Shirley Coen joined the College in 1998 as Finance Director. She was appointed to the Boards of Directors and Trustees in 2002 by Doreen Bird and was promoted to the post of Principal/CEO in 2005. She graduated from Oxford Brooks University with a BA Honours degree in English and Education. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a Trustee of the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre.
Shirley is an accountant and has gained extensive experience in both practice and the commercial sector but she is particularly interested in education management and the ‘Not for Profit’ charitable sector. She is very interested in managing change in education – ensuring that an organisation is innovative with appropriate strategies and teams in place to ensure excellent financial health and best practice. Only in doing so will an organisation be able to deliver its strategic vision, including its artistic and educational vision and its objectives for the future.
During Shirley’s time with Bird College it has grown from a small, specialist dance college with 100 students to one which has 600 full time students. Correspondingly, turnover has increased from £1 million to £6 million. The College has transitioned from a group of buildings which the organisation had outgrown, to an attractive campus with state of the art facilities, making it an outstanding place to learn and work. Bird College is an excellent college delivering outstanding education and training programmes, with an international reputation.
Luis trained at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, under the direction of Doreen Bird, and then went on to train in Drama at the Poor School where his tutors included Paul Caister, Bardy Thomas, George Hall and John James. Other training has included a Script and Story Structure Course with Robert McKee, Approaches to Physical Theatre at Middlesex University a Mask Workshop with the Pleiades Company and Kasm Mask, and Commedia dell’Arte with Antonio Fava. He has also completed an MA in Physical Theatre at the University of Surrey and Royal Holloway University of London, and a PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University College. Performing roles include Heinz in Today, Albert Parker in When We Are Married, Toby in Ways and Means, Mr Burnum in Hands Across the Sea, Gideon in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Ensemble in Sweet Charity and South Pacific, God Spell, Chitterlow in Half a Sixpence and Lucio in Measure for Measure. Luis was also one of the original Bird Theatre Company members.
He joined the College as a Drama Tutor in 1996 and was later promoted to Head of Drama and Performance Studies. He was also Agency Manager for Bird Personnel Management from 1998 – 2005. He was appointed Deputy Principal & Artistic Director of Bird College in 2005, Executive Director and Trustee of Bird College in October 2008 and was most recently appointed Joint Principal and Artistic Director in 2019. As a director, he has worked on Hands Across the Sea, Bouncers, Barnum, The Wiz, The Owl And The Pussycat, Line, Teechers, Infidelities!, Road, Habeas Corpus, Private Wars, Commedia dell’Arte, Children of Eden, The Life, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Fascinating Rhythms, Who Could Ask for Anything More?, Bat Boy, Kiss Me Kate, Songs for a New World, Legends, Icons and Idols, 42nd Street, Sweet Charity, Elegies, Noitamina, Crazy for You, Fame The Musical, Burlesque and Other Distractions, Hello Dolly, Footloose, Broadway Then and Now, West Side Story, Curtains, Hooray for Hollywood, Cabaret, Hot Mikado and Joie de Vivre. Other productions include choreography and direction for Dentro Da Minha Cabeça and choreography for Metamorphosis (Dance Theatre). Publications include A Career into Dance for CDET. Luis was part of an AHRB Innovation Research Project, 19th Century theatre rehearsal process, which was headed by Dr. G. Bush-Bailey & Dr. J. Bratton at Royal Holloway University of London. He wrote and designed the Foundation Degree in Creative Industries: Acting for Bird College which was successfully validated by University of Greenwich for five years as well as the Pre-Vocational Foundation programme in Dance and Musical Theatre. He was External Examiner for the BA (Hons) Physical Theatre programme at St Mary’s College, Surrey University from 2005 -2009.
Luisa trained at Escola Superior de Danca in Lisbon graduating with a BA in Choreography in 1993. She continued her studies at Laban where she obtained a Professional Diploma in Dance Studies and was part of Transitions Dance Company in 1996. As a professional dancer, Luisa worked with BI MA Dance Company, The Cholmondeleys, Protein Dance, Theatre En Corps and First Person Dance Company. Luisa also worked with the Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs in the role of Rehearsal Director for the revival of Anderson’s piece ‘Flesh and Blood’. Luisa began teaching at Bird College in 1997 as a contemporary dance teacher and has been managing the Student Wellbeing Services since 2016 working closely with staff to create a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. This approach considers the student as a whole person with the aim to support each and every student in their drive to succeed in their studies despite the challenges they may be faced with along the way. A deep interest in the connection between mind and body led Luisa to start practicing yoga in 2008 and complete a 200 hours Yoga Teacher Training in 2012. Luisa regularly teaches Yoga and meditation as part of the Wellbeing sessions offered to all students.
Donna is a qualified teacher within the Post-Compulsory sector specialising in education.
Since 2002, she has worked in a range of education roles, predominately in the Further Education sector.
Since 2012, she has been managing higher education and quality assurance.
Donna has completed a BA and a MA in Education and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Donna is passionate about transforming students lives and providing a high-quality experience for all.
