Our teachers

Amanda started her own training at the age of three with the Rosemary Armstrong School of Dance, with the ambition of becoming a professional ballet dancer. She went on to gain her teaching certificate with the British Theatre Dance Association, and holds a teaching qualification with Acrotrix. She is qualified in Progressing Ballet Technique, and is also a fitness instructor, a Pilates instructor and a trained actor.

She worked professionally as a dancer on the cabaret circuit and with the dance troupe Short Notice, and was signed to the Catwalk Modelling Agency as a model and dancer. She has choreographed many shows and events.

Amanda teaches with a warm approach, with the main emphasis on each child enjoying themselves. Routines are broken down and worked through in a disciplined but caring environment. Alongside her classes she choreographs for and oversees the progress of both the Junior and Senior Performance Groups.

Kelly began dancing at Dancemania at the age of nine and very quickly fell in love with it in Amanda’s classes. Between nine and eighteen she took ballet, tap, jazz, street and contemporary, completed her examinations, and was a member of the school’s performance group. She started assistant teaching at fourteen, and loved working with and creating pieces for younger students.

She went on to the University of Roehampton for a BA (Hons) in Dance Studies. Across her three years she performed in and choreographed for university shows and the jazz and contemporary competition teams, and became part of the semi-professional contemporary company Third Row, working with current choreographers in London.

After graduating, Kelly was contracted by Disneyland Paris as a character and parade performer, appearing in Disney Stars on Parade and the Christmas Cavalcade. Whenever she is home she comes back to teach for Dancemania and share what she has learned.

Shannon was a champion freestyle disco dancer from the age of nine to eighteen, competing around the country. She went on to study street dance at the Tait Academy in East London, where she also performed in Blood Brothers and The Pied Piper.

She has worked with many talented choreographers — Kenrick Sandy, Rhimes Lacointe and Mini Willits among them — and with artists from Flawless and the StreetDance films.

Shannon has a passion for every kind of street and commercial dance, and it is thoroughly contagious.

Megan is our resident acro and gymnastics teacher, with a background across gymnastics, cheerleading and dance. She started gymnastics at six and competed nationally, and began student coaching at her gymnastics school at thirteen.

You will find her on the timetable as Coach Megan for acro and gymnastics, and as Megan for her adult dance classes — same person, different room.

At school she joined a local cheerleading team and dance school, fell in love with dance, and went on to study it at GCSE and A-level while competing in acro, jazz and lyrical.

Megan graduated from Swansea University with a BSc in Psychology. While there she was a dedicated member of the Swansea Sirens competition team, and in her third year was elected by her team as dance coach, choreographing routines and coaching both dance and acrobatics.

She is a qualified Acrotrix coach and trains our students towards their acro gymnastics examinations.

Harriet began dancing with Dancemania at the age of four and fell in love with it from then on. She trained with Amanda in jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, gymnastics and street dance, and became part of the school’s performance group. She started assistant teaching jazz classes at fourteen.

At sixteen Harriet went on to study at Dancebox Studios and Theatre Works, where she achieved her Level 3 Extended Diploma in Dance, and she continued her training at Stella Mann College of Performing Arts. During that time she performed in numerous shows, including at the Milton Keynes Theatre and the Alban Arena.

Outside of training, Harriet also dances for a number of private events companies at venues across the UK.

She has a passion for jazz and cabaret style, and can’t wait to share that style and energy with our students.

Phoebe began training with Amanda at Dancemania at the age of three and fell in love with performing there. She went on to train for two years at the Italia Conti Arts Centre, earning her BTEC diploma, and is now on a three-year musical theatre course at Wilkes Academy.

She is delighted to be back at Dancemania and teaching — and our students, several of whom grew up watching her dance, are delighted too.

Eleonora was born in Buenos Aires and began her ballet training at the age of six, graduating as a Professor of Ballet from the Instituto Adrienne. She also trained in Argentine tango, took acting classes and studied modern art.

In New York City she trained extensively at Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, Steps and Alvin Ailey, working with many accomplished teachers and choreographers. She joins us as a guest teacher.