre (LODC) UK, and highly acclaimed author and researcher on dance notation. Ann studied Labanotation with Sigurd Leeder at Dartington Hall in England in the 1930's, and trained in modern dance and ballet. In New York she co-founded and directed the Dance Notation Bureau, danced on Broadway and taught at the Juilliard School.
Her research into dance notation systems of the past provided revivals of ballets such as the Pas de Six from La Vivandiere and Nijinsky's L'Apres-midi d'un Faune. Through her exploration and analysis of movement, she has evolved the educationally rich Language of Dance Teaching Method. For her development and practical application of Labanotation, she was awarded two honorary doctorates; Lifetime Achievement Award from Motus Humanus, Outstanding Contribution to Dance Research Award from both the Congress on Research in Dance, and the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). The numerous dance scores and publications Ann Hutchinson Guest has produced include The Bournonville School, The Cecchetti Method and syllabi for the Royal Academy of Dance including The Karsavina Syllabus.
Contact the LODC UK to get in touch with Ann Hutchinson Guest.

Valerie Farrant (Director of Language of Dance Studies) is Head of Dance at Brockenhurst College, where she has been teaching the LOD Fundamentals Course for the past 8 years. Valerie teaches on the Dance and Performing Arts A Level courses and is an A Level examiner for these subjects. She has also taught LOD courses in Hampshire, London, Texas and Japan.
Valerie trained at the Rambert School of Ballet and began her professional career as a classical dancer with the Ballet Royale de Wallonie in Liege. She went on to perform in the Stadttheater Regensburg, Braunschweig and Hannover. As a founder member of Tanz Forum, Cologne, she performed in the works of Christopher Bruce, Glen Tetley, Kurt Jooss (Green Table), Norman Walker, Hans van Manen, Gray Veredon and Jochen Ulrich, toured in Europe and the Middle East extensively and performed in televised works. In England, Valerie has taught Graham technique for the RAD, ballet clubs, summer schools, art centres and colleges. Valerie has also taught contemporary dance classes for the Yucis Ballet in Mozambique and founded the dance group Moving Spiral.
Contact the LODC UK to get in touch with Valerie Farrant.

Lisa Richards (Centre Manager) is a BSC psychology graduate from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University. During her studies she volunteered coaching children with varying abilities in gymnastics after which she went on to working in a secondary school for children with communication difficulties. She has always had a strong interest in dance and started dancing at the age of three, doing ballet, tap and modern.  Contact the LODC UK to get in touch with Lisa Richards.

 Eve Knights (Outreach & Marketing Co-ordinator) is a BA Hons Performing Arts (Majoring in Dance) graduate from the University of North London. During her professional dance studies, Eve has had the opportunity to work with a variety of companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Opera, Adventures in Motion Pictures & the Siobhan Davies Dance Company. Since obtaining her BA Hons degree, she has been involved in numerous productions, both as a choreographer, director and performer (dancer, singer & actor) and performed in the works e.g. "Femme Fatal" (ICA) and "Running Scared" with V-tol Dance Company (Greenwich & Docklands Arts Festival).
Eve is currently our Outreach Community Programme Co-ordinator and an LOD teacher.  Eve's long term aim is to open a school of expressive arts in which she wants to incorporate the LOD method. The classes and workshops should allow children of any age and ability to attend and enjoy classes in dance, drama and art therapy.
Contact the LODC UK to get in touch with Eve Knights.

Jane Dulieu (Project Consultant and Language of Dance Certification Specialist) received her Certificate of Education from Alsager College of Education and her Dance Theatre Diploma from the Laban Centre London. After a brief spell in primary education and some years teaching TEFL in Athens, Greece, Jane returned to the UK with the aim of a career in Labanotation. She was introduced to the LOD teaching approach while studying advanced Labanotation and decided to use it when teaching dance in a London primary school. She began working at the LODC as a part-time publications assistant in 1986. During that time she also taught Labanotation at Middlesex University, A-Level dance at North Herts College, Hitchin and continued to teach LOD to support special needs in primary education. In 1989 Jane became the full-time Associate Director at the LODC. She currently works as our freelance fundraiser.Contact the LODC UK to get in touch with Jane Dulieu.