{"id":2035,"date":"2026-02-25T10:05:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T10:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/?p=2035"},"modified":"2026-02-25T10:50:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T10:50:34","slug":"kent-diamonds-passionate-performance-directors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/2026\/02\/25\/kent-diamonds-passionate-performance-directors\/","title":{"rendered":"Kent Diamonds: Passionate Performance Directors"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Performance Directors for the Threads and Legends fashion event with Fenwick, their passion and creativity helped to bring ideas to life and make it a truly legendary event! Hear from Esme, Fin and Caitlin about their experience:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Esme<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cHello! My name is Esme, and I\u2019m a third-year Drama student. I\u2019m passionate about all things creative, with particular interests in physical theatre, acting, and community-focused arts practice. I\u2019ve previously been a member of the Musical Theatre Society, where I co-directed and co-wrote their summer showcase at the Gulbenkian. Alongside this, I\u2019m currently part of the Yoga and Pilates Society, embracing mindfulness and balance as I move through my final year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cHey!\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0Fin, a 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0year Drama and Theatre student who loves all things creative. I have a passion for creating,\u00a0developing\u00a0and directing performances as well as acting in them, finding particular interest in the rehearsal process of shows and how facilitation can\u00a0impact\u00a0the performers and their work.\u00a0I also love to delve into research surrounding the arts and media, always taking mental notes on pop\u00a0culture\u00a0and understanding its\u00a0perception\u00a0by society (nerdy, I know!).\u201d<\/p>\n

Caitlin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cHello! My name is Caitlin and I am currently\u00a0a\u00a0third year Drama, Theatre and Performing Arts student. My key interests are acting and directing, where I have lots of opportunities in both my course and T24 drama society where I directed two shows. I was also born in Australia, lived in Singapore when I was younger and have been performing onstage in 50+ shows since 2009.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Esme,
Left to right: Esme, Caitlin and Fin holding their celebratory flowers post event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\nTell us all about the \u2018Threads and Legends: Past Icons, Future Designers\u2019 event with Fenwick.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cThreads and Legends<\/a>\u00a0was\u00a0a fabulous project to be a part of! Esme,\u00a0Caitlin\u00a0and I felt so supported throughout the whole journey and it all paid off as the show went amazingly. We recruited the societies, liaised with\u00a0them\u00a0and directed their iconic catwalks. We picked the music to provide atmospheric moments that highlighted their incredible outfits and makeup, supplied by Fenwick<\/a>! Fenwick were super throughout the process and on the day. They made sure all our models felt amazing in what they were wearing and made this event truly special with their hard work.<\/p>\n

Throughout the process we had weekly meetings that helped us to stay on track with certain tasks like catching up with presidents of societies and organising\u00a0who would be walking for what decade. There were so many different areas of this show that had dedicated people involved, which is why\u00a0I think it\u00a0turned out so brilliantly. Everyone on the team was committed to making the pilot event, Threads and Legends, live up to its legendary name \u2013 and we did just that!\u201d<\/p>\n

Esme<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cBeing a Performance Director on this show was nothing short of inspirational.\u00a0Raising funds for\u00a0the University\u2019s\u00a0Sanctuary Fund<\/a> and the Kent Opportunity Fund was so wonderful, enabling me to learn\u00a0about what a difference it has made for students lives and how important these funds are.<\/p>\n

In this role, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a wide range of societies.\u00a0Every group brought their own distinctive flair to their era, and some even incorporated live performances after their catwalks. The level of talent within our student body is\u00a0truly unimaginable –\u00a0each and every\u00a0participant was\u00a0phenomenal. One\u00a0of my favourite moments was arriving at Fenwick at 7am with the models, ready for hair and makeup by incredible in-store brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Dior, and Chanel. There was a real buzz of anticipation throughout the store; you could feel the excitement building as the models prepared to step onstage and give their all.<\/p>\n

The rehearsal process was equally rewarding. Being able to articulate our creative vision for the runway, guide the models in bringing it to life, and see our ideas so warmly received was both humbling and deeply fulfilling. I was also incredibly impressed by the ASPIRE brands from Kent Business School<\/a>, who\u00a0showcased\u00a0remarkable\u00a0outfits and artistic flair\u00a0and truly\u00a0showcased\u00a0their talents as future designers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Students
Students and staff up bright and early on the bus to their Fenwick fittings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Caitlin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cI\u2019m so fortunate to have been involved in Threads and Legends. The experience has been incredible. We managed to get Musical Theatre Society, POCAS, K-Pop, DJ society and\u00a0Unleash\u00a0your Talent to model and perform for us! This gave us\u00a0a great opportunity\u00a0to get to know other students across campus. An example of this was during the fittings in Fenwick, where I helped\u00a0assist\u00a0and view fittings for the models from POCAS. It was\u00a0really exciting\u00a0to see the outfits on the\u00a0models\u00a0whist getting to know the students and help get them excited for show day. This event also allowed me to connect with an old school friend who was in model for the fashion show, who I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0seen in over\u00a0a\u00a0year, which made this experience even more special.<\/p>\n

Whilst organising this event we got the opportunity to be involved in main meetings once or twice a week with all the teams, including from the\u00a0Gulbenkian\u00a0tech team, to help make this show come to life. Getting to be involved in these meetings allowed me to realise how to organise campus events like Threads and Legends, and to experience the rewarding feeling once everything comes together on show day. We were especially lucky to work with Sam Scott and Sarah Boswell, who helped guide us and encouraged us while helping us organise this event.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Students
Students on fashion catwalk showcasing designs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\nWho helps make the\u00a0Kent community special for you?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Esme<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cFor me, being part of the School of Arts and Architecture<\/a> is what truly makes the Kent community so special. Studying Drama within this school has continually challenged me to trust my creative instincts, refine my ideas, and bring them to life on stage. Throughout this process,\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0not only grown as an artist but also formed incredibly close bonds with the students on my\u00a0course. The\u00a0Arts have always felt like a welcoming, collaborative, and deeply supportive environment for both\u00a0myself\u00a0and my peers. That sense of community is nurtured so thoughtfully by our lecturers, whose encouragement and belief in our potential have shaped my university experience in the most meaningful way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caitlin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0very lucky\u00a0in the fact that my course and the School of Arts\u00a0and Architecture has\u00a0made me feel like a part of the University of Kent community. From my very first week in 2023, we had\u00a0a\u00a0quiz night with all the\u00a0first-year\u00a0School of Arts students, and I\u00a0immediately\u00a0felt at home. Other events such as open days, drama festivals and\u00a0Deck\u00a0the Jarman have helped me feel like a part of not only my course, but the community of all drama students at Kent. Furthermore, I have been\u00a0very fortunate\u00a0to be involved in both T24 Drama society and Salsa society during my time at\u00a0uni. Students and lectures are all friendly and opening to welcome everyone into our big community and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0always excited to return to\u00a0uni\u00a0every term!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Threads
Fashion Fair as part of Threads and Legends event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What advice would you give to Kent students?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Esme<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cMy biggest piece of advice for other students would be to\u00a0get involved.\u00a0<\/em>Get involved in societies!\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0so many to choose from,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0highly likely that you will find something that\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0interested\u00a0in where you can find like-minded people and create friendships which will last a lifetime! Also, get involved with events\u00a0that\u00a0run on campus. Go and watch things at the Gulbenkian<\/a>, there\u2019s always great films on and pieces of theatre \u2013 feed the creative part of your mind! And, most importantly,\u00a0make time\u00a0for yourself. University can be an overwhelming experience for anyone, particularly at the start, but there\u2019s always people you can talk\u00a0to and activities on campus that you can\u00a0participate\u00a0in to look after your wellbeing!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cJust go for it! Apply to that thing, fill in that\u00a0form\u00a0and turn up to that event. It may seem silly or useless at a first glance but\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0those little events that will really get you where you want to be.\u00a0Definitely make\u00a0use of the resources that are at your fingertips,\u00a0whether\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0an extra optional seminar or a meeting with a lecturer because the connections and opportunities are endless.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are your plans for next year?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Esme<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cMy plans for next year are to continue my journey within the Arts and Theatre world.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0very interested\u00a0in getting involved with community work\u00a0through the arts, working with different communities and running workshops.\u00a0On the other hand, I may continue my training within\u00a0drama and theatre\u00a0and discover what I would\u00a0truly like\u00a0to specialise in, either way I will be doing something within the realm of theatre!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cI have just accepted a job offer for a cruise ship,\u00a0facilitating\u00a0sessions for children and working in entertainment. I will hopefully then get some more training afterwards to specialise into a movement-focussed area of drama. And then in a few years I can develop my own practice of drama and theatre and create a business or join a company that reflects my values as a drama practitioner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caitlin<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cMy plan for next year is\u00a0to\u00a0hopefully be\u00a0working in London!\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0considering working in\u00a0a\u00a0theatre company whether\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0onstage acting or behind the scenes, for example as a producer or director. I am also considering looking for\u00a0a\u00a0job in marketing or sales, by using my skills I have gained in in my course and organising events. I also want to travel, exploring more of Europe and potentially go back to Australia to visit my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Kent Diamonds campaign recognises the students, staff and alumni that make Kent shine. Learn more about\u00a0<\/strong>our Kent Diamonds<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and our other\u00a0<\/strong>60th<\/sup>\u00a0Diamond Anniversary celebrations<\/strong><\/a>. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Performance Directors for the Threads and Legends fashion event with Fenwick, their passion and creativity helped to bring ideas to life and make it … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40853,"featured_media":2036,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[312383,309363],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2035"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40853"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2035"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2048,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2035\/revisions\/2048"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}