Introducing… Kristen McGarrity
Hamilton Theatre Arts is delighted to welcome Kristen to the teaching faculty.
Kristen will join the Ballet faculty working with the students on our 3 Year Diploma in Professional Dance and will also work with our associated Junior School, Dancepoint Musical Theatre School.
Born in Glasgow, Kristen trained at The Royal Ballet School (RBS) before graduating into Birmingham Royal Ballet where she dance most of the company’s Soloist and Corp de Ballet repertoire over the eight seasons, whilst studying towards her BSc (Hons) Psychology degree.
After a difficult injury, she returned to London where she gained her RBS Teaching Diploma (PDTC) whilst branching out into the music, film and musical theatre industries. She has toured the UK and Europe as a singer songwriter, backing vocalist and keyboardist and has vocal credits on Channel 4’s The Snowman and The Snowdog. Her film credits include An American in Paris: The Musical, Annihilation (Lena double), Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (Dancer and Assistant Choreographer) and Red Nose Day Actually (Movement Director for Hugh Grant). As well as appearing in the ensemble, Kristen played the lead role of ‘Lise Dassin’ in the original West End cast, Asia tour and Paris productions of Christopher Wheeldon’s An American in Paris. She has also worked with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre; a charity established to support those in recovery from addiction through dance theatre.
Kristen has worked with The Royal Ballet as a Principal Coach (Frankenstein), Assistant Choreographer (Swan Lake) and Teacher/Repetiteur for RBS students involved in RB productions (The Nutcracker, Frankenstein, Raven Girl). Her staging and rehearsal directing experience includes Joffrey Ballet (Vespertine) and Bayerisches Staatsballett (With a Chance of Rain). She has guest taught at The Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst Ballet School, Urdang Academy, Yorkshire Ballet Seminars and on many vocational training Winter, Easter and Summer Schools. Kristen was the ladies’ teacher for the graduate year of English National Ballet School in 2020.
After recently relocating back to Scotland, she has been guest teaching at Scottish Ballet and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as providing 1-1 virtual bespoke ballet, personal and career coaching to preprofessional and professional dance artists through her business Coaching with Kristen. She is currently studying towards an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology as well as her Mindfulness and Meditation teacher accreditation. She is an advocate for wellness and wellbeing in the dance industry and believes in a holistic approach towards movement and the artists’ experience both inside and outside the studio.
Hamilton Theatre Arts is delighted to welcome Kristen to the team!
