Faculty

Urdang’s teaching staff are all highly-skilled leading professionals in their fields. We understand the value and balance of experience and teaching skills, with many still pursuing performance careers as dancers, actors, directors and choreographers in the industry. Students continue to have significant and positive exposure to industry leaders. A large number of guest professionals, West End casting directors and choreographers are invited to the Academy to work with and talk to the students as part of the musical theatre programme, for performance assessments and mock auditions.

Lisa Thorner Head of Musical Theatre

After achieving an honours degree in Opera studies, Lisa founded the Gala Theatre School in Durham and then went on to train at the Royal Academy of Music on the Postgraduate Musical Theatre course. Whilst there she also gained her LRAM teaching certificate for singing for which she was awarded Honours.

As a performer Lisa understudied Dame Judi Dench in the premier of ‘Merry Wives of Windsor’, she also played and understudied the role of Madame Thenardier in the West End production of Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre.

Lisa is the Co-Creator of the Royal Academy of Music Summer School and has worked for the BBC as a workshop co-ordinator working with choirs featured in BBC Choir of the Year and directed flash choirs across the UK . Most recently Lisa has been invited to be a Guest Director and patron for BAIA International School of Performing Arts in Kuwait and directed Les Miserables Schools Edition for them in October 2010. Lisa is currently studying for a Certified Masters in the Estill model.

Lynsey McDougall – Head of Dance

Lynsey McDougallLynsey was born in Glasgow where she began her dance training from a young age and gained the National in Diploma in Musical Theatre from the Urdang Academy.

Since graduating Lynsey has performed in numerous music videos including ‘On the Radio’ for the Concretes and was a featured dancer for Bent Attitude Dance in ‘Flood’. In 2008 Lynsey decided to focus her career on teaching and choreographing becoming a full time member of The Urdang Academy. She has gained the level 5 DTLLS qualification and is a member of the Institute for Learning and a registered teacher with the British Ballet Organisation.

Lynsey has been instrumental in developing the curriculum and training of both the Musical Theatre and Dance Diplomas specialising in Jazz, Musical Theatre and coaching for the Royal Academy of Dancing Major examinations. She has also been heavily involved in judging competitions such as The Kent Dance and Festival4Stars as well as being part of the team that has represented the Urdang Academy at Move It. Lynsey is responsible for assisting and co-ordinating all major dance productions that are produced by the academy.

Dr Susan Cooper PhD – Head of Degree

Dr Susan CooperDr Cooper is responsible for the BA (Hons) Degree programme at the Urdang Academy. She trained at The Royal Ballet School and during her 17 year career as a dancer, she choreographed for Ballet Rambert (now Rambert Dance Company) and Scottish Ballet.

In her academic career she has been a full-time tutor at The Royal Academy of Dance (1983-2006), teaching on international Summer Schools and on all Academy degree programmes. She has been Choreography tutor at The Royal Ballet School since 2000. She is the author of Staging Dance (1998) published by A and C Black, and numerous articles for RAD Dance Gazette, Dance Now and Dance Theatre Journal.

She was awarded her PhD from the University of Kent at London Contemporary Dance School in 2006.


Nathan James MA(Dist.) FISTD FIDTA MBBO MIfL (QTLS) – Head of Professional Performance and Teacher Training / Contextual Studies

Nathan JamesNathan trained in the Midlands and has worked in a variety of areas as a dancer/singer. He has danced for Celebrity & Princess Cruise Lines, performed in several pantomines for Qdos Entertainment at the Birmingham Hippodrome and appeared in tours in Copacabana and Hello, Dolly. Nathan’s last musical appearance was in 42nd Street in Stuttgart. As a teacher, Nathan has taught at many vocational colleges in the UK at both diploma and degree level. He is currently Head of Contextual Studies overseeing the academic requirements of the Diploma and offers ISTD coaching to students. Nathan recently gained an MA in Professional Practice (Dance Education) with Distinction from Middlesex University. Nathan is a professional adjudicator for the British Federation of Festivals.

Neil Kagan BA (Hons) Theatre Studies – Head of Production/Technical Manager

Neil KaganNeil trained at Roehampton University. He is an experienced Prop & Puppet Maker. He has worked for The Royal Academy of Music, London School of Musical Theatre and TamTam Theatre amongst many others. Neil joined the Urdang full-time in 2007 as Production Manager, and is also very happy to be teaching Technical Theatre as part of the Diploma course.

Matthew Cole Senior Dance Tutor/Choreographer

Matt hew ColeTrained at Laine Theatre Arts, his performing experience spans over a decade. He has performed in the West End, toured the UK and internationally. His performing credits include Saturday Night Fever, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Miami nights, Cats, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, The Rocky Horror Show, Zorro, They’re playing Our Song, Candide, Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Matthew has also performed on Television in such shows as The Royal Variety Performance, Children in Need, Paul O’Grady and Comic Relief.

Matthew has since moved his career into Choreography and Direction. He has danced captained several West End shows and was the Assistant Choreographer and Resident Director on the Take That Musical Never Forget and Assistant Choreographer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Choreographed for Comedian Pam Ann on her international and US tour and at the London Palladium and Apollo Hammersmith. Matthew has choreographed several professional Pantomimes. Coming up Matthew is assisting on a Hair show in New York City and a pilot for a new TV Series.

Kelly Rainford PGCE, ARAD, AISTD Student Liaison Officer/Foundation Co-ordinator/Teacher

Kelly RainfordKelly began her career as a dancer after training with June Ranger in Swanage, Dorset and then pursued her love of dance at the Bush Davies Theatre school with a scholarship. Dancing took her all over the world with shows such as, ‘Hey Mr. Producer’,'Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ and ‘Pirates of Penzance’. After meeting her husband in America they decided to move to London. Kelly found herself in a the world of musical theatre, singing and dancing in ‘Sweet Charity’ and ‘Mamma Mia!’ in London’s West End. Kelly’s TV credits include, ‘When will I be famous’, BBC, ‘Holby City’, BBC and ‘Children in Need,’ BBC

More recently Kelly has choreographed and staged shows for such companies as Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, Jean Ann Ryan Productions, Reebok International and Momentum. Kelly still keeps her hand in the theatre with the odd appearance with Mamma Mia! promoting the show in London.