The Directors
Dollie Henry
Choreographer . Director . Educator
Dollie has led a respected career of 25 years as a performer, choreographer, director and educator and is one of Britain's few, but present black female practitioners and creative artists. Recognised as one of the formidable exponents of jazz dance and theatre dance in Britain, her innovative and distinctive style captures the energy and passion so needed for the creative entertainment industry.
Dollie trained at Laine Theatre Arts receiving her teaching qualifications with The Imperial Society of Teachers Dance for Ballet, Modern and Tap, her LAMDA Drama Certificates (Bronze-Gold Medals) and was awarded 'Most Outstanding Student' in performance and choreography. At 17, she was invited to join The Olivier Briac Dance Company based in France as soloist dancer, later becoming resident choreographer and assistant director. Returning to England at 19, Dollie was invited by director & choreographer Dougie Squires to join his company The Second Generation for TV work in the UK and Europe, numerous dance/musical productions and assistant to Mr. Squires.
As a performer & choreographer credits include: West End Musicals: Sophisticated Ladies - Geilgud Theatre, King the Musical - Piccadilly Theatre, Stop the World I want to get off starring Antony Newley - Lyric Theatre, Angels from America - Shaftesbury Theatre, Tribute To Sammy Davis Jr - Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, The Russ Abbot Madhouse Show -The Palladium and numerous West End Charity performances.
Provincial Repertory Theatre:includes musicals: Helene in Sweet Charity (UK Tour) , Hold Tight it's 60's Night (UK Tour). The Crucible playing the role of Tituba (Royal Theatre - Northampton) and numerous pantomimes nationwide.
Films & TV include:Jo in the David Putnam film Knights & Emeralds (Enigma Films), The Girl in 'Memories in Mind', (BBC Documentary), The Tales of Anansi (Carlton TV), Dollie has worked and performed on many dance productions and TV shows such as The Russ Abbott Madhouse (BBC), The Leo Sayer Show (BBC), The Royal Variety/Command Performances, The BAFTA Awards (BBC) and Videos and TV shows both nationally and internationally.
As a Choreographer & Director projects include: Sweet Lorraine - Old Fire Station Theatre, Oxford, Ain't Misbehavin - The Verin English Theatre, Frankfurt Germany, The Sun City Extravaganza, "Come to the Sun" Sun City, South Africa, The musical Ragged Child & Aladdin - Theatre Royal, Northampton, Salsa Celestina - Palace Theatre, Watford, The musical Big Nose and pantomimes Cinderella & Snow White - Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Up Against The Wall - Tricycle Theatre, London, Original choreographer & co-director for the hit musical Inner City Jam - Cockpit Theatre, London, The soul musical Blues Brother, Soul Sister - The Bristol Old Vic, Bristol. Tribute To Sammy Davis Jr. Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, The Russ Abbot Madhouse Show - The Palladium. Sophisticated Ladies – Lyric Theatre (now Guilgud), London., Godspell (Tour).
Other works include: The Wiz, Wizard of Oz, Annie, Chorus Line, Blues in the Night, and Little Shop of Horrors.
Dollie also choreographed & directed the European Tour of "Fire of Dance for Ulrich Schiller of Gastpiel - Und Theatre Productions Germany, the 70's Musical Extravaganza Abbaddabbado at Blackpool Royal Opera House and the Diamond Jubilee Show at the North Pier Theatre, Blackpool starring Alvin Stardust & the BOP Dancers.
Dollie has also created for Opera & Ballet projects include: Cry of Innocence, Carmen, as jazz specialist with the Northern Ballet Theatre Company (UK) on their 2006 National UK Tour production of 'I Got Rhythm' and with Artistic Director Stephen Jefferies of the Hong Kong Ballet/Shanghai on a new ballet 'Voyages'
For over 10 years, Dollie was a director & choreographer for Paul Elliott of E&B Productions Ltd, (latterly Qdos Productions) working on over 14 productions with various industry artists including: Danny La Rue, Brian Conley, Julian Clary, Paul O'Grady (aka Lilly Savage), Rolf Harris, Bonnie Langford, Bobby Davro, Melinda Messenger. Nicola Blackman. Miquel Brown and Rosie Ashe.
In 1999, Dollie collaborated with music producer & composer Paul Jenkins and writer/performer Ray Shell to produce, devise and choreograph the R&B musical White Folks - A Musical Fable. The production had workshop performances at Nottingham Playhouse and The Cochrane Theatre WC1 and successful performances of the Concert version at The Tricycle Theatre and The Cochrane Theatre.
The full production was produced at the Pleasance Theatre for a successful 5 week run. The studio recording of the musical featuring West End artists Frances Ruffelle, Tony Barclay & Jacqui Dubois amongst others is available at the Covent Garden theatre music store Dress Circle.
Dollie is currently in creative collaboration with Tony Award winner, Director/Choreographer George Faison (The Wiz) devising a new musical theatre project,inspired by the music of Ashford & Simpson.
Dollie has choreographed & staged numerous pop, jazz and theatre artists including: UK R&B Bands Damage and Mis-Teeq, Soul Artist - Omar, Jonaye (2003 Mobo Best Newcomer), Kylie Minogue, Shirley Bassey, Rachel McFarlane, Leo Sayer, Sinitta, Mari Wilson, Ruby Turner, Juliet Roberts, Sharon D. Clarke, Barb Jungr, Claire Martin, Julie Dexter.
TV & Theatre artists include: The Nicholas Brothers, Anthony Newley, Clarke Peters, Ray Shell, Frances Ruffelle, Paul J. Medford, Lionel Blair, Alison Jiar, Opera Diva-Cynthia Hyman and TV stars including: Russ Abbott, Lisa Maxwell, Su Pollard, Bella Emberg.
Dollie has also devised and staged corporate, trade & fashion shows for: Bally Shoes (UK & Europe), Dr Martins Shoes (UK), Wella Hair, Ford Cars, Pepper & Salt Corporate Events (Belgium & Luxembourg), DTZ TV & Media (UK), Pride Fashion Fair.
In 1996 Dollie founded her own artistic jazz theatre company Body Of People (BOP) and was commissioned to choreograph a piece for the project Nubian Steps, initiated to promote and recognise Black Choreographic Talent in Britain. Dollie was able to set her legacy for BOP by creating a jazz theatre piece inspired by the music of Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis entitled "Touches of Miles" which was performed to great acclaim at The Purcell Room - South Bank and subsequently toured Nationwide.
Now in it's 10th year, the company has produced an array of productions that have received welcome reviews from the critics and public. These include: Sacred Space, Trumpet Trilogy, Dizzy Heights & Duke's Place and the BOP showcase production A Journey of Jazz at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells. The company's next project is a tour of the Miles Davis Production of 'Touches of Miles'.
Dollie has also held the position of co-artistic director/choreographer with a number of artistic dance companies including: Jazzxchange Dance Company, Bullies Ballerinas, Jazz Art UK and Malmo Dans City, Sweden.
Her creative works, both as a freelance choreographer and artistic director have been performed at theatres and venues nationally and internationally. Dollie is a regular guest choreographer at the Dance Space Inc. and Broadway Dance Center, NYC and continues to lecture throughout the UK and Europe as guest choreographer & director delivering jazz dance and musical theatre masterclasses & workshops, alongside directing and choreographing productions for many theatre colleges. Dollie currently lectures at London University; London Studio Centre. She has initiated and set up The BOP Dance & Arts Education Programme entitled Dance for Life in collaboration with schools throughout the UK and has recently produced The BOP Jazz DanceXercise Program – Volume One on DVD.
Dollie has been awarded with an Honorary Membership from the International Dance Teachers Association for her work, dedication to the dance world, is an associate member & judge of the ESDU – European & World Dance Masters Championships and can still be found teaching her spirited open jazz classes at London's top dance studios Pineapple.
As with all forward thinking artists, Ms. Henry's distinct creative and artistic flair is revered for its spirited and organic approach, bringing dance and theatre to a more popular culture that she hopes reflects the truisms in today's society.
To view samples of Dollie's work please go to Dance Videos
MySpace: www.myspace.com/dolliehenry
Paul Jenkins
Music Producer . Composer . Arranger . Lecturer
Paul has led an impressive career of over 23 years as a jazz musician (trumpet), composer, arranger and music producer. His vast wealth of experience and expression of musical styles has enabled him to bring a rich and diverse selection of Jazz, RnB, Soul, Pop, Classical and World music sounds to the fore. As a creative and artistic composer, arranger and musician, Paul has worked with numerous jazz & pop artists, theatre performers, bands and musicians and has created dance and musical theatre scores for theatre directors, choreographers, script-writers and film makers both nationally and internationally.
He began his formal training, aged 10, as a chorister at Southwark Cathedral, London. In 1981 he began his trumpet studies with William Lang (LSO Principal Trumpet), composition with Michael Ragan and jazz arranging with Tony Kingsley. Paul graduated with a GLCM (Hons), LLCM in Trumpet performance, ALCM in Piano performance and in 1988 he obtained a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at Middlesex University.
As a music producer, composer, arranger and musician, Paul has worked extensively in many areas of the music industry, performing arts and educational arena. During the late 1980's, Paul formed his own band The Paul Jenkins Quartet composing, recording and performing over a number of years at renowned London venues; Ronnie Scotts, The Jazz Cafe, The Vortex, The Royal Festival Hall and The Barbican Centre.
Paul has held a very active role in the World Music Scene as a horn section leader with bands that include: Abana, Zouk International and Alfia. This led to the formation of his band JEMWA [Mango Records], The band, a collective of multi-national instrumentalists and composers, successfully fused Western Contemporary with African Style Music. In the 1990's he collaborated with musician Farnoosh Behzad, developing an approach that fused Jazz with Iranian Folk music, culminating in major performances at The Royal Festival Hall and other prestigious music venues throughout the UK.
Paul expanded his musical experience and aptitude to the commercial side of the music industry and founded his own Production Company Third Eye Music Productions Ltd in partnership with Stepping Stone Studios in North London. As the director and producer, Paul and his team achieved a wide and varied portfolio, which has included; dance music productions, commercial pop productions, musical theatre productions and film & dance collaborations and worked with a great variety of commercial recording artists and companies including: The Honeyz, Natalie Umbruglia, Lamar, Alison Jiar, Juliet Roberts, Chris Standring, Mike McEvoy [Curiosity Killed the Cat], Chris Ballin [Soul to Soul], J Kay [Sony Records], Diana Fulmore [Capital Records], Island Records, BBC Radio 3 & 4, Jazz FM.
Paul's extensive knowledge and creative impetus has established him with the reputation and foresight to pioneer musical theatre composition to its next level and was head-hunted to re-arrange the complete score for the hit musical Inner City Jam premiered in April 1999 at the Cockpit Theatre in London. Paul received rave reviews for his achievements to bring a new, innovative and fresh style of music to British Musical Theatre.
Paul's other musical theatre projects include, as co-producer & composer, the R&B musical 'White Folks - A Musical Fable'. The musical received much interest through a commissioned musical seminar workshop at The Nottingham Playhouse, which led to a London showing, performed at The Cochrane Theatre WC1 and special concert performances at The Tricycle Theatre and again at the Cochrane.
The full musical production was presented in 2002 for a limited run at the 'Off West End' venue of The Pleasance Theatre, London with Paul receiving much acclaimed reviews from the national press.
The studio recording of the musical featuring West End artists Frances Ruffelle, Tony Barclay & Jacqui Dubois amongst others, is now on sale at London's Covent Garden theatre music store Dress Circle.
Paul is now composing the score for a new original musical theatre project The Necklace inspired by Shakespeare's play Othello & Desdemona and script by Ray Shell. He continues to develop and create new scores for the BOP dance repertoire and jazz theatre productions.
Paul has been involved with many theatre dance & music projects throughout his varied career. As a creative artist of music he has become an innovator of bringing a new approach and freshness to music that is specifically for dance theatre, as is evident with in his creative partnership with Dollie Henry and their theatre production company BOP Productions Ltd (Body of People).
Paul is co-director of BOP, leading the company as music producer, composer, and arranger. In collaboration they first brought the disciplines of music & dance together through Jazz Theatre Productions. Their first production as a team Duke's Place - A celebration of Duke Ellington's life & music, premiered at The Cochrane Theatre in October 1999 and featured British Jazz artists such as vocalist Claire Martin & Julie Dexter and Jazz musicians Ray Warleigh (sax/flute) and Dave Newton (piano).
Now in it's 13th year, the company has produced an array of productions that have received welcome reviews from the critics and public. These include: Sacred Space, Trumpet Trilogy, Dizzy Heights & Duke's Place and In Oct 2005 the BOP Production of A Journey of Jazz at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells. The company's next creative production is to create and develop an original jazz ballet entitled 'Isabella' inspired by the musical feast of 'Sketches of Spain' from Miles Davis & Gil Evans.
Most recently, Paul has produced and composed the original musical score for the BOP Jazz Dance Exercise Program on DVD and accompanying Music Soundtrack on CD.
BOP as a company has many strands in producing, creating and establishing new events & artists. Led by Paul, the company has established BOP Music Production and Artist Development, a new wing of the company devised to produce and create real opportunities for young and established jazz and commercial musicians and singers to grow, develop and show their talents as writers, recording artists and performers in the music industry.
Paul continues to share his talents and vast experience in the music industry as a music producer, composer and arranger, working in all aspects of the pop and commercial sector. He is currently producing female vocalist SuElise Nash, formerly of the UK girl band Mis-Teeq, Australian RnB/Pop artists/singer-songwriters Adam Saunders & David Denis and British jazz guitar phenomenon Joe Caleb.
Other commissioned work for theatre & dance companies includes: The musical score entitled One for Perpetual Motion Theatre Company, Trilogy D' Jazz for Elmhurst Theatre Group, Synchronicity for Norwegian Choreographer Janna Kristiansen. Paul also wrote the musical theatre score 'Right Here, Right Now' for Richmond College Theatre Company.
For film and TV, Paul's has had commissions to write the musical score for the small screen film Fascination for Flight - for Channel 4 Television and continues to write numerous musical pieces for independent film and TV companies in the UK and Europe, which includes library music for use in all areas of the entertainment & media industry.
Paul is a fully qualified educator and a lecturer of Music, Music Technology & Performing Arts. In 1989 he played a key role on the management team and the subsequent restructuring of the Richmond Music Trust. In 1991 he devised and developed a comprehensive Jazz program, which included all aspects of the Improvisers Art and founded the Richmond Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Richmond Youth Jazz Ensemble.In 1995 Paul began lecturing at Richmond College and was invited to devise and implement a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts, responsible for the Music Division.
Throughout the last 10 years Paul has devised and implemented a wide and varying range of educational jazz music, musical theatre and jazz dance workshops and seminars through his company BOP. He continues to teach and lecture jazz composition, music performance and music technology in schools and colleges world-wide.
To listen to samples of Paul's work please go to Music Samples