Shaping Jade Thirlwall's Bold New Era: Blake John Wood

Choreography by Blake John Wood

A powerhouse choreographer and dancer, Blake John Wood has spent a career working with some of the biggest names in the industry — Cheryl, Rita Ora, Zara Larsson, and more — but it's his most recent work that's currently making the most noise. Wood has been choreographing for Jade Thirlwall as she steps confidently into her solo career, helping shape a bold new era for the pop star in real time.

That's a genuinely different kind of assignment from working with an established artist's existing sound. Building the movement language for a solo era means helping define who an artist is becoming, not just choreographing to a brief that's already been set — and it's exactly the kind of creative trust that only gets handed to a choreographer with Wood's track record. Dancers at The Manor LDN got a direct look at that process, in a masterclass built on musicality, performance, and connection rather than choreography as an isolated skill.

Always a privilege to learn from a true visionary in the game — and for a studio that keeps finding itself at the centre of exactly this kind of moment, Wood's session was another reminder of why The Manor LDN continues to be where the industry's most in-demand creatives choose to teach.