Karen first opened her school in Stockton-On-Tees in 1989 working with just a few adults and children in a church hall. through hard work and dedication she has built her school into a leading and highly reputable Academy of Performing Arts with two studios in Stockton Town Centre catering to around 300 students and several outreach programmes in the area. Karen has been a qualified teacher for more than 30 years teaching tap, modern dance, ballet, jazz, acro-gymnastics, freestyle, dance drama, and dance exercise. She has a first class honours degree in Performance and Event Production and a post graduate certificate in Safe Dance Practice, a Masters Degree with a Distinction in Dance and is a Life member and a Fellow of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing. She teaches students from 18 months to over 80 years old in her own studio, she is a specialist teacher for Earthbeat Theatre Company teaching adults with learning difficulties and is a freelance choreographer working on professional shows and pantomimes all over the country.
Professional credits include "The Big Stage" with Bradley Walsh for Channel 5 TV. The Lido, Paris with Christian the Magician as well as many acting roles in plays and shows
Kayleigh began dancing
at the age of 2 years at Heritage School and has been with us ever
since, qualifying as a teacher in 2004. She is a very
well-qualified and highly experienced teacher who always puts the
well-being and best interests of her students first. As a Studio
Manager, Kayleigh looks after a great deal of the day to day
running of the two studios, as well as managing our shop,
Pirouette. She is well experienced in teaching all genres of dance
and undertakes a great deal of the choreography as well as
structuring classes for syllabus work and dance
technique.
Kayleigh has taken part in every performance and production that we have made over the years and continues to work professionally in pantomime and cabaret nights.
Mollie began her journey at Heritage Dance Studio at the age of 3. After training with Karen for several years as a student, she became a qualified teacher in 2015 passing with flying colours.
In 2018, Mollie graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Performing Arts at The University of Teesside whilst teaching at Heritage Studio. Specialisng in Musical Theatre, she also teaches our students in weekly singing lessons.
Mollie is a very experienced and accomplished performer having taken on major roles in a great many musicals in the local area.
She is a highly motivated young teacher and takes responsibility for keeping the high profile of Heritage Studio going with Facebook and Instagram.
