Creatives | James Bennett

James Bennett

James Bennett

Choreographer

James has worked extensively across theatre, film and television. His credits include Strictly Come Dancing, Assistant Choreographer on Britain’s Got Talent and the BGT Christmas Special, and the BBC’s Greatest Dancer where he worked exclusively with Oti Mabuse and her acts. He recently created Oti Mabuse’s debut tour, I AM HERE, which toured the UK in 2022.

Choreography

I AM HERE (as Creative Director/Co-Choreographer, Dancing on Ice); Wind In The Willows (Norwich Playhouse, Jetty at Battersea, Cultural Hall Bahrain); Choked (a new dance film created, choreographed and produced by James during the 2020 pandemic, winner of Best Experimental Film at Soho Film Festival, nominated for Best Short at Soho Film Festival, New York); The Greatest Dancer 2 (BBC); Lunch With an Old Bag (Princes Trust, Edinburgh, 2020 and 2021); Don’t Stop Me Now (BSJ Jakarta); Dance Beats Flashmob (overseeing choreography for Oti Mabuse; Tesco and British Heart Foundation); shows for Imagine Cruising (Australia/Singapore); Prestonfield House, Aladdin (Gordon Craig Theatre); Cinderella, Robin Hood (Regent Theatre Stoke); Aladdin (Fernham Hall) and Mecca (Swindon)

Associate Choreography

Clueless the Musical (Workshop, Trafalgar Studios); Britain’s Got Talent 2022 (ITV); The Cher Show (UK Tour); Strictly Come Dancing (Associate to Karen Bruce, Nikki Trow and Oti Mabuse; BBC); Goldilocks and the Three Bears (The London Palladium); Kiss Me Kate (Watermill Theatre); Fats Waller’s Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Southwark Playhouse/Mercury Theatre Colchester)

Performance

Tango Moderna (as Resident Director/Dance Captain; starring Vincent and Flavia); Strictly Ballroom the Musical (as Tommy Arbunt; UK and North America Premiere); Dirty Dancing (as Dance Captain; UK and European Tour); We Will Rock You (as Dance Captain; UK and European Tour); Carmen (O2 Arena & Royal Albert Hall); We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre); Hairspray (as IQ and Swing; Shaftesbury Theatre); Santa Claus The Musical (Marina Bay, Singapore); Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (as Dance Captain; Birmingham Hippodrome)

Television

Strictly Come Dancing (BBC); Britain’s Got Talent (ITV); Ant and Dec Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV); Genie in the House (Nickelodeon); Spooks: Code 9 (BBC); John Borrowman’s Tonight’s the Night (BBC 1); Children in Need (BBC); The Paul O’Grady Show (Channel 4)

Film

Cruella (Disney); Rocketman (Paramount); See You Soon, Dance Party 2 (Universal)

Other work

The X-Factor 2012 Launch (Syco); Wimbledon Olympics 2012 Opening; various music videos, including Out of Office and Duffy’s Well Well Well; advertising campaigns for Polaroid, Foxes Live and Wild in the City (Channel 4)