About - Sisters Grimm

B Corp certified Sisters Grimm is a dynamic & creative arts company co-founded by 2 mixed-heritage, multi-cultural females; ex-Royal Ballet ballerina Pietra Mello-Pittman MBE, & Grammy nominated composer & painter Ella Spira MBE.

With a combined 42 years of experience operating at the top level of the creative industry, they share a common vision to change the world through art and science.

Over the past 15 years, Sisters Grimm have created original productions and arts experiences which have enthralled millions around the world.

Collaboration is central to our Sisters Grimm artistic approach. By collaborating with a diverse range of artists and partners, we create memorable experiences that bring new perspectives on the world’s diverse cultures, on nature and mental health.

Ella’s creative spirit infuses every aspect of Sisters Grimm’s artistic production. Pietra as creative producer, complements Ella’s artistic vision, bringing flair and attention to detail to create arresting productions.

Diversity & access are core company values, & all work includes parallel youth engagement programmes – see outreach.

The Sisters Grimm Charitable Trust was established to deliver participatory educational arts activity designed to underpin Sisters Grimm Ltd’s award-winning theatrical productions.

Ella and Pietra are the directors with a strong network connecting them to international markets. They have tour bookers and partners in each territory and their board is made up of creative industry, entertainment and business leaders.

“ELLA SPIRA and PIETRA MELLO- PITTMAN are extraordinary producers and they create magic evenings. Their scope and insight on the beauty and universality reveals itself on the stage and through every performer. The audience is transfixed, transcended, and transported to a thrilling new place and time. Ella and Pietra are the present and future stars of international producing and presenting.”

Colleen Jennings-Roggensack – Executive director of one of the top touring Broadway venues in America, ASU Gammage and Vice President for Cultural Affairs at Arizona State University. ASU Gammage presents, commissions, and produces national and international artists. She is an award-winning leader in the arts-presenting world, a Tony voter and vice chair of The Broadway League Board of Governors.

Mark Wagman is a Director of talent and was part of the BAFTA winning team behind Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration. More recently, Mark oversaw the talent for HRH The Prince of Wales’s 70th Birthday celebration.

Roy Luxford is currently the Planning and Operations Director at the Edinburgh International Festival, has run three of the UK’s most prominent production companies, has worked on many international productions and has collaborated with leading London and international venues.

Arlene Phillips CBE is now a household name, having choreographed hit West End and Broadway musicals like Starlight Express and was a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

Adam Quigley is Head of Events at London’s Ministry Venues & a Director of Event Huddle. He has 19+yrs experience of venue & events management with specific skills in financial & staff management, health & safety & branding development gained with Mean Fiddler Music Group, Troxy, The Bloomsbury Ballroom & Ministry Venues.

Alexia Moore is Financial Reporting Manager at WorldRemit. Alexia is a banking and financial services senior professional accountant.

Clare Eason is Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Lumanity with 14+yrs experience of strategic planning & analysis, project management, change management, community engagement & HR within the health sector.

Benjamin Onajide is a civil servant with 20+yrs experience of championing British trade to global markets at the Department of International Trade & creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities with the Department for Work & Pensions.

Eibhlish Fleming is the Grant & Learning Manager for Spirit of 2012 which is an independent trust established to build on the legacy of the London 2012 Games. She has 8+yrs experience of arts education, youth & community engagement, theory of change, evaluation & policy development with Spirit of 2012, Children & the Arts & Shakespeare’s Globe.

Hícaro is from Minas Gerais, Brazil and has performed in both INALA and Voices of the Amazon for Sisters Grimm. In 2011 he was awarded Best Dancer in the Usiminas Sinparc Culture Award. With Ballet Jovem, he had the opportunity to work with some of Brazil’s best choreographers and with Adriaan Luteijn from Introdans, Netherlands. Hicaro continues to work on various projects for Sisters Grimm, leading workshops and castings and online content.

Sharia Johnson was born in London, trained at the BRIT school of performing arts for four years and during this time she accepted an offer onto the CAT (centre of advanced training) scheme at The Place. She graduated from Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in 2015 and joined the INALA company for national and international tours before joining Michael Clark Company and Rambert where she particularly enjoyed her experience dancing in Tel Aviv, Israel Sharia was The Dancing Times ‘dancer of the month’ December 2018 issue.’ Following from performing INALA in 2019 in China, West End and Royal Albert Hall Sharia continues to workshops for Sisters Grimm and is interested in sales and digital marketing for Sisters Grimm.

Sisters Grimm reporter. Keelan was born in London and grew up in Orpington and Brixton. An enthusiastic, persistent
and confident individual, Keelan became aware of INALA (and the show’s Producers) during a Prince’s Trust Team Programme he was taking part in. He is currently completing an apprenticeship in marketing and business and spends his free time writing music and producing tracks. Keelan says that ‘being a reporter for INALA at the Royal ALbert Hall is a massive and special occasion for me, I can see the shows direction and feel I can unlock my potential with the cast and much more. The future is yet to be told, but big things are ahead for INALA with inspiration from Soweto. All I can say is watch this space’.

Ke Meng is the Impact and Outreach Coordinator for the Inala Social Impact Programme, a role that reflects her deep commitment to making performing arts accessible to young people, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. Prior to joining Sisters Grimm, Ke received her doctorate from SOAS, University of London, and acted as a lecturer of theatre and performance studies at Sun Yat-sen University. A passionate practitioner in outreach and academia, Ke also contributes to the field of theatre criticism as an established column critic for Shanghai Theatre.