Malachi Spaulding - Artistic Director & Supervising Dance Tutor, Shanturia Dance Theatre
Malachi Spaulding is the founder and Artistic Director of Shanturia Dance Theatre. He graduated from the Kingston University and Holy Cross Girls' School with a Graduate Teacher Training Programme certificate and holds Qualified Teacher Status. Since 2005 he has taught dance in many primary and secondary schools across the UK. In 2010 while working at the Mellksham Oak Community school in Wiltshire, he directed and choreographed The Melksham Oak Dance Showcase working with over 40 students. Malachi has also worked with the Royal Ballet Chance 2 Dance team, Greenwich Dance Agency and Hertswood School where he taught GCSE Dance and Btec Performing Arts. Malachi has also fifteen years experience as a professional dancer. He trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, where he gained his Bachelor of Performing Arts Degree. He then went on to complete a 3 year Professional Dance Diploma at the Ballet Rambert School. Malachi's performing credits include performing with the Vienna Festival Ballet as a soloist in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Coppelia. He has also performed in the award-winning West End production The Lion King. Malachi has also danced with Irie Dance Theatre, gaining valuable experience working with leading African Dance specialists Peter Badejo, Jackie Guy and H. Patten. He has also toured with Kokuma Dance Theatre, Ballet Black and danced in music videos for Kylie Minogue and Jamiroquai.
Shanturia Dance Theatre was established in 1992 as a performance/workshop company inspired by the local community: rich in its own diversity and culture. The aim is to provide opportunities for as many people as possible to experience the energy and enjoyment of dance, through quality dance performances and outstanding dance workshops.
Shanturia has since gone on to produce high quality shows which have been toured around the UK, including Sistren and Nubian Sisters. The company gained critical acclaim for the production, Earth, Wind, Fire and Water, which was performed as part of the Mosaics Festival.
The company have also performed works at Resolutions, Lewisham Peoples' Day and at the Deptford Festival. Shanturia gave African-Caribbean taster classes and performances at the London Dance Around the World Festival, the Move It! Dance exhibition (Olympia) and the Unity Festival at the O2 Centre.
Recent dance workshops have included a residency at Montgomery British Forces Primary School in Germany, teaching African-Caribbean Dance. Shanturia have also collaborated on projects with The Prince's Trust, teaching dance to young people especially boys who come from disadvantaged, vulnerable or criminal backgrounds, and with Creative Partnerships, providing African dance workshops in schools across the whole of London for Black History Month. Shanturia will be running its new "BOYZ 2 MEN" Dance Project for schools across the whole country. The aim is to encourage and inspire more boys to participate in Dance at school.