STAFF
COURTENAY DUNN
A.I.S.T.D
Principal
Courtenay has been dancing since she was 3 years old, starting with ballet and then branching out to modern, tap, street, lyrical and commercial classes as well.
She passed all of her ISTD examinations in Ballet, Tap and Modern with excellent grades and went on to pass her DDE examinations in all three genres with flying colours. She has since entered hundreds of students for their ISTD examinations, many of her pupils gaining distinctions!
As well as teaching ISTD classes, Courtenay has also completed the Acrobatic Arts Module 1, Aerial and Back Handspring and Contortion teacher training courses. More recently, Courtenay has branched out to train with Aerial Arts in Aerial Hoop and Aerial Silks.
‘I have always dreamed of owning my own dance school since I was a little girl and Dance Expression Studios, named after my biggest fan, my Grandad Des, is just that. A dream come true’.
MADDIE HUMPHREYS
A.I.S.T.D
Teacher
Maddie began her dance journey at the age of three, initially in Ballet, Tap & Modern, before extending her training to include Jazz, DFR, Ballroom and Latin. Maddie was a repeated finalist at the I.S.T.D Ballet Awards and was ISTD O16 DFR Nationals winner.
Maddie's passion for dance then led her to embark on a career in teaching to gain her DDE in I.S.T.D Ballet, Tap and Modern, sharing her love of choreography, performance & technique, after which she then gained her I.S.T.D DFR Associate qualification. Maddie has more recently become certified with Acrobatic Arts after successfully completing their Module 1 course.
As a teacher, Maddie enjoys creating new & innovative choreography, training and inspiring students in syllabus, competition & show work.
GRACE WILKINS
A.I.S.T.D
Teacher
Dance has been a part of Grace’s life since the age of two, when she began training in Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz, progressing through the I.S.T.D. syllabus grades. Whilst she enjoys all styles of dance, Tap has always been her greatest passion. Grace is a member of an elite tap group, performing in a variety of shows, including unaccompanied tap pieces that have further developed her musicality, precision and love for the art form.
Grace’s passion for teaching began at a young age. She started assisting classes at the age of 14, shadowing experienced teachers before leading her own classes by the age of 15. After spending two years working at a children’s camp in Canada, she discovered an even greater passion for working with young people and knew she wanted to combine this with her lifelong love of dance.
Alongside teaching, Grace has been creating and choreographing dance pieces for the past eight years, using choreography as a way to express her creativity and inspire her students. Her choreography work spans Tap, Musical Theatre and Contemporary, although Tap will always hold a special place in her heart. She was honoured to receive a Jack Petchey Performance of the Year Award for one of her choreographed routines.
Grace is delighted to have recently gained her I.S.T.D. teaching qualifications in Tap and Modern. Building on her years of teaching experience, she looks forward to continuing her professional development and gaining further qualifications. As a teacher, Grace is passionate about creating a positive and encouraging environment where every student can grow in confidence, develop strong technique and discover a genuine love for dance.
Joyce
Class Assistant
Piper
Class Assistant
Emilia
Class Assistant
