Our People

We are proud to be a world class centre of excellence for the training and education of classical ballet dancers where graduating students are prepared to secure contracts with national and international ballet companies. Teachers come from successful professional dance backgrounds and teach with passion and commitment.

Jessica Ward

Principal

Jessica trained as a contemporary dancer and choreographer at Trinity Laban and went on to perform with their resident company, Transitions, among other freelance projects. Having sustained an injury during her dance career, she took the opportunity to pursue her other passion – teaching. She taught dance in a number of schools and colleges as well as holding senior appointments in London Secondary Schools before joining Elmhurst Ballet School as Principal in 2010.

Jessica has always had a passion and interest in choreography and has enjoyed creating work for a number of youth companies including the award winning team at The Grange Opera.

In her role as Principal, Jessica is the Chair of the national Music and Dance Scheme school’s head teachers group and is involved in a number of other networks to support the development of Elmhurst, including being a committee member of the Society of Heads. Jessica is a Team Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Ofsted have described her as a ‘highly effective leader’. In 2021, Jessica also joined the New Adventures' Board of Trustees. 

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Prof John Bryson

Kirsty Cartwright

Pearl Chesterman

Sarah Evans OBE

Jenny Hardy

James Harris

Chair

Brandon Lawrence

Alison Matthews

Prof Matt Wyon

Michele Lawrence

Ian Lowe

Carlos Acosta CBE

Vice President

Sir David Bintley CBE

Artistic Advisor

Maina Gielgud

Vice President

Desmond Kelly

Artistic Advisor

Wayne McGregor CBE

Vice President

Dame Merle Park

Vice President

Sir Peter Wright

Vice President

Lucy Caddick

Director of Finance and Operations

Robert Parker

Artistic Director

Manpreet Sambhi

Assistant Principal- Academics

Sabina Storrod

Director of Business Development

Sara Wells

Vice Principal

Denise Whiteman

Director of Dance Training

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Dance Project Co-Ordinator and KS4 Leader

William Rowsley

Houseparent - Mortimer House, Progress Leader (Key Stage 3) and DSL

Kieran Grinnell

Facilities Manager

Simon Housley

Teacher in charge of Science and Head of Data and Assessment

Liz Innis

HR Officer

Michelle Lester

Teacher in charge of English and KS5 Progress Leader

Jennifer MacNamara

Head of Contemporary, Jazz and Related Dance Styles

Jeanette Mould

Cleaning Supervisor and Receptionist; Birmingham Young Dancers

Dudley Ray

Director of Music

Lesley-Anne Tulley

Head of Pastoral Care (Lower School), Houseparent - Fischer House and DSL

Nico Kolokythas

Head of Research and Performance

Joe Roberts

Teacher in charge of Languages and Staff Induction Lead

Tracy Cowper

Head of Upper School Boarding and DSL

Judith Coe

Head of Health and Wellbeing

Joshua Barwick

Ballet Teacher

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Jazz Teacher

Sonia Fajardo

Ballet Teacher

Ana Garcia

Flamenco Teacher

Gloria Grigolato

Ballet Teacher

James Grundy

Ballet Teacher

Nicky Linzie

Ballet Teacher

Jennifer MacNamara

Head of Contemporary, Jazz and related dance styles

Sandrine Monin

Contemporary Teacher

Robert Parker

Artistic Director

Michael Raynaud

Ballet Teacher

Indra Reinholde

Choreography Teacher

Lee Robinson

Ballet Teacher

Andrea Tredinnick

Ballet Teacher

Denise Whiteman

Director of Dance Training

Lei Zhao

Ballet Teacher

Denise Whiteman

Ballet Teacher - Birmingham

Ann Atkinson

Ballet Teacher - Sunderland

Sarah-Jayne Blackwell

Jazz Teacher - Birmingham

Alexandra Howarth

Ballet Teacher - Birmingham

Marion Lindsay

Ballet Teacher - Plymouth

Nicky Linzie

Ballet Teacher - Birmingham

Alexandra Sherman 

Ballet Teacher- Birmingham 

Andrea Tredinnick

Danielle Kane

Rosie Price

Ballet Teacher - Birmingham

Ballet Teacher- Manchester

Ballet Teacher- Birmingham

Laura Green 

RAD Syllabus Tutor, Ballet Teacher- Birmingham

Sandrine Monin 

Contemporary Teacher

Victoria Thornton

Ballet Teacher- Birmingham 

Mary Walsh

Ballet Teacher- Birmingham 

Helen Beddows

Teacher in charge of Art

Danielle Grieve-Carter

Teacher of English

Claire Hardeman 

Teacher of Science 

Simon Housley

Teacher in charge of Science, Head of Data and Assessment

Katharine Perl

Teacher in charge of Drama

Rozalyn McComish

Teacher in charge of History and RE, Health and Wellbeing Teacher

Siham Mohamud

Teacher in charge of History and RE (Maternity Cover)

Joseph Roberts

Teacher in charge of Languages and Staff Induction Project Lead

Elizabeth Ahmed 

EAL/EFL Teacher 

Michelle Lester

Teacher in charge of English and Progress Leader

Manpreet Sambhi

Assistant Principal- Academics 

Lucy Wensley 

Teacher in charge of Geography 

Helen Pollard

SEND Lead

Liz Woehrling 

Laboratory Technician

 

 

Dudley Ray

Director of Music

Felicity Davies

Singing Teacher

Miriam Taylor

Cello Teacher

Peter Allsopp

Accompanist for the Sunderland Young Dancers Programme 

Stephen Crewes

Pianist and Accompanist for the Birmingham Young Dancers Programme 

Yijiao Feng

Pianist (Casual)

Peter Flower

Pianist - Music Resources Co-ordinator

Elaine Li

Pianist

Dominic Mason

Pianist

Mikael Pettersson

Head of Accompanying and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Pianist Placement Scheme Coordinator

Bogdan Suciu

Pianist (Casual)

Ana Wheeler 

Pianist (Part-Time)

Asty Allen

Pianist

Yen Lee

Pianist

Zhijun Ni 

Pianist (Casual)

Roman Kosyakov

Pianist (Casual)

Andrew Bland 

Pianist (Casual)

Venesca Yapson

Pianist (Casual)

Yin Yu

Pianist (Casual)

Jiayi Chen

Pianist (Casual)

Martina Cuevas Cuevas

Pianist (Casual)

Ishan Bhadra 

Pianist (Part-Time)

Margaret Green

Accompanist for the Plymouth Young Dancers Programme 

Chia-Yuan Kuo 

Pianist (Casual) and Accompanist for the Manchester Young Dancers Programme

Lesley-Anne Tulley 

Head of Pastoral Care and Boarding (Lower School) and Houseparent- Fischer 

Charlotte Pitts 

Deputy Houseparent- Fischer 

Will Rowsley

Houseparent- Mortimer and Progress Leader (Key Stage 3) 

Debra Smith 

Deputy Houseparent- Mortimer 

Dr Sue Barbour 

Houseparent- Park 

Naomi Maze 

Deputy Houseparent- Park 

Claire Allen

Houseparent- Hetherington 

Sean Graham 

Deputy Houseparent- Hetherington 

Tracy Cowper 

Head of Upper School Boarding and Houseparent- The Elms

Amy Nock

Deputy Houseparent- The Elms 

Diane Fox 

Deputy Houseparent- Casual 

Gemma Amphlett 

Deputy Houseparent- (Bank)- The Elms 

Raluca-Ioana Mihaila

Deputy Houseparent (across all houses)

Judith Coe

Head of Health and Wellbeing 

Kirsty Haywood

Healthcare Assistant

Janet Hinds 

Healthcare Assistant

Hayley James 

Registered Mental Health Nurse 

Rachel English

Dance Rehabilitation Coach

Samantha Gavrovski 

Physiotherapist 

Dr Parveen Bangher

GP

Dr Wakeel Jamil

GP

Emma-Louise Hodgson

Independent Student Advocate

John Needham

Independent Student Advocate

Hannah Windows 

Registered School Counsellor 

Izzy Greaves 

Soft Tissue Therapist

Sabina Storrod

Director of Business Development

Zoe Baxter 

Head of Fundraising 

Alice Gibbins 

Development Events Executive 

Katie Butcher 

Social Media Executive (Part-Time) 

Louise Gale

Graphic Designer

Simon Harper

PR Advisor

Liz Innis

HR Officer

Kirsty Graham

School Receptionist/Administrator

Charlotte Hooper 

School Receptionist/Administrator (Mornings)

Natalie Timbrell 

SIMS & School Administrator 

Renata Ratajova 

Executive Assistant 

Sarah Bastock

Awais Ali 

Di Wardle 

Purchase Ledger and Accounts Officer 

Finance Officer 

Finance Manager (Casual)

Rachal Torrance

Registrar

Nathan Mclaren

IT Technician 

Daniel Stevenson

Weekend Locking-up Attendant 

Paul Stevenson 

Residential Caretaker 

Kieran Harkin

Catering Manager 

Halimo Omar 

Cleaner

Sian Martin

Laundry Assistant (Part-Time)

                                                                      

Nico Kolokythas

Head of Research and Performance 

Trudy Bayliss

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (Placement)

Raluca-Ioana Mihaila

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (Placement)

Michelle Dwarika 

PHD Student 

 

@ElmhurstBallet Sponsor a Seat in our Theatre today in support and celebration of our centenary year! Please visit our website fo… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… Read More

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