Teachers
Miss Amy O'Doherty
BA (Hons) in Dance Studies with Drama, Theatre and Performance studies; PGCE; DDE
Amy started dancing at the age of three at Jason Theatre School in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Amy studied ISTD Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre, Tap Dance, Jazz and National Dance. Amy completed all of the major examinations with Distinction by the age of 18 and gained the school award for most promising student.
Amy then furthered her studies at University where she gained a BA (Hons) Dance Studies, with Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies. After completing her degree Amy realised that her heart belonged to teaching. Amy actively persued her studies in dance and gained the ISTD Diploma in Dance Instruction (DDI) and the Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) in Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre Dance and Tap dance. Amy studied under the guidance of wonderful practitioners and examiners and she learnt what it meant to be a fantastic teacher.
Miss Amy started teaching at The Brenda Key School of Dance in 2010 where she leads classes in Tap Dance and Modern Theatre. Amy teaches children from 4-18 years old covering all aspects of the ISTD syllabi. Alongside the graded examinations she also teaches and enters children for the major examinations up to, and including, Advanced 2 level. Amy also enjoys teaching an Adult Tap Class on Saturday afternoons.
Amy has dedicated her life to teaching and has pursued a career in education achieving her Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Primary Education. Amy continues to enjoy teaching her dance classes at The Brenda Key School of Dance.
Miss Dimitra Moraiti
BA (Hons) in Ballet Education, ARAD, LRAD, RTS
Dimitra started dancing at the age of three at Tonia’s Venieri Dance School in Athens, Greece. She was accepted at the Athens Children Ballet Company at the age of 13 where she danced for the next 2 years. Dimitra studied RAD Classical Ballet, ISTD Modern Theatre and Jazz, and Contemporary dance.
Dimitra completed all classical ballet vocational examinations with Distinction and danced with the Greek National Opera for 2 year until she accepted a full-time scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dance. At the Royal Academy of Dance Dimitra achieved a first class degree in Ballet Education. Dimitra is a Registered Teacher and was awarded Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance with Distinction, as well as Associate Status.
Dimitra has been fortunate to have the opportunity to study at workshops and senior programmes with artists and dance companies including Rambert, Allain Astie. Virginia Parkinson, Shannon Parker.
Dimitra started teaching at dance schools in South Kensington, Parsons Green, Fulham and Chelsea. During her degree, she studied dance for disabled people and became an active member of Amici Dance Company. Dimitra aspires to continue her training in Dance education and Dance with special needs in the near future.
In 2018, Dimitra auditioned with success for the Pre-Professional school of Birmingham Ballet where she enjoys her weekly training.
Dimitra did her teaching placement at The Brenda Key School of Dance and is delighted to be back as a ballet teacher.
Miss Zara Naeem
BA(HONS) Theatre Dance
Zara began her dance training at the Brenda Key School of Dance when she was 4 years old. Zara competed all graded exams in RAD Ballet and ISTD Tap Dance and Modern Theatre as well vocational level. Alongside her dance classes Zara also trained in singing and acting.
Upon deciding to make dancing her career, Zara accepted a full time place to pursue her studies at London Studio Centre, one of the UK’s leading professional theatre colleges, where she earned a BA(Hons) in Theatre Dance, specialising in Musical Theatre.
Zara is thrilled to be back on home turf as a teacher and hopes to pass on all she has learned to the next generation of budding performers in her jazz theatre classes.
Miss Ioanna Vazelaki
MA BA(HONS) LRAD ARAD RTS
Ioanna started her first ballet classes at the age of three in Athens - Greece, in 2013 she moved to London to continue her dance studies in higher education. In 2017, she completed her teaching qualification (Licentiate of Royal Academy of Dance - LRAD) and vocational ballet training (Advanced 2 Diploma) at RAD Headquarters and she was awarded the title of Associate of Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD). Alongside her ballet studies at the RAD, Ioanna also studied contemporary dance at University of Roehampton and Post graduate in Dance Philosophy and History.
Her teaching experience started at the age of 16, in the context of her music studies at National Music Conservatoire of Athens (Piano and Music Composition) when she had the opportunity to deliver weekly music classes (piano, music theory, solfege and dictate) to younger students of the conservatoire. During her dance studies in London, Ioanna started teaching ballet for the dance society of the University of Roehampton and local ballet and primary schools in Southwest London, whilst assisting the ENB Dance for Parkinson’s Classes in community dance and dance for wellbeing. Her teaching experience expands from early to elder years and covers classical ballet, music, community and creative contemporary dance in multicultural environments.
Ioanna has performed in various classical, neoclassical, contemporary and musical theatre performances and festivals in Greece and UK. In 2013 she danced with Athens Children’s Ballet Company (ACB) and had the opportunity to work with the choreographer Olivia Pickford; in 2015 she was a creative dance member and performer of Akram Khan’s curated piece for Big Dance 2016 platform; in August 2019, she performed with Ballet Welsh company members at Riverfront Theatre -Newport, Sleeping Beauty Bluebird’s classical ballet repertoire and contemporary choreographies created by Patricia Vallis.