Rosie Whitney-Fish Steps Down as Chief Executive of DanceWest

DanceWest announced that after leading the organisation for 10 incredible years, Founder and Chief Executive Rosie Whitney-Fish has stepped down, as she transitions to the Board of Trustees and pursues a career as a freelance Producer.

Since founding DanceWest in 2014, Rosie has worked tirelessly to bring high quality dance experiences to people of all ages and abilities from across West London. Under her leadership, the organisation has become a leading force in the dance sector, engaging over 30,000 people each year across 76 weekly classes, delivering community programmes across seven London boroughs, and running DanceWest Fest, a biennial festival that connects hundreds of local community performers, and supporting the creation of new choreography and development of dance artists with over 70 new commissions since inception.

2022 saw a new chapter in DanceWest's history as it opened a permanent home and world class, state of the art community dance studio in Fulham. That same year saw the organisation nominated and shortlisted for the One Dance UK Health & Wellbeing Award and Rosie for the One Dance UK Spotlight Award. This year DanceWest became the nominated charity for the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham.

Rosie Whitney-Fish said: "Founding DanceWest has been the greatest privilege of my career. Over the past decade, we've built an organisation that truly places community and creativity at its heart, bringing the transformative power of dance to people of all ages and abilities. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together, from opening our community-facing dance studio, which provides high-quality facilities for everyone and affordable space for dance artists, to delivering meaningful programmes that engage thousands annually.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the DanceWest trustees, our funders, supporters, incredible team of teachers, and our vibrant community who have made this journey so rewarding. Milestones such as founding Dancing Books, Dance for Dementia, Move it Mondays, becoming a partner at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, receiving critical acclaim for our work and being the recipient of a Hammersmith & Fulham Civic Honour reflect how far we've come, and I know DanceWest's impact will only grow stronger.

“Personally, this journey has been transformational one of pure grit, determination and hard work and as I step into my new role as a trustee, I am excited to continue supporting DanceWest while focusing on my freelance career. It's been fantastic to collaborate with Julia and I am confident that Julia and the team will lead DanceWest to even greater heights, ensuring its legacy of creativity, inclusivity, and inspiration continues to flourish.

“West London's community has been at the heart of everything we do and it has been incredible to witness the power of dance to bring people together, support wellbeing and help us all move and dance back to health. DanceWest's story is one of resilience, creativity and connection, I look forward to seeing its impact grow even further in the years ahead.”

Following a carefully planned three-month handover period, Julia Fitzelle takes up the position as DanceWest's new Director. A dedicated arts and education leader, Julia worked as a secondary school teacher in inner London schools for 15 years before moving into the arts sector.

As Head of Learning & Participation at Rambert and a senior team member of Rambert Grades, Julia played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of these organisations, spearheading initiatives to bring dance to broader audiences. Previously Julia held the position of Cultural Education Partnership Manager for Ealing, where she worked to bridge the gap between communities and cultural opportunities.

Of her appointment, Julia said: “I am truly honoured to take on the role of Director at DanceWest, following in the remarkable footsteps of our founder, Rosie. DanceWest has long been a beacon of creativity and community engagement, and I am excited to build upon this legacy. This role comes with great responsibility to everyone in the DanceWest community, Rosie's vision has been instrumental in shaping this organisation, and I am eager to uphold that legacy while embracing new ideas and opportunities. Together with our talented team, we will explore innovative programming and partnerships that inspire, educate, and uplift our community through the transformative power of dance. I am deeply inspired by the foundation Rosie established and look forward to forging new paths that will enhance our artistic offerings and community outreach. Together, we will create a vibrant future where dance serves as a shared experience that inspires joy, connection, and creativity.”

Working in partnership with the Board of Trustees and staff, Julia will use her diverse experience across sectors to set the strategic direction for DanceWest, building on Rosie's legacy and continuing its mission to engage people of all ages and abilities in high quality dance activity and improve the mental and physical health and wellbeing of people through dance.

DanceWest also announced that its longstanding Chair, Anya Todd, has stepped down. Having been Chair since the organisation was founded, Anya has been a pivotal member of the team and everyone at DanceWest extends their heartfelt thanks to Anya. The search for a new Chair is now underway, with further announcements to be made in the New Year.

Alongside Rosie Whitney-Fish's transition to the Board of Trustees, DanceWest also welcomes Frances Hedges (Deputy Editor of Harper's Bazaar), Ida Ossonemane (Social Media & Brand Strategist at Do It Now Now), Giorgio Christou (Head of Employee Engagement at 1E), Lesley Main (Higher Education and Arts Consultant) and Lisa Ardley-Price (Managing Legal Counsel at NatWest Group) to its Board of Trustees.

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