Our Academy Team
Willson Academy of Performing Arts opened its doors for the first time in September 2005. We now have over 200 pupils taking part in dance classes ranging from Ballet, Modern, Tap, Street, Cheer, Ballet, Show Class and Musical Theatre.
All teachers are fully qualified and all have an enhanced CRB/DBS Checks.
We offer a varied timetable for children of all ages and follow the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) syllabus.
Willson Academy has a fantastic team of professional and enthusiastic teachers with a wealth of knowledge and experience in their particular genre. Classes take place at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School in New Malden on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and at Richard Challoner School in New Malden on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Meet Your Teachers
Miss Willson – Principal, Ballet/Musical Theatre/Show Class
Miss Willson has been dancing since the age of 5 and is trained in all aspects of dance. Progressing from the Barbara Lynn School of Dancing, she learnt the tools of her trade by joining local amateur dramatic companies, where she progressed from dancing in the chorus to principal roles including Polly in ‘Crazy For You’ and Lillie Langtry in ‘Oscar the Musical’.
Her professional training was at the ‘Guildford School of Acting’ where she completed a three-year BA degree in Musical Theatre.
Her favourite professional roles were ‘Christine’ in the German production of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and Sally in ‘Me and My Girl’.
Miss Willson teaches at Corpus Christi School where she is thoroughly enjoying her role as Music Specialist. Partnership with Richard Challoner School continues to thrive and the new Performing Arts BTEC Level 3 course is well underway.
This will be a bridge for many of Willson Academy students who go to Richard Challoner sixth form, the opportunity to continue their training in the arts and progress further to established drama schools such as GSA/PPA.
Miss Kelly Neilson – Tap/Modern
Miss Kelly started dancing at the age of 3 at North Cheam Stage and Ballet School. She started helping with classes aged 11 and went on to qualify as a teacher with the IDTA in 2002.
Miss Kelly has been teaching tap at Willson Academy from the opening of the school. She also teaches at North Cheam Academy of Dance.
Miss Kelly’s full-time job is a Primary School teacher and she currently teaches year 4.
She has been performing and dancing in a variety of local shows with a range of performing companies since the age of 13.
Miss Kelly has been choreographing dances for amateur dramatic and performance groups for the last 15 years and has organised, promoted and run the Hinchley Manor Operatic Society’s Summer Workshop for 13 years. She is currently Chair of the main HMOS society.
Miss Sam – Cheerleading/Modern
Miss Sam has been dancing since the age of 4 and has trained in all styles of dance.
She has performed in many musicals as a principal dancer, including 42nd Street, Footloose, Grease and Copacabana.
Miss Sam has a Guildhall drama qualification and has enjoyed some professional TV appearances in commercials and soaps. Her favourite role was working alongside Johnny Depp in the film ‘Dark Shadows’.
She is a proud mother to two children who also perform. Her son, Tommy, starring in the ITV Drama ‘The Guilty’, and her daughter, Amelia, in ‘Downton Abbey’. They have also starred in many adverts.
Miss Sam has choreographed several shows for local theatres, some of which have given WA students the opportunity to perform.
Miss Stephanie – Ballet
Stephanie has been dancing since the age of 3 and has trained in ballet, tap, modern and stage. She began her training at several dance schools in Birmingham where she grew up and where she became an assistant teacher so that she could begin working towards her teaching qualifications in various dance disciplines.
She took a break from her dancing career to obtain her BA in French and then worked as an international flight attendant. She currently works in a local French school part-time.
She resumed her dance studies and specialised in teaching ballet obtaining her Associate in Ballet from the IDTA. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to take over all the ballet classes on Saturdays while Miss Willson was in the States and is now a permanent member of the WA teaching team. She also attends ballet, tap and jazz classes for her own enjoyment.
Miss Josie Hazell – Ballet
Miss Josie has been dancing since the age of three; trained in ballet, tap, modern, musical theatre and freestyle.
She began her training at Denise Winmill School of Dance, where she assisted in ballet classes for 8 years and taught tap and modern for 2 years before leaving for university.
Miss Josie joined the Musical Theatre class at Willson Academy when she was 15.
She has the IDTA Associate qualification in Freestyle Dance and a degree in Musical Theatre from The University of Chichester.
She choreographed Sister Act for Hinchley Manor Operatic Society in 2015 which won the National Operatic and Dramatic Association award for Best Musical and is now Head of Dance and Head of Year 13 at the Holy Cross School.
Miss Georgie – Musical Theatre
Miss Georgie has been dancing since before she was three; trained in ballet, tap, modern and musical theatre.
She began her training at Denise Winmill School of Dance, and joined the musical theatre class at Willson Academy when it opened in 2005 and later joined ballet, tap and modern classes. She assisted with musical theatre and ballet classes and was the dance captain for the WA shows in 2013 and 2015 before going to university to study for a degree in Drama and Theatre Studies. Georgie performed in a number of musicals directed and choreographed by Miss Willson with her favourite roles being Sandy in Grease and Miss Trunchbull in Matilda. Miss Georgie also uses her creative skills producing the WA show programmes and has been doing so since 2015.
Did you Know?
Willson Academy has a fantastic team of professional and enthusiastic teachers with a wealth of knowledge and experience in their particular genre. Classes take place at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School in New Malden on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and at Richard Challoner School in New Malden on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
All teachers are fully qualified and all have an enhanced CRB/DBS Checks.
We offer a varied timetable for children of all ages and follow the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) syllabus.
Our aim is to provide a well structured theatrical curriculum within a caring atmosphere, where young children and students can develop their love of dance and theatre, whether for enjoyment or as the basis for a professional career.
As ballet is the strong foundation for all dance genres, we start our very young budding ballerinas with Melody Bear First Ballet classes, which are specifically geared towards young children developing a natural love of dance and movement. This then leads to the beginning of preparatory ballet and formal classes. We have also added Tip Tap Toe / Prep Tap and Groovy Moves Modern classes for our budding young dancers, which work alongside and compliment Melody Bear first ballet.
Get in Touch
Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School,
Chestnut Grove, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3JU
Richard Challoner School
Manor Drive North, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 5PE