Portfolio
As a child I was always a little shy so my Mum took me to a local dance school to help build my confidence and over time it definitely worked, this is one of the reasons I love teaching, watching the children grow in confidence as they learn to dance just as I did.
I trained at Bishops Stage School in East London and passed my Associate exams with the IDTA becoming a qualified teacher in Tap and Stage dance at 18 years old at the same time as passing my A levels.
My passion for dancing was far greater than the desire to go to University so I auditioned for my first professional job and went to Geneva, Switzerland to dance in a show for three months. This turned out to be the start of a successful eight year career travelling the world in various shows to Luxembourg, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Dubai and Japan. I also enjoyed working on cruise ships including Royal Caribbean and Costa in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska and Scandinavia which is how I became a member of Equity. This allowed me to break into acting when I stopped dancing abroad and I appeared as an extra on many TV shows. I had a small part in the Spice Girls movie and was even a 'Borrower' in the well known film.
I then trained in fitness and passed my RSA exercise to music certificate. This not only meant I was qualified to teach fitness classes but made me more aware of the importance of responsible warming up and stretching for dance to help prevent injuries.
After teaching for several years at other local dance schools I decided to open the Dance Factory in 2000 with classes in North Weald, Essex and Chingford, E4. I also have an after school club at White Bridge school in Loughton, Essex who join us for our annual show and dance festivals. The adult tap classes continue to grow in popularity as a great way to keep fit and learn a new skill.
I really aim to pass on my passion for dancing and make learning a happy experience.
Mandy
