Meet the Team
Sherrie Pennington
Sherrie is Legat's Director of Dance. Sherrie trained at Laine Theatre Arts and graduated with an honours musical theatre diploma as well as gaining ISTD teaching qualifications in modern, ballet, tap and national dance.
Having danced from an early age performing in numerous pantomimes and summer seasons she made her West End debut at the age of 14 in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the London Palladium. Sherrie has gone on to appear in numerous West End Shows including Disney's Beauty and the Beast , Mamma Mia, The Producers, The Drowsy Chaperone, Singin In The Rain, Hello Dolly, Legally Blonde and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
On the touring and repertory circuit, Sherrie has performed in West Side Story, The Music Man, Me and My Girl, Sweet Charity, White Christmas, My Fair Lady and Babes In Arms.
Most recently, Sherrie appeared in the live production of The Sound of Music for ITV, Mamma Mia Here We Go Again for Universal Pictures, Oklahoma as part of the BBC Proms, Sanditon for ITV and Film Four’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Sherrie has taught at many prestigious institutions including The Guildford School of Acting, Hurtwood House and St John’s School in Leatherhead.
Emma Manes
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 Kendall
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.
Winifred Burnet-Smith
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 Martin
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 Nelson
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.