Susie Millen
Susie trained at The London Studio Centre 2005 where she graduated with a BA hons in Dance Theatre. There she performed in the Jazz Company tour at many theatres across the UK including the Peacock theatre in London. She also choreographed for “Design for Dance” which was performed at the Cochrane Theatre.
She has worked in Portugal as a Line captain and dancer for a show called “Four, The Spirit of the Elements”. In 2008 she went on to do a contract for NCL cruises as an ensemble dancer. She then continued to dance on another cruise ship with Costa cruises. She has also featured in a Vodaphone commercial and various music videos including “Quicksand” by La Roux.
She currently teaches a range of dance styles to children including ballet, jazz, street jazz, musical theatre and gymnastics.
Erin Hayley Jardine
Erin is an exciting and bubbly dancer, choreographer & teacher. She graduated from Telford College (Edinburgh’s Professional Centre of Dance) with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in dance and choreography. Whilst there she worked with the hip hop company Boy Blue Ent for a weeks placement, Ross Cooper of The Curve Dance Company and Ballet West. Erin subsequently trained at London Theatre School on a scholarship for the Commercial Jazz finishing course. She performed at “Move it” and worked for Rosalind Lynch on the Blueprint Bursary Project where she performed at Saddlers Wells and Stratford circus.
Her street dance team Maijaluk won the Scottish Street dancing championships 2009. Her T.V and film credits include the Fulham “don’t stop believing” advert for Channel 5, Street Dance the Movie 3D, British music week for TMF and the T-Mobile Sing-along Advert. She has danced in various music videos with the most recent being Gabreilla Cilmi. Her live Stage and Tour credits include Salon International, Schwarzkopf UK tour, Clynol UK tour and Cinderella 09. Erin recently worked for Beauville Arts in France with children from 8-17 teaching & choreographing their production of “Annie”.
Jenny Hannington
Jenny graduated from Bird College in 2010 with a degree in Dance and Theatre Performance.
Whilst training she played various roles in many productions including ‘Crazy For You’, ‘Avenue Q’ and ‘Nine’ as well as dancing for several prolific guest choreographers.
Jenny has trained in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Tap, and has a keen interest in musical theatre history and its application within teaching.
Her teaching experience includes both dance and musical theatre, with a focus on the Estill singing technique.
Amy Elizabeth
Amy trained at the London Studio Centre in Kings Cross London. She graduated in July 2011 with a BA Honours Degree in Theatre Dance. In the short time since graduating Amy has featured in many different aspects of the dance industry, such as music videos, performing arts teaching and touring. She is a keen choreographer and enjoys choreographing for all ages and abilities.Amy has a passion for inspiring young children and watching them grow in skill and self confidence.
Laura Flanagan
Laura trained at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, graduating with a First Class BA (Hons) in Dance (Performing Arts) and was winner of the LIPA Dance Prize . Most recently Laura performed as a principal dancer in ‘Don’t Stop – A Concert for Gleeks’ at the Manchester Palace Theatre and was in the original company of ‘Seven’, a contemporary dance show, which made its London debut at the Arts Depot.
She has been fortunate enough to have worked with Steve Nestar (Madonna’s principal dancer) and Lavelle Smith Jr (Michael Jackson’s choreographer) as well as various contemporary choreographers. Laura has previously taught for the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts & worked on their Widening Participation programme to introduce dance to the wider community.
Jonathan James Baron,
Johnathan originally from South Africa, has been to and won the United Dance Organisation British, Southern and World street dance championshipsand also came an impressive 2nd at G.W.I finals 2010. He has performed at numerous showcases and big events throughout South Africa and London including The Move It exhibition, aspire showcase, Got To Dance & The UK Hip-Hop Championships.
A passionate and enthusiastic teacher and dancer , Jonathan (or Jay as we like to call him) specialises in Break Dancing and Hip-Hop including:
Locking, Popping, Waving, Tutting, Krumping, Voguing, Wacking, Robot, Isolations, House and New School Lyrical Hip-Hop.
Lisa Kahlen
Lisa began dancing from an early age. Aged eleven she won a scholarship with The Dance School of Scotland, and then at London studio centre at eighteen where she gained a B.A. Honours Degree in Theatre Dance. In her dance career Lisa has been privileged to perform in prestigious venues such as The Royal Albert Hall and the O2 Arena.
She has also had the pleasure of performing for royalty both at home and abroad.
Lisa has trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary and tap. She now enjoys passing her knowledge onto the students she teaches.
Rebecca Barrett – AISTD, ARAD-
Rebecca trained at Northern Ballet School & has international performing and teaching experience. Theatre credits include Wicked- Ensemble and studying Elphaba, Cats- Demeter and Victoria, Contact- Girl on a Swing, English National Ballet, Yamato City Ballet, and European Ballet.
She has performed live as a guest singer for various events including with Brad Rock Music in Tokyo, and for the Meir Panim Charity in London.
Alexandra Scanlan
Alexandra trained at the London School of Musical Theatre, graduating in 2002. Prior to this she studied performing arts at Birmingham University gaining a BA (Hons) in Dance & Theatre Arts.
Previous experience includes performances at the Battersea Barge, the Old Vic Theatre and a season in Austria for Vienna’s English Theatre in “Sugar and Spice”. More recently Alexandra appeared as Puck in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
Alexandra has been teaching dance at various schools and colleges in North London for the last 6 years and is very pleased to be a member of the DDA teaching staff.
Carly Fisher
Carly trained in Dance and Musical Theatre at ‘Dancepoint’ in Scotland from 2005-2008. She then went on to train at Broadway Dance Centre in New York. Her musical debut was playing the role of Serena Katz in the Italian Tour of ‘FAME’ , she has also worked as a dancer on board P&O Cruise Ships
Other credits include: Music video of Katherine Kelly’s single ‘It’s too late’ Coronation Street’s 50th year Anniversary Album (Rogues, Heroes, Angels and Fools), BOP Jazz Company, Dance Captain for Carlisle’s pantomimes for the past 2 years. She choreographed a ‘one night only’ musical – ‘Witchcraft’ that was performed in London at The Broadway Theatre.
Carly loves teaching, choreographing and inspiring the younger generation in all forms of dance and musical theatre.
Caitlin Barnett.
Caitlin trained at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where she graduated with a BA(hons) in Dance (Performing Arts). Since graduating in 2010, Caitlin has gone on to perform and work in various different areas of the performance industry including ITV1 game show ‘Magic Numbers’ , BBC SWITCH teen musical ‘The Rules of Love’ and Secret cinema and Future cinema projects. She is currently a company member of Rhiannon Faith: Dance Theatre and performed with them as part of ‘Resolutions’ at The Place and continues to work with them. As well as performing Caitlin is a keen choreographer and recently choreographed for dance duo Untouched for their London Pride performance.
Anna King
Anna has always had a fierce passion for dance. She graduated from stage school in 2003 with a BA hons in Performing Arts after which she was proudly asked to choreograph a production of “A Wild Party” for Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts. Since then, her professional career has taken her all around the world as a principal dancer and dance captain gracing both stage and screen.
After years of studying many dance styles she has now turned her focus to all forms of Hip Hop and Street Dance developing skills in Locking, Popping, Tutting and Break Dancing to name a few and continuing to reach for inspiration in new techniques. She has been a member of the Nu Flow Crew where she performed, choreographed and directed shows for two years. Now she is writing and directing her own quirky shows for workshops in and around London.
Teaching and choreography experience includes:- Pineapple Dance Studios, Urdang Academy (in association with Capezio Dance Wear), Nu Flow Crew, Feltham Hip Hop Company and First Steps Academy. She is also passionate about her youth work with Feltham Arts Association in Hounslow and Feltham directing shows like ‘A Play in a Day’ at Kew Gardens, Feltham Festival, The New Years Day Parade and Alice Remixed.
Safety is paramountRest assured, all teachers working for Dakoda’s Dance Academy have full and current CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks.