The people behind the dancing
Meet our team
Every teacher at JA is chosen for two things: genuine expertise in their style, and a real desire to be part of a community. The two tend to go together. Many of our teachers grew up at the school themselves.
Claire & Gemma
Sisters, dancers, directors. They grew up here. Now they run it.
Claire
Co-director
Claire grew up dancing at JA, she's never known a time without the school. She took over with Gemma in 2015 and has spent the years since building on everything their mum created. She leads with warmth, high standards, and an open door. If you have a question, Claire is the one to ask.
- Certificate in Education
- Vocational dance training
- DBS checked
Gemma
Co-director
Gemma has danced her whole life and teaches with the kind of patience and encouragement that brings the best out of every student. She has a particular love for the younger classes, watching toddlers fall in love with movement never gets old.
- ISTD qualified
- Specialist in early years dance
- Acro-qualified
Our teachers
Each one brings something different. All of them belong here.
Grace
Acro Teacher
Grace started dancing at three and never really stopped, RAD ballet first, then tap, where she's passed her major ISTD exams. She grew up assisting with ballet classes here at JA, and she's now our qualified Acro teacher on Saturdays, where she also leads Tots Ballet. She still takes ballet and tap here herself, which tells you everything about how much she loves the place.
Acro & Tots Ballet · Saturdays
Teresa
Adult Teacher
Teresa danced professionally for ten years with touring companies, going on to lead as head dancer and choreographer before producing shows with her own company. These days she teaches our adult Tap, Jazz and Ballet, and she has a real gift for putting grown-up beginners at ease. If you've ever seen her perform, you'll understand why.
Adult Tap, Jazz & Ballet
Rianna
Adult Teacher
Rianna has been dancing since she was two, ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, commercial, contemporary and acro, and has performed in musicals including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Railway Children and Evita. She's been teaching since 2017 and leads our Wednesday adult classes, bringing all that experience and technique, and a genuine love for dance, to every class she teaches.
Adult classes · Wednesdays
Behind the scenes
Our teaching assistants
Erin, Sophia and Daisy are our teaching assistants, and they're all current senior pupils who've been dancing with us since they were little. They help with warm-ups, demonstrate steps, and keep an eye out for the new faces and the quieter ones, making sure every child feels noticed. Daisy is starting her ISTD teacher training in September, continuing the journey many of our team have taken.
Erin
Teaching Assistant
Sophia
Teaching Assistant
Daisy
Teaching Assistant
Off the studio floor
Our support team
Behind every great class is a team keeping things running and sharing the JA story, so Claire and Gemma can focus on the dancers.
Casey Andrews
Social Media Manager
Founder of Prestige Social Media Management, Casey works closely with JA to showcase everything that makes the school special. From class highlights to performances, she creates engaging content across our channels, working alongside Claire and Gemma to share student achievements and give families an insight into life at JA.
Triesha Mallari
Office Administrator
A Psychology graduate from the Philippines and a proud mum, Triesha brings warmth, organisation and a lifelong love of dance to her role. Her background in psychology helps her support students and families, while her administrative skills keep JA's busy schedule running smoothly.
Where it all started
Jackie
Founder · 1988
Jackie founded JA Performing Arts in 1988. She built something that lasted, not just a school, but a place people feel at home. Everything Claire and Gemma do is built on what she created. She has now retired from running the school.
Come and meet us
The best way to understand what makes JA special is to walk through the door. Book a free dance class and meet the team yourself.
Book a FREE Dance ClassReady to Take the First Step?
Try any class free, for your child or yourself. No registration fee, no obligation. We'll welcome you from the very first step, no matter your age or experience. Questions? Claire is always here to help.
Book a FREE Dance Class