Clair Nicholls

Clair was born in Cornwall and has lived here all of her life. As a child she spent the majority of her spare time dancing at the Bev-Lyn School of Dancing based in Redruth, where she has been a student for over 20 years. During this time she has taken many examinations in tap, modern, ballet and jazz dancing which has taken her all over the country.

In 1997, Clair auditioned to be one of the six senior dancers the Hall for Cornwall’s first professional pantomime ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’. Out of hundreds of dancers she was selected to be in the senior dancing troupe and start a week of rehearsals before a three week period of shows.

With all of her dancing experience she was asked to join the Gazelles Gymnastics Club as a volunteer choreographer where she helped for four years. This involved choreographing floor and occasionally beam routines for students aged 5 to 16, and holding dance classes to improve the gymnast’s performance and dance skills.

In 1998, Clair joined the Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust (RAOST), to dance in the show ‘Crazy for You’ again to be performed at the Hall for Cornwall that June. From then, Clair has performed numerous times on the Hall for Cornwall stage in countless dance shows with her dancing school, and also musicals such as ‘42nd Street’, ‘The Hot Mikado’, with RAOST and ‘Copacabana’ with Redruth Amateur Musical and Pantomime Society (RAMPS). Clair has also appeared in many shows at the Regal Theatre in Redruth such as ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Annie’, ‘South Pacific’, ‘Me & My Girl’, ‘Scrooge’, ‘Pinocchio’ and many song and dance shows and pantomimes with both RAOST and RAMPS. Clair was also involved the Jesus Christ Superstar production by RAOST in the ‘Big Top’ at Boscawen park in 2003.  Clair is currently co-choreographer for RAOST's latest production 'Annie Get Your Gun'.

Clair has been a member of the RAOST Singers since it was formed by Alastair Taylor in 2004 and secretary for the Singers committee since 2005. RAOST Singers have performed at special choir events, weddings and charity evenings throughout Cornwall.

After gaining 4 A’ levels at Cornwall College in 1998, Clair decided not to go to University but instead to look for employment within Cornwall. She was offered a modern apprenticeship within the IT section, the Information Services Group (ISG) within Cornwall County Council. Within two months she was offered a full-time permanent position and has now been working for them for nearly eight years. During this time Clair has had many different roles ranging from computer support for schools, social services and the library service to software development for the Council’s new financial system. Clair has also developed many web sites and web applications and has written computer software in various languages.

In 2002 the ISG management decided to form a social committee at work to organise social events for staff; Clair was elected as secretary. Since 2002 they have organised many social and work activities as well as raising a substantial amount of money for local charities. They raised £839.86 for the Sunrise Appeal in 2003, £574.86 with a sponsored walk, and £265 profit made from a calendar that we produced of some of the ISG support staff. Clair raised £150 for charity when she abseiled down the back of New County Hall and has helped organise the Children in Need and Comic Relief fundraising events.

Clair is very much looking forward to being involved in the production 'Killiow 2008'.