Lee McCallion
Background
Lee McCallion is Programme Director for BA (Hons) Commercial Dance and incoming Section Lead in Dance and Programme Director for BA (Hons) Musical Theatre at UWTSD. He is a choreographer, educator, and Higher Education leader with extensive experience across the performing arts industry and university sector.
Lee trained in Theatre Dance at Performers College and has undertaken further study through the University of Essex and Italia Conti / University of Chichester.
His professional career has included working with internationally recognised artists and organisations including Elton John, George Michael, Westlife, Gloria Gaynor, and major record labels across television productions, concerts, tours, and large-scale commercial events. He has also supplied performers and creative talent for major productions, including Lady Gaga’s debut UK performance at the BRIT Awards with the Pet Shop Boys.
Within Higher Education, Lee has led programme development, curriculum design, quality assurance processes, validation activity, and academic leadership initiatives across dance and musical theatre. His expertise spans choreography, professional practice, creative entrepreneurship, curriculum innovation, and preparing students for careers within the creative industries.
Lee is committed to inclusive, student-centred learning and is particularly interested in leadership, neurodiversity, wellbeing, and contemporary issues within performing arts education. His work focuses on supporting students to develop their artistic identity, professional resilience, and long-term career sustainability within an evolving creative sector.
Specialist Subjects
- Musical Theatre
- Choreography
- Jazz Technique
- Commercial Dance
- Musical Theatre
- Dance/ Choreography
- Creative Industries
- Dance for Film
- Branding for the Creative
- Creative Entrepreneurship
Professional and/or Research Experience
As a performer and creative practitioner, Lee has worked with internationally recognised artists and organisations, including Elton John, George Michael, Westlife, Gloria Gaynor, Lady Gaga, and major record labels, and has appeared in television productions, concerts, tours, and large-scale commercial events. He has also supplied performers and creative talent for major productions, including Lady Gaga's debut UK performance at the BRIT Awards with the Pet Shop Boys.
Within Higher Education, Lee currently serves as Programme Director for BA (Hons) Dance and is moving into the roles of Section Lead in Dance and Programme Director for BA (Hons) Musical Theatre. His work encompasses curriculum design, programme leadership, quality assurance, validation, assessment strategy, staff management, student experience, and academic development. He has extensive experience leading modules across performance, choreography, professional practice, creative entrepreneurship, and industry preparation.
Lee's research interests sit at the intersection of performing arts education, leadership, neurodiversity, wellbeing, and organisational culture within Higher Education. His recent work has explored ADHD in performing arts training and leadership, the experiences of neurodivergent students and educators, practitioner identity, burnout, moral injury, resilience, and the relationship between creative practice and institutional structures.
Drawing upon both professional practice and academic research, Lee advocates for inclusive, evidence-informed approaches to teaching, leadership, and curriculum design. His work seeks to bridge industry practice and Higher Education, ensuring that performing arts training remains relevant, sustainable, and responsive to the evolving needs of students, educators, and the wider creative sector.
Qualifications
- MA Creative Arts Education
- BA (Hons) Professional Arts Practice
- CertHE Psychology