Karen Louise Pratt
Karen is a Suffolk based Dance Artist specialising in contemporary and community dance. She trained at Roehampton University where she gained a BA (hons) in Dance Studies. Karen went on to complete a PGCE at University Campus Suffolk in 2014 and has worked in a range of educational settings in Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.
She is currently teaching her own classes Stow Movers, Felixstowe Movers and Hadleigh Movers, movement classes for older adults, which all run weekly. She also runs Mini Movers, a class for toddlers and their grown ups!
Alongside regular delivery, Karen has taught on many exciting projects including:
–Dance From Home 2020 – 2024 (DanceEast)
–Jubilant! 2022 (Stowmarket Cultural Group with Mendlesham Primary School & John Peel Centre)
–Tell Your Story Project 2022 (ICEP & St Pancras Primary School)
-Hadleigh Hullabaloo 2019 (DanceEast)
-KLD & Yodanga Arts Summer School 2018 & 2019
-The Inkwell 2017 including Arts Award (DanceEast)
-7 Schools 1 Town 2017 (DanceEast & Gecko Theatre)
–Big Dance 2016 (in conjunction with Akram Khan & People Dancing)
-Big Dance Workshops 2016 (in conjunction with Anna Rowe Dance)
Between 2020 – 2025, Karen worked as ‘Dancing for Joy’ Programme Manager for the Dance Network Association in Essex, programming Dance and Health activities across the county. Most recently, Karen teaches Dance as part of the UAL Performing Arts course at Suffolk New college 2.5 days a week.
Karen was part of the 17/18 cohort for Overture, a professional development opportunity with ReBourne. She was 1 of 16 UK Dance Artists that took part in four residential weekends. She has also recently completed a Dementia Care Mapping course through Bradford University supported by DanceEast, and also was a part of the Emerging Leaders programme with National Centre for Writing.
Karen is also a keen performer, and has been a member of Kinetica Dance Collective (formerly Dance Unlimited), a performance group in Suffolk, for 10 years now, meeting weekly to move and groove together.
Collaborators
Lizzie Hawes
Lead Dance Artist – Mini Movers
Hi I’m Lizzie, but everyone calls me Dizzie (and honestly, it suits me perfectly!) I love to move, groove and tell stories through music, songs and play. Movement has always been my favourite way to connect, create, and sprinkle a little joy into the world.
I trained in Community Dance at Trinity Laban, graduating back in 2017, and since then I’ve been lucky enough to work across the community – from tiny toddlers taking their first wiggles to intergenerational projects that get everyone up and dancing together.
Emily Tume
Support Artist – StowMovers
“I have been dancing ever since the age of 3 and in more recent years have found a love for teaching. I am currently studying a BA Hons Dance Education degree with the Royal Academy of Dance simultaneous to working at my local dance school with all sorts of ages (2-adult!). I am so grateful to now also have a role at StowMovers as I think it’s an amazing project that has such a positive effect on the community – it’s a real privilege to help out every Friday!”
Louise
Support Artist – Hadleigh Movers
Louise has over 15 years of experience within the health and fitness industry. She is a qualified personal trainer sports coach and has worked within the NHS as a Health improvement specialist, working with children & adults.
Beth Fisher
Support Artist – Felixstowe Movers
Beth is a Suffolk based dancer and aspiring teacher who trained in Dance Performance at Middlesex University. At Middlesex, Beth trained in contemporary techniques such as Humphrey, Graham, Release and Cunningham as well as Ballet. Beth is to keen to develop her teaching experience among all ages and abilities and has recently completed her Level 6 BBO Dance teaching qualification.
karenlouisedance.com 