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Our teachers...

We pride ourselves on having the highest calibre of teaching at our school.  All of our teachers are fully qualified and DBS checked.

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Alison hunt - Principal/modern/ACRO (acrobatic arts)

As a child, Alison was a successful young dancer, passing many graded examinations and competing in local and national competitions. She gained financial experience dealing with new accounts and mortgages at a building society until leaving to start a family. Since having her 3 children, Alison has worked as a volunteer at a local gymnastics and cheerleading club, helping to coach and choreograph students between the ages of 3 and 16. Alison has now gained her Diploma in Dance Instruction for Modern Theatre, passing with 93 %, and is a qualified Acrobatic Arts teacher.  In addition to teaching, Alison will be responsible for Finance, Marketing and Business Development, as well as supporting colleagues with the day-to-day running of the School. You will often find Miss Ali on reception and will be the first point of contact for any questions and queries.
Hannah willcocks f.i.s.t.d. -

tap/MODERN/COMPETITION TEAM



Hannah trained at The Tivoli School of Performing Arts in Margate from the age of 3 and took her teaching qualifications at the Deborah Capon College in Whitstable.
 
While teaching Tap and Modern at HDS for 17 years, Hannah achieved her advance teaching qualifications; the internationally recognised Licentiate and Fellowship with the ISTD.
 
Hannah joined the Tap Faculty at the prestigious Bird College in 2010, becoming a full-time tutor after leaving HDS.
 
Hannah is now an ISTD lecturer and has joined the creative team for the Intermediate and Grdae 6 Tap Syllabi. Despite her considerable commitments at Bird College a
nd the ISTD, Hannah is delighted to be teaching Tap at HDS and working with our competition students.

Hannah also runs Razzle Dazzle Holiday Clubs throughout the here at the studios.
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SONYA NICHOLS MSc, bsc diploma from Royal Ballet

school, istd associate diploma, istd dde, RAD RTS
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ballet


Sonya trained at Page Masons Schools before attending The Royal Ballet School where she won the coveted Ursuala Moreton Choreographic Award, The Devalois Solo Award, The National Award & The Theatre Cup. She was also awarded a prize from the then principal Dame Merle Park.

During her career Sonya has toured and performed in Russia many times and in 1993 she choreographed a dance for children and the won choreographic award for Moscow Regions. Sonya's passion is creating and choreographing. She has choreograp
hed for Kent Youth Ballet and still directs and choreographs for Surrey Youth Ballet.

Sonya has taught at various dance schools and associate programmes over the years and founded and teaches at NSD in Surrey. The dancers from her school have been very successful over the years in competitions including All England having reached and placed at the finals and runner up at the All England Young Dancer Finals at The Royal Opera House.

 
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MEG HUNT- MODERN/ACRO/TAP/CONTEMPORARY
Meg began her training from the age of 2 at Hasland Dance Studios. During her time at HDS she completed all of her Ballet Grades up to Advanced Foundation, Modern up to Advanced 2 and Tap up to Intermediate before she headed to Laine Theatre Arts and graduated in 2023 with a Level 6 Diploma in Musical Theatre. 

Since graduating Laine's Meg has appeared in Pantos in Worthing and Sevenoaks, danced in Mimi Webbs "Ghost of You" music video and appeared in Pepsi's Euros 2024 advertisement. 

Meg is currently working towards her ISTD DDE Teaching qualification in both Modern and Tap with Anna Morgan Dance and is a qualified Level 1 Acrotrix teacher. 
 

PAULA FORDYCE - NURSERY/PRE-PRIMARY BALLET, Modern & TAP


Paula teaches our younger students on a Saturday morning in Ballet and Tap along with Modern and Contemporary to some of our older students. Paula completed her teaching qualifications at The Deborah Capon School of Dance in Whitstable before moving to Surrey and running her own very successful school, where many of her pupils won prestigious competitions such as All England and the ISTD Janet Cram awards. Paula moved back to Herne Bay after having her children and is now a TA at a primary school in Thanet.

 


CLARE WILDERS r.a.d. r.t.s. - BALLET

Clare has been dancing since she was three, and completed her professional ballet training at the London School of Classical Dance, later known as the West Street School of Dance.
 
Graduating straight into employment she enjoyed a lengthy and varied career, which included playing the Apache dancer in Joseph and the Amazing Tehcnicolor Dreamcoat UK tour and Chee Chee in the Doctor Dolittle UK tour. Alongside this, she enjoyed a wide variety of genres, including pop videos and movies, and has had the opportunity to work with some amazing choreographers: Luca Tomassini (Gerry Haliwell & Rachael Stevens), Lynne Page (Phantom of the Opera Movie) and Anthony Van Laast (Souls in Motion).
 
Discovering a love for teaching along the way, Clare chose to re-train and graduated with distinction from the Royal Academy of Dance on their Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma. This brings with it registered RAD teacher status.

 

JESS pay B.A.(Hons) D.D.I. - acro (acrotrix)

Jessica graduated from the Dance Education Programme (BA, Hons) at Canterbury Christ Church University in 2012, gaining a First Class Honours degree. During her final year as a dance student, Jessica joined the UCF Dance Company, teaching children throughout Kent and running teacher-training workshops. After her degree, Jessica spent time in New York teaching dance and gymnastics at Camp America. Jessica is a well-established Dance Practitioner and was a choreographer and assistant head coach for 5 years. Within this role she gained her qualifications with the UK Cheerleading Association in stunting and tumbling.
 
In 2016, Jessica completed her DDI qualification in Modern with the Anna Morgan Teacher Training College, achieving 90% in her final exam.
Jessica runs 
Tinies with JP from the studios on a Monday & Wednesday morning and is on the Acrotrix teacher training team as their Early Years specialist, she also delivers courses for new acro teachers. During the school holidays she runs Acro with JP camps and 
intensives in Acro and Cheerleading.
 
KATIE REYNARD - MUSICAL THEATRE


Katie trained at Millennium Performing Arts, graduating in 2017 with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre. Miss Katie worked professionally at Disneyland Paris, as a parade dancer, character performer, multiple character "look-a-likes" and was a featured dancer in the original cast of the Princess Promenade for the Festival of Pirates and Princesses. She has also performed as a supporting dancer for Rita Ora during Soccer Aid 2019 and has worked as a supporting artist in several feature films. Most recently, she was a featured dancer in an upcoming "wartime period" film.
Katie has taken courses with  The Dang in Musical Theatre and a is a registered teacher and she has recently completed her ISTD DDE in Ballet, Modern & Tap with Anna Morgan. 


 
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mia saunders - contemporary/STREET/MODERN

Mia completed her training at Masters Performing Arts gaining a Level 6 Diploma in Musical Theatre and Dance.

Mia has a high understanding of multiple 
dance genres, but a strong passion for contemporary and commercial. Mia is keen to pass on her knowledge from her own training to the next germination of dancers. 

Currently, Mia is training towards her ISTD DDE in Modern with Anna Morgan Dance.

 

 
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