Faculty

DIRECTORS

MIKE STEPHENS

SUSAN STEPHENS

BRIAN ROGERS

JAN ROGERS
 

PRINCIPAL

TRACEY LEE FISTD (Examiner) Cert Ed., ISTD Tap Committee Member

Tracey Lee trained at Bird College of Performing Arts. After graduating she toured extensively abroad as dancer/choreographer for a small touring company.  Upon her return to the UK, Tracey decided to pursue a career in teaching.  This led to her employment at Bird College where she taught for 16 years, assuming the position of Head of Jazz and Tap. Tracey is a major examiner for the ISTD and is a member of the ISTD Tap Committee.  Recently, she has been involved in the creation of the revised Advanced 2 Modern amalgamations, the new Tap awards, and is currently developing the ISTD Tap grades. Tracey joined Performers in 2005 as Course Co-ordinator; and was appointed Principal in September 2010.
 

ADMINISTRATOR

LESLEY MONKSFIELD
 

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

CHRIS BALDOCK
Director/Choreographer

Chris began his career at the age of eleven appearing in Gypsy at the Piccadilly Theatre with Angela Lansbury and Dolores Gray.  He continued to perform in West End Theatre, television, film and video successfully for a very long time! His credits are vast as has he trained and worked in all genres of dance including Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Musical Theatre, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Roller Skating! He worked expansively around the world for many choreographers and directors gaining much experience along the way. Choreographic and Directorial credits include "Prisoner Cell Block H" The Musical starring Paul O' Grady, resident director for the hit show "Starlight Express" in the West End, which he also staged as the show's contribution for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th Birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. Chris Co-Directed "Bounce", the hit street dance show that toured UK, Europe, South Africa and finally playing the Sadlers Wells theatre, London, this being the first show of its kind to pioneer Sadlers Wells. His most recent project as associate director/choreographer was 'Blaze' which performed at the Peacock Theatre and is now on tour.  Chris has also staged shows for brands such as Adidas, Nike, Asics, GUS, SPX / Troop, Jordan Formula 1, Maclaren Grand Prix, Marks and Spencer and Levi's.
 

BALLET FACULTY

EILEEN M. THOROGOOD Dip LCDD. FISTD  (Examiner)
Head of Dance & Faculty Co-ordinator

Eileen Thorogood trained at The London College of Dance and Drama where she gained her teaching diploma with MERIT. Her teaching career began at The Essex Dance Theatre where she remained on the staff for eight years. She later gained a post at a private dance college in Essex where she was responsible for all the ISTD examination coaching. She also taught at The Linda Shipton School of Dancing for fourteen years and on the Scholars Scheme as a Ballet Tutor for Dance East. During this period Eileen was able to gather valuable experience and after gaining DISTINCTION for Fellowship, successfully applied to become a Ballet Examiner for the ISTD. She now examines all ages both in the UK and overseas. Eileen joined the staff of Performers in 1996 and is currently Coordinator of The Classical Ballet Faculty and Joint Head of Dance.

SANDRA MADGWICK M.A. PDTD Dip RAD London

Trained at The Royal Ballet School Sandra was chosen by Sir Frederick Ashton in her graduation year to dance the lead role in his ballet La Fille Mal Gardee at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Her professional career was with Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) spanning 19 years, with 15 of those years at principal level dancing most of the major roles in the repertoire, including Swanhilda, Aurora, Juliet and the sugar plum fairy. Sandra has worked in the townships of South Africa and has assessed children with no prior dance experience for a place on the BRB Dance Track Scheme. Sandra gained a Masters Degree in Dance in the Community and Education in 2000 and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Ex-Professional Teaching diploma in 2005 with Distinction. Sandra now teaches at Performers College and is Head Ballet Tutor for the Dance East Academy a Centre for Advanced Training in Dance (CATs).  She also tutors on the RAD Dance Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies, and been a guest teacher for the world famous Mark Morris Dance Company during a recent U.K. tour.

BEN TRIBE AISTD PCGE Dip

Ben started dancing at Salisbury Dance Studios prior to training at the Doreen Bird college of Performing Arts. His theatre credits include Swing/Dance Captain, The Producers (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) Ha'Penny Bridge (Dublin) Beautiful And Damned (Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue) Swing and 2nd cover Munkustrap, Cats U.K. Tour, Ted Vanderpool in Babes In Arms (Cardiff New Theatre, for the international music festival. My One And Only (Chichester Festival Theatre and Piccadilly Theatre, London) Dance Captain Magic of The Musicals (U.K. Tour) Dance Captain Jane McDonald Summer Spectacular (B.I.C. Bournemouth) Principal Dancer Lido La Tournee (European Tour) Soloist Koblenz State Theatre (Germany) World of Classical Ballet, starring Wayne Sleep (U.K. Tour). Ben has also performed in numerous Pantomime Seasons including five seasons as Dance Captain on Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, starring Lily Savage. Television credits include; The Generation Game (supporting Bonnie Langford) The Brit Awards 1999 (for Robbie Williams) The Man Who Knew Too Little, starring Bill Murray (film) La Passione starring Shirley Bassey (film) Wayne Sleep's 50th Birthday Celebration (Channel 4) and The Late, Late Show (Dublin) Ben Also works as a free lance choreographer. Recent credits include, numerous productions of Cinderella and Peter Pan, Ruthless (Stratford circus) Dial M For Martini (Warehouse Croydon) Currently Ben teaches Classical Ballet at Bird College and Performers College.

HELEN STEGGLES FISTD & Examiner

Helen trained at the Arts Educational School, London.  After graduating in 1986 Helen taught for a variety of schools whilst furthering her teaching qualifications gaining distinction in both her associate and licentiate ballet. In 1998 Helen joined the staff at Junior Performers and shortly after became part of the ballet faculty at Performers College.  In 2001 Helen achieved honours in her Advanced 2 Ballet exam and passed her fellowship in 2002.Helen was honoured to become an examiner for the Imperial Classical Ballet and was invited to take classes at both the Imperial Ballet Awards at the Hawthorn Theatre and Junior Ballet Awards at the Radlett Centre.

DONALD VLUEGALS ARAD RAD dip LISTD

After Graduating from Andre Hardies School in 1980 Donald was offered a contract with the City Contemporary Dance in Company in Hong Kong, performing the Classics ie La Sylphide, Napoli, Giselle and various modern works. Many of the companies' productions were televised by H.T.V. {Hong Kong Television} including a production for Walt Disney. While still performing with the company, Donald taught ballet class to students dancers at the City Contemporary Studios. Returning to London was asked to join Dublin City Ballet in their performances of Nutcracker, Coppelia, and various Modern works. Several works were commissioned for the company. Taught the Company class and students of the Irish National College of Dance and also open Ballet Jazz classes to the general public. He founded the Chambers Jazz Dance Company and choreographed and performed with the company throughout Ireland including various appearances on R.T.E. television. Donald embarked on the RAD teaching course at the RAD College and after completing his training, he went on to study the ISTD Syllabus. At this current time Donald is working towards his Fellowship in the Imperial Ballet, and is coming to the end of his Masters in Ballet Studies at Roehampton University.
 

JAZZ FACULTY

TONY PARRIE
Head of Dance & Faculty Co-ordinator

Tony Parrie discovered his passion for entertainment and dance in his early years through the MGM musicals, which enchanted him so much that he knew his career would be on stage. After graduating from the Doreen Bird College, Tony's road to success was immediately induced by numerous appearances on TV specials, which soon developed into TV series such as Summertime Specials, the Brian Connelly Show and Stars In Their Eyes. Forever searching for new experiences, Tony diversified by turning his talents to the music industry, appearing on videos and dancing at major music events such as the Brit Awards. He also entered the fashion world, modelling for companies such as Adidas and Boss. Now he has honed his skills to choreography and teaching - first starting as assistant choreographer on Stars In Their Eyes. Now a choreographer in his own right, he has recently worked for companies such as Granada TV, Courts and Cadbury Schweppes, as well as staging and choreographing fashion shows abroad .His choreographic and teaching skills add strength to his versatility and he is able to characterise and reflect in dance terms any musical decade. He is joint Head of Dance at Performers College.

CHRIS BALDOCK
Director/Choreographer

JOANNE DARNELL

After graduating from Laine Theate Arts with a diploma and ISTD teaching qualifications, Joanne worked on a variety of Cruise lines, before settling in London and working on many Television shows with choreographers Brian Rogers, Alan Harding and Dougie Squires. Joanne enjoyed a year working with the Royal Opera Company in their production of The Merry Widow with Lesley Garret and Thomas Allen. Joanne then moved on to assist choreographers in the world of pop and fashion, including Steps, Boyzone, Atomic Kitten, Blue and fashion shows for Top Shop, Wella and Reebok. Joanne established herself as a choreographer in her own right;  two series of the all singing all dancing Star Street for Carlton Television, numerous productions on board Costa Cruise Lines and MSC, Casino show's in Portugal, Macaou, Slovenia and the  sell out show Rhythm of the Night at Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Cost Australia, also 3 consecutive shows at the Royal Palace, Kirrwiller.

Recently Joanne has choreographed fashion shows for underwear range No Romeo in Paris and New York and the latest season looks for New Look. Joanne is now resident choreographer for entertainment giant Merlin Entertainments. As well as her regular teaching commitments Joanne has taken lectures for the ISTD and the IDTA. Joanne has been teaching at Performers for 8 years and enjoys been part of the jazz department here.

NIKKI 0'HARA AISTD, PGCE, BA (Hons)

EMMA ROGERS BA (Hons)

Emma trained at Bird College where she graduated with a BA (Hons) Degree in Dance and Theatre Performance. Whilst at College Emma was a member of the Bird Theatre Company, which toured extensively throughout the UK and around the world performing in such places as Vienna, Singapore and New Zealand. Since graduating Emma has performed all over the world working in Theatre and TV and now has established herself as a professional choreographer. Emma has most recently been choreographing in America on the International Tour of the new Michael Jackson Tribute show Man In The Mirror touring extensively in the USA, UK and Europe. Choreography Credits include: Man In The Mirror (International Tour) Strictly Tap Dance Fever (USA, UK Tour), The Wild Party (Mirren Theatre), Sin City Rocks (Promo USA), Aladdin (Millfield Theatre), Sweet FA The Musical (Workshop), Cinderella (Worthing Pavilion), Moulin Rouge (Café De Paris, London), 'Rhythm'  and 'America' for Performers College (Move It, Olympia), Legally Blonde (Towngate Theatre), Aladdin (Victoria Theatre, Halifax), Smile The Musical (Mirren Theatre), Sleeping Beauty (Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone), Snow White (Madinat Theatre, Dubai), Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special (BBC) and 'Let Yourself Go' (Orchard Theatre, Dartford) for the Bird Theatre Company.

BARBARA  EVANS FISTD

Prior to specialising in choreography Barbara appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" and made numerous appearances in TV spectaculars for Granada and Anglia. Her transition to choreography commenced with a London based Jazz Company where she appeared as a solo artiste, creating her own individual style of Jazz technique. Barbara has lectured extensively in Europe, Canada, Norway and South Africa. She choreographed the winning entry for Finland in the World Show Dance Championships and was commissioned to choreograph the piece "Kabuki" for the Oslo Ballet Company. She has choreographed all aspects of theatre dance from Aida for the Nonesuch Opera Company to working with the Tussaud Group developing and creating shows for Chessington World of Adventures (96-98), with acts at the highest level of contemporary circus. Barbara's choreographic work includes "Song for Rocky", "Peter Pan ' (96-99), European tour of "Hot Dance" (Open Wide Productions), "Australia Recovered ", "Schooldays", BMA Awards (Bourne Leisure), " Grease" and "Little Shop of Horrors" (Jersey Opera House). Her work as a Director commenced with Peter Pan in 2000 and she has recreated the show eight times for Qdos. Recent work includes the musical "I Keano" (Dublin and tour), an Angie Best Concert and a return to circus with an aerial spectacular for Ocean Village. Barbara was part of the team that devised the Pre-Intermediate and Jazz Awards syllabi for the ISTD along with choreographing individual amalgamations including the new Musical Theatre sequence for Advanced 2 .She has been a Jazz specialist for many years teaching at Pineapple Studios, Elmhurst, Bird College and Hammond and currently at Laine Theatre Arts and Performers College.

MARK WEBB
 

TAP FACULTY

TONY PARRIE
Tap Co-ordinator

EMMA ROGERS BA (Hons)
 

ACTING FACULTY

MICHAEL GYNGELL
Head of Musical Theatre & Faculty Co-ordinator

Michael has just directed the national tour of When Harry Met Sally. Prior to that he directed a staged reading of Clittaford, a new TV comedy, starring Greta Scaachi. He was Associate Director on the Olivier Award winning The Play What I Wrote subsequently directing three national tours of the show. Other directing work includes: The Front Page, A Game of One Half, Relatively Speaking, Summer Holiday, Confusions, Godspell(Associate dir.) Bumpy Ride! and Family Voices. As an actor: Fame (Shaftesbury ) One Touch of Venus (Kings Head) Art (Whitehall Theatre.) Peter Pan and Poppy (RSC, Barbican) The Rink (Cambridge) Exclusive! (Strand) The Silver King and Merry Wives of Windsor(Chichester Festival Theatre) Doctor Dolittle (Apollo) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Everyman, Cheltenham) Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria) West Side Story (Her Majestys)

SIMON JAMES GREEN MA (Cantab)

Simon read Law at Cambridge and is now a writer and director working in theatre, television and film. His credits include the 50th Anniversary production of West Side Story (UK tour), The Rocky Horror Show (West End & UK tour), Rent (West End), Simply Heavenly (West End), The Taming of the Shrew (UK tour), and 10 productions of the smash-hit comedy Art (West End & UK tours). He has recently completed post-production on his first short film Cubicle Two, prior to entry into film festivals around the world. His musical The Diary of Me was optioned for multi-platform production and he has recently completed a commissioned feature-length musical for BBC2. As well as providing acting coaching for BBC teen soap The Cut, Simon has worked extensively in drama education including East-Side Educational Trust, the Young Vic and the Mousetrap Foundation. He is also Creative Director for the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts, overseeing the worldwide creative vision for the company.

ROB GALAS BA (Hons)

Robert trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, before completing a 3yr BA (hons) Acting degree at The Drama Centre London. Since graduating his Television credits have included: SUGAR RUSH (Channel 4), FAMILY AFFAIRS as a regular character (CHANNEL 5), THE BILL (ITV), THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB LOOK (BBC), ITS ADAM AND SHELLEY (Granada), DOCTORS (BBC) and HYPERDRIVE (BBC). Theatre credits include: SHOOT/GET TREASURE/REPEAT (The National Theatre), ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER (The Old Vic), CLASS ENEMY(Royal Court), KNIGHT OF THE BURNING PESTLE (Barbican), THE RHYTHM METHOD (Leicester Square), ASH BEFORE OAK (Soho) and SAVED (Complicite). Robert has also been involved in several commercials and Feature Films. His teaching work has included workshops for various theatres such as The Young Vic, Barbican, The Old Vic, Soho Theatre and for casting directors including Matt Western and Julie Harkin.

REBECCA ROOT  MA (Central)

Ms Root is voice and speech instructor at Performers College, Essex, and a visiting lecturer on the M.A. Voice Studies course at Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. Rebecca Root gained her M.A. Voice Studies from Central, graduating with Distinction. She has run voice workshops in Mexico City, San Francisco, Oslo, Cardiff and London. She presented her paper There and Back Again: Adventures in Genderland at Harvard University and the National Theatre School of Norway; it is published in Voice and Speech Review: The Moving Voice (2009, USA).Ms Root is the recipient of the 2010 Clyde Vinson Memorial Scholarship bestowed by the Voice and Speech Trainers' Association (VASTA) (USA). She is a member of VASTA and the International Centre for Voice.She trained as an actor at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and has worked in voiceovers, television and theatre for twenty years, with credits including Midsomer Murders, Casualty, Keeping Up Appearances, and Hamlet (Gielgud Theatre).
 

MUSICAL THEATRE

CHRIS BALDOCK
Director/Choreographer

SIMON ADKINS BA (Hons)

Simon trained at Bird College, where he graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) degree in Dance and Theatre Performance. Simon is currently appearing as Bob Crewe in the Original London Cast of Jersey Boys (Prince Edward Theatre).  Other theatre credits include, the Original London Cast of Wicked, understudied Fiyero, Jerry Springer the Opera, Annie Get Your Gun, Original London Cast of The Producers, Macavity/Admetus in Cats, understudied and played Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger, Dance Captain on the world premiere of Beautiful and Damned, Barry Manilow's Copacabana, Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street, the original UK touring cast of Chicago. Simon can be seen on the videos to Muse's single Time Is Running Out, and Emma Bunton's Maybe.  Simon also appears in the feature film De Lovely. Television credits include The Paul O'Grady show, The Royal Variety Performance 2008, 2006 & 2004, Blue Peter, Children In Need, Top Of The Pops, CD:UK, British Style Awards, MTV. Since teaching at Performers, Simon has directed and choreographed The Wild Party, Smile the musical, and And The World Goes Round.  Simon is also a member of Council for the ISTD.

JOSEPH PROUSE

Joseph graduated from Performers College in 2003 and has worked extensively in theatre. He has appeared in West End shows Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, Evita, Footloose, and the UK tours of Footloose and Thoroughly Modern Millie. As a teacher he has been a regular guest at D & B Performing arts and LSMT (London School of Musical Theatre). Currently Joseph is a regular teacher for Pineapple Performing Arts, Covent Garden.
 

SINGING FACULTY

MICHAEL ROBINSON BMus (Hons) ALCM, LGSM
Faculty Co-ordinator
Tenor, Pianist & Musical Director

Michael Robinson has established a reputation as one of the UK's most versatile singers and musicians. At the age of only 16, he took up a place to study Piano and Singing at Napier University of Edinburgh, gaining the ALCM and LGSM Diplomas in Performance. He then went on to London's Guildhall School of Music &Drama, graduating in 1995 with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) in Performance. Since leaving the GSMD, Michael has worked throughout the world as a singer, pianist and musical Director. Among notable credits are 3 years world touring with internationally acclaimed a Capella vocal group The Swingle Singers; 3 seasons with operetta specialists, The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, both on tour and in the West End; regular appearances with leading orchestras, including the BBC Concert, BBC Welsh, Orchestre National de Paris and Berlin Philharmonic, to name but a few. He has also played several principal roles in London, and on national tour, including Bernstein's Candide; Tamino in Mozart's The Magic Flute; and the British premiere of Ragtime. Michael has also worked prolifically in the recording studio, as singer, writer, and producer. Joining the permanent staff at Performers College in September 2009, Michael was honoured to be appointed co-ordinator of Singing in summer 2010.

JANE ROBERSON GGSM  AGSM

Jane grew up in Norfolk and trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. After winning the GLAA Young Musicians Competition she worked as a freelance singer in performances ranging from Baroque Opera at the Palace of Versailles and Wagner's Mastersingers at English National Opera  to solo recitals and show recordings such as Sondheim's A Little Night Music for BBC Radio 2. Theatre credits include: The Mikado (Westminster Theatre), Metropolitan Mikado (South Bank), Iolanthe (Belfast), The Sound of Music (Apollo Victoria), My Fair Lady (Ashcroft) and Principal Girl in The Players' Theatre Pantomime. After many years as a Booth Singer in Cats in the West End, Jane joined the Singing Department of Performers College. She teaches privately at home in London and also directs the Churchfields Singers, which this year reached the National Selection Stage of the BBC 3 Choir of the Year

ANDY RAPPS LRAM

Andy Studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London (LRAM and Cert. of Advanced Studies) He has been working for over 18 years as a musical director, vocal coach and pianist, mainly in the West End, and is currently Associate Musical Director of Sister Act (London Palladium). Previous positions include: Associate Musical Director for The Sound Of Music (London Palladium) and Les Miserables (Queens and Palace Theatres), Musical Director for The Woman In White (Palace), Assistant and Childrens' Musical Director for Whistle Down The Wind (Aldwych), Assistant Musical Director for My Fair Lady (Drury Lane), The Witches Of Eastwick (Drury Lane and Prince of Wales), Cats (New London and UK tour), Maddie (Lyric) and Stepping Out (Albery).Other London shows worked on include We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Oliver, Grease, Miss Saigon and Sunset Boulevard. Other colleges worked at include Central School of Speech and Drama, Arts Educational (Chiswick) and Mountview.

MIKE DORE GGSM ( Lond) & PGCE

Michael Dore is one of England's busiest concert and session singers. His international career takes him from all of London's major concert venues to the USA (including Carnegie Hall), Europe, Scandinavia, the Caribbean & the Far East. He has guested with many of the world's finest orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago, Bangkok & Stavanger Symphonies .He has recorded four CD's with the BBC Concert Orchestra  & three with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, including " Best of Broadway", and broadcasts regularly on programmes such as Friday Night is Music Night. He has also sung on numerous television & film sound tracks, such as "Glee", " Lord of the Rings", " Alice in Wonderland" & "Harry Potter". He is in much demand as a vocal coach, both at the top colleges & on TV programmes such as " X Factor" (ITV), " Any Dream Will Do" (BBC) & Hairspray & Grease...The School Musicals" (SKY). Michael's West End show performances include: Guys & Dolls (Benny Southstreet), Passion (Lieutenant Barri) & Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter).

ANDY READ  ARCM 
Musical Director / Vocal Coach

Andy Read was born in Oxford.  At the age of nine, he won a choral scholarship to Magdalen College.  At the age of sixteen, he was awarded a place at the Royal College of Music, London, where he studied for 3 years and gained an Associateship in Performance.  After a further year of Advanced Study, he completed the Teaching Diploma (ARCM) Since that time he has worked extensively in West End Theatre.  He has been Assistant / Musical Director for many productions including; Pirates of Penzance, Blondel, Les Miserables, The Mikado, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Starlight Express and Mama Mia.  He is currently Assistant Musical Director for We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre. Away from the theatre, Andy Read has had a diverse career.  For six years he was accompanist for the international vocal group Cantabile, performing in more than four hundred concert and television appearances in twenty countries. For ten years, he was Pianist for Dame Shirley Bassey and played for three UK Tours, and for many concerts and recordings around the world.  He was also Musical Director for Marti Webb for many years. Currently, he is Professional Musician in Residence at the Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School, teaching 'A' Level, Composition and Singing. As a Composer, he has completed various publications for the UK and USA.  His latest work for Combined Arts, AURORA, was selected for presentation at the Annual Arts and Music Specialisms Conference at the Barbican Centre, London. His album entitled 'The Last Rose of Summer' for trumpet and orchestra was released last year.

SARA-LOUISE PARRY GRNCM

After graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music, Sara-Louise joined the company of Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre Manchester. She subsequently toured with the show to Dublin & Edinburgh and was fortunate enough to be invited to appear at the Royal Albert Hall for its 10th Anniversary concert in 1995. In 1996 Sara-Louise moved to London and joined the West End production of Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre. This was followed by a production of Evita in the Spektrum Theatre Oslo, Norway. In 1999 she toured the UK with the musical Grease. In May 2001 Sara-Louise joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company to play Peep-Bo in their production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado touring Australia & New Zealand. In 2003 she began singing with the vocal group West End Live and regularly performs with them across Europe. In 2009 she enjoyed a successful run in The Great American Songbook at Hampstead’s New End Theatre.
 

CONTEMPORARY

NIKKI 0'HARA AISTD, PGCE, BA (Hons)
Faculty Co-ordinator

Nikki graduated from Bird College with a first class degree in Dance and Theatre Performance. She has since worked with Motionhouse Dance Theatre, devising and touring the shows of Fearless, Volatile and Perfect, and also under the direction of Helen Parlor with Footwerk Productions. Nikki has also worked with Wired Aerial Theatre touring Handmade/ Manmade, using bungee assisted dance, and alongside various other international corporate events, opened The O2 Centre in Greenwich. She has performed in several site specific performances, the most recent at Goodrich Castle, commissioned by English Heritage. Nikki has also been funded by The Arts Council to produce some of her own work, collaborating with Vanessa Cook under company name "All Play", and have enjoyed successful tours of the UK and Europe with Its Rude to Point and PUSH. Nikki has most recently performed internationally with aerial dance company, Gravity & Levity. Nikki holds a PGCE qualification in further education and has a varied teaching career in secondary and further/ higher education vocational establishments, including Bird College and Performers College, teaching contemporary, jazz and contact improvisation, whilst also freelancing around Europe in both choreographic and teaching contexts. Nikki is also part of the central teaching team for the ISTD where she has devised the boys work for the new Advanced 2 Modern syllabus. Other previous credits include establishing a boys youth dance company who enjoyed a small scale tour of Hampshire in 2005, an Elite Dance Company at secondary level and working with young people at risk in several contexts, including work in HMP Dovegate and Foston Hall. Nikki choreographed and successfully won the Southern Grand final of Global Rock Challenge in 2005, has enjoyed a successful performance for The Queen in the same year, and has been commissioned to work with and choreograph for Youth Companies such as Hed:Strong and Phase One.

LAURA GUANERA

Laura is a choreographer, performer and a dance, yoga and pilates teacher. Her strength strikes from her diverse background combining dance, physical theatre, film, yoga, pilates, body mind centering Franklin method studies and contact improvisation. Laura's Dance training started in Italy, at the age of four, and carried on at the Laban Centre, London, where she gained a Professional Diploma in Dance and Movement studies. Laura has worked as a dance company director, and choreographer in Europe and Japan, for many years. Her Companies " Trinacria Teatro Danza" and "Compagnia Guarnera Guy" have won many awards, including the "International Choreographic Award" Groninghen , The Netherlands, "Leaders for London Millennium Award" , UK. Performing extensively in UK and Europe. Laura has also worked as a freelance performer with various companies including " Some Dance Company" directed by Athina Vahla. Laura has worked as a Freelance teacher at Performers College, since 1997 where she teaches contemporary dance (release based-Physical Theatre-Limon) & contact improvisation. Her love for movement brought her to approach Pilates and Yoga. She is a Pilates Foundation UK Teacher/member, trained at The Place, London and a Yoga Teacher. She teaches in many leading London centres, including Siobhan Davies Dance Theatre, Dulwich Therapy Rooms and Physioactive Natural Health Clinic. She is working internationally with her growing "fluid fusion" technique of Dance, Pilates and Yoga. Laura is currently training as Garuda and a Franklin Method Teacher.

TIM BLOWFIELD

Tim trained at Doreen Bird College and London Contemporary Dance School.He has performed in Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake" and "The Car-Man" in the West End and on world tours. He danced in Diversions Dance Company and for choreographers including Ben Wright, Kerry Nicholls, & Lisa Torun. Tim also teaches Contemporary Dance and A Level Dance at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. He is a regular teacher for Matthew Bourne's New Adventures and teaches workshops for DanceDigital.Tim has his own dance company and his choreography includes "Left", "Traces", "Glo", "Unfolding Layers", "Beyond The Frame" and "Connected".
 

GYMNASTICS AND BODY CONDITIONING

KEN LEWIS
 

CONTEXTUAL STUDIES COORDINATOR

SARAH MEALING BA (Hons) LLAM
Academic Registrar and Student Support

Sarah graduated from Liverpool University with a B.A.(Hons) in English and Drama. She commenced her teaching career in Guildford, teaching Speech and Drama to students ranging from the ages of 4 to 20. During this time she gained the Licentiate status of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Sarah subsequently became a full-time member of the Drama Faculty at Laine Theatre Arts, where she spent four years teaching GCSE Drama, improvisation, speech and entering students and children for LAMDA examinations at all levels.

Sarah was Drama Advisor at Performers College for ten years, and is now Academic Registrar and Contextual Studies Co-ordinator for the College. Sarah has undertaken counselling training and thus assists with student support at the College.
 

PILATES

HELEN STEGGLES FISTD

NICOLA STEPHENS

LEON STEPHENS
 

PRE-VOCATIONAL COURSE

KEELEY EAST
Course Co-ordinator

REBECCA SEMARK

EILEEN THOROGOOD FISTD

HELEN STEGGLES FISTD

DAVID NURSE

ANDY READ ARCM

SARA-LOUISE PARRY
 

AGENCY & PERSONAL MANAGEMENT

MANDY OLIVER

TINA HOLMES
 

RECEPTION

SUE BESSELL

LORRAINE COOK

JO STONEBROOK

DENISE TIMOTHY