Upon graduating from Elmhurst Ballet School, Deborah continued her academic studies, gaining a BA Hons Communication Studies – Dance from the University of Leeds, and an MA in Dance Studies at De Montfort University and then received a scholarship to pursue her contemporary dance training at the Jose Limón Institute in New York. Deborah is currently a PhD candidate at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is researching contemporary narrative ballet works through a feminist narratological lens.
As a dance educator Deborah has taught internationally at conservatoires in Taiwan, Slovakia, Lithuania, and America. With a focus on Contemporary Ballet and Limón-based technique she has taught across the UK for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and as a guest lecturer at Edge Hill University, Elmhurst Ballet School, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Rambert School for Ballet and Contemporary Dance.
As a choreographer Deborah has presented works internationally in both educational and professional settings. Youth Dance projects have taken her work to the Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival, and UDance Regional and National Platforms. Her company Ballet Folk, has a narrative focus and is embedded in folk traditions and music with recent premieres staged at Cambridge Folk Festival and Counter Pointe in New York.
Deborah was previously the MA Programme Manager for both the MA Professional Dance Performance | Rambert2 and the MA Dance Research for Professional Practitioners.