A Tribute to Jude Bird

Photo: A Tribute to Jude Bird

It is with great sadness that DIY Theatre Company marks the passing of Jude Bird who died in 1st May 2025 after a period of illness. 

The word inspirational is over-used nowadays but Jude Bird truly was an inspirational woman. She was a phenomenal long-term friend, supporter and collaborator of DIY, as Artistic Director of Dodeka Dance Company, in her role at Curious Minds and more recently as a member of DIY’s Advisory Group. As a personal and professional friend she gave us so much and we miss her terribly.

DIY Theatre Company first worked with Jude back in 1998, when she was Artistic Director of Dodeka Dance Company – a ground-breaking dance company of performers with lived experience of learning disability which she founded in 1993.

A group of performers in purple tops and navy trousers form a striking diagonal line, each raising one arm while leaning closely together on a wooden floor. In the background, more performers stand barefoot in formation, wearing matching outfits with orange criss-cross bands on their ankles. The scene is set in a theatre space, evoking unity and choreography.

Dodeka Dance Company

If you look up Dodeka on the internet now there is little trace of the amazing work Jude and the company created – because it was made before we were all so attached to Social Media. But the impact of the work undertaken by Dodeka and other Disability Arts companies during the 1990s and early 2000s cannot be underestimated – which is why we feel it is important to include some of the beautiful images of the work within our tribute to Jude.

Many people will remember Jude as a superb organiser, advocate and a mentor – at DIY we also want to celebrate her as a dance practitioner with a vision, integrity and drive that encouraged us all to take risks, think bigger and strive further. 

Three performers holding hands in a dynamic, motion-blurred moment on stage. The person on the left wears a red T-shirt and grey joggers, the person in the middle is Jude Bird and she wears a sleeveless red top, and the person on the right wears a teal shirt and glasses. They appear to be mid-run or dance in a theatre setting with scaffolding and stage lighting in the background.

Dodeka Dance Company was based in Trafford and grew from 6 weeks of dance sessions, a week-long residency and a Summer School in 1994. Dodeka’s early work was co-created and beautiful including Rorrim, Changing Speeds , Vortex and the Dancing Ground. Jude’s ambitions and drive to profile learning disability dance were epitomised in1996 when Jude took the company to Adelaide where they toured and performed at the International Festival. 

DIY’s first collaboration with Jude and Dodeka Dance Company was in 1998 when Jude and Sue Caudle, DIY’s Creative Director, worked closely together as part of the Salford and Trafford Disability Arts Initiative. They undertook a national research project “Above the Parapet” which scoped Learning Disability Performance at that time and worked with University of Sheffield and Professor Dan Goodley on a substantial research project looking at the benefits of participation in performing arts with people with learning disabilities.

This culminated in a major “Actions Speak Louder” conference at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in 1999 where the findings of the research were shared and members of DIY and Dodeka performed and co-ran creative workshops.  

Leading the Way

Jude held such a belief in the beauty and value of Learning Disability Arts. A long time before Arts Council’s Creative Case for Diversity when very few people were talking about Lived Experience Leadership and member-led governance, Jude, and her artistic collaborators at Dodeka Dance Company, really were leading the way.

Three adults sit outdoors wearing colourful, hand-crafted papier-mâché animal or bird masks that cover the tops of their heads. Each mask is uniquely painted with bright patterns, bold eyes, and feathers. The person on the right wears a blue shirt with the words “Dodeka Dance Company” partially visible, indicating their involvement in an inclusive arts activity. The atmosphere is relaxed and creative, with a grassy field and trees in the background, suggesting a community workshop or performance preparation.

In 2000, DIY, Dodeka and Open Door Theatre Company (a theatre company based in Trafford which has since folded)  came together to form a partnership called “3D Performing Arts”. We created a big Millenium Event on the Walk the Plank boat as part of Trafford’s Millenium  Waterfront Celebrations. In 2001, Jude and Sue worked together again with an ensemble of members from DIY, Dodeka and Open Door Theatre Company to create a cross art-form performance called “Switching Tracks” which undertook a very successful tour of Ireland.

Jude’s Vision

DIY continued to work in partnership and benefit from Jude’s vision and drive for social change and justice in her role as Head of Education, Leadership and Research at Curious Minds.

We worked very much in partnership to organise an ambitious Question of Leadership Conference   which took place at Liverpool Hope University  in September 2018.  During the day we explored a range of research and practice within the fields of Learning Disability Arts and education. This fed into a much-needed, broader discussion of the imperative for more diversity within leadership and research much more widely within the UK’s cultural sector – areas that Jude was totally passionate and committed to throughout her life.

More recently Jude brought her integrity, energy, insight and wisdom to our Advisory Group and was pivotal in our successful application to join Arts Council England’s National Portfolio.

A Wonderful Legacy

Here at DIY Theatre Company we are devastated by Jude’s loss. We are going to miss her phenomenal energy, drive and conviction. She leaves a huge legacy here at DIY and in so many other cultural organisations regionally, nationally and internationally. 

A group of people are seated outdoors on a grassy field, participating in a creative arts session. Several individuals wear brightly coloured, handmade animal masks, including a fox, a ram, and a multicoloured creature with ears. A woman in a striped top adjusts her mask while another woman with her back to the camera, wearing a white T-shirt and sunglasses on her head, offers a white object—possibly part of the activity. The atmosphere is warm and communal, suggesting an inclusive arts workshop, likely facilitated by the Dodeka Dance Company. Trees and an overcast sky form the backdrop. A group of performers stand on a dimly lit stage, captured with motion blur that gives a sense of movement and atmosphere. The central figure, a man in a bright yellow shirt with suspenders, gazes ahead with a thoughtful expression. Other participants, wearing vibrant colours like purple, red, and teal, are partially blurred as they move through the space. The dark background and dynamic lighting create a dramatic, immersive feel, suggesting a rehearsal or performance by an inclusive theatre or dance company.

A diverse group of performers stand in a single line on stage, all facing the same direction with their hands pressed together in a prayer-like gesture. They wear colourful, coordinated costumes featuring tunics in shades of magenta, teal, mustard, and orange, with matching sashes and loose trousers. The barefoot performers, including people with and without learning disabilities, are captured in a moment of calm focus against a dark theatre backdrop. The image conveys unity, discipline, and inclusivity, likely from a performance by an integrated dance or theatre company. Six performers stand barefoot on a stage with their arms raised above their heads, palms pressed together in a prayer-like pose. They wear vibrant, coordinated costumes featuring tunics in colours like magenta, green, red, and orange, paired with loose trousers and contrasting sashes. The black stage backdrop highlights the rich textures and colours of their clothing. The image captures a powerful and unified moment in a performance by an inclusive dance or theatre company, evoking themes of focus, balance, and collective expression.

Three performers are captured mid-movement during a stage performance, each deeply focused on an expressive gesture involving their hands. In the foreground, a blonde woman in a magenta costume with a green sash curves her hands in a circular shape, creating a frame in the air. To her right, a young woman in a matching costume mirrors the motion with intense concentration. In the background, a performer in orange and red watches attentively. The scene is intimate and powerful, reflecting a moment of storytelling or emotional expression in an inclusive dance or theatre piece. A group of performers stand on stage holding hands, wearing matching dark purple shirts with vertical silver patches and loose blue trousers. The central performer is in motion, dipping into a deep lunge while the others remain upright and connected. The lighting casts warm tones and shadows across the scene, creating a powerful, intimate atmosphere. The image captures a moment of synchronised movement and solidarity during an inclusive theatre or dance performance.

A motion-blurred image shows two performers in dark purple costumes engaging in a theatrical interaction. One performer reaches out gently to touch the forehead of another, who bows slightly with eyes closed, suggesting a scene of blessing, healing, or connection. The dim lighting and abstract movement trails evoke emotion and intensity, reflecting a meaningful moment in a devised performance by an inclusive arts company.  A split promotional image. The left side features a poster for Dodeka Dance Company showing a young woman in a magenta costume focused intently as she shapes her hands into a circular form. Three smaller photos to the right show inclusive dancers in expressive poses. The text reads “dodeka dance company.” On the right side, a vibrant purple and blue poster for Time, Space and the Third Dimension shows a graphic of boxes on a winding path labeled DIY, Dodeka, and Open Door. Each box contains black-and-white performance or workshop images. The event is staged on the Fitzcarraldo Touring Theatre Ship and Marquee at Trafford Wharfside.

A collage poster featuring images from Dodeka Dance Company’s inclusive theatre work. The left half shows performers with and without learning disabilities mid-performance, with a motion-blurred central figure in a yellow shirt and suspenders. Logos at the bottom include Trafford Council, DiGM, and North West Arts Board. The right half poses the question “Whose Opportunities Are Equal?” in decorative black type. It includes the Dodeka sunburst logo and three photos: one of two performers embracing, one of a dynamic movement sequence with blurred action, and one where a woman is being gently supported by three performers. Photography credited to Nigel Hillier.

All images are of Dodeka Dance Company  

  • Photo credits: Robert Cook, Nigel Hillier, Paul Hermann 
  • Company Members: Ruth Dickenson, Adele Lewis, Gillian Milne, Francis Robinson, Anthony Scapaticci, Andrew Sherratt, Nathan Weatherley, Peter Wielding, Kristian Taylor,  
  • Dance Artists: Jude Bird, Andrea Buckley, Paula Hampson, Lea Parkinson, Bisakha Sarker, Ruth Spencer 
  • Other Creative Contributors: Danny Williams, Jo Pocock, Wendy Meadley 

If you would like us to remove any images or other content from this page please contact us as soon as possible via email (diytheatre@gmail.com). If there is anything we have missed out please also let us know so we can add it in!