We are honoured to welcome Brendan Keaney OBE, Ginny Brown, Jessica Ward, Dante Puleio, and Nicky Spence OBE to our community of Honorary Fellows.
Each year, brilliant leaders, industry professionals and outstanding artists are nominated for Honorary Fellowships at Trinity Laban, to recognised their achievements and contributions to the arts throughout their careers. This year awards were made to: Former Artistic Director and CEO of DanceEast Brendan Keaney OBE, CEO of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Ginny Brown, Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School and Trinity Laban alum Jessica Ward, Artistic Director of Limón Dance Company and Trinity Laban alum Dante Puleio, and operatic tenor Nicky Spence OBE.
Brendan Keaney OBE started his career in 1979 as a freelance dancer, performing with a number of independent dance companies, and has a string of Film, TV, and Theatre credits. After a ten-year career as performer, teacher and choreographer he moved into Leadership and Management roles. He was until July 2025, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of DanceEast, a leading national dance organisation. He has also held roles as Director of Greenwich Dance, and as the Dance Officer with responsibility for Independent Dance at the (then) Arts Council of England.
Ginny Brown is passionate about the educational, social and artistic value of dance for all. She started her career as a dance teacher, specialising in broadening access to professional dance organisations including Rambert, English National Ballet and The Royal Ballet School. She is now CEO of the Imperial Society of Teaching of Dancing, where she is focused on regenerating the Society, so that it remains meaningful and relevant for generations to come.
She is proud to be responsible for an organisation that is built on generations of inspirational female leaders and is committed to improving diversity and inclusion, so that everyone can benefit from what the Society has to offer. In a voluntary capacity, Ginny is also Vice-Chair of the Sports and Recreation Alliance Movement and Dance Division. As such, she has been instrumental in bringing the Let’s Dance campaign to fruition.
Jessica Ward trained as a contemporary dancer and choreographer at Trinity Laban, performing with Transitions Dance Company, and participating in various freelance projects. After sustaining an injury during her dance career, she embraced the opportunity to pursue her other passion – teaching. Jessica taught dance in schools and colleges, progressing to senior leadership roles in London Secondary Schools before becoming Principal of Elmhurst Ballet School in 2010.
A passionate choreographer, Jessica has created work for numerous youth companies, including the award-winning team at The Grange Opera. She is deeply committed to making dance accessible and inclusive, challenging the perception of ballet as an elite world and ensuring opportunities for all to engage in the art form.
As Principal, Jessica finds helping students and staff achieve meaningful improvements the most rewarding aspect of her role. She plays an active role in the national Music and Dance Scheme school’s head teachers group and collaborates with various networks to support the growth of Elmhurst. She is also a committee member of the Society of Heads. In 2021, Jessica’s dedication to education was recognised with the Excellence in Education Award at the Business and Inspirational Women Awards. That same year, she joined the New Adventures’ Board of Trustees, further broadening her impact in the arts.
A widely respected former member of the Limón Dance Company for more than a decade, Dante Puleio is the sixth Artistic Director in the Company’s 75-year history, a position that originated with Doris Humphrey. After a diverse performing career with the Limón Dance Company, touring national and international musical theatre productions, television and film, he received his MFA from University of California, Irvine.
His research focuses on contextualizing mid 20th century dance for the contemporary artist and audience. He is committed to implementing that research by celebrating José Limón’s historical legacy and reimagining his intention and vision to reflect the rapidly shifting 21st century landscape.
Winner of the BBC Musician Magazine Personality of the Year 2022, Opera Singer Nicky Spence is an artist and broadcaster of great integrity and one of Scotland’s proudest sons. Nicky was made an OBE in the King’s inaugural Birthday Honours in 2023 for services to Music and received the Singer Award from the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2024.
Nicky is using his space to bring more people to classical music than ever before and recently presented an acclaimed run of TV programmes: Anyone can sing and Sing when you’re winning (Sky Arts), contributing regularly to print, and broadcasts both on radio and television. Nicky is past President for the Independent Society of Musicians, an official Ambassador for charity Help Musicians UK, on the Sounding Board at the National Opera Studio, London and patron for the Grasmere Song at Ambleside. Nicky gives masterclasses Internationally and is a visiting professor at both the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, London.