Marla King
Marla is a freelance dance artist, creative, climate justice advocate and facilitator. She trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and has since worked as a freelance dance artist with Rhiannon Faith Company, Rendez Vous Dance, Gwyn Emberton, Eleesha Drennan, Richard Chappell Dance, Impelo, Elisabeth Schilling, Jack Philp and National Dance Company Wales. During her time and National Dance Company Wales, she performed work by Alexandra Waierstall,Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Nikita Goile, Ed Myhill, Marcos Morau, SAY and Caroline Finn.
Marla's advocacy work for socio-ecological justice is interwoven through her creative projects and activism. She is a co-creator of the Glanio collective - a collaboration of artists who came together to explore a creative response to the climate and ecological emergency we face, sharing a strong belief in the power of art for social change and its crucial role in cultivating connection and transformation. Marla also facilitates collective learning for artists and organisations around embedding values of climate justice and ecological consciousness within and beyond their work. She's an active member of the Equity for a Green New Deal network, advocating and campaigning within the sector and beyond.
Marla has worked with RCD as Supporting Acts commissioned artist in 2022, and as a climate specialist since 2023. Marla was an original cast member of Land Empathy (2024) and Challacombe Chronicled (2025) and has toured Hot House (2024-25) and Silence Between Waves (2025).
Juan Sánchez Plaza
Juan Sanchez Plaza, is a Professional Dancer, choreographer and teacher from Spain, who has been based in London for five years. He has worked with Agudo Dance Company, Tom Dale Company, Persona Collective, Flute Theatre alongside co-funding and creating his own work with Nomad Dance Collective, touring ''The Renegade Master'', ''D(US)T'', and ''Nomades'' in the UK, Spain, Germany and Ecuador. 2021-2022.
Juan is as well a Certified Yoga Teacher by the Yoga Alliance and he is currently finishing his university studies of Environmental Sciences in the UNED. Juan graduated at SEAD - Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in 2018, after graduating in the Professional Conservatory of Dance in Valencia -Spain in 2014.
Juan's started collaborating with RCD in 2022 on the creation of Hot House and tour of Hot House and has since then performed in Infinite Ways Home (2023) and Vast Rocks Revisited (2023) and created Land Empathy (2024).
Aisha Naamani
Aisha is a Welsh/Lebanese Freelance Dance Artist based in Cornwall. After graduating from London Contemporary Dance School, she joined National Dance Company Wales for multiple years where she toured extensively both nationally and internationally. Since 2023, she has been working in the freelance sector and continues to perform and collaborate with a range of companies including balletLorent, WildWorks, the Paraorchestra, the National Theatre, Incandescence Circus, Cscape Dance and more.
Over her career as a performer, she has worked with over 40 choreographers and directors, some including Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Liv Lorent, Marcos Morau (La Veronal), Tom Jackson-Greaves, Fernando Melo, Andrea Costanzo Martini, Charles Hazlewood, Kyla Goodey, Marianne Elliott and more.
Aisha has also curated her own projects, creating work exploring her dual heritage and mixed ethnicity. Her most poignant work in her career thus far has been 'Ble Mae Bilaadi?', a dance poetry film made in collaboration with Welsh National Poet Hanan Issa. as well as her most recent solo 'No Idea What I'm Doing', which continues to be performed and toured around the UK.
Aisha is also a qualified Hatha and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Teacher (200hrs), and is currently completing her studies in Advanced Mat Pilates. Aisha has been a company dancer with Richard Chappell Dance since 2024, performing in Hot House and Land Empathy.
Oliver Chapman
Oliver Chapman is a London-based freelance dance artist, he trained on the CAT scheme at Laban before completing his professional studies at Bodywork Company Studios, Cambridge. Oliver began his career with Chrysalis London and ICON Dance, before joining National Dance Company Wales as an apprentice in 2016, later performing with the company until 2018 in works by Alexander Ekman, Caroline Finn, Marcus Morau, and Roy Assaf.
Since then, he has worked internationally with Humanoove, Henri Oguike, Marcat Dance, Compagnie Amala Dianor, Blanca Li, and Rendez-Vous Dance, among others. Alongside performing, Oliver is also a rehearsal director, working on projects including Didy Veldman's Carmen for Natalia Osipova and EKLEIDO's SPLICE. His film and television credits include Brave New World, Matilda, and Barbie, and he has performed with artists such as Take That, Sam Smith, and Miel de Botton. Oliver is also an experienced teacher, having taught at Bodywork Company, The Royal Ballet School, Ballet Boost and Rainbow Nation Dance Academy.
Oliver is thrilled to be joining Richard Chappell Dance and to be making his debut with the company in their work Hot House.
Ena Yamaguchi
Ena is a freelance dance artist currently based in the UK and Japan. She moved to the UK in 2010 to train at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Upon graduating, Ena has worked with companies such as Alexander Whitley Dance, Ballet Classique de Paris, Chrysalis London, Corey Baker Dance, FUBUNATION, Jack Philp Dance, Keneish Dance, and Richard Chappell Dance. She has performed for choreographers including Christopher Gattelli, Jon Beney, Julia Chung, Layla Ellison, Marion Motin, Melody Squire, Lynn Page, and Zhongjing Fang amongst others.
Ena has performed in the West End as Eliza in Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'The King and I' - which then toured nationally and internationally - and in the Prologue Cast of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. This year saw Ena's debut at the Royal Ballet and Opera in 'Faust'.
Ena has also appeared in several large-scale video productions including the Birmingham Commonwealth Games - Opening Ceremony, 'The King and I' from London Palladium, and 'Leaders of a New Regime' for Lorde, Nowness, and COP26. Ena works as a teacher, producer, and choreographer in Japan, supporting collaborations between the British and Japanese dance communities.
Ena is an in original cast member of Hot House.
Past Ensemble Dancers 2013-24
Imogen Alvares, Faye Stoeser, Simone Donati, Jordan Ajadi, Riz Golden, Tia Hockey, Lois Taylor, Jack Thomson, Hannah, Hernandez, Kai Tomioka, Sharol Mackenzie, Iris Borras, Will Thompson, Edd Arnold, Theo Arran, Josh Attwood, Joey Barton, Francesco Migliaccio, Chew Shaw En, Shaun Lim, Faye Tan, Rob Anderson, Sabrina Gargano, Emma Farnell-Watson, Maddie Shimwell, Olivia Roach, Alice Shepherdson, Mica Bradbury, Fiona McGee