Rashmi Becker, who is guardian to her disabled brother who has autism, established Step Change Studios to support disabled people to dance. She is also a disability advocate, having worked in social care and a Board Member of Sport England, where she is the organisation’s first Board Champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

“I cannot describe how special the day was and am still processing receiving an MBE from The Princes Royal and sharing a conversation about inclusive dance. I am both proud and humbled by this recognition,” says Rashmi.

Step Change Studios is an award-winning dance company committed to making dance accessible for everyone. It provides opportunities in the community - tailoring programmes for different settings including education, care, the arts, sport and leisure; produces professional dance performances and productions; and develops initiatives that advocate for underrepresented voices in, and through the arts.

“I have long championed the positive impact of physical activity on our wellbeing and have seen the direct benefits to my brother’s quality of life. But there remain far too many barriers to participation. Both through Step Change Studios and my wider advocacy work I have tried to contribute to removing some of those barriers,” says Becker.

“Many of the people we support experience loneliness and can find it challenging to access activities that are welcoming and inclusive. Dance is such a creative, fun way for people to connect, to feel good and to be active. The joy they feel when they come together on a dance floor and realise their potential is extremely satisfying for everyone involved.”

The arts have also provided a platform for Rashmi to highlight wider issues that impact disabled people and also carers. She recently undertook an initiative supported by Arts Council England to highlight the lived experience of carers, producing podcasts and a series a dance films exploring carers’ lives. She is also leading a project, called Dance Dosti, supporting people of South Asian heritage with sight loss to be active through dance.

“One in five people in the UK has a disability, yet glaring inequalities persist in every aspect of life from education and transport to housing and health,” says Rashmi. “It requires determination and resilience to push for equal treatment to things that many people take for granted. My work has brought me into contact with so many allies across different sectors of society who are equally driven to see positive change. I am grateful to everyone that has supported, encouraged and inspired me.”

Step Change Studios has received numerous accolades including the One Dance UK Award for Innovation, the London Sport Award for Health and Wellbeing, and its founder Rashmi Becker was recognised for Outstanding Contribution to Innovation at the National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards. Rashmi was also Highly Commended at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in 2020, and a finalist at the GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards 2022