About

The school offers classes in Ballet, Modern/Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre and Body Conditioning for children from three years of age. Pupils are entered for the ISTD examinations from Pre Primary to Advanced level in Ballet, Tap and Modern.

Classes are held at 36 Calthorpe Street, Banbury.
Our town centre premises with 2 studios are equipped with barres, mirrors and dance flooring. Both studios are fitted with air conditioning.

In addition to exam work a dance show is performed every two years by the whole school, and pupils are given the opportunity to appear in local amateur shows and fetes.

Selected pupils can be trained for competition work and national dance and singing are included.

During the holidays, the school arranges “Days of Dance” whereby children have the chance to study a different genre and also be taught by guest teachers.

Susan Taylor – Principal

Susan has been teaching for over 35 years and is a fellow of the ISTD in both Tap and Modern. She also holds the certificate in Dance Education in Ballet, Tap, Modern and National Dance and has taken many written exams in Anatomy and Physiology.

Susan has choreographed for many local societies, shows include: Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Hello Dolly, Singing in the Rain, Peter Pan, Oliver, Pickwick, Merry England and Guys and Dolls.

Recently Susan has adjudicated a dance festival and now has many other future bookings.

Susan taught AS and A level performing arts at Sibford School.

In 2011 the School will celebrated it’s 40th Birthday and it is only hoped that it will go onto thrive for another 40 years to come.

2012 – Miss Taylor is now a Tap and Modern Examiner for the ISTD and is also a British Federation Adjudicator

Kate Wolstencroft – Teacher

Kate trained at The Susan Taylor Dancing Academy from a young age before continuing her training at The Judith Hockaday College, Swindon. She completed graded and major examinations in ISTD ballet, tap, modern and national and has also gained her FDI and CDE teaching qualifications with the ISTD in Ballet, Tap Modern and National.

She is now teaching full time for The Susan Taylor Dancing Academy.

Kate has taken part in many local productions with BOS, BCP and Lynden players gaining a vast performing background alongside numerous dance productions both locally and in Swindon. In previous years she has choreographed 2 musicals for YOBOS (Hairspray – 2011 & Rent – 2012)

Miss Kate has been in charge of running the Musical Theatre classes at STDA and has produced several shows in recent years.