Cassie Rivett

Cassie Rivett

It is fantastic to be working with Dancefest. It will enable me to pass on my skills to others and enthuse others to gain a life long love of dance.

It's so great to watch the students grow over the course of a project and it's wonderful being in a job, that doesn't feel like a job, as it's my passion.

I have danced and performed from the young age of 7. I have certificates up to Intermediate and Advanced level in ballet, modern, character and tap with The Royal Academy of Dance and The British Ballet Organisation.

I also trained at The Birmingham Stage school until joining college, where I studied a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Halesowen College. From a young age I was fortunate enough to perform with The Berk Bros Theatre company, as a road show dancer for the radio station BRMB and as an associate with The Birmingham Royal Ballet as part of the opening ceremony of The Symphony Hall and Centenary Square in Birmingham.

I graduated from the University of Birmingham with a BA Hons in Dance and Theatre Arts in 1998. I then went on to study a PGCE and qualified as a secondary teacher in 1999. Since then I have been a Performing Arts teacher in secondary education for 20 years, teaching GCSE Drama, BTEC and A Level Dance, Musical Theatre and Performing Arts.

I not only choreograph my own productions, but have also choreographed, directed and worked for local companies and performing arts school. I currently also teach at Stagecoach Redditch. I continue to enjoy performing and am a member of Redditch and Studley Operatic societies and have taken on principal's parts, such as Lilly St Regis in Annie. I have been a part of the cabaret group Applause since November 2015 and have enjoyed being a part of their charity concerts, which enables me to perform as a singer. I also have my own business called LightUP Drama, where I run after school classes for 4-16yr olds in North Worcestershire.

Working for Dancefest now means I can do some wonderful dance work in the community too. Sharing my main discipline of dance with lots of young and inspiring dancers.