A Word From The Principal
As one of Barnsley's longest established dance schools I am proud to have taught many wonderful students who have gone on to have amazing careers within the dance industry. To see dancer's develop their technique and skills is the very reason why I started my dance school in May 1983. Over 30 years have passed and my love and passion for what I do remains as strong as it did when I started.
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Principal - Lisa Thornley
Qualifications: IDTA member ballet and modern. IDTA associate ballet, tap, modern, theatre craft. IDTA exercise diploma. IDTA gymnastics diploma I started dancing aged 6 at the Rosalyn Wicks School of Dance where I received excellent training in many disciplines of dance. I quickly realised that I wanted to pursue a career in dance so at the age of 17 I set up my own dance school. I love what I do and I have never looked back since. |
The Dance Teachers
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Leah Knights
Qualifications: Level 3 personal trainer and ETM Level 2 gym Leah began dancing at the age of five and attended Lisa Thornley School Of Dance from the age of seven. After leaving school she trained in dance and musical theatre at Phil Winston’s Theatreworks in Blackpool, then went on to travel the world as a professional dancer. She has worked on board P&O Aurora and NCL Norwegian Jade, as well as performing in many corporate events and being Dance Captain of The Glitter Ball 2014 with Plan B Productions. In between professional contracts, she has returned to the school with a passion for teaching and choreography; delivering her knowledge and experience to the pupils. Leah will be forever grateful to Miss Lisa for the endless opportunities and foundations of a successful career, and hopes to be part of the school for many more years to come! |
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Michelle Ruse
Qualifications: Post 16 PGCE Education-Huddersfield University; B.A (Hons) Drama and Music-Manchester Metropolitan University; HND Performing Arts/BTEC National Diploma Performing Arts-Oldham College Michelle started her training in dance at the Lisa Thornley School of theatre dance aged four, where she specialised in Tap. She began playing piano at ten and drums at eleven, and first took to the stage as Tessie in ‘Annie’ at the Barnsley Civic in 1992. She then began performing annually at the Barnsley Civic in their annual pantomimes when she was thirteen. At sixteen she left home to study at Oldham College and continued to develop her performing skills, whilst also working as a tribute act and performing professionally in theatre in musicals and drama productions. After completing her degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, she took the opportunity to travel, first living in Girona performing in productions of ‘Grease’, and ‘Rocky Horror’ and then lived in Fuerteventura where she was the entertainments manager for First Choice hotels. Upon returning to the UK, whilst studying for her teachers qualifications, she worked for a range of educational establishments from pre-primary to degree level and also took the opportunity to work in television, for the BBC in productions of ‘Real Story’ and ‘Life on Mars’, and for Channel Four in their series of ‘Legless’. She is currently the Head of Drama at Fulneck School in Leeds where she teaches GCSE Drama and AS/A Level Drama and Theatre Studies, whilst also working as an Associate Member of the exams board for LAMDA as an examiner, and is also an examiner and moderator for AQA Drama. |
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Amy-Rose Bedford
Qualifications: IDTA associate freestyle BA (Hons) Dance performance and teaching National diploma performing arts dance I started dancing at the age of 5 with Lisa Thornley and what an amazing journey I have been on since then. From that first day I was welcomed into a big dancing family which I am so lucky to be a teacher of today. When I left school I went to study dance at college and then furthered my training in dance finishing university with a 2:1 in dance performance and teaching. I am currently writing this from America where I have been given the opportunity to teach dance in Pensilvania for 10 weeks. I am a qualified teacher of the IDTA and I continue to further my training with them. I couldn't have achieved any of this without the support from Lisa and the confidence she has given me not just in dancing but in everyday life. |
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Kathryn Rose Hargreaves
I am 21 years of age. I attended The Victoria Stansfield School of Dance for 17 years studying all genres of dance. During those years I studied RAD and IDTA Ballet, IDTA Modern, Tap and Theatrecraft. I have also been fortunate enough to gain 10 scholarships from the IDTA in all genres of dance and won the Theatrecraft grades in 2011. I demonstrated the new Theatrecraft syllabus for 3 years for the IDTA and I was also chosen to feature in the current IDTA Theatrecraft syllabus DVD. For 5 years I was a Louise Browne Ballet Scholar. I took part in the Miss Dance circuit and I have been a finalist in the Miss Dance of Great Britain in Blackpool in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Over the years I have taken part in various dance festivals. I have also taken part in our dance school pantomimes and other Christmas pantomimes in places such as Manchester, Bradford and Wakefield. I am currently taking my dance teaching exams and have been successful in achieving 93 marks in my Pre Associate Part 1 Ballet exam, 94 in my Pre Associate Part 2 Ballet exam and 91 in my Associate Ballet exam, which I was delighted with. I opened my own dance school in 2014 which I am thoroughly enjoying. I also work in a Primary school alongside teaching at Lisa Thornley School of Dance. |
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Sarah Norwood
I started working at the age of 3 at the Rosalyn Wicks dance academy and later when the schools merged, continued with Lisa Thornley. I took an interest in teaching and choreography at a very young age and with Lisa's trust and guidance, began teaching and choreographing for the younger children this soon became a big passion of mine. I went on to train professionally at the Phil Winstons Theatreworks in all aspects of dance and musical theatre whilst also gaining my pre associate 1 & 2 Modern and pre associate Ballet IDTA teaching qualifications.. Whilst training I also performed in various corporate shows and festivals across the UK as a backing dancer for Pop Management. After graduating I went on to work with PEEL Talent onboard all of the Thomson Cruises flee as Singer/Dancer, Swing and Dance Captain. After 4 years with the company I went on to work with Palio Productions onboard Pacific Venus part of Japan Cruise Line as Singer/Dancer and dance captain. Next I went on to work with a new company, Jammy Shows and Productions touring Swedish and Estonian ships around the Baltics as Singer/Dancer. During these contracts I have travelled the world and also met my Fiancé! In between contracts I have loved coming into the studio to teach and choreograph for the students. Its great to pass on knowledge that I have gained whilst working in the industry and it is so rewarding to see improvements in the children. I have been working professionally for almost 10 years no and have loved every second, I thank Lisa for a great start in this but wonderful career. |
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Kelsie Marshall
Kelsie began dancing at the Lisa Thornley School of Theatre dance at the age of 2, where she won the South and West Yorkshire modern championships and was a finalist in miss dance of Great Britain. At the age of 14, thanks to Lisa's training she gained a place at the Hammond School Chester where she trained for 5 years. Following graduation in 2011 Kelsie successfully auditioned for the first ever Playlist Production cast on board Carnival Cruise lines. She then toured China with Spirit Productions performing as a featured vocalist in Red Hot Broadway. Kelsie went on to train in New York at the Broadway Dance Centre which lead to her playing Demeter in the inaugural cast of Cats The Musical on the Oasis of the Seas. She recently performed in the Blues Brothers Story at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco and is now part of the ensemble in the Musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang touring the UK. Between Contracts Kelsie thoroughly enjoys passing on her experience and knowledge to the talented dancers at Lisa's, and wants to thank Lisa for the love and support she's given her over the years! |
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Melanie Coles
My name is Melanie Coles my background of dancing life goes back 30 years to my first dancing class at Lisa Thornley theatre school when i was just 7! Little did i know that from that day dancing would become one of the biggest loves in my life and it still is today. My experience started as a pupil and it's a childhood I will never forget with memories I will cherish forever but at 16 as well as still doing my own performing I started teaching the younger end of the school and from that very first hour i taught a class full of excited little girls I knew it's what I was born to do ! I have taught for miss Lisa now 21 years and i have had the pleasure of teaching miss leah miss Sarah miss Amy Rose and miss Michelle and seeing what they do in school now makes me proud of what I do. I have taken part and choreographed many pieces for both competition and shows and I am very proud that 2 of my routines were chosen after auditions to appear on a showcase at her majesty's theatre in London ! Although I cannot teach now as often as I would like due to running my own beauty salon and bein a busy mum of 3 I always look forward to walking back through the doors and picking up where I left off whenever Lisa asks me. All my family attended The Lisa Thornley school of theatre dance including my daughter so now I can add dancing mum to the list too! So although I don't have any pieces of paper to show since my own dancing exams days my experience, passion, knowledge and love for dancing, the pupils, teachers and the school speaks for itself |