Our Staff
Our Staff
Sam trained as a scholarship student at Bird College of Dance & Performance in London under the direction of Doreen Bird. As a student Sam obtained qualifications of the highest calibre from the RAD and ISTD. As Head Girl, Sam was part of the CDET Student Advisory Body, and often taught classes to First Year students. Sam was recipient of both the Jazz Dance Award (Yr 1) and the coveted Most Professional Award (Yr 3). Sam was also delighted to be invited to be a member of the prestigious Bird Theatre Company touring Europe performing, lecturing and taking workshops to enable children to create and perform.
Upon graduation Sam was immediately appointed Line Captain and Featured Professional Dancer for Princess Cruise Lines and later Project Co-ordinator where she taught and installed production shows on international cruise lines and maintained the standard of the shows on board as company manager and dance captain.
Sam has also performed in a wide variety of other events and productions for Sky TV, various theatres, professional pantomimes and in corporate entertainment and is an award winning choreographer.
As a teacher, Sam has taught and choreographed at a range of dance colleges and schools across the UK, including the Dance School of Scotland, the Centre PAC, SLP, NAPA, Centre Pointe, Bojangles, Pattisons, where she has held positions ranging from guest teacher to Head of Jazz, Lead Choreographer for agent showcases and productions, ISTD Approved Tutor, exams and timetable co-ordinator. Sam is also a well-respected adjudicator with a wealth of experience.
Sam co-founded ElliTe Productions in 2006 to provide a range of dance based services across the industry. ElliTe Productions provides dancers and choreography for corporate entertainment and events and ElliTe Management Agency provides dancers for professional contracts. Clients have included Prime Video, Future Artists Entertainment, Costa Coffee, Premier Inn, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises.
ElliTe Studios was added to the ElliTe Productions portfolio in 2007 to provide dynamic dance, theatre and performance training for young dancers. ElliTe Studios has gone on to become one of the leading schools in the area with pupils crowned as World Champions in 2020 (Tap, Ballet and Jazz) and again in 2022 (Classical Ballet and Jazz). Graduate students have gone on to train at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary, Central School of Ballet, Bird College, Urdang, London Studio Centre, Arts Educational, Performers College, Northern School of Contemporary and Northern Ballet School and are now enjoying illustrious careers in the industry.
ElliTe Studios became an ISTD Approved Dance Centre in 2011 and since then Sam and her team have successfully delivered all units of the ISTD dance teacher training qualifications to multiple students who have gone on to establish their own schools and teach in a wider range of establishments. ElliTe students and teachers are well-regarded and sought after across the industry.
In 2022, ElliTe expanded to offer a full-time course offering Level 3 fully-funded BTEC qualification in Performing Arts (Dance and Musical Theatre), alongside intensive professional training and options for three full Diploma in Dance Education qualifications.
Fiona trained at Northern Ballet School, Manchester where she was awarded a DaDA and gained an NVQ Level 6 Trinity Diploma in Professional Dance
Upon graduation, Fiona worked as Professional Dancer and subsequently Performance Company Manager for Costa Cruise Lines, MSC Cruise Lines and Assistant Company Performance Manager for Princess Cruises. Responsibilities included being an audition tour teacher and panel member, as well as maintaining the standard of a large variety of production shows.
As a teacher, Fiona holds the Licentiate qualification in ISTD Imperial Classical Ballet and DDE qualifications in Tap and Modern, which were gained as a student at ElliTe, and has taught at a variety of Northern based dance schools.
At ElliTe, Fiona teaches and choreographs in all genres, but specialises in the delivery and choreography of Classical Ballet. Roles include teaching and preparing students for ISTD dance examinations, choreographing for international competitions, showcases and productions. Pupils have gone on to win several awards, including World Champion titles in Ballet and Classical Ballet in 2020 and again in 2022. In 2022, Fiona established Yorkshire Ballet Theatre Company (YBTC), a widely respected dedicated associate Ballet training scheme and in 2023 became an ISTD Approved Tutor to deliver DDE qualifications as well as a BTEC Assessor.
Natalie completed her professional training at ElliTe Studios, gaining full DDE qualifications in Imperial Classical Ballet, Tap and Modern Theatre. She has since flourished into an extremely successful choreographer and teacher, working at a range of regional private and educational schools. Choreography projects have included for the film ‘How To Date Billy Walsh’ for Prime Video (set to be released 2023), ‘Matilda’ (2022) and ‘Chicago’ (2023) and for various corporate events. Natalie is also a Dance World Cup Choreographer, with pupils winning a 2020 world title (Tap).
Natalie is highly sought after as both a teacher and choreographer and is often invited to lecture / choreograph at external events.
At age 16, Maddy participated in the prestigious RAD Phyllis Bedells Bursary before going on to train professionally at Northern Ballet School, Manchester, where she was awarded ‘Teacher of the Year’.
Now qualified to the highest level, Maddy is an Imperial Ballet examiner and an experienced practitioner of dance, with the knowledge, skills and understanding of a range of teaching, learning and behaviour management strategies needed to make a positive impact on the progress of pupils at all ages. She is an experienced ISTD Approved Tutor and has delivered the DDE qualification and ISTD and RAD vocational Ballet training at ElliTe, Renaissance Arts, Centre Pointe, SLP, NAPA for 2 decades.
Harrison is a highly skilled dancer, choreographer and teacher, specialising in a wide variety of dance styles including Contemporary, Commercial, Lyrical, Jazz, and Improvisation.
Training and studying in Manchester, Chester and Los Angeles, Harrison has gained a BA in Dance and an MA in Choreography. Performance credits include theatre and film for a wide range of companies including Take That, Boys in Motion, Company Carpi, E-motion Dance, Perfectly Frank and Company J-SHADE. Harrison also runs and choreographs for his own HarrisonJDance Company.
Teaching credits include Move It, Jelli Studios, ADAYS, University of Chester, Mission Inspire, Base, Vale Studios, Centre Pointe to name just a few.
Gabby trained at Performers College on a full scholarship. After graduating, Gabby went on to enjoy an extensive performing career on international contracts that took her all over the world including for MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Vegas Showgirls, The Dance Mob, Timeless Productions, Plan B Productions, Romantica Entertainment.
As a teacher and choreographer, Gabby delivers all genres, but specialises in Jazz and Jazz technique and is well-known throughout the region for her Jazz with Gabby workshops. Gabby is currently Artistic Director of Lisa Marie Performing Arts (LMPA) as well as a freelance dance teacher and award winning choreographer.
Joe is in demand as a freelance teacher, choreographer and adjudicator specialising in Commercial, Heel Work, Jazz Choreography, Musical Theatre and Audition Prep. Joe continues to choreograph for music videos, events, holiday entertainment companies and shows.
Rebecca trained at ElliTe Studios, Ballet West and Northern Ballet School, graduating with a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance and the highest level of ISTD qualifications. Rebecca established and choreographs for her own highly successful string of Tribute Acts, and has a wealth of performing experience in film (Prime Video), adverts, TV (ITV), theatre, corporate events and gigs.
Evy trained at Nadine’s Dance Company and then Bodyworks, Cambridge and now specialises in teaching and choreographing Lyrical, Modern, Jazz Tech, Jazz, Acro and Contortion.
Deborah trained at Urdang Academy on a full scholarship from the age of 14-19, graduating with a Performance Diploma. Following a successful performing career, Deborah took up teaching positions at East Durham College, Islington Arts Factory, New London Performing Arts Centre, Leeds University, and the Dance Studio Leeds as well as establishing her own successful Leeds based school. In 2016-2020 Deborah then studied for and gained the full DDE qualification in Imperial Classical Ballet and Modern Theatre, Advanced 1 Ballet, Advanced 2 Ballet and Licentiate Ballet here at ElliTe Studios. Deborah has experience teaching GCSE Dance, A-level Dance, BTEC Dance, Vocational exams and is an experienced ISTD Approved Tutor for the DDE qualifications.
Stacey graduated from the prestigious Arts Ed in 2020 with a First Class BA Honours Degree in Musical Theatre. During her training she had the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Olivier Awards and many concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. Since graduating, Stacey has been part of many professional workshops, voice work and has taught all over the UK.
Stacey’s true passion has always been teaching, using her professional knowledge and skills to guide, nurture and encourage students to be the best possible version of themselves when it comes to performing.
Stewart was one of the foremost black Jazz and Lyrical artists of his generation and the original pioneer of Lyrical Contemporary Jazz in the UK, developing the genre from as early as 1979 to the present day and co founding the first jazz company in the UK called Jazz Theatre London (1980). Trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance, his dancing heritage originates with the Martha Graham technique, with the likes of Bob Cohen, William Luther, Jane Dudley and Anthony Van Laast as his teacher/mentors that have been his springboard from which he has developed his unique style and genre, consequently becoming one of our most acclaimed and sought-after International Dancer Teacher and Choreographer. For many years Stewart has been constantly involved in a variety of top West End shows, including Wayne Sleep’s ‘Song and Dance’ as a soloist dancer, and Abbacadabra at Hammersmith Lyric Theatre. He was choreographer for Wayne Sleep’s dance company ‘Dash’ (UK Tour and London Palladium) and soloist dance /guest choreographer for the award winning BBC tv series “The Hot Shoe Show”, joint- choreographer on ‘The Wiz’ at the Hammersmith Lyric Theatre, and featured as a soloist dancer in Johnny Depp’s film ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. Choreographing Pop promo’s for artists such as David Grant, Elton John, Kid Creole, and working exclusively with Kate Bush over the last 30 years as a dancer and a choreographic consultant have also been fitted in to an already busy schedule. He also had his own dance series on Channel 4, along with Claude-Paul Henry, called ‘Streets Ahead’, and toured Europe along with Anthony Van Laast and Claude-Paul with their own Dance Company called ‘Souls in Motion’ performing at Sadlers Wells, and took his own concept musical ‘Dancing and Singing the Blues’ on the same European circuit directing as well as choreographing the show.
As a teacher Stewart was one of the founder/pioneer teachers at the famous Pineapple Studio in London where he taught for over 15 years with people attending his classes from all over Europe. He taught master- classes and workshops all over Europe, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Portugal as well as Japan and the UK for schools and academies such as ‘Mudra’(Maurice Bejart), Ballet Academy-Sweden, Elmhurst Royal Ballet School, Royal Academy of Dance, Arts Education (Tring and London), Bodyworks Studios (Cambridge) where he taught Louise Spence of Pineapple fame, Northern School of Contemporary Dance (also teaching Mel B of the Spice Girls), Urdang Academy, London Studio Centre, Bird College, Central School of Ballet, Performers College and Masters College of Performing Arts.
As a Director Stewart co-founded, directed and danced in Jazz Theatre Gothenburg in Sweden, Aspects of Dance (Hackney Empire – London), Dancing and Singing the Blues (European Tour), Hard Rock Jazz Café (Theatre Talia-Gothenburg, Sweden). 2018, he was back on stage as a soloist dancer/choreographer for the 40 year Tribute for Kate Bush ‘The Kick Inside’ album at Islington Assembly Hall (London) and The Grand (Wolverhampton).
As an artist Stewart is a unique innovator, whose work is a combination of old and new school, along with a spiritual and artistic richness which makes his work relevant, different and essential not only to the industry but also a great basis for anyone who works with him to start or enhance their creative and technical development as performers in their own right.
Stewart has choreographed for the last 10 years at Move It (Olympia/Excel) with great success and is also one of the founder choreographers at Can You Dance since its inception. Stewart is in huge demand as a teacher and choreographer across the UK.