Tanya Schipelbaum - Principal - RTS AISTD CDE BA(HONS) Dance Education
Tanya is a qualified and registered Teacher with the RAD (Ballet) and the ISTD (Modern & Tap) with a BA (Hons) in Dance Education. Tanya is passionate about teaching her joy of dance to all ages for fun and performance opportunities but also to providing career paths for those that have the talent and desire to do so.
As well as choreographing a great deal of our own shows and competitive dances, Tanya has also choreographed for Corporate Events, Videos, Pop Videos, Fashion Shows and Parades. She has also choreographed and written a Children’s Fantasy Ballet – The Hidden Prince with music especially commissioned and composed by Adrian Zolotuhin. In 2020 a new original Children’s ballet was written by a friend, dance dad and photographer, now sadly passed away, Syd Chapman. Worlds Of Motion also has original music composed by Tim Benson and James Wood and was finally performed in April 2022 after postponements due to lockdowns.
Having worked as an accountant for Unilever, Harrods and then BBC Worldwide, Tanya was given the opportunity to purchase Basingstoke Academy of Dancing (B.A.D.) from Suzan Amos in 2003, for whom she had been with for 14 years. At that point there were 110 students, many of these students are now teachers/choreographers/dancers at BAD and around the world. In 2022 she has made “lifelong” student now teacher a full Partner and Vice Principal and the school has grown to about 500+ students.
Tanya completed her formal teaching qualifications with Vanessa Atkins-Clarivette and the R.A.D.
Charlotte West - Vice Principal - Holds ISTD DDE Practical Certificate
At 24 years old, Charlotte is Vice-Principal and Co-Owner and 50% Partner in B.A.D (Since April 2022). Charlotte started dancing with B.A.D. at a very young age then continued her training at Wilkes Academy and graduated with a Diploma in Performing Arts with Distinction. She holds Advanced 1 Ballet, Advanced 2 Modern and Advanced 1 Tap and has completed her practical assessment for ISTD Diploma in Dance Education in Modern and Tap.
Charlotte’s professional credits include performing with Little Mix on The X Factor and The Brit Awards, as well as Snow White (2018), Aladdin (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2021) and Cinderella (2022) at The Anvil, Basingstoke where she had the role of Dance Captain .
Charlotte is also an accomplished choreographer and her London dance won the 2020 Senior Commercial Large Group category. She has choreographed many solos, duets and group dances across different age groups and categories in each World Cup Final from 2020 through to 2023, gaining a number of Silver and Bronze Medals and some high places gaining points for Team England on the World Stage. She herself gained a 4th place in 2019 for her Senior Show Solo. A couple of Charlotte’s solo choreographies have already qualified for All England Regional Finals in 2024.
This January year, Charlotte, taught a class for Travelport in Punta Umbria, Spain ensuring they achieved a Guinness World Record as the largest disco dance class as part of their sales conference. She taught a class of 532 dancers. (Amber was also the expert witness at this event).
Later this year, Charlotte is taking a small team out to Miami, to perform with the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders at the start and half time entertainment at the Miami Dolphins Vs Texas Titans on Dec 11th. This will be working once again with Pro Excel who she danced with as a child.
Amber Stretton - Teacher - Holds ISTD DDE Practical Certificate
Amber studied at BAD from a young age and holds Advanced 2 Tap ISTD, Intermediate Modern (ISTD) & Intermediate Ballet (RAD). Amber’s credits include performing for ProExcel at Wembley Stadium and the Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebrations among others. This January, Amber, was an expert witness for Travelport in Punta Umbria, Spain ensuring they achieved a Guinness World Record as the largest disco dance class (532 dancers)as part of their sales conference. Amber particularly enjoys teaching tap and has worked with BAD students on the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and Tapathon 2020. Amber has completed the ISTD Diploma in Dance Education practical assessment in Modern and Tap . Since 2020 Amber also works on keeping the B.A.D Social Media up to date and designed the World of Motion, Keep Dancing and Moving Experience 2023 art work.
Vanessa Atkins-Clarivette - Vocational Teacher - FISTD
Vanessa is a dance teacher with over thirty years of teaching experience – she has choreographed, directed and performed in a number of productions. She has achieved Fellowship in Tap Dance and Modern Theatre which is the highest qualification awarded by the ISTD. Vanessa is an Approved Tutor with the ISTD and has also coached Licentiate and Fellowship teachers who have since progressed to become examiners.
Sandra Doling - Vocational Ballet Coach - ARAD
Sandra teaches at Arts Educational Upper School, Central School of Ballet and until recently at the Royal Academy of Dance. Sandra teaches B.A.D.’s vocational ballet students at least once a month.
Claire Simpson - RTS RAD DDI ISTD - Adult Ballet Teacher
Claire is an experienced dance teacher that has been working with Basingstoke Academy of Dancing for many years, dancing in and choreographing for shows and runs several successful Adult Ballet classes. As a professional dancer she worked and taught around the world including Hong Kong, Bali and Italy. She is also qualified with the RAD and holds her ISTD Diploma in Dance Instruction – she also owns her own Dance School in another part of Hampshire.
Kim Holder - ISTD CDE - Adult Teacher
Kim first started training in Ballroom and Latin from a young age where she competed all over the UK. Her passion for this genre remained but she later moved on to train in ballet, tap and modern, graduating in Dance and Musical theatre from Stage Door College. She has worked as a dancer, singer and lead in various shows, summer seasons and pantomimes for UK productions, Michael Rose Ltd and The Glad Rag Production company and as a dancer and character performer at Disneyland Paris. Kim is also a qualified ISTD tap and modern/jazz teacher and owns her own children’s theatre production company, Routine Riots
Gaby White Choreographer and Commercial /Lyrical Jazz Teacher
Gabriella started dancing at age 3 with the inspiration Jean marks and Yasmin Taylor who underpinned her love for dance and went on to further her training at the world renowned D&B Academy of Performing Arts in Bromley gaining a diploma in dance theatre and also gaining her DDI qualification with the ISTD. As a dancer she represented Team England at the Dance Cup World in various countries including Sardinia, Paris & Austria where she gained the title as a double World Tap Champion. She also won many All England Dance titles to go with the world champion honour. Whilst she had a very successful performing career Gaby found her real passion in teaching and choreography and has been lucky enough to work with some amazing performers from around the country and worldwide. She has choreographed numerous medal winning and world champion pieces for team England at the dance World Cup from 2014 until as recently as this year, spanning over various different genres from commercial to tap as well as jazz and song and dance sections which she is extremely proud of. Gaby teaches throughout the week at various dance schools and has choreographed pieces for the prestigious Move it main stage and runway stage in collaboration with designs alike.
Sophie Watts - Acrobatic Arts and RAD Ballet Teacher
Olivia Wallis Jackson Contemporary Teacher
Olivia is a Contemporary Dance Artist, Choreographer, Photographer and Teacher, based on the South Coast of England. After graduating Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2021 with a First-Class BA Hons Degree in Contemporary Dance, she went on to work with Luke Brown Dance, in various capacities, including as a Rehearsal Director for Orb Youth Dance Company. In September of 2022 Olivia moved to Turin Italy to work with choreographers Jonathan Fredrickson, Michael Getman and Tom Weinberger for 3 months to continue developing professionally. Olivia continues to audition as a professional contemporary dancer, while making her own choreographic work, alongside her dance photography business.
Using her professional industry experience alongside her previous teaching and community setting work, Olivia creates a welcoming environment in the studio so dancers can train to their full potential.
Clare Gill - Choreographer
Clare trained at Basingstoke Academy of Dancing until she was 18 and then continued her training at London Studio Centre where she graduated with a First Class Honours Degree and the award for performance for her role in The Silver Screen Tour.
Upon graduating, she joined the cast of Sincerely Yours at the Landor Theatre and then went on to work with Belinda King Productions as the Dance Captain onboard Holland America Line and as part of the dance couple for luxury cruise line, Seabourn. Clare was part of the ensemble for the Qdos pantomime of Aladdin in 2019 and continues to work on high profile corporate events throughout the year.
She has been Assistant Choreographer & Dance Captain in Belfasts Grand Opera House Panto for this Christmas season 2022/2023 and last year 2021/2022.
Ellie Chapman RAD ISTD Teacher
At a young age Ellie successfully auditioned for the Dance Course at Tring Park where she had the opportunity to be trained by some of the leading members of the ballet and dance world. Her professional training continued at the Urdang Academy where she studied a range of dance styles, singing and acting.
Ellie holds teaching qualifications with the Royal Academy of Dance, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and Acrobatic Arts. She is also a qualified teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique and Alixa Flexibility. Ellie is experienced in training students for exams, performances and auditions with past students gaining places at some of the country’s leading vocational schools and colleges with many progressing to work as professional performers.