Andy Gardiner is a theatre performer and contemporary dancer with 17 years of professional experience. As Artistic Director of Society of Strays, he works as a director, choreographer and dramaturg, creating performance that is clear, engaging and ambitious without losing its accessibility.

Trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Andy has worked nationally and internationally with a wide range of leading dance and theatre makers. His performance career includes collaborations with Protein Dance, Riccardo Buscarini, Southpaw, Bgroup, ZoieLogic Dance Theatre, Jamie Fletcher Company, Simon McBurney, Dutch National Opera and Curious Seed. He has also worked with New Art Club and Anatomical, where his physical performance and comic sensibility have been central to the work.

His experience spans stage, opera, screen and large-scale productions, including the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony (2014), Rugby League World Cup Opening Ceremony (2013), and screen projects such as How to Train Your Dragon 2, Tom & Jerry and 28 Years Later.

Alongside his artistic practice, Andy is a qualified personal trainer, project and event manager and a committed mental health advocate,