Rachel Baggarley attended various dance classes since childhood and studied Performing Arts, graduating with a 2nd Class BA (Hons) from Suffolk University.
After a Semi-Professional career in The Arts, she went on to specialise in SEN subjects for children & adults, then started volunteering at Magpie in 2016 which led to her being nominated twice and awarded once, for "Volunteer of the Year" by Magpie Dance.
She was soon offered training as an assistant and starting working for us too. At Marlborough School and Trinity Laban.
Rachel has recently gone back to concentrate on her volunteer work with us which is her main passion.
Anna has been volunteering with Wednesday Magpie Youth since the start of 2022. She began performance studies at All The Arts Theatre School at age 8, and then continued dance studies at Bullers Wood School and Debbie Fyffe Theatre School. In 2021 she graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA (Hons) in Geography with International Studies, where she competed for the University of Manchester Cheerleaders. She was also a performer on the Aztecas Pom Pom Girls team at the Univerisdad de Las Americas Puebla, Mexico on her international study year.
Anna’s favourite thing about Magpie Dance is seeing all of the dancers create and perform choreography in their own unique style.
Ella joined Magpie in 2023 and is interested in learning more from Magpie and becoming an assistant facilitator.
Ella Holappa is a freelance dance artist working in many different roles such as performer, choreographer, dramaturg, producer and audience engagement worker. She sees art and dance to have the potential to open people’s minds to seeing the world in different ways. For example she is very interested in the differences between non-verbal and verbal communication and the different amounts of value that are placed on them in our society. She believes dance can unveil the importance of non-verbal communication and the knowledge the body carries kinaesthetically.
Alyson started volunteering with Magpie in 2023. She loves working with children and young people and has had years of experience in education and charity. Currently, she is a researcher in neurodevelopmental sciences at King's College London. In her day job she conducts different research assessments with people of all ages, and she spends her free time doing lots of baking (or thinking about it!).
Since volunteering with Magpie, she has had the privilege of exploring dance with a group of extremely talented and diverse individuals, all of whom bring a smile to her face every Saturday morning. These sessions have brought a lot of joy and fun into her life and she hopes to be part of it for as long as she can.
Saffron loves expressing herself through movement and dance. Supporting others to be creative and engaging in dance brings her joy! She believes everyone should be able to express themselves and meaningfully interact with the outside world, which is why she has studied Makaton and volunteer with Magpie Dance.
Robert began volunteering in 2023 with Magpie Dance. He is a Rambert School graduate, with Ba Hons in dance. Since graduating, Robert had the pleasure of working with Ballet Theatre UK and toured extensively with the company, dancing in a wide range of productions which including Swan Lake and Pinnochio.
At present, Robert has been freelancing in and around London participating in many different projects. This includes fashion films, feature films and research/development projects and also music band Real Lies.
Robert’s favourite part of magpie dance is working and seeing the dancers create all the fantastic choreography!
I started volunteering with Magpie Dance in 2022, and wish I had helped out sooner! The staff and dancers are incredibly welcoming, contributing to an atmosphere of fun and learning that I hope to continue to be a part of. I have also begun training to become an assistant facilitator. I am studying Psychology at university, and would recommended anyone with spare free time to consider helping out, as being a part of Magpie Dance is one of the most rewarding and positive things you can be involved in.
Deb joined Magpie as a volunteer at the beginning of 2022 having found out about us on the Bromley Volunteer website.
She has recently completed a course as a FABS (Flexibility, Aerobic, Balance and Strength) Instructor with the organisation Move it or Lose it which has designed classes to deliver fun, effective and inclusive classes to older people everywhere.
Deb has always loved dance and moving to music to keep fit herself so was delighted to find out about Magpie and help bring that joy to others.
Ronié grew up, went to school and lives in Bromley.
She has spent over two decades working as an Executive Assistant, and currently works as an Executive Assistant for a Venture Capital Firm in London, and spends what’s left of her free time running, weight training and testing herself by making meals out of what’s left in the fridge!
Having danced and sang in her teens, Magpie Dance has been on her radar since her work with the BYMT, and she is honoured to be able to volunteer and help with the youth group every Saturday.
Ronié has previously volunteered as a befriender for the National Autistic Society and Robes Night Shelter.
