Mrs Yvette Curtin FUTD, BTDA reg. TC
Partner / Manager Head of Dance

- A registered teacher for the British Theatre Dance Association (BTDA) who are registered members of the Council of Dance Education and
Training (CDET)

- A registered member and elected member for the management committee of the United Teachers of Dance (UTD)

Born in 1969, Yvette started dancing at the age of 3 years old, encouraged very much by her mother who used to dance herself in the West End. She progressed through the AAD, RAD, and UTD dance syllabus whilst also being involved in professional productions and pantomimes that her teacher, Janet Ashton from Lincoln, saw fit for her to audition for.
After successfully completing her major examinations, Yvette then took her first Associate examination and was well on the path to teaching which was her dream since she was a small child. Yvette now has many teaching qualifications and experience under her belt, she has taught for community education in special needs schools in the area and also has over 21 years of experience in running her own school.
She has also seen many successes with pupils going on the full time professional schools, degree courses and working professionally either after they have moved on or while being pupils and are still training at the school. However, it has been Yvette’s intention from the beginning to provide a school that offers as many different performing arts disciplines, abilities and styles to cater for everybody.

Mr Michael Bays
Partner /Manager Head of Drama / Musical Theatre

Michael Bays is a professional entertainer and Equity member.
During ten years as a full time working professional he has acted, sung and danced in many shows. He has toured and performed in some of the country’s largest venues including the G-Mex, S.E.C.C and B.I.C. As a compare, he has hosted venues and events for all ages, from cabaret to National Star Search competitions.
Off stage, Michael has directed and designed set for many productions from pantomimes to cabaret, including his own ‘Tribute to the West End’ show.
His script writing and production shows are used by professionals, youth theatres,schools and community projects.
He first started teaching eighteen years ago before pursuing his professional career, when he opened a Youth Theatre in his local area. For the past seven years he has run his own company as a freelance director and teacher of drama and musical theatre. He directs a Youth Theatre School, conducted workshops for numerous youth groups and associations, and taught drama for the Butlins Redcoat Academy.

Miss Ann Oliver Head of Leicester College of Performing Arts
Advisor and Patron

Ann Oliver has been involved in the Arts since her childhood and has made it her life. All her businesses centre around this area and she is heavily involved in the training of young people who wish to enter this field.
She has created 4 independent businesses all of which, through her hard work and determination, are very successful. Recent developments involve the accreditation of the British Theatre Dance Association as a Government approved Awarding Body and the inclusion of its qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework, and the accreditation of the Leicester College of Performing Arts as a Trinity approved centre offering the 3 year Diploma in Musical Theatre which attracts the DADA awards. The British Theatre Dance Association is also in the process of forming the GQA (Graded Qualifications Alliance) along with the Manchester College of Arts and Technology and the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of Exeter, to form a company offering performance based qualifications in a variety of aspects.

Adrian Allsopp
Advisor, Tutor and Patron

Over the Last 15 years, the name “Adrian Allsopp” has become synonymous with innovation and exciting choreography, musical staging and Direction. One of the UK’s new generations of choreographers, Adrian has established himself as a leading light in this field.
During his professional life and to date, Adrian has built a client list that includes amongst others, the BBC, National Youth Theatre, Sky, London Records, London Weekly Television, Thompson Holidays, Sun Cruises, World Hair Congress, U.K. Productions, Effectives Productions and H.P.I.C.M.
He has also worked with and coached a number of famous names such as Sir Elton John, George Michael, Robbie Williams, Melanie C, Barry Manilow, Gary Wilmot, Brian Connelly, Darren Day, Barbara Windsor, Wayne Sleep, to name but a few.
Known, as much for his variety of choreographic styles and his tenacity and professionalism Adrian, has a wide range of experience from Musical Theatre and TV to Commercial Pop Video and from Corporate and Fashion Promotion to Stadium Events.
Teaching has always played a large part in Adrian’s Career and as well as teaching at most of the Full Time Colleges in the UK, Adrian if frequently asked to take lectures and seminars both in the UK and Europe.

Work Includes;
• Copacabana (West End, UK Tour),
• 42nd Street (UK Tour),
• Anything Goes (UK Tour),
• 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (UK Tour),
• They Shoot Horses Don’t They? (Edinburgh Festival, West End),
• Sweet Charity,
• Oliver Awards,
• National Lottery,
• Children in Need,
• “Ready Steady Dance” for Wayne Sleep and Melanie Stace,
• Generation Game,
• Euro 96 Closing Ceremony,
• Winter Olympics opening titles,
• Smash Hits Awards,
• Top of the Pops,
• E.M.I.,
• British Red Cross Ball,
• Thomson Gold Holidays,
• Production Shows for Cruise Liners
• And numerous Pantomimes as both Choreographer and Director

Carolyn Parker F.I.S.T.D and Examiner. Cecchetti Faculty, Enrico Cecchetti Diploma
Head Tutor for Classical Ballet

Carolyn Parker trained at the Rambert School of Ballet for the age of 11 to 16 years and then spent 18 months at the London School of Contemporary Dance before becoming a professional dancer. She danced in many shows around the country and in the West End of London, notably ‘Babes in the Wood’ pantomime at the London Palladium, ‘No No Nanette’ Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and ‘Carry on London’ at the Victoria Palace.
Carolyn did her Cecchetti training with Mary Jane Duckworth and gained her Fellowship in 1992. In 1994 she was appointed as an examiner for the Cecchetti faculty and awarded the Enrico Cecchetti Diploma.

Jason Di Mascio - Examiner for ISTD
Head Tutor for Modern Jazz & Extra Curricular Tap

Jason trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, where he gained an Honours Diploma and the first of his teaching qualifications. During his final year at college he appeared in "42nd Street" at the Drury Lane before moving on to spend eleven years appearing in the West End and was an original cast member on many shows. During this time he appeared in "Ziegfeld" at the London Palladium, "Anything Goes" at the Prince Edward, "Me & My Girl" at the Adelphi and "Crazy For You" again at the Prince Edward. He also appeared in "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Theatre Royal Plymouth and many various pantomimes. Whilst performing in these, he also made several appearances on television, most notably the "Royal Variety" and "Olivier Award" shows, and has even made an appearance as a Tap expert for Granada TV. 

After working professionally he returned to further his teaching and examining qualifications and he now teaches at Laine Theatre Arts, Margaret Howard Theatre College and Belcanto London Academy. He takes workshops and teaches at exhibitions around the country and is regularly asked to lecture at congresses for the ISTD, IDTA, NATD, BBO, BTDA, Dance Arts International and Associated Tap Dancers. 

Jason’s choreographic credits include "A Night on the Tiles" for the "Fiddler On The Roof" company, "Hello Dolly" for the Croydon Staggers and "Crazy For You" for Bruce James productions.

Ben Love
Dance

Ben Love, the founder of Ballet Soul, was born in Nairobi but moved to the UK as a child, and grew up in Nottingham. Ben was 15 when a performance by The Dance Theatre of Harlem inspired him to begin his training in dance. He started at the Arts Educational School from 1982 to 1985, where he won the Markova Cup for Boys and performed in the presence of HRH The Queen at the London Palladium.
Ben made his professional debut with Dancers Anonymous at the Edinburgh Festival in 1990. In 1993 he was invited to join as a soloist with the Portuguese National Ballet, Lisbon, touring extensively in Portugal and Brazil. Ben also danced as a soloist with the London City Ballet between 1996 and 1997 and then with the Northern Ballet between 1998 and 1999. During his time as a soloist Ben danced many principal roles including The Rites of Spring, Scheherazade, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker and Raymonda.
His freelance work as a dancer includes participating in Sylvie Guillem's European Tour, featuring choreography by Maurice Bejart, and a Wayne Sleep Charity Gala at the Sadlers Wells Theatre, London. In 2003 Love danced with the Mark Morris Company at The Coliseum in a production of Nixon in China.
Love regularly works as a freelance guest teacher and choreographer in the UK and Europe, including the Studio Harmonique in Paris and The Royal Ballet Upper School in London.

Lucinde Lane
Dance


Ryan Carey - Hills
Dance

After dancing at Stageworks since the age of 12, Ryan has recently graduated from The Urdang Academy, London, with a National  Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre. Whilst training at College, Ryan has played the roles of Harry Witherspoon in ‘Lucky Stiff’,  Frankie Epps in ‘Parade’ and Marius in ‘Les Miserables.’ Ryan was the composer and Musical Director of ‘Nursery Crimes-The Musical’ which ran at the Kings Head Theatre in London. The  show received two four-star reviews,  ‘Best New Musical’ and ‘ Best Off-West End Production’ nominations from the ‘Whats On Stage Awards 2010.’ Ryan has also choreographed various pantomimes and corporate events including hair shows for Toni & Guy, Cambridge.  He is also choreographer for The Musical Theatre Company who have so far performed 'West Side Story’ and 'Our House' since starting in 2009.

Andrew Simeon - Commercial
Andrew started studying Performance Arts at Gorseinon College in South Wales before continuing his training at Bird College of Dance and Musical Theatre in London, graduating in 2003. Whilst training, Andrew was a member of the Bird Theatre Company, in which he toured extensively throughout Europe. This included performing as a featured soloist in a Rogers and Hart review at the Festsplelhaus in Austria and as a soloist in Casino Estoril/Portugal.
Andrew also performed as a dancer in a pop video for an America pop artist. Once graduated, Andrew travelled the world aboard the MV Aurora as a Musial Theatre performer for CMC Theatre Company. Once back on dry land, Andrew took part in a workshop for a new musical ‘Revelation’ which was part of the music featured Season at Greenwich Theatre. He then toured as a vocalist and dancer in the production of ‘All That Jazz.’ Following that, he joined the cast of ‘Snow White’ at the Victoria Palace in London’s West End. Andrew then got his skates on and went across to Germany to perform in  Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical ‘Starlight Express’ playing the roles of Rusty, Electra, Caboose, Flat Top, Purse and Krupp.
On returning to the UK Andrew joined the cast of the Musical ‘South Pacific’ with which he toured the UK. As well as performing, Andrew also has a passion for choreographing and teaching. He has choreographed and taught in West End Workshops and Theatre Schools throughout South Wales, England and parts of Europe.

Melanie MacHugh
Drama

Melanie is a Northern Irish actress who trained at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Her theatre credits include Ruth in Midden (Oldham Coliseum); Dorotea in The Dog in The Manger, Bathsheba in Tamar’s Revenge and Pedro, The Great Pretender all for the RSC Spanish Golden Age Season in Stratford, London and Spain; Dancing at Lughnasa (New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme); The Playboy of the Western World, Peer Gynt and Romeo and Juliet (National Theatre); The Art of Success (Arcola Theatre); Blood Wedding (Newcastle Playhouse); Playgirl, Rumplestiltskin (Abbey Theatre, Dublin); The Lament for Arthur Cleary (7:84 Scotland); The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs, Summerhouse (Druid Theatre, Galway).

Film includes The House of Manannan, Double Heartbeat, The Guest. Radio includes various productions for RTE.

Meredith Macneill
Drama

Meredith is an actress originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, but now lives in the United Kingdom. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
She is most famous for her roles in the BBC Three Sketch Show 'Man Stroke Woman' and 'Confetti.'
She appears in the 2009 film 'Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel' as a time traveller called Millie.
In 2009 she appears in the production of 'Mary Stewart' which plays at the Traverse Theatre in Edinborough and Linz in Austria. She also appears in Series 3, Episode 2 of 'Peep Show.'
She is the creator of Doreen George's My Travel Show.

Claire Cox
Drama

Claire previously appeared in the 1998 theatrical films The Leading Man, starring Jon Bon Jovi and Lambert Wilson, and Shooting Fish, starring Kate Beckinsdale, Stuart Townsend and Dan Futterman. Her television roles for the BBC include Dee Parr on Holby, Faith Wren on Wren, Sidney on Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Ianthe Cavendish in The Choir and Elsie in BBC Memory Bank and The Last Salute. On stage, her performance of Portia in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Julius Caesar brought her a nomination for the Ian Charleson Award. Other stage productions for the RSC include Love in a Wood, American Soap and The Servant of Two Masters.

Pat Skinner
Singing

Other Teachers Include...

Di Downing - Contemporary/AS/A Level Dance
Jill Little - ActiveIQ Exercise to Music