Today, DanceWest announces 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:
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 today announces 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.