Canterbury Dance Festival

Canterbury Dance Festival

ADJUDICATOR'S CV

Dr. Nathan James PhD MA (Dist.)
Fellow and Examiner ISTD FIDTA ANATD MBBO Cert FE (QTLS)

Nathan trained in the Midlands in all Musical Theatre Disciplines along with gaining many of his early teaching qualifications.  His first professional engagement was in 'Cinderella' with Brian Conley and Danny La Rue.  Subsequent pantomimes have included 'Snow White', 'Aladdin' and 'Cinderella' all at the Birmingham Hippodrome.

For 3 years Nathan sailed the high seas for both Celebrity and Princess Cruise Lines performing in a variety of Productions aboard these impressive cruise liners.  It also ignited his passion for travelling.  Upon returning to England and settling in London, Nathan has performed in a range of regional productions including 'Copacabana' and 'Hello Dolly' and various trade shows and TV commercials.  He has toured the UK in the national tour of 'Copacabana' and also Europe in the Irish dance show 'Spirit of the Dance'.  He also completed a season at the renowned Chichester Festival Theatre.  Nathan last appeared in the revival of the Broadway Musical '42 nd Street', albeit in German, in the city of Stuttgart.

For the last 8 years Nathan has concentrated on his first passion, teaching.  Specialising in Jazz, Musical Theatre and Tap styles he has taught at many of the major Vocational Colleges in the UK, including Arts Educational School, Bodywork Dance Studios and Sylvia Young Theatre School. He is currently Director of HE Programmes at the Urdang Academy, London. Nathan regularly visits the USA in order to further his knowledge in the tap and musical theatre genres and was invited to perform in a showcase of new work at the Leonard Nimoy Theatre in New York. Nathan was awarded an MA in Professional Practice (Dance Education) with Distinction from Middlesex University and a PhD in Dance from the University of Roehampton. Nathan is a British Federation and All England Adjudicator as well as a Modern and Tap examiner for the ISTD and a committee member of the Tap Faculty.