ABOUT BEATS
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Beats Dance is a vibrant and passionate community dedicated to nurturing talent and fostering a love for dance. We offer a wide range of classes in various styles from Ballet to Street Dance to dancers of all ages and abilities. Our mission is to provide high-quality dance education in a supportive and inspiring environment, encouraging our students to reach their full potential.
At Beats we are dedicated to nurturing the confidence and self-esteem of our young dancers. Through personalised instruction, supportive encouragement and a positive learning environment, we aim to empower each student to express themselves freely and develop a strong sense of self. Our goal is for every dancer to not only grow in their technical skills but also to feel confident in who they are, both on and off the dance floor. All weekday classes are held at Mulberry Park Hub, Bath. Saturday classes run from Mulberry Park Hub and St. Luke's Church. |
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There is the opportunity to take exams for those who wish to and there is a whole heap of performance opportunities including; The Bath Carnival, The Polar Express and our Annual Summer Show where dancers can work towards something fabulous and show off their wonderful talent and hard work!
For adults who want to dance you will find the classes relaxed, friendly and inclusive. Whether you have always danced, did a little when you were younger or have no dance experience at all you are very welcome to come and dance with us! Whether you want to improve your technique, get fitter or just want to have a little fun please drop us a line. |
THE TEAM
Fiona Rochford - Principal
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Hi, I'm Fi and I am a fully qualified Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary and Acro teacher.
I trained at The Legat School of Classical Ballet and The Northern School of Contemporary Dance and am a qualified ISTD teacher. I am LAMDA trained to Gold in acting and a Certified Acrobatic Arts instructor. I am also a qualified physiotherapist and so have advanced knowledge of anatomy and injury awareness and prevention. To me there is nothing so powerful as people coming together to dance. Dance is my passion. I love helping children and adults improve their technique and see their confidence grow. My teaching style is fun and upbeat. I embrace my students’ passion for dance and encourage freedom of expression. |
Xavier De Santos - Vice Principal
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Hey, Xavier De Santos here, but everyone calls me Xavi. I am a Bath-based movement artist, focusing on performance, choreography, movement directing, and education.
My training started in Balleteatro in my home town, Porto, Portugal where I trained in dance and physical theatre for three years. I then moved to the UK, and gained a first-class BA (hons) degree from Bath Spa University in Dance, where I am now an associate lecturer for the Acting and Dance degree. Most recently, I completed a Master's in Professional Arts Practice (Performance) at Middlesex University, London, which allowed me to research and develop my interdisciplinary devising and choreographic practice. For the last seven years, it has been a great pleasure to be part of the Beats Dance family, where I teach weekly classes within a variety of dance styles, motivating and inspiring children and adults to do what we love most - dance! To find out more about myself and my work, you can visit my website at www.xavierdesantos.com, or feel free to come and try a class with me! |
Steph Conder - Street & Contemporary Dance Teacher
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I am a Bath/Bristol based freelance dance teacher and performer. I am self trained in Street/Commercial dance, specialising in Popping and Locking and I am also trained in Contemporary dance.
My passion for dance started with copying videos and trying to figure out how to moonwalk in my bedroom. It then grew to practicing all street styles and wanting to explore it has a career. This brought me to get achieve my Level 3 Diploma in Supporting the Teaching and Learning of Dance and Physical Education and then to graduating from Bath Spa with a first class degree in Contemporary Dance. My love for teaching has always been strong but as I continue to work with Beats it just becomes greater. We are creating a beautiful community of dance which encourages all dancers to do what they love! |
Freya Catchpool - Ballet, Tap, Jazz & Pilates Teacher
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Hi, I'm Freya. I am a Bath born and bred dancer who began my training in Ballet and Tap at the age of three. I trained in Ballet, Tap and Contemporary at my local dance school before continuing my development on the Contemporary course at Swindon Youth Dance Academy. I then went on to Bath Dance College were my full time training really strengthened my technical knowledge and performance skills. This led me to Performers College in Essex where I graduated with a degree in Musical Theatre Dance.
Since graduating I have been lucky enough to work professionally for the past three years both in the UK and abroad. Alongside performing I discovered a real passion for Pilates during my training which inspired me to qualify as a Pilates instructor to further support dancers' strength, alignment and overall wellbeing. I am so excited to be joining the team at Beats Dance and can't wait to share my love for dance and fitness while getting to know all the wonderful students. |
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Ricky North - Tumbling & Acro
Hi, I'm Ricky! I've been coaching gymnastics for over 10 years and have recently stepped into the world of Acro and Tumbling. I'm passionate about developing strength, confidence and solid foundations in my athletes, while making training both challenging and enjoyable. |
Nancy Adams - Ballet & Musical Theatre
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I was bitten by the dance bug at the age of three, starting ballet in Bath and going on to complete my RAD ballet grades. Having this foundation of dance led me to many exciting things, including competing in rhythmic gymnastics during my early teenage years.
More recently, I have enjoyed learning tap and building on my dance skills as an adult. Combining my love for dance with singing is what first introduced me to musical theatre. I have also enjoyed competing as a county soloist and singing in various choirs over the years. I have been lucky to perform roles such as Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods, Taylor McKessie in High School Musical and Sister Berthe in Sound of Music. Most recently, I played the Strawberry Seller and understudied Bet in Oliver! at the Theatre Royal in Bath with Bath Light Operatic Group. I am so excited to be teaching at Beats and I love being a part of such a warm, inspiring and dance-driven community! |
