Director | 230intensives

230 INTENSIVES - DIRECTOR

lAURA hARRIS "Coach Laura H"

Laura created 230 intensives after working with 40+ UK clubs during the 2020 lockdown. She experienced high demand for skills coaching and also took on 1-2-1 students to help them with the upkeep of their skills whilst out of their normal training regimes.

She is extremely passionate about cheer & dance, and has created this company to share her knowledge of technique, choreography and advanced training methods.

From the age of 5, Laura trained in traditional theatre styles for dance examinations (NATD / IDTA) in ballet, tap, modern jazz, freestyle disco and theatre medals up to Advanced level. She has been a dance teacher for over 23 years, and a credentialed cheer coach since 2006. She is an IDTA Associate Freestyle Teacher; ICU Pom, Kick, Lyrical and Jazz certified; holds international cheerleading credentials to level 7, and has coached beginners through to elite international level athletes.

As an athlete Laura competed at Dance Worlds, and at UK competitions in many different genres, retiring as a National Champion in both cheer and dance. She is a strong believer in perfection before progression and brings this focus on technical development as a core focus to 230 intensives.

Originally from the UK, Laura moved to Australia in 2013 where she enjoyed a very successful coaching and judging career. Whilst working at 2 well established all-star gyms with international teams, she was also fortunate to travel all over Australia to judge at competitions. In recent years, she has focused on choreography and coaching for elite dance teams in jazz, lyrical and pom (including duos); achieving Worlds bids, Australian national titles, Australasian Pinnacle bids, NDA bids and invitations to international events.

Most recently Laura took Open Pom teams to both ICU Worlds as Head Coach for Team Australia, and to IASF Dance Worlds. Her choreography won the first UK bid to the Allstar Worlds in the International Open Pom division. After relocating to the UK, during the 2019-2021 seasons she worked with Team England as a coach of the Adaptive Abilities Pom Team. Laura continues to consult and provide workshops for international teams in Europe and Australia.

Laura began judging in 2009 and has maintained her education in line with international standards, including Varsity education and ICU Phase 2 Performance Cheer qualifications. As a highly experienced judge, she has been selected to judge a large number of events for UK EPs, as well as international events in Europe, Australia including virtual judging. Laura is a member of the highly prestigious IASF Worlds Judging panel, joining an exclusive group of the most experienced dance adjudicators from around the globe at this prestigious event. She continues to act in an advisory capacity to the IASF on dance rules and education.

Laura is a qualified school teacher and trained to work with young people who have a wide variety of individual needs. She always strives to promote inclusivity. Her academic background includes a First Class Bachelor of Science with Honours degree, and she holds a Secondary PGCE alongside a dance diploma in anatomy. Her 15+ years experience as an educator in the fields of Psychology and Human Biology allows for the design of training programs that develop fully rounded athletes with a healthy, competitive mindset. She is passionate about driving the continued growth of the cheer and dance industry at all levels and created 230 intensives to further support the incredible talent in the worldwide allstar community.

Laura is recognised as a coach with Platinum status by BGU. This denotes professional qualifications, first aid trained, safeguarding trained, enhanced DBS checked and insured. She remains committed to promoting the highest of industry standards for transparency and accountability in coaching. She is also COVID safe certified, has extensive safeguarding training, including PREVENT training and has attained the UK Coaching Duty to Care badge.