A former competitive gymnast who is hoping to carve out a career as a newspaper reporter has scooped a top writing award.

Katie Phillips, who is set to begin studying for her NCTJ newspaper exams on a noSWeat course in March, won this year’s Chris de Marigny Dance Writers Award at the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund awards.

She was presented with her award by Lea Anderson, artistic director of The Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs, during a ceremony at Laban – and with it a cash prize of £1,200.

The fund aims to encourage the development of choregraphers or dance writers in the early stages of their career, and after impressing judges with a feature on an Ethiopian dance project Katie, (24), is planning to use her prize money to help fund her study.

She is currently freelancing alongside a subbing day job at The Stage newspaper, and after passing her exams she hopes to take up a job as a reporter.

She is also planning to travel to LA for the Annual Dance Critics Association conference in May next year.

Katie said: “I will be able to attend various workshops and learn different writing techniques.

“There is nothing like this in England so it will be really good to be able to do that.”

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