Backstage Buzz: October 2026
Welcome to the October edition of Backstage Buzz. This month our students have been learning from industry guests in Birmingham, Essex, and at Northern Ballet School, more of our graduates are heading off to perform around the world, and around 50 young performers joined us for Boys Day in Essex.
Adrian Gas leads a pop-up masterclass in Essex
Performers College graduate and prolific choreographer Adrian Gas returned to our Essex campus for a pop-up masterclass with our students. Originally from Ibiza, Adrian trained with us before dancing for artists including Kylie Minogue, Rihanna, and Robbie Williams.
Adrian is now choreographing Take That’s The Circus Live, one of the UK’s biggest arena tours. His career as a choreographer and movement director also includes The Voice, Dancing on Ice, and Let It Shine, and work with Olly Murs and Tom Jones. It was a brilliant chance for our students to learn from someone who once stood exactly where they are now.
Graduates take their talents around the world
More of our recent graduates are getting ready to entertain audiences around the world. Izzy Rose Cooke is off to Disneyland Paris, Sofia Aaron joins Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and Lucie Leonard heads to Universal Studios Singapore. Aidan Dunlop joins Chessington World of Adventures, and Karina Kules will be part of The Polar Express Train Ride.
At sea, Anna Ruth Morris has been cast in Back to the Future: The Musical with Royal Caribbean International, Benjamin Head joins Celebrity Cruises, and Harrison Noble heads to the USA with Carnival Cruise Line.
Industry masterclasses in Birmingham
Our Birmingham students have welcomed more industry guests for masterclasses this month. Performer Richy B, whose credits include Hamilton, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, joined us to share insight from his career on stage.
We also welcomed agent Matthew Roberts of Roberts and Day Management, giving students a valuable look at the industry from the other side of the audition table.
Kirsty Sparks returns to Northern Ballet School
Our Year 2 and 3 Jazz Focus students at Northern Ballet School started the new term with two days of industry workshops led by Kirsty Sparks. Fresh from the UK tour of Top Hat, Kirsty led masterclasses in jazz technique, Pilates, and contrasting choreographic styles, shared insight into audition technique and professional practice, and delivered lectures on resilience and injury prevention.
Boys Day returns to Essex
On 10 October, around 50 male and male-identifying performers aged 12–21 joined us at our Essex campus for our free Boys Day. They spent the day in hands-on workshops covering acting for screen, commercial dance, jazz technique, musical theatre, and singing, led by industry professionals including Nathan Ramsey of dance collective Diversity, and Performers College graduates Kyle Seeley (West End performer and associate choreographer) and Bruno Cryan (screen actor).
There was also time for a campus tour and a Q&A with our current students and graduates.
To discover more about Performers College, including auditions and how to apply, contact us at [email protected] or you can Apply Now, or book an Open Day on our Events page.
