Meet the Team

Emma trained at Tring Park, and then The Royal Ballet School on the Teachers Training Course.

She went on to tour Europe and Asia playing the lead role of the ‘Queen’ in Matthew Bourne’s ‘Swan Lake’. 

She danced in numerous productions at The Royal Opera House, with the Royal Opera Company and at the Coliseum with English National Opera (credits include: La Traviata, Samson and Delilah, Onegin and Cyrano de Bergerac).

Emma toured the UK with Vienna Festival Ballet Company and spent a year in Portugal performing in a show dedicated to the fado singer ‘Amalia’.

Emma was Head of Dance for Phoenix Theatre Arts Project which she co-founded and managed.

Emma has over 20 years of teaching experience having taught for The Royal Ballet, National Youth Ballet, Hofesh Shechter, the Royal Academy of Dance, and is a RAD Mentor on the RAD CBTS programme for trainee teachers. She has also been teaching in the local area for 12 years entering students for their RAD exams.

She has performed in feature films, and worked on television and performed in adverts and promotions for the BBC, ITV and Sky.  She has a BTEC in Sports and Remedial Massage therapy from the London School of Sports Massage.

Emma currently teaches ballet at Bede’s Prep School and Senior School, and runs The Bede’s Legat Associate Programme on Saturdays.

Amira started dancing at the age of 3 at her local dance school. When she was 16 she left home to further her professional dancing career and trained for 4 years at Performers College in Essex whilst also gaining teaching qualifications with the ISTD.

She then graduated and has been lucky enough to work professionally on TV, theatre and around the world. Alongside performing Amira has taught at many different dance schools around Sussex and is now delighted to be teaching pupils at Bede’s. 

Claire trained with the Royal Ballet School Associates for 8 years and performed with them at many events including MoveIt and various outreach performances. Here she was selected to perform with The Australian Ballet at The London Coliseum in their version of Swan Lake during their 2005 international tour, making her professional debut at age 10. During this time she also trained and toured with The London Russian Ballet School, performing her debut Principal role in Le Spectre de la Rose. Here she also performed Soloist and Corps de Ballet roles in many Russian versions of the traditional classical ballets in locations such as The Hurlingham Club and City Hall for the Mayor of London. She then went on to study at Central School of Ballet for three years in classical ballet, contemporary and jazz and performed with Ballet Central on their UK tour, graduating with a BA(Hons) Degree in Professional Dance and Performance. Claire then moved to Switzerland to perform with the Cinevox Junior Company for two years. Here she performed Principal and Soloist roles in classical, neo-classical and contemporary styles in their national tours, and had the opportunity to have her own choreographic work performed on stage.

Whilst in Switzerland, she not only performed and taught ballet classes in the local area, but was selected be a dancer-model for the fashion brand Tods, where she co-choreographed and performed for their advert campaign. Since returning to London she has immersed herself in teaching for various schools and colleges. She continues her freelance performing, including performances with The London Festival Opera, Classical Spectacular at The Royal Albert Hall with The London Philharmonic Orchestra and performances for members of the Chinese Embassy. She has also performed many roles as a dancer-model for several high profile brands including Apple, Hyundai and Canon and performed at a fashion show with Scuderia Ferrari, having also featured in multiple times in Vogue Italia. She is a passionate and caring teacher and is delighted to be teaching at Bede’s.

Winifred trained at Arts Educational, Rambert School, Ecole Supérieure de Danse de Cannes and Codarts Rotterdam.

Winifred began her dance career with the Dutch company Galili Dans and then went on to join Russell Maliphant company.

In 2007 she became a founding member of the Hofesh Shechter company where she remained as a dancer for 10 years. While in the company she was part of the creations for In your rooms, The Art of Not Looking Back, Political Mother, Sun and Barbarians. From 2012 she became Rehearsal Assistant to Hofesh, assisting him on his creations and re staging his works on international dance companies such as Royal Ballet of Flanders and Nederlands Dans Theater. 

In 2017 Winifred was assistant choreographer to Ben Duke’s Goat that was made for Rambert and in 2018 she became part of the artistic team working across Rambert 1 and Rambert 2.

In 2019 she returned to Hofesh Shechter Company as a dancer to be part of the creation for Double Murder. Winifred was Assistant Choreographer for Ben Duke’s creation of Cerberus for Rambert in 2022. Recently she has worked on Rambert’s production of Peaky Blinders as part of the Artistic Team and as Assistant Choreographer for Lost Dog’s production of Ruination at the Linbury Theatre.
 

Gabby started dancing locally when she was just 4 years old and joined Legat when she was 11. She won a scholarship to both Bedes and Stagecoach, the latter leading to the opportunity to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and in a production of the La Traviata Opera. During this time, she was also part of The London Children’s Ballet, performing in their production of ‘The Secret Garden’ at the Peacock Theatre, London. 

Upon leaving Legat, Gabby trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance where she performed works by, among others, Mark Baldwin, Robert Cohan and Darren Ellis. After graduating she embarked on a freelance career, working with the likes of Jennifer Irons, Natalie Bell Company (as part of GradLab), Company Wessex, Ballet Soul, and Bernardi Music Group. She has also appeared in fashion films and a music video and performed as part of art installations for the sculptor Tuli Litvak, at both the Central St Martins degree show, and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Gabby is currently undertaking an Open University Degree in Natural Sciences and is also a fully qualified Personal Trainer. She discovered her love for teaching through personal training and teaching company class. She is excited to be back in the Legat studios to teach Rambert Grades.
 

Lucy trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and then completed her RAD Ballet teacher training with the Royal Academy of Dance. 

She has worked professionally as a dancer and choreographer with many companies including the Brighton Dance Network, Nu Tempo Dance Company, Ijad Dance Company, Stuart Thomas Dances, Diadon Dance and Moving Visions Dance Theatre.

Lucy has taught ballet and contemporary at Pleasing School of Dance in London, Art of Dance, Dance2Advance training other teachers on the ISTD DDE Programme, Rennie Dance Academy and established her own school Leap and Bound in Brighton. 

Lucy will be teaching contemporary on our Legat Programme and inspiring the students with her knowledge and expertise.