Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Kristen trained at The Royal Ballet School (RBS) during which time, she won the April Olrich Award for Dynamic Dance, Adeline Genée Bronze Medal and was a Young British Dancer of the Year Finalist. She graduated into Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) where she danced most of the company’s soloist repertoire, including notable roles in Agon (1st pas de trois), Galanteries (solo girl), In the Upper Room (stompers), Pineapple Poll (Poll), Pulcinella (Rosetta), Shakespeare Suite (Kate), Sleeping Beauty (fairy of Modesty and pas de quatre), Swan Lake (pas de trois) and Take Five (Take Five). After leaving BRB she completed her BSc Honours degree in Psychology and her RBS teaching diploma with distinction, whilst touring the UK and Europe as a singer/songwriter/musician with artists Andy Burrows and Emmy The Great.
Other performance work includes playing the lead role of ‘Lise Dassin’ in Christopher Wheeldon’s An American in Paris (London West End, Asia and Paris tours), creating the role of ‘Firebird’ in Andrew McNicol’s Firebird Reimagined award winning dance film and stage production; creating a role in Upon Awakening for Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, working with recovering addicts through the medium of dance and performance, as well as various R&D workshops and performances with creators such as BalletBoyz, Bobbi Jene Smith, Paul Roberts and William Tuckett. Kristen has dance and acting credits in films An American in Paris: The Musical, Annihilation (Lena, Dance and Stunt Double), Disney’s The Nutcracker and The Four Realms, and Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (Isabel Fezziweg movement).
Kristen has worked with The Royal Ballet as a Principal Coach (Frankenstein), Assistant Choreographer (Swan Lake, The Cunning Little Vixen) and Teacher/Repetiteur for RBS students involved in RB productions (The Nutcracker, Frankenstein, Raven Girl). Her Staging and Rehearsal Directing experience with other world renowned companies includes Joffrey Ballet, Bayerisches Staatsballett and Royal New Zealand Ballet. She has guest taught at the UK’s top vocational schools, namely, RBS, Elmhurst Ballet School, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and English National Ballet School, where she was the ladies’ teacher for the graduate year of 2020.
Since relocating back to Scotland, Kirsten works as a freelance Rehearsal Assistant for Scottish Ballet, and continues to guest teach, stage productions and assist choreographers, whilst guest performing. She is a qualified mindfulness and meditation teacher and is currently studying towards becoming a certified positive psychology practitioner. She is an advocate for wellbeing and positive cultural advancement in the dance industry, as co Founder/Director of new initiative for action, Matter Up. She believes in a holistic approach towards movement and education, in aid of enhancing every student and artist’s experience in dance.
Kristen is very much looking forward to sharing this experience with all involved in the Collective.