Crystal Zillwood trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance achieving a BPA Hons in contemporary dance (majoring in movement studies). She continued her studies at NSCD with the postgraduate dance company, Verve. The company toured the UK and Switzerland with commissioned pieces by Ben Wright, Frauke Requardt, Angus Balbernie, Gary Clarke, Theo Clinkard. 

After graduating with Distinction, Crystal has worked with a multitude of choreographers and companies including; Liz Roche, New Art Club, Ben Wright, Gary Clarke, Theo Clinkard and Stephanie Singer where she is part of the “Bittersuite” project.

During this time she has also been developing her teaching practice and leading dance workshops at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, The Place and Galway Dance.

In 2016 she was awarded ‘Catapult’, a professional development programme led by the NSCD in partnership with Spin Arts to support the most gifted and talented maker in the North. She has also received support from Dance City, Yorkshire Dance and Activate Arts.

Crystal received an Arts Council England Grant in October 2016 to focus on ‘Spirals’, a triple bill of solos developed with Artistic mentorship from Theo Clinkard. ‘Spirals’ contains three 15 minute solos, ‘Sleep’, ‘These Hands’ and ‘Evolutio’.  Crystal also has toured her work Internationally and including performances at Sadlers Wells Wild Card showcases as well as with Carn to Cove Rural touring organisation in Devon and Cornwall and was nominated for the Young Person of the Year award 2018 by the National Rural Touring forum. 

Crystal has a small tour of her solo piece Evolutio and These Hands in the Spring and Summer 2019 and is currently working on a new solo with the support of Arts Council England, Spin Arts Production, Pavillion Dance and Kalam Sangham