Events, News & Student Success
TDS EVENTS
THE DANCE STUDIO ANNUAL SHOW 2024
CAN YOU DANCE? NORTHERN IRELAND
THE DANCE AWARDS
On Saturday 5th October we were honoured to attend the very first invitational dance awards ceremony held in Northern Ireland at the Culloden Estate and Spa. The Dance Studio were prestigiously awarded
"THE TOP PERFORMING DANCE SCHOOL IN BALLET"
&
"COUNTY DOWN DANCE SCHOOL OF THE YEAR"
What a lovely recognition for our beautiful studio, hard working pupils, dedicated families. Congratulations everyone!
RECENT NEWS
Congratulations to our girls who recently made their debut at competition. The results were outstanding with every single entry from The Dance Studio finishing the season with a 1st place or an overall award. We could not be any prouder of you all, TDSX
ULSTER FUSION CHAMPIONS 2024
🥇Adult Jazz Large Team “One Night”
🥇Senior Lyrical Large Team “Rescue”
🥇Junior Jazz Small Team “Celebrate”
🥇Senior Lyrical Duet “Hometown”
🥈Junior Lyrical Team “Turn to Stone”
🏆Highest Senior Scoring Team “Rescue”
🏆Highest Score Across The Entire Senior Division “Rescue”
🏆Highest Adult Scoring Team “One Night”
🏆Highest Score Across The Entire Adult Division“One Night”
🏆Highest Junior Scoring Team “Celebrate”
🏆Highest Score Across The Entire Junior Division “Celebrate”
🏆Bring It On Champion, Evie McClements
🏆Highest Score across all senior duets, trios & quads “Hometown”
NICMAC CHAMPIONS 2024
🥇Junior Lyrical Team “Turn to Stone”
🥇Mixed Jazz Standard Team “One Night”
🥈Senior Lyrical Standard Team “Rescue”
🏆Hit the Floor Champion, Corinna Meier
🏆The Philpott Shield “One Night”
🏆The Strand Arts Cup “Turn to Stone”
✨4th Place Junior Jazz Team “Celebrate”
✨Top 7 Hit The Floor, Emily Robinson
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES
Katie McCullough
Katie joined The Dance Studio when she was 8 years old starting with jazz before later trying ballet at 13. By 18 years old she had started training with Northern Ballet School in Manchester and graduated in 2021. Since graduating she has been cast as a professional dancer in the Disney feature film "Disenchanted" and has recently completed a contract as a dancer/vocalist in the musical "We Will rock You" onboard Royal Caribbean ‘Anthem of the Seas’.
"I couldn’t be more grateful for the incredible training and endless support I got from Mr, Mrs and Tameron Drake. I loved my time at The Dance studio. They made classes so enjoyable and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it".
John Mclean
Congratulations to TDS past pupil John Mclean. John trained in classical ballet and jazz at The Dance Studio before gaining a full time place to study dance at Bird College.
In 2019 he performed live at 'The Brit Awards' with the artist 'Pink' describing it as "the most surreal moment in my life. I can't describe the feeling I got dancing on stage beside Pink". Since graduating as a professional dancer John has appeared in multiple advertisements, modelling shoots, London Fashion Week and music videos including "Love me more" by Sam Smith. We could not be prouder of his success.
Emily Egan
Emily danced at The Dance Studio from 3 - 18 years old. When she turned 15, she became interested in pursuing a career in dance teaching and began assisting with Mrs Drake on a Saturday morning. After leaving TDS she moved to London to study Ballet Education at the Royal Academy of Dance, from which she graduated in 2020 with first class honours. After graduating as a qualified Ballet teacher Emily taught in London for three years in various settings, successfully preparing many students for RAD examinations. This summer she will be moving to the United Arab Emirates to work for Turning Pointe Dance School in Dubai.
"This is such an exciting opportunity that would not have been possible without TDS. I cannot thank Mr and Mrs Drake enough for the years of excellent training which made it possible for me to pursue my dreams and achieve my goals. I danced with Mr and Mrs Drake from aged 3 and loved every moment of it".
Molly Campbell
Congratulations to Molly Campbell who has been offered a full-time place at LMA to starting September 2024.
"For as long as I can remember I have dreamt of becoming a professional dancer. Thanks to Mr & Mrs drake, I was able to receive amazing ballet training which prepared me in furthering my dance education. They have also helped push me to gain the highest marks I could in my RAD ballet exams. I am also extremely grateful to both Miss Tameron and Miss Nicole who have helped me learn new skills in Jazz class and also make me a much more confident person and dancer. Without the amazing teachers at TDS I would not have made it to where I am today. Thank you!".
Madison Moss
Madison trained at The Dance Studio for five years before accepting an unconditional offer at Liverpool Hope University to study Dance, Sport and Physical Education. Throughout her degree, Madison worked as a PT in PureGym, building her own brand “Moves With Madz”. Post graduation, she will be taking over a successful dance school based in Liverpool. This will be named “Miss Madison’s School of Dance” offering ballet, contemporary and jazz classes.
"Really, I have Mr Drake, Mrs Drake and Tameron Drake to thank as they helped to build my self-confidence alongside my dance ability and technique. They always gave me the best training at TDS and I am so grateful for their constant belief and support that they provided me with to get me to where I am today!"
Katie Killick
Katie Killick danced at The Dance Studio with Mr & Mrs Drake from 3 - 18 years old. In 2020 she graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance in London and is now teaching professionally, alongside another one of our successful past pupils Melissa Logan, at Chelsea Ballet Schools.
Alongside her teaching career, Katie has gained a wealth of experience & opportunities training under top industry choreographers such as Ricky Jinks (Company Jinks). We are delighted to have Katie regularly fly over to deliver classes for us as a guest teacher during our TDS annual summer scheme.
Charlotte Ballantine
Charlotte trained at TDS under Mr & Mrs Drake in ballet & jazz from 3-18 years old. At 18 she auditioned and gained a three year scholarship place to attend Stella Mann College of Performing Arts in Bedford. Since graduating, Charlotte has had much success working as a professional dancer on board cruise ships travelling around the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Northern Europe including Saga's Spirit of Adventure and the Costa Pacifica. She has most recently embarked the MSC Grandiosa with the Carousel Cast where she has also been made Dance Captain & is truly living her dreams travelling the world as a professional dancer.
"I honestly could never thank Mr and Mrs Drake, and Tameron, enough for their teaching, encouragement and support. The Dance Studio was my life for so many years, it is very special to me; and I bring the Drake's incredible teaching into every professional contract I undertake. They also gave me the chance to help teach younger dancers, which I loved. I made the most amazing lifelong friends at TDS, through our love of dance. I will always remember my time at The Dance Studio so fondly".
Molly Caven
Molly trained from age 3 - 18 years old at The Dance Studio and since has been assisting our classes. This year she is undertaking her dance teaching qualifications with The British Ballet Organisation and Acrobatic Arts.
"I started ballet when I was 3 years old and there was nothing I loved more than coming to dance and getting to see my teachers. I still remember my very first TDS show when I got to dress up as a strawberry, now I am here and still doing TDS shows, but in a slightly different way! Not only did Mr & Mrs Drake help me find my love of dance but they also gave me the opportunity to become an assistant and find my love of teaching. Thank you to Mr & Mrs Drake for everything; for all of the joy, love and opportunities you have provided me with. TDS means the world to me".
Corinna Meier
Corinna trained at The Dance Studio in classical ballet, technical jazz and lyrical from 3 - 18 years old. In 2024 she auditioned and gained a full time place to study at the Royal Academy of Dance Headquarters in London.
"I have enjoyed every moment of my time at The Dance Studio. It has shaped me not only into the dancer, but also into the person that I am today. I cannot thank my teachers enough for the lifelong memories and friends collated at this studio. TDS has provided me with nothing short of excellent training and I am so grateful to now be teaching and assisting alongside the faculty".
& many more who, for example, have attended...
