Burton and South Derbyshire College welcomes new Patron for Dance and Theatre Arts!

A leading figure in the world of dance is set to inspire students at Burton and South Derbyshire College (@BSDCofficial) as their new Patron of Dance and Theatre Arts. The College has enlisted Katy Sterran, Artistic Director of Flexus Dance Collective as industry patron to join the College’s impressive list of patrons across its broad range of curriculum areas.

BSDC’s network of patrons mean that students benefit from an industry-led curriculum, access to key industry contacts and the opportunity to work on live briefs for real companies. This supports the College in delivering its Skills Promise and ensuring that when students complete their course, they will be job ready with the transferable skills and qualities they need to make an impact in their chosen industry or profession.

Katy Sterran started her dance career as a freelance artist before becoming a teacher of dance in education, establishing a thriving department and holding over 18 years of outstanding practice in education. She founded Flexus Dance Collective in 2003, building its profile on her vision to provide high quality and creative training, performance and engagement, nurturing the talent of dancers throughout education, early careers and professional training. 

Sterran is passionate about her work with young people and has built a national reputation for her ability to push the possibilities of youth dance and achieve professional standards out of young artists. She aims to inspire and empower young people and young emerging artists, enabling them to recognise their creative potential and talent, providing access to skills and experiences fundamental for creative landscapes and industries. 

Katy Sterran commented:

“Flexus has worked in partnership with the performing arts team at Burton and South Derbyshire College for many years and my patronage will take the partnership and the strategic development of the curriculum area to the next level. Being asked to become a patron was a great honour and privilege, and I am looking forward to supporting learners as they start out in the performance industry. In my role as a patron, I can act as a direct link and gateway to the professional world, providing opportunities for students to gain real work experience and contacts as they begin their careers in this exciting and varied industry.”

Emma Strange, Deputy Director at of Curriculum at Burton and South Derbyshire College added:

“We are delighted to welcome Katy as our new Patron for Dance and Theatre Arts. As a patron, Katy will play an important part in the learning journey of our performing arts learners as a motivator, role model and industry representative. Katy brings with her a wealth of experience in the professional performance industry and will be an extremely inspirational figure for our learners who are just starting out in their careers.”