a b o u t   u s

 From the age of 18 months through to Adults of any level, Susan Handy Dance offers the opportunity to engage in classes ranging from Ballet, Modern Jazz, Contemporary, Creative Dance, Body Conditioning, GCSE Dance & Tap to ADULT CLASSES offered for all levels in Ballet, Ballet Stretch, Contemporary Dance and Adult Beginners & Intermediate Tap.

Our highly qualified teachers share their passion and love of dance, inspiring and nurturing the students whether they wish to pursue a career as a dancer or they simply just love to dance.

As well as dancing for pleasure and fitness, the students are encouraged to participate in examinations, competitions, workshops and summer schools.

Students take part in many local and national events including West End Shows, annual village Fetes, Windsor & Eton Opera productions, Eton College theatre productions, Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo,The Royal Tournament, The Royal Horticultural Show at Wisley, the Christmas Lights at Windsor and in Eton and The Lord Mayors Show in the City of London.

Every other year Susan Handy Dance produces a full scale theatre production at Eton College's Farrer Theatre where the students have the chance to perform on stage and experience a professional theatrical environment.

In 2017 Sue created the Susan Handy Dance Company; an outreach group that performs at local charity events, hospitals and care homes. The company train and rehearse every week in order for the school to give something back to the community.

Past students of the school include members of the Royal family, children of Hollywood actors and music celebrities. Many of our students perform in West End Shows, gain places to train at vocational dance and theatre schools and go on to pursue theatrical careers. Other students pursue all sorts of different lives away from dance but so many come back to see us bringing their own young children to learn the joy of dancing that the Susan Handy Dance school has given them.

 

 

 

T E A C H E R S
&
S T A F F

 

 

 

 

S U S A N   H A N D Y

PRINCIPAL

FELLOW & SENIOR EXAMINER of the I.S.T.D
ENRICO CECCHETTI DIPLOMA
D.D.E Classical Ballet

 

Sue Handy trained with Betty Vacani, Nesta Brooking and at The Royal Ballet School.

Sue danced in the BBC television series 'Steps into Ballet' with Dame Peggy van Praagh from which Sir Kenneth MacMillan cast her in the role of ‘The Child' in his very first ballet for television ‘Punch and the Child'.  At 17, Sue danced in the recently remastered BBC film of ‘Sleeping Beauty' with Dame Margot Fonteyn.    She joined the Old Vic Theatre Company under Sir Peter Wright and then went on to join Walter Gore's London Ballet Company where she graduated to the rank of soloist, dancing many roles including ‘Queen of the Spirits' in Giselle and 'Snow Queen' in the Nutcracker amongst many others.

 

 

 

 

                          

Moving to Berkshire to start a family, Sue was appointed the first Director of Movement at Eton College, teaching the boys Creative Movement as well as choreographing many of the Eton College theatre productions. It was here in 1974 where Sue was asked to start a ballet class for the children of the Masters at Eton. The first class of six took place in the dining room at one of the boys' boarding houses. Susan Handy Dance now has over three hundred pupils with schools across Berkshire, Surrey, Middlesex and London as well as providing Dance Club for primary and secondary schools, nurseries and Health Clubs.

Working extensively with the Cecchetti Classical Ballet Society and as Chairman of the Cecchetti Group for ten years, Sue set up the Cecchetti Associates Scheme and the Barbara Geoghegan Award; a competition at Sadlers Wells for students studying dance at vocational schools. Sue has choreographed ballets for Sadler's Wells and The London Ballet Company during her career as a dancer, and over the years for the Cecchetti Annual Congress, Eton College theatre productions, Windsor & Eton Opera and Park Opera at South Hill Park.

Sue is an adjudicator for dance and choreographic competitions and trains teachers for their Cecchetti Classical Ballet Teaching Qualifications at the Linda Sweetzer Teacher Training College.

 


H E L E N    I M I S O N  

BA(Hons) Performing Arts

HEAD OF MODERN, TAP & GCSE DANCE


LICENTIATE of the I.S.T.D
R.A.D D.D.T.S Classical Ballet
Diploma in Dance Teaching Studies
D.D.E Modern Theatre Dance                                                                                                                                      State Qualified Teacher Status QTS

Helen Imison gained her Performing Arts degree from London Metropolitan University. At the Kingston Teacher Training College she gained her Foundation in Dance Instruction, at the Linda Sweetzer Teacher Training College her Diploma in Dance Education and she has recently been awarded her Licentiate in Modern Theatre Dance. Helen joined the school in 2013 and now heads the Modern Theatre Dance and GCSE Dance department across the school. Choreography is Helen's forte and she creates works for many dance productions for Susan Handy Dance plus for drama companies and Performing Arts festivals. Helen trains and choreographs for the Susan Handy Dance Company.

 


 

 

 

P I E D A D    A L B A R R A C I N    S E I Q U E R

HEAD OF CLASSICAL BALLET AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE

M.A Dance Pedagogy, Middlesex University

Piedad is a professional dance teacher, performer and choreographer. She trained in both ballet and contemporary techniques at Murcia's Conservatorio Profesional de Danza y Arte Dramático in Spain. The focus of her teaching practice is upon fundamental highly energetic floor work exercises, encouraging the exploration of an individual sense of efficiency, weighted momentum and anatomical articulation.                             Professional engagements include working with Saorin en Danza, Abundance, SQxdanza, Jesus Robisco, Gerrard Marin's GMD, Watkinsdance, Estela Merlos, New Movement Collective, Gobbledegook, Protein and Hand Made Dance and working on collaborations with many artists such as Mbulelo Ndabeni, Kira Zhi, Sophie Walker, Francesca Banchelli and award winning video artist Ashley Panton and Stephen Ofori. Piedad has toured her own work across Spain, Brussels, Holland, Mexico and the UK.  Piedad is training for her D.D.E (Diploma in Dance Education) in Cecchetti Classical Ballet.

 

 Dance School in London and Greater London

 

 

T A N J A    K O S C H O R R E K 

CLASSICAL BALLET


D.D.E  Classical ballet
 

Tanja started her training at 5 years old with Jennifer Klipfel School of Ballet in Cape Town, South Africa. She gained honours for all her grade exams up to Advanced 2 level and was entered into the grade 5 Mabel Ryan Award and the Cyril Beaumont Awards in South Africa coming first in the Major awards at Intermediate level. She gained her Associate teacher qualification as well as her Teacher qualification up to Associate Diploma level which is equivalent to our Diploma in Dance Education.
Having taught for Jennifer Klipfel School of ballet from 2013 to 2016, she moved to the UK in 2017 and now teaches in London as well as for Susan Handy Dance.

Tanja trains and choreographs for the Susan Handy Performance Company.

 

 

  

 

S A R A H  D U  F E U

BA (Hons) Performing Arts

HEAD OF OUR WOKING SCHOOL 'DU FEU DANCE' 

D.D.E Classical Ballet
 

A pupil from the age of 3 at the Susan Handy School of Dance, Sarah gained Honours in all her ballet exams up to and including Advanced One. Progressing through the Cecchetti Junior and Senior Associates, she became a Cecchetti Scholar. During this time she won the Junior and Senior Scholars' Cups and also won the Middle and Senior Mabel Ryan Awards. Sarah was awarded the I.S.T.D Millennium Cup for Cecchetti Classical ballet in 2001, and in the same year was accepted as a Senior Associate at the Royal Ballet School. At age 16, Sarah won a scholarship to the English National Ballet School, where she completed the two-year professional dance course. On graduating from ENB, she went to the Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance, where she gained her BA (Hons) degree in Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Sarah performed professionally with the English National Ballet Company including Derek Deane's production of Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall.  In 2009 Sarah moved to Paris to dance as a Showgirl. On her return, Sarah performed in various films including 'The Young Victoria' with Emily Blunt and 'Bel Ami' with Robert Pattinson as well as appearing in a number of television commercials.

Embarking on a teaching career, Sarah gained her I.S.T.D Diploma in Dance Instruction (D.D.I) in Cecchetti Classical Ballet and is proud to have passed with 100% her DIploma in Dance Education (D.D.E).
 

 

 

 

 

L E V I   K N O C K

CLASSICAL BALLET & ACROBATIC ARTS

HEAD OF OUR ICKENHAM SCHOOL 'THE ICKENHAM SCHOOL OF DANCE'

(For Ickenham: CLASSICAL BALLET, MODERN JAZZ, TAP, MUSICAL THEATRE & ACROBATIC ARTS)

D.D.I Modern Dance and Classical Ballet

Levi began her training at Arden Holford School of Ballet where she was accepted as an associate of London Junior Ballet and London Senior Ballet. She was awarded scholarships for Arts Educational School, Tring Park and Laine Theatre Arts. Whilst still in training Levi performed with National Youth Ballet for a number of years, English Youth Ballet and Surrey Youth Ballet where she was awarded a talent scholarship and came second in the choreography competition. After training at Arts Educational School Levi gained a place at Laine Theatre Arts where she was elevated straight to the third year of the Musical Theatre course. Levi has performed extensively in London's West End including the Royal Albert Hall, Sadler's Wells, Her Majesties Theatre and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane amongst many others. Her love is teaching dance.  Levi has choreographed many dance pieces including for productions of Annie and Alice in Wonderland for South Hill Park Theatre, Bracknell as well as productions at the Camberley Theatre in Surrey. Levi continues her teacher training in Modern Dance and Ballet at the Linda Sweet Teacher Training College.

 

 

 

 

P H O E B E  G R A Y 

BALLET TEACHER

MONTESSORI NURSERIES - WINDSOR, DATCHET & OLD WINDSOR

ST JOHNS BEAUMONT PREPARATORY SCHOOL

DDE – Classical Ballet

Peripatetic Ballet Teacher

Phoebe started dancing at the Vanessa Gardener school of classical ballet at the age of three years old where she continued through the school achieving her Intermediate level in Cecchetti Classical Ballet.  

Phoebe obtained her DDE teaching qualification with her tutor Susan Handy and currently teaches at several schools across Surrey, Berkshire and Walton-on-Thames.

She is DBS checked, First Aid trained and is a registered chaperone. 

Phoebe very much loves teaching with the Susan Handy Dance school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A N N A  G A R D N E R

BA (Hons) Dance Performance

DDI – Modern Theatre

Tap Teacher / Peripatetic Ballet Teacher

SusanHandyDance Events Co-ordinator

Anna started her dance training in Lancashire at the Bernese School of Theatre Dance & Drama at six years old. She trained in ISTD Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz and Hip-Hop. She continued her dance career at Creative Academy, the partner school of the University of West London where she received her 1st class BA Hons degree in Dance Performance and her DDI in Modern Theatre. 

Anna continues to  progress her teaching skills;  presently teaching ballet, tap, modern, jazz, commercial and contemporary, plus Anna has recently gained her qualification and license to teach acrobatics arts and Zumba. Moving forward she is looking to complete her DDE in modern theatre and tap. 

Anna joined Susan Handy Dance in 2021 teaching tap, and now teaches ballet, tap and modern.  She is also part of the events organising team for the school.

Anna is looking forward to her future here at Susan Handy Dance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C E C I L E  H E U N I S

 

Ballet Teacher – Richmond

Cecile started Ballet at the age of 4 years old where she grew a foundation training in the Cecchetti Method with Principal Russian dancer, Irina Zyrianova for eight years. She went on to train with Senior Examiner and former Principal in PACT Ballet, Joy Cooper, for six years.

She joined the Tshwane Youth Ballet Company at the age of 12 and performed in various ballets including The Sleeping Beauty, The Snow Maiden, Cinderella & Then & Now.

Cecile holds an Associate Teaching Diploma from the Cecchetti Society. She ran her own ballet studio in South Africa (Cecile Brits Ballet Studio) also teaching Dance Studies at Reddam House School before moving to the United Kingdom.

With a great love for the creative arts and a passion for dancing, Cecile lives to enrich the dreams of aspiring young ballet dancers, teaching at various other ballet studios and private schools around London. She has taught for Susan Handy Dance for the past four years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H O L L Y  L I D G A T E 

 
BA (Hons) Theatre Dance

DDE Modern Theatre Dance (pending)

Free Class Teacher

Cover Teacher (Ballet / Modern & Contemporary)

Holly trained with Susan Handy Dance from the age two years old taking classes in Cecchetti Ballet, ISTD Modern and Contemporary, achieving distinctions across all vocational exams. She received the ‘Audrey Wooller' award for ‘commitment to the school' in 2018 and was a Cecchetti Associate from the age of
seven to seventeen years old.  Balancing academic studies with all her dance commitments Holly achieved excellent academic results but chose to follow her love of dance, gaining a place at the vocational conservatoire London Studio Centre and graduating with a First Class Honours degree in Theatre Dance. 
At London Studio Centre, Holly studied Theatre Jazz, Lyrical Jazz, Jazz Technique, Hip-Hop, Commercial, Singing and Tap with some of the industry's top professionals, alongside academic studies in Dance Science & History.
She toured with the Jazz Dance Company (Jazz Co) in their show ‘Infinity' across the South of England and London. 

Inspired by teachers from all her years in dance education and having already taught classes whilst at university, Holly is excited to have the opportunity to teach for Susan Handy Dance.  Her passion for all styles of Jazz and choreography and a desire to encourage students to discover their own love for dance follows directly from Holly's many years training at Susan Handy Dance.
Holly has almost completed her Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) with The Linda Sweeter Teacher Training College.  She is also studying for her Level 5 Sports Massage Diploma with the North London School of Sports Massage (who are partnered with the Royal Ballet School) at the same time as working full-time at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in their outstanding pastoral department.  
Holly is DBS checked, First Aid trained and is a registered chaperone.

 

 

 

 

Dance School in London and Greater London

 

 

 

 

J A N E  L I D G A T E 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR & HEAD OF FINANCE

office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270 432
 

Jane Lidgate is the Senior Administrator and Head of Finance at Susan Handy Dance.  Jane previously worked for Black & Decker as Marketing Manager and has also held positions in PR and conference organisation.     Jane joined the school after the birth of her daughter Holly who trained with Susan Handy Dance from the age of 2½ and who now teaches the FREE CLASSES at Susan Handy Dance having gained a First Class Honours degree in Musical Theatre and Dance at the London Studio Centre vocational school.   

 

 

 

 

 

L I Z  P E N N E S S

ADMINISTRATOR 

admin@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07592 874958

 

Liz Penness is the administrator for Susan Handy Dance at the Woking school 'Du Feu Dance' but also covers many other aspects of the running of Susan Handy Dance.  Liz brings a wealth of experience having worked for British Forces Television for a number of years.

 

 

 

 

L A U R A  P I G O

COSTUME DESIGNER & HEAD OF WARDROBE 

 

 
From initial design, fabric and haberdashery purchase, costume mock up, measuring, fittings, sewing and finishing, Mrs Pigo and her team create the beautiful costumes that make the students look and feel like professional dancers in all our shows and events.

 

 

 

 

A L A N A  H O L M E S

HEAD OF UNIFORM SHOP

uniform@susanhandydance.co.uk
 
Mrs Holmes runs the Susan Handy Dance uniform shop which is open on SATURDAY MORNINGS during term time from 10:30 - 13:00.  Mrs Holmes will make sure the uniform fits each student properly including their ballet shoes which must fit the foot like a well fitting glove. 
 
Alternatively please visit our DANCE UNIFORM SHOP on this website. 

 

 

 

 

 

 J O A N N A   K O R C  Z A K

 WARDROBE & COSTUME SUPERVISOR

Mrs Korczak joined Susan Handy Dance in the summer term 2023 to work with Mrs Pigo, our Costume Designer & Head of Wardrobe for the bi-annual school show at the Farrer Theatre, Eton.   We are very pleased she has agreed to join us on a more permanent basis.  The school wardrobe is an extensive costume store built up over many years.  The costumes are fitted to the student and altered if necessary for each event and are then maintained and organised throughout the year.  


   

 P I A N I S T S

Susan Handy Dance employs classically trained pianists who provide live piano accompaniment for the ballet classes at the school.  Live music in class offers enormous benefits for both the students and teachers and we are very lucky to have them play for our classes.

 

N I C K   C O R K E R Y


Z A R A   G E V O R G Y A N

 

 

 

 

 F O L L O W  U S

    

 

 C O N T A C T   U S

 

Email: office@susanhandydance.co.uk
Mob: 07515 270432
 

 

 

 

 

 

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