Keziah Benbow

 Alumni profile 

Course studied: BA (Hons) Dance
Graduating year: 2016

Keziah Benbow is a freelance dance and theatre practitioner, working across the South West. Immediately after graduating in 2016, Kez began leadership training with Diverse City. In this role she developed her skills in inclusive practice (delivering workshops at events and taking her level 1 British Sign Language qualification) and film/ photography at ‘The Complete Freedom of Truth’ event in Sarteano, Italy.

Kez is now working as a film maker and movement director for Extraordinary Bodies Young Artist David Young’s new work, “Grow Up”, and continues to support EBYA at national and international events.

Kez began interning for Wyldwood Arts as an assistant producer and choreographer in early 2017 and is now operating as their Youth Theatre Lead and Dance Artist, most recently writing and directing their play’ The Growing Tree” which will be performed at local festivals and around schools.

Keziah was selected to be a member of the New Adventures ‘Overture Cohort’, Matthew Bourne’s community dance training course, for 2017-18. Over four residential weekends, Kez worked with some brilliant artists from the industry, developing her own sense of community facilitation, principles and integrity. Kez found an incredibly supportive and encouraging group of peers during this time, and it was here that Kez decided to begin her own company.

Keziah Dance Theatre launched in September 2017, and now operates four weekly dance and theatre sessions, specialist workshops for SEN schools and over 60s groups, and will be coordinating a large flash mob for Nibley festival this year. 

At present, Kez also freelances as a co-facilitator for TwoCan inclusive theatre company and has co-devised live performances and films to showcase the fantastic talent in both their youth and adult companies.

Kez is lead artist for National Star’s Inclusive Youth Dance Company ‘Ad-apt’ and regularly works with their student company ‘Capacity’. Kez delivers the ACL ‘Drama’ course for graduate students each week. Her Inclusive work is incredibly important to Keziah, making the Arts accessible and enjoyable for all bodies.

Kez’s most recent role as Project Worker for Inclusion Gloucestershire is incredibly exciting as it will provide Kez with training towards a Project coordinator position. 

Keziah's Bath Spa story

On reflection, Keziah feels as though the Dance course at Bath Spa encouraged her to explore skills in areas other than pure dance, learning she has a good eye for set and prop design (building a 14 foot feather mobile for a solo in her second year).

Kez found herself really enjoying the media modules and eventually chose to create a dance film for her dissertation. Film and photography has featured heavily in her career since graduating and has been a great source of income in between facilitating work.

Bath Spa can be credited for exposing Kez to working with professionals throughout her time at university, many of whom have been encountered in the professional world since. This has made the transition from student to professional much easier.

Keziah feels as though the importance of extra-curricular participation was reiterated throughout the course. The additional experience and confidence gained through interning (Strike-A-Light Festival) and volunteering (Rosemary Lee) contributed towards her ability to make connections that have led to a vast majority of her subsequent work.