Nicola is passionate about engaging in personal development through experiential learning and the importance of consciously evolving creativity, education and leadership skills.
Nicola Clark – Creativity & Quality
Nicola was born in London, UK where she is currently based. Nicola studied at De Montfort University where she attained a BA Hons Degree and P.G.C.E. Her specialist subjects included: contemporary dance, dance choreography, dance reconstruction, dance & technology and dance & film. She also continued her interest in business studies and due to the flexibility of the modular degree she was able to choose several relevant modules of study including: financial accounting, organisation behaviour, marketing and management training. Nicola also had the foresight to take advantage of the film making resources at the University, she enjoyed the process of experientially developing her film making craft which she progressed from being self taught to professional standards by attending Directing and Producing courses in London, entering film talent competitions and completing TV and Film Production Company work experience later in her career. She went on to create several successful film production projects of her own. When in the presence of great leadership one cannot help but absorb their knowledge and behaviours. Nicola had the fortunate experience of spending time with Jacqueline Smith-Autard the University Degree Director and P.G.C.E education pedagogy expert. Her famous book “The Art Of Dane Education” was the her bible and the University’s high quality teaching was the example that Nicola enthusiastically absorbed. Nicola has taken her education forward to develop her own teaching pedagogy as an educator and leader as Head of Dance and Head of Performing and Visual Arts Faculty, repeatedly achieving Outstanding OFSTED results and Arts Council England, Arts Mark Award – Gold with her students and teams. Her past students continue to benefit from their secondary school performing arts experience today. Some have honed their skills and appear as leading roles in Westend shows such as Hamilton, or performed on prestigious stages such as the Sadlers Wells Theatre, others pursue careers that they are passionate about or continue to practise their art as a life enhancing interest.
Nicola Clark – Leadership & Coaching
Nicola began her interest in self leadership and leadership of others at a young age becoming House Captain in junior school, achieving the prestigious Queen’s Guide Award as a teenager and at the age of 20 co-ordinating her travels around the world on an 18 month adventure. This fascination with leadership and personal development continued during her degree where she studied teamwork and group behaviour on a “Management Training In The Outdoors” module. Once in a teaching role as Head of Dance the understanding of how to nurture a team through the “forming to performing” stages became useful knowledge. She also volunteered as a tutor for The Royal Academy of Dance prestigious P.G.C.E. teacher training programme, providing guidance and mentoring to student teachers all of which successfully completed their qualification and went onto be excellent teachers themselves. Nicola initiated and accepted a variety of opportunities to study, develop, and practice her interest in the areas of leadership, personal development and behavioural psychology. It is no accident that whilst teaching in a London secondary school Nicola’s Tutor Group became noticed as the highest performing in the school, Nicola ensured they were aptly prepared to take on the challenges presented to their year group as individuals and as a team.
Nicola successfully project managed the creation of a programme of Family Learning activities with the talented school staff at the Pears Family School. After completing Anna Frued National Centre for Children & Families training in Mentalization-Focused Multi-Family Groups in Schools, Nicola has used her experience and knowledge of behavioural psychology to teach and manage the Family Learning workshops. She was recognised for creating a cohesive group which enabled her to teach the families about the importance of Executive Function Skills. She provided activities for the children and parents to mentalise, explore and reflect on their new learning and progress towards achieving their goals in challenging circumstances. Nicola also utilised her technology, visual and social media skills to create presentations and Blogs to share the innovative work of the Pears Family School with a wider audience. In consultation with the Founding Headteacher Stephen Taylor, Nicola took on the initiative of producing the school Social Media Policy which was presented to the Governors and noted for its focus on ethics as well as compliance and GDPR.
Nicola Clark – Innovation and Teaching
Nicola is currently in the process of creating online courses to solve the problem of how parents and carers (digital nomads) can contribute to the wellbeing of their children and young adults (digital natives) by focusing on being a role models and finding mindful ways to reconnect. Talking about their whole life helps families to reflect on how they can find a wellbeing balance. Their whole life picture might include: time management, relationships, health, creativity, sport, nature, work, career, emotional management, money management, personal goals and education. As well as considering how and why they use technology, what evidence there is that it is contributing to their lives or maybe not, finding time to be present together (technology free), discussing the purpose of the technology they use the most, sharing how they are staying digitally safe and comparing their favourite digital game, vlogger or app. The aim is for the family to think about their wellbeing, what is means to them and where technology fits into their daily life to ensure young people stay safe, make productive use of their time, develop new skills, explore their potentialities, enjoy new experiences and grow as adults on their own life adventures as technology responsible digital natives.
Nicola Clark – Film Directing and Producing
Nicola Clark started to make films during her BA Hons Dance Degree studies where she collaborated with fellow dancers and choreographers. She enjoyed experimenting with film projection as a feature of live performance to help choreographers find other ways of telling a story. Her films also provided a way of bringing different environments into the theatre and onto the stage for the dancers to interact with including video versions of themselves. She continued to develop her film making skills and naturally became interested in documenting the stories of the performers and artists she met by capturing their journey during the creative process, backstage and the performance it self. She then began developing original concepts of her own and gained funding for more traditional factual features and scripted storytelling. Nicola is passionate about promoting the work of young artists and has created video installation opportunities and provided skills training within her projects. Nicola then went on to attend more formal training herself by completing courses such as Directing for TV and Film by Patrick Tucker at Raindance, London and Director and Producer training by First Take Films and Eye film & TV as part of an Anglia TV new talent initiative.
Nicola has won commissions and collaborated with: the Film Council, The Bull Theatre, Leeds University, The Circus Space, The Place Theatre, Dance East Dance Agency, Physical Recall and Bedlam Dance Company, Anglia TV, Eye TV, Bedford Dance Company, Bedford Community Arts and London Borough of Enfield Community Arts. Her films have been screened in the Bowen West Theatre, Bedford, The Ball Theatre, London, Bretton Hall, Leeds and by Anglia TV and the BBC. Nicola Clark -Films
Nicola Clark – Future Inspiration
Nicola enjoys teaching and training individuals and organisation teams on subjects that reflect her personal interests. She is focused on coaching personal leadership awareness and the skills needed to be a successful leader of oneself and others. She is available for new contracts, clients and creative opportunities to collaborate or consult on projects that ignite her curiosity. Nicola continues to enjoy the experience of living in London as well as travelling and working around the world as an adventurer, creator, coach, teacher, filmmaker and speaker.