Suzannah Bremner from Stockport, Manchester has shared the stage with the likes of Little Mix and Jennifer Lopez, but her latest focus is giving free street dance classes to foster children in Los Angeles.
The professional dancer started learning ballet and jazz at the age of just five and moved to London 12 years later to train full-time at the London Studio Centre.
During her time in the capital, Suzannah danced for some of the country’s best-known stars, including Cheryl Cole, Little Mix and Ellie Goulding, as well as featuring on shows like Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor.
“We were often in rehearsal with the celebrities so we got to see the creative process as well as working in a professional environment. All the artists I’ve worked with are extremely hard-working,” Suzannah told MM.
Suzannah admits that there is a huge contrast between working with big names in L.A. and dancing with the foster kids, but she enjoys both equally and easily adapts to the different environments.
She added: “I feel like the charity work is giving back way more and you get a lot out of doing that. It’s also a great opportunity to share my experiences with other people, so I think they go hand in hand in a way.”
The performer also believes that without her experience as a professional dancer, she may not have been able to offer the same insight that she now shares with the children in L.A.
Not only does her industry experience help Suzannah when teaching the kids, but her upbringing in Manchester has allowed her to implement skills like teamwork and a sense of community into the classes.
She explained: “I think it’s nice to bring the genuineness of our city to the States as well as the friendliness.
“In some of the places I go, people aren’t always used to completely genuine people and so I enjoy bringing that Mancunian way into the country. It’s the same when I do anything in London, there’s just something special about Manchester.”
Suzannah believes that – much like the dancers she trained with in Manchester – she has a lot of energy and passion for her craft, and so she does everything she can to keep this present in her charity work.
The local star said: “Dance brings people together and gives us an outlet. It’s great exercise as well and is just fun, like it can be super creative.”
Suzannah adapts her teaching to suit the needs of different children, for example, she will sometimes hold guided classes or she will have a free class, allowing children to create their own routines and play games.
She explained: “It’s all about catering to certain audiences and it depends on their background and whether or not they’ve got an experience with dance.”
Suzannah will be coming home again this Christmas and told MM that she would love to continue her community work in the UK by setting up some workshops in her hometown.
