Trinity Laban: What does it take to create creative innovators?

What does it take to win a spot on the professional stage? Having the words “Trinity Laban” on your degree can set you apart. But what actually guarantees it is the reputation of the South East London institution. Long before they take their first bow, a Trinity Laban graduate is already recognised throughout the industry as a innovator. One that moves boundaries, forges connections, makes their own future.

Three Trinity Laban graduates reveal just what it takes to earn the reputation that opens doors.

Claire Sledd: A violinist with the BBC Philharmonic

Before the BBC Philharmonic, the London Chameleon Arts Orchestra, and solo awards like the Reading Symphony Young Musician of the Year, Claire Sledd was pursuing Trinity Laban’s Postgraduate Artist Diploma.

“Trinity Laban offered self-led postgrad programmes that meant you could focus on whatever was most important for you,” says Sledd, who’s originally from the US state of Seattle. “For me, that meant two years of practice, chamber music, lessons with my fabulous teacher Ofer Falk, and leading a lot of orchestra projects.”

Immediately after graduation, Sledd underwent “really invaluable” training with the Southbank Sinfonia (now St John’s Smith Square Sinfonia). And not long after, she landed her current job with the BBC Philharmonic. She also joins the occasional Hallé or Philharmonia tour and a few BBC symphony proms each summer. “The Proms are always the highlight! We did a Disney prom last week which was probably the most fun I’ve ever had at work!” she says.

Looking back, Sledd credits Trinity Laban for helping her build an incredible career. “My teacher was hugely helpful, and the office [Student Support Services] was really wonderful for visa issues,” she says.

Keith Corprew: Touring with Burlesque the Music

Going global is par the course at a conservatoire that ranks #13 worldwide for Performing Arts. That was just what Keith Corprew sought with his MFA Creative Practice. An opportunity aided by the Fulbright Scholarship, he would go on to have a “fulfilling experience” within the Greenwich campus and London in general. “I learned so much about myself as an artist and about other creative practitioners I’d never heard of before who were working in similar ways around the world,” he says.

One key lesson? Becoming bold in his creative curiosities. “When resources weren’t available or as easy to find, the community at Trinity Laban helped me find ways to bring my ideas to life. This has shaped my career trajectory by encouraging me to embrace ingenuity and dare to create despite perceived limitations.”

The MFA Creative Practice balances structured guidance and creative freedom. The goal isn’t to restrain students; in fact, it is to give them room to take the foundation they’ve built in the first year, and fully realise their artistic vision through independent research in the second. In his final assessment for the “Dance and the Moving Image” course, Corprew worked with a group of black women — listening to their stories and bringing their talent to the spotlight.

Today, he takes the stage as a performer in productions like “Kinky Boots,” and currently, “Burlesque the Musical.” “Additional career highlights include a commission with Digital Black Dance Ecologies where I was able to create a performance work that combined motion capture technology and projection with live performance,” he says.

Carolyn Rupp: A dance and choreography teacher + influencer

Similar to Corprew, US-born Carolyn Rupp pursued the MFA Creative Practice. But unlike Corprew, Rupp’s study focused on the fact that she was not only a dancer, but also a musician.

That’s the thing about Trinity Laban’s programmes — your artistry is yours to design. “I wanted to be able to include things like my musicianship and study around my musicianship into my research as a dancer and performer,” she says.

Since graduating, Rupp has been working predominantly as a teacher, dancer, and choreographer– mostly in the West End. And when she’s not in a musical theatre performance or jazz work, she’s been on TV shows like “Strictly Come Dancing” and at live events such as the NYC Women’s March. Her Instagram, where she posts content on dance and choreography, has over 500,000 followers.

Rupp’s journey has come full circle. Where Trinity Laban helped her grow as an artist, she’s now the one helping her students to evolve. One student says: “She teaches a wide range of jazz styles, incorporating everything from ballet to hip-hop, so that every class is a push and a challenge! More than anything, her classes are a safe space to learn, make mistakes, and grow as an artist!”

Feeling inspired? Grow your artistry in dance, music, or musical theatre at Trinity Laban today.

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