Kelly-Marie Gibbs FISTD LIDTA

Principal

Kelly-Marie was born and bred right here in Berkshire, with an early start to classes when she was just 3 years old at Lubrek School of Dancing in Slough. She continued to train under excellent teachers in all genres of dance and had many successes including becoming a finalist at Miss Dance of Great Britain and reaching the All England Dance Finals on numerous occasions, notably receiving a bronze medal for her solo at the age of 7.

Kelly-Marie balanced her academic studies with dance training and was able to achieve outstanding academic results. However she chose to follow her passion for dance and was awarded a scholarship place at London Studio Centre where she trained in Musical Theatre.

After several years dancing and choreographing professionally, Kelly-Marie was asked to cover a friends class. She discovered a passion for teaching and decided to re-train as an ISTD teacher in both Modern Theatre and Tap Dance. She passed all her teaching qualifications with distinctions, including 98% for her Modern Certificate in Dance Education, during this time Kelly-Marie worked in events and marketing for a corporate company as well as teaching in many dance schools. Rather than stopping with the required teaching qualifications, Kelly-Marie felt she wanted to achieve the highest dance teaching qualification, equivalent to a Masters degree and went on to achieve phenomenal results. She received distinctions for her Licentiate and Fellowship qualifications with the ISTD making her the one of the few people trained to the very highest level with the ISTD. Kelly-Marie completed all of her teaching qualifications at The Linda Sweetzer Teacher Training College.

Kelly-Marie has been teaching for almost 25 years, working along side various Performing Arts Schools, Dance Schools, full-time Theatre Schools and Colleges, including Head of Dance at Redroofs Theatre School for the performing arts on the full-time programme, spending over 13 years at the school.

Kelly-Marie has a passion for Jazz, Modern and Tap dance and enjoys choreographing within these genres. She has had countless successful students working in the industry from TV to Film, Theatre and radio during their time at Azure Theatre School, numerous students go on to train at full time of the UK’s leading theatre schools and colleges and many go on to become successful performers, Kelly-Marie has trained International competition level students, finalists of the ISTD Ballets Awards, ISTD Janet Cram Awards, ISTD Star Tap Awards and The All England Dance Competition.

Kelly-Marie founded Azure Theatre School in December 2007, and has successfully grown it so that it now has almost 300 pupils in their very own studios in Marlow, Bucks. She is enormously proud of her pupils' achievements, and looks forward to the exciting future of Azure Theatre School.

Angela Humphreys LISTD

HEAD OF BALLET

Angela started dancing at the age of three at The Margaret Dixon School of Dancing in Sutton. She enjoyed performing in many different local amateur and professional stage productions alongside achieving her ISTD Advanced 1 Qualifications in Imperial Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre and Tap Dance.

Whilst continuing ballet as a hobby, Angela went to University to pursue something completely different and attained a MEng Degree in Civil Engineering with Distinction!

However, her love of dance was always there, so after giving up work to start a family, she trained to become a qualified dance teacher with The Linda Sweetzer Teacher Training College. She has successfully completed her Licentiate in Imperial Classical Ballet, Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) in Modern Theatre Dance, and Advanced 2 Qualification in Imperial Classical Ballet.

It was in 2011 that Miss Angela first joined Azure Theatre School and has been passing on her love of ballet to Azure students ever since, including her youngest son, who is now a professional ballet dancer. She loves being part of the Azure Team and can’t wait to continue to inspire more and more Azure students.

Phoebe Ballantyne

acro, JAZZ, tap, ballet, COMMERCIAL, MUSICAL THEATRE

Phoebe Ballantyne has been a cherished member of the Azure family for over 13 years, beginning her journey with Azure Theatre School. She honed her skills at Wilkes Academy, where she completed a BA Honours in Musical Theatre over three transformative years. Additionally, Phoebe is qualified in acro through Acrobatic Arts, further expanding her versatility as a performer and most recently has trained with Rosina Andrews on hr teacher training programme.

Passionate about dance and the arts, Phoebe is dedicated to pushing boundaries and inspiring others within the Azure community. She aims to create a safe and encouraging environment for all those who share her passion for dance, fostering creativity and connection among fellow performers. Phoebe's commitment to nurturing talent and promoting a love for the arts shines through in everything she does.

Steven Woods

commerical, contemporary

Steven Woods is a professional dancer who graduated from Wilkes Academy in 2018. Since then, he has performed internationally and on UK tours with top companies and renowned celebrities across various dance styles. With extensive experience and up-to-date industry knowledge, Steven is excited to join Azure and share his expertise with students, helping them grow and succeed in the world of dance.

Maisie Morris

jazz, tap, contemporary

Maisie Morris graduated from London Studio Centre in 2021 and quickly began her professional dance career with a cruise contract on the Aida Nova. After nine months at sea, she continued performing with Headliners Theatre Company on P&O's The Azura. Maisie has also performed at the Rhyl Pavilion Theatre in her first pantomime, Aladdin, as an Ensemble Dancer, and has danced at numerous corporate events, hip-hop, and commercial projects. Passionate about dance and musical theatre, Maisie loves working with young dancers and supporting them as they pursue their dreams.

Aimee Palethorpe

BALLET, TAP, JAZZ, ACRO, ADULT CLASSES

Miss Aimee has been dancing since she was three. She trained in Ballet, Tap and Modern Dance with the Jeannine Greville Dance Academy up to 18 years of age. From there she went on to take her teaching qualifications in Tap and Modern at the Linda Sweetzer Teacher Training college. She has 9 years experience teaching Ballet, Tap and Modern across Berkshire, Oxon and Surrey. She now teaches full time classes for students aged 2 through to adults and graded classes up to Advanced 2.

Grace Clarke

TAP, ACRO, MODERN, COMMERCIAL, CONTEMPORARY

Grace began her performing arts training from the age of 3 where she competed in many dance competitions throughout the country winning numerous awards. Along side this Grace was lucky enough to begin her acting career with being featured on Nickelodeon ,BBC, Netflix and more. Annie the musical was her first professional musical theatre credit where she played Molly , followed by Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat.

In 2012 Grace was offered a dance scholarship for Redroofs Theatre School where she trained for 5 years going on to study at The Urdang Academy.

Jodie Graft

Musical theatre, SINGING, jazz, commercial, contemporary

Jodie Graft, from Hertfordshire, began dancing at the age of 2 and nurtured her passion at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts from 9 to 17. She continued her training at The Urdang Academy in London, earning a Diploma in Dance and Musical Theatre. Shortly after graduating in 2023, Jodie was offered a position as a Production Dancer aboard Celebrity Millennium, where she enjoyed traveling across South East Asia and Japan. Now back on land, she is auditioning for West End roles and tours and is excited to join Azure Theatre School to teach Musical Theatre.

Natalie Wash

jazz, contemporary, musical theatre

Natalie Wash is currently in her third year of training at Laine Theatre Arts. An I.S.T.D. qualified teacher in both Tap and Modern, she earned an impressive 97% in her Modern exam. Natalie began her dance journey at a local dance school and participated in summer courses with Azure Theatre School from a young age. She competed in the All England Dance Festivals, securing third place in the Musical Theatre solo section at the Finals, along with other strong placings in solos, duets, trios, and groups. As part of her professional training, Natalie has served as assistant choreographer for her swing project and dance captain for second-year assessments. Her professional credits include Sleeping Beauty with PHA Pantomimes, where she performed as ensemble and cover for Sleeping Beauty. She is soon heading to Vietnam to perform in the country's first pantomime with PHA.

Charlotte Harrison

conditioning, jazz, contempoRary, commercial

Charlotte Alice Harrison, a 21-year-old performer from Maidenhead, Berkshire, is driven by her passion to build a successful career in the performing arts industry. She began her training at Azure Theatre School before continuing her studies at Wilkes Academy, where she honed the skills needed to navigate the professional world. Her work experience includes performing at Lapland UK and in Wilkes Academy's Pippin 2024, choreographed and directed by Leanne Pinder. Charlotte is eager to showcase her talents and apply her training in upcoming professional opportunities.

Georgia Billard

jazz, tap, commercial, SINGING

Georgia Billard recently graduated from the prestigious Performers College Essex in May and has been actively auditioning for West End, cruise ship, and film/TV roles. A versatile performer skilled in dance, singing, and acting, she represented her college in the Musical Theatre showcase at MoveIt Convention 2024, performing in a medley from Sweeney Todd. Georgia has also performed as a soloist in numerous productions and events for Performers College. Since graduating, she appeared in ALR Music’s Havana Heat music video and originated the role of Alex in the new musical Girlz by Daffydd Hughes. She’s excited to join the Azure team and share her industry knowledge with students.

Mia Jackson

jazz, tap, musical theatre, singing

Mia Jackson's journey in the performing arts began at the tender age of 9 at Azure Theatre School, where she discovered her passion for musical theatre and dance. Her dedication led her to READ College for Acting, and she eventually secured a coveted spot at Italia Conti, one of the UK's most prestigious performing arts institutions, where she completed a rigorous three-year degree.

Over the years, Mia has graced the stage in a variety of shows and pantomimes, including a memorable performance at the iconic Savoy Theatre in London. Last year, she brought holiday cheer to audiences as a performer at Lapland.

Mia's talents have recently taken her to new heights as she participated in the filming of the upcoming Better Man film, showcasing her skills as a dancer on London’s vibrant Regent Street.

In addition to her performing career, Mia is committed to nurturing the next generation of talent. She continues to teach at Azure Theatre School, sharing her love for the arts with aspiring performers.

James Penniston

LAMDA DRAMA & MUSICAL THEATRE

James Penniston is a versatile performer with a robust educational background, holding a Degree in Classical Singing from the Royal Northern College of Music and a Master’s in Musical Theatre from the Royal Academy of Music. Since beginning his professional career in 2018, James has showcased his talents across various productions, both professional and amateur, for over twenty-five years. His impressive credits include performances off the West End and with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Most recently, James starred as the titular character in Vivo D’Arte's production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. In addition to his work on stage, James is passionate about nurturing the next generation of performers. With a decade of teaching experience, he has guided students of all ages in LAMDA acting and musical theatre, covering grades 1-8. James is committed to fostering creativity and confidence in his students, helping them to find their unique voices in the world of performance.