Def Motion

First show of 2023 in Algeria 🇩🇿

Cog In The Wheel will be back with their first performance of the year at the Algiers Opera House this Friday evening, as part of Algiers Contemporary Dance Festival.
Following that on Saturday will be a dance masterclass focused on inclusion of deafness and disability led by Billy.

Big thank you to British Council for inviting us to take part in this amazing opportunity.

Photo by

Some photos taken during filming of at Newman Bros in Birmingham over the summer.

Photo credit:

Some pics from Quiet Beats in Cardiff earlier this month. Young d/Deaf kids from Cardiff had the opportunity to take up a week of dance sessions led by Billy and Ariel which they found enjoyable and a memorable experience.

Big thanks to for the opportunity to be part of this and also to for hosting the workshops at .

Another great session, and ITV Wales came in for filming and interviewing the kids, for tonight’s 6pm local news on ITV1

Next week, and I are running dance workshops as part of ‘Quiet Beats’ by for young d/Deaf and HoH kids people at .

The sessions will take place from 8th til 11th August 2022, 9:30am til 12:30pm each day.

There are still spaces for more bookings, you can send me a DM for more details or email [email protected] to book your place.

We are thrilled that Quiet Beats, dance workshops for young Deaf and Hard of Hearing people will be on again this summer.
Back in Cardiff and delivered by Deaf dancers Ariel Fung and Billy Reed.
Our bookings are now open. Here are the details below:
Quiet Beats
📆8-11 August
📍The Deaf Hub (Wales), Cardiff
Ages 7+
BSL supported
🎟https://www.jonesthedance.com/quiet-beats
Thank you to Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales and Big Lottery Fund for supporting this project this summer.
📸 Photography

Image description: a young boy is lying on the floor facing upwards. This is part of a dance that he and the young boy in the back of the picture are following from the teacher who is outside of the photograph.

On Wednesday my team performed at the Ultraviolet disability event for in Reading. We had a fab time and even got to meet the hilarious Rosie Jones - we were lucky to watch her live stand up comedy at the event and she had us in tears!

Live performance of Forbidden Identity at Birmingham International Dance Festival - this Saturday 2nd July at 2:10pm. Location: Handsworth Park, Birmingham. Free admission.

Last Friday my team had a fantastic day of workshops with the children of Percy Shurmer Academy Deaf Learning Base. The kids learned some street dance, visual vernacular and drama, taught by Billy, Ariel, Kevaughn, Mary-Jayne, Warren, Ben and Kameel, and they even got to put on a performance to their parents! Thanks to everyone involved, Percy Shurmer staff, and for their support.

Last Friday night our team performed Cog In The Wheel for the first time as part of Deaf Rave's Opening Show at Birmingham International Dance Festival in Centenary Square, Birmingham.

The show was well-received and the atmosphere was incredible. We would like to say a big thank you to and Troi Lee for inviting us to be part of their show, for producing this ongoing project, and Johnny Autin for his superb support. Plus, the artists who make this show happen - Warren, Ben, Kameel, Kevaughn, I'm proud of you all. On to the next show!

Photos credit: Deaf Rave

In preparation for Sprung Advance’s headline performance of Silence Amplified, myself and supporting artist Ben Randall ran a full-day workshop for Highly Sprung in Coventry. Based on themes of freedom of speech and the role of voice, the group learnt how to communicate physically and without the use of words - a perfect intro to creating theatre with access at the centre.

We’re excited to be working with Deaf choreographer, Billy Read and team again on an upcoming dance project called:
‘Cog in the Wheel’.

Last time we collaborated was back in 2016 on an Arts Council funded project, ‘Like Mirabai’.

Billy is a fresh, exciting choreographer, and an inspiring teacher of dance. Watch this space!

Photos from my residency at Bristnall Hall Academy last week.

I’ve been putting on street dance workshops every Monday for the past 5 weeks which has culminated in this residency where the hearing students have created a performance with the help of myself and other d/Deaf professionals: dancer Ariel Fung and theatre-maker Mary-Jayne.

On the final day the students showcased their own material, as well as performed alongside my team as part of our brand new work in progress for ‘Cog In The Wheel’ - the theme running through the entire project, based on smartphones and the dark side of how they are made.

Following the show, the students gave their feedback and my team were amazed by the impact this project has had on them. Not only has it brought out confidence from some of the extremely shy ones, it has also enabled them to make new friends amongst themselves as well as learn some sign language, and learn new skills from d/Deaf professionals on the same level they can expect from hearing teachers.

Big thanks to Bristnall Hall Academy staff for the opportunity and to our producers Deaf Explorer, the interpreters, the volunteers, and my Cog team: Ariel, Mary-Jayne, Ben and Kevaughn, for all your hard work.

We had the opportunity to showcase some of our new work, Cog In The Wheel, from last week’s residency, at a community festival in Birmingham last Saturdays. Although we put the show together at just one day’s notice, it was received well by the audience.