Welcome to The Helen Laxton School of Dance

 

 

WhatsNew

 

New Class

Elite Beats Performance Squad formed for 7 - 12 year olds and 12- 18 year olds see timetable page for details

   

 

CurrentNews

 

Audition Success

 Congratulations to Kate Jordan who has been accepted at The Laban Conservatoire of Dance and Music

   

 

RecentNews

 

Royal Ballet School

Alexander Burton aged 10 is offered a second year as a Junior Associate of the Royal Ballet School

   

 

Teaching Staff

 

Helen Laxton

The school principal, Helen Laxton LRAD, ARAD, RTS. AISTD(Mod) AISD(Nat) AIDTA is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dance in London and is a fully qualified, registered teacher with over 25 years of experience in performing and in teaching all forms of Dance. Helen is also a mentor for students studying for The Royal Academy of Dance Certificate in Ballet Teaching studies which allows her pupils to qualify as teachers of Dance and to gain an internationally recognised teaching qualification. Hundreds of Helen's former pupils are now employed in dance/performing arts related jobs all over the world

Catherine Sprackman

Catherine Trained with Helen Laxton from the age of 10 – 18 years as a dancer and then from 18 -20 as a teacher of dance. For the past 13 years Catherine has been teaching children of all ages in Ballet, Hip Hop, Disco, Jazz, Street Dance, Musical Theatre, Cheerleading, Tap and Pre School Dance. Catherine's pupils have achieved excellent examination results in both Royal Academy of Dance Ballet and Imperial Society of Teachers  of Dance Modern Dance and they have performed many of  her beautifully choreographed dances at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil, The Digby Hall, Sherborne and in competitions and festivals. Many of Catherine’s senior pupils are now at full time vocational dance schools including The Royal Academy of Dance, Laine Theatre Arts, Central School of Ballet, Millenium Theatre School, Laban Centre, Arts Educational School, Tring , London Studio Centre, Italia Conti, Urdang, Performers College, Stella Mann and Mountview Theatre School. Catherine is also a registered matron and has looked after many of our pupils whilst they have been performing in the professional pantomimes at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil. Catherine is alos head of Dance at The Somerset School of Performing Arts.

Joanna Brace

Joanna Brace CTBS, MRAD, AIDTA,RTS started dancing at The Helen Laxton School of Dance when she was 5 years old. Joanna passed all of her Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Examinations up to and including Grade 8 and Advanced and also her Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance Intermediate Modern. A few years ago Joanna decided that she would like to teach Ballet and Modern Dance and she enrolled on the Royal Academy of Dance Teacher Training Programme mentored by Helen Laxton. Joanna graduated as a fully qualified dance teacher in 2008, she now teaches for Helen in Somerset and Dorset where she has achieved some incredible results with her pupils. Joanna is also a registered matron and has looked after many of our pupils whilst they have been performing in the professional pantomimes at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil

Anna Soughton

Anna Soughton BA(Hons) in Dance Education, LRAD, ARAD, AIDTA, RTS. Anna trained with Helen Laxton from the age of 3  - 18 years. Anna was a very talented dancer and  passed all of her Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Grades up to and including Grade 8 and Advanced  and also the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance Modern Dance Grades to Advanced level. After taking her A levels in Yeovil, Anna was awarded a place at college of The Royal Academy of Dance in London where she spent 3 years on the Teacher Training Course. Anna was initially teaching in London but has now returned home to Somerset where she is teaching for Helen in Yeovil, Beaminster, Norton Sub Hamdon, Ilminster and Bridport. Anna  is also a registered matron and has looked after many of our pupils whilst they have been performing in the professional pantomimes at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil

Claire Derrick

Claire trained at The Royal Academy of Dance, Ballet Central, and The Rambert School of Dance where she gained a BTEC higher national diploma in dance. Claire also holds Advanced level dance certificates in Royal Academy and Imperial Society Ballet, and Imperial Society Modern and Tap dance. Claire has a wealth of experience as a dancer, performer and teacher.  Claire has returned to teaching dance after having had a break to have her two children Davina and Bella.

Katie Hodgson

Katie started training at The Helen Laxton School of Dance at the age of 3 years, she passed all of her Royal Academy of Dance Ballet exams up to and including Grade 8 and also her Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced ballet. Katie is also at Advanced level Modern of The Imperial Society of Teacher's of Dance, Advaced level Hip Hop, Street Dance and Tap. Katie always wanted to teach dance and she began assisting  with the junior classes when she was just  12 years old. At 18 years Katie began her teacher training with Helen Laxton,  Katie is now completing her training with the Royal Academy of Dance Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies which is a world wide recognised and highly respected dance teacher's qualification. Katie is also a registered matron and has looked after many of our pupils whilst they have been performing in the professional pantomimes at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil