FACULTY
Rosie Johnson
School Principal
With over 20 years of teaching experience, Rosie is now the Principal and Studio Owner of DancePointe, Grantham’s Premiere Dance School. Under her tutelage, young dancers have won numerous awards at festivals, competitions, and even scholarships for higher education and dance training.
Elizabeth Haslam
Head of Dance
Elizabeth graduated from Central School of Ballet in London where she toured with British Gas Ballet Central. During her training, she was elected by Christopher Gable to work with Northern Ballet Theatre on ‘Dracula’ where she performed the duet for late night tv. Other credits include corp de ballet in ‘Aida’ with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, selected by Lynn Seymour, a soloist in ‘Vis av Magi’ in Norway, and the Miles Thomas Group in Germany where she progressed to a more contemporary root. She went on to perform, become a dance captain and assistant choreographer for Celebrity Cruises before finishing her 10 year career during film and television work worldwide.
Elizabeth moved into teaching and choreography and has taught master classes in prestigious schools in London, Italy, India, Antigua and Guadeloupe. She became the head of ballet at the Midlands School of Dance and Drama, and is now part owner of RECballet which holds workshops in the Midlands for children with an interest in entering the dance world.
Elizabeth has been working for Ballet Theatre UK for 9 years, where she was the original ballet mistress, and the head of 1st year training at The School of Ballet Theatre UK.
Shannon Parker
Ballet Training
PRINCIPAL DANCER WITH:
San Francisco Ballet
Northern Ballet Theatre
Ballet Du Rhin
Danced all major roles extending from full length Classical- Neo Classical- and Contemporary- works from the best- BALANCHINE- FORSYTHE- ROBBINS- BINTLEY- TOMASSON- CHRISTENSEN- TETLEY- D’ATT- TAYLOR – BRUCE
Shannon was a runner up on Sky 1 HDs Got To Dance 2013- Being the only classical act to reach that level.
As well as a finalist and judges Wild Card on Britains Got Talent 2016- Again being the only classical act to be on the show .
And finally Shannon has worked with Chantry Dance Company and is currently teaching and choreographing for various Schools Companies and delivering Workshops. As well as performing for corporate events- festivals around the World.
Rosie Price
Rosie Price, BA Hons, CBTS (RTS RAD), trained at Elmhurst School for Dance and graduated from Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, she co-founded REC Ballet in 2017 and loves teaching the students that join them from all over country. Returning to the midlands after training, Rosie works as a freelance ballet, contemporary and body conditioning teacher and choreographer. She holds an MSc in Dance Science which further fuels her passion of understanding the way t he body moves and functions and ensures her delivery of Pilates/PBT is safe and effective for students of all ages.
Rosie is a Royal Academy of Dance registered teacher and currently coaches’ classical ballet for Kings International Ballet Academy and Addict Dance Academy. She loves coaching privately and working alongside her fellow graduates, friends and colleagues around the country. She joined the faculty of the Birmingham Royal Ballet Dance Track programme in 2019 and teachers for the Learning, Engagement, Access and Participation (LEAP) team on projects like Dreams. Rosie now works as a tutor of the Elmhurst Ballet School Young Dancers associate programme.
Luke Haywood
Musical Theatre Jazz Teacher
Luke trained in Musical Theatre at the Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama in Nottingham.
Acting credits include: Brian/Helmuth/Dance Captain in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Norwegian Cruise Line), D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (Immersion Theatre), Tybalt/Paris in Romeo and Juliet (Immersion Theatre), Dick Whittington in Dick Whittington (Immersion Theatre), Mole in The Wind in the Willows (UK Tour), Prince Arthur in Rapunzel (UK Tour), Prince in Cinderella and Aladdin in Aladdin (Harrow Arts Centre), Terry in Pollution The Musical (Old Red Lion Theatre), The Presenter in PJ Masks: Live and Angry Birds: Live (Dubai), The Presenter in Trolls: Poppy's Party Surprise (Egypt, Bahrain and Dubai), Lead Vocalist for Viking Cruises, Peter Pan in Peter Pan; Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and Ensemble in Beauty and the Beast (Lincoln Drill Hall), Ensemble in The Cherry Orchard (Nottingham Playhouse), Funshine Bear in Care Bears: Live (voiceover) and The Boyfriend in Snapshots (short film).
Choreography credits include: Aladdin (The Kenton Theatre), The Wind in the Willows UK Theatre Tour (Immersion Theatre) and The Rocky Horror Show (MADD College).
Beth Warwick
After graduating in 2014 Beth has worked as a dancer & singer on many UK and European theatre touring productions including Vampires Rock, Anything for Love, Rule The World, Masters Of the Scene and many more. She has travelled the world as a lead vocalist with many bands and shows. Beth has danced and modelled on several hair shows for Toni and Guy, L’Oréal and Kérastace.
Beth has starred in pantomimes almost yearly for the last 12 years in prestigious venues across the UK.
Alongside this Beth now works as a choreographer for many productions, and drag artists as well running her own successful Competitive Cheerleading Program.
Elaine Bishop
Singing Training
Elaine Bishop is a respected mezzo-soprano, experienced singing teacher and NODA award-winning musical director based in Grantham.
Elaine built up a reputation as an accomplished performer with various UK and International companies at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival and was nominated 'Best Character Actress' in 2011. Elaine also performed in many prestigious national and international venues and with various professional opera companies - credits include the role of Eormenhild in Cantata Eliensis (Cantata Dramatica), HMS Pinafore (Raymond Gubbay Productions), Trial by Jury (Opera Minima) and Utopia (National G&S Opera Company) – prior to starting a family in 2017.
As a singing teacher, Elaine specialises in musical theatre - in particular, acting through song - and vocal technique. As well as running her own business, Elaine is on the panel of vocal tutors for Lincolnshire Music Service (working in two local grammar schools) and also teaches at two independent preparatory schools in Lincolnshire. Elaine is also experienced in training students for specific performances or auditions and advising in caring for the voice.
Philippa Chloe Lewis
Teacher Training
Philippa is an IDTA Fellow and Theatre Branch examiner, holding fellowships, licentiates and associates with the IDTA and ISTD.
She has been dancing for 47 years and started her full time vocational training at 16 years old studying theatre dance subjects with IDTA, ISTD and RAD and drama and singing. During this time she was a junior associate with the Royal Ballet and won the IDTA Ballet Artist Scholarship in 1992. She then went into a professional career in performing and then teaching - her true love.
She has taught for over 30 years. Her experience is wide ranging and includes working with children and adults and also professional dancers- both syllabus and freework.
She freelances in all theatre subjects and drama, especially enjoying the choreography work she does, particularly for shows and cabarets. Also the work training many teachers as part of their professional development.
GUEST TEACHERS
Sophie-Jane
Sophie-Jane trained privately in classical ballet with one of the UK’s leading coaches and after sustaining a career altering injury, she fully pursued her passion for teaching.
Whilst working as a freelance teacher, Sophie-Jane studied at the Royal Ballet School on the Diploma of Dance Teaching course. Following this Sophie-Jane joined the teaching faculty at Kings International Ballet Academy teaching classical ballet, pointe work and character. Notably, Sophie-Jane works for The Royal Ballet School as a Junior Associate teacher (Birmingham) .
Her other engagements include rehearsing and working with the students of The Royal Ballet School, White Lodge, in performances with the Company at The Royal Opera House. She is also a teacher at Studio 79, a leading performing arts college based in Leicester and a resident choreographer for Midland Theatre Ballet. She is also an adjudicator for the Dance World Cup and is set to adjudicate the Finals in Prague 2024.
SJ runs the Bespoke Classical Training Programme, teaching talented young ballet dancers from across the UK
Graeme Pickering
Joseph Cheetham
Joseph graduated from the Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama (MADD) in 2016 with a diploma in Musical Theatre. Since graduating he has worked as a dancer both on land and at sea. Joseph has also worked as a Rehearsal Director for RWS Global for Marella Cruises, teaching show content and installing the casts onboard, as well as being a Dance Captain/Cast Manager onboard Princess Cruises performing and installing their shows, including shows “Magic To Do” and “The Secret Silk” both created by Stephen Schwartz.
