Dancer Silouette

Dancer Silouette

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Penny Meekings portrait Penny Meekings trained at The Arts Educational School. She completed the three year Dancers Course, and later worked  in both Theatre and Television. After around six years in "The Business" as lead dancer, choreographer and rehearsal director, the satisfaction of teaching outweighed the performing and Penny switched to full time teaching at all levels.

Her teaching experience has enabled her to travel widely, guest teaching at Summer Schools and Easter Courses. She has freelanced at some of the country's finest colleges, ( such as "The London Studio Centre" and " London College of Dance and Drama") and enjoyed the delights of teaching at her own school which she founded in 1981. This she ran for some eleven years before passing it on to two of her former students. In 1989 she became an Examiner for The Imperial Society Of Teachers Of Dancing ( Modern Theatre Dance and Tap Faculty) and in September 1999 founded The dance College which became an ISTD Approved Centre in January 2004 and was one of the first colleges to have entered students at FDI and CDE Level. All students were successful in all modules, both written and practical in this introductory year of the New Teaching Qualification Exams.

Jackie Styles portrait Jackie Styles trained at the Penny Meekings Dancing Academy as a child and went on to study dance full time at West Street School in Covent Garden. Her training gave her a strong love of classical ballet, having studied Royal Academy, Cecchetti and Imperial Syllabi. Her stage experiences include performances with the Sadlers Wells Youth Ballet and Cork City Ballet. In 1992 she became a partner in Splitz School of Dance (formally Penny Meekings Dancing Academy) and enjoys teaching children of all ages and running her own school. Jackie has freelanced at many other schools and colleges, teaching classical ballet. In 2002  she became a  Fellow of the ISTD and in 2005 a member of the ISTD Examining Board.
Robina Smith is a freelance teacher specialising in National Dance. She trained at the London College of Dance and has since taught on both diploma and degree courses at the Royal Academy of Dance and at Middlesex University, together with running her own school. Robina is an international examiner for the Imperial Society of Dance and is also a committee member of the National Faculty. 
Clare Hutcheson completed her musical theatre training at the London Studio Centre having studies singing for many years. She went on the play Belle in Beauty and the Beast on national tour (Roy Hastings management), Jeannie in Hair, and Miranda in Return to the Forbidden Planet. Other engagements include vocalist on MS Seawing Cruise Ship, residencies at Sheraton and Hilton Hotels Abu Dhabi, The Park Hotel Dubai, The Novotel Oman, The Scandic Crown Hotel London and pantomime in Blackburn. She has also worked as a session vocalist on projects for Granada TV and a Song for Europe. Now working as a teacher, Clare specialises in musical theatre and pop singing. Clare holds major qualifications with London College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and British Theatre Dance Association.
Ruth Davies portrait Ruth Davies trained at London College of Dance on the degree programme. After leaving, she continued to study and attained her RAD Teaching Certificate, going on to  teach and enter candidates for GCSE and 'A' Level Dance. Ruth has taught for a number of years - both at her own dance school and at The dance College where she tutors the ISTD Health & Safety and Lifespan modules for both FDI and CDE.  Ruth is also a Distance Learning Tutor for the ISTD contextual modules.  Ruth was recently awarded Licentiate status by the ISTD.
Sarah Turnbull portrait Sarah Turnbull is the person you are most likely to speak to when you contact The dance College.  A secretary with over 20 years of experience, Sarah manages the administration of The dance College and is on hand to help prospective, current and past students with anything and everything.  She works part-time, juggling the demands of The dance College with the demands of her two young children - so the best time to contact her is between 10am and 1pm, Monday to Friday.