meet the people behind

epa's success

Maxine Glasby

Principal

Principal and founder of Expressions Academy of Performing Arts in 1989.  Fellowship of the IDTA.  International adjudicator.  Trainer of numerous World championship dancers.  

Lynn Nelson

HNC/HND COURSE LEADER

Head of Singing, Musical Theatre

Lynn has been involved in musical theatre throughout  the past twenty years, performing in over 40 musicals productions, taking such roles as Mabel, ‘Mack and Mabel’, The Witch, ‘Into the Woods’ and Mamma Rose, ‘Gypsy’. She has taken part in National and International Music Festivals and won best voice and best female performance. 

Lynn enjoys teaching vocal technique and performance, focusing on the Jo Estill Voice Craft and finds the work both challenging and extremely rewarding. She is also a member of the BVA. 

Michaela Harris

BTEC COURSE LEADER

Michaela is a graduate of Expressions Academy of Performing arts where she gained her 3 year musical theatre diploma along with her L.I.D.T.A in Ballet, Tap and freestyle Latin American qualifications.  Michaela gained her BA Hons (Theatre Arts) at the University of Derby where she was awarded the Geoff Malbon Theatre Arts Award for outstanding contribution to theatre studies.

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She has a passion for acting that makes her a very committed and popular teacher with our students and is a very strong member of our faculty team. 

JORDI GUITART

American Jazz Tutor

Head of Dance

Jordi came to England from Barcelona in 1990 and trained as a dancer at Bodywork and The Urdang Academy. His professional career has taken him all over the World both as a dancer and choreographer. Jordi has also has previous worked in the  West End in Saturday Night Fever (Jorge/Cesar), La Cava (Ensemble/Tariq),

Fame (Ensemble/Joe Vegas) West Side Story (Bernado) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas)

He has been involved, both as Director and Choreographer in many workshops for West End Musicals in the making such as Hell Sing, Stars Falling, The Golden Voice and Best of Friends. Choreographed the European premiere of Happy Ending and the World premier of Reeds Sway. He choreographed the opening gala of the 1st Middle East Youth Festival for the King of Bahrain at Bahrain.  Choreographed UK tours for Jessica Steel (X Factor) Lydia Lucy (The Voice) and the UK tour of United Vibe (X Factor)

Jordi has directed and choreographed new pop artistes UK tours.  Shows at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sadler Wells, O2 and Royal Albert Hall in London plus review shows in Paris.  

Jordi has worked as a guest teacher and choreographer for many of the main dance and Performing Arts colleges in this Country and abroad, including EPA, where he is Head of Dance and Ballet West where is he Head of the Jazz Department.

Jordi loves to pass on a wealth of knowledge of dance and showbiz through his teaching and is extremely passionate and thorough in his methods.  Anyone who experiences a Jordi dance class is sure to be inspired pushed, nurtured and helped.  

tom shilcock

Commercial Dance Tutor

Tom trained professionally at Laine Theatre Arts.  Danced for several International artists including Jason Derulo, Rita Ora, Meghan Trainor, Take That, Cheryl Cole, Tulsa Constostavios, Rhianna, Elton John, Gary Barlow, Meatloaf, John Barrowman, Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox, Jessie J, Ant & Deck Jamelia.   

He has appeared on TV shows including The X Factor, Stars in their Eyes (Resident Dander) So You Think You Can Dance UK (Top 5) Britain's Got Talent, The Royal Variety Show, The Brit Awards, ITV Text Santa, Dancing on Ice and he was part of the London 2012 Olympics.      

Tom has also performed in Theatres, Arenas and Stadiums including The London Palladium, Wembley Stadium and Londons O2 Arena.   Music Festivals include Capital Summertime Ball, Capital Jingle Bell Ball, Radio 1's Big Weekender, Wireless & V Festival.  

Tom is the Co-Founder of Can you Dance? alongside his close friend Matt Flint  Tom is proud to have created so many opportunities for young dancers through Can You Dance?

tatiana tretyakova

Ballet Tutor

Tatiana trained at the Bolshoi Ballet School and Kiev University where she gained an honours degree in art and dance. 

She was a principal soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet where she performed in over 30 ballets and toured in more than 60 countries.

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She has also choreographed and coached many ice skating programmes including designing and implementing a sport scientific programme that has enhanced on ice performance.

​She is also trained in pilates, advanced nutrition and advanced anatomy and physiology.

James robinson

Commercial Dance Tutor

James has danced for artists including Jessie J, The Spice Girls, The Pussycat Dolls, Leona Lewis, The Saturdays, Pixie Lott and The Wanted. Television credits include London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony, The Big Reunion, Dancing on Ice, So you Think You can Dance, Tonight's the Night, The X Factor, Stars in their Eyes, Eurovision, Celebrity X Factor, Russian Pop Idol, Children in Need, Soapstar Superstar, The Eurovision Song Contest, The Royal Variety Performance.

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He has completed World and UK Tours for The X Factor, Spirit of the Dance, Disco Fever and The Full Monty and his corporate and catwalk experience includes Adidas, Clarks and O2.                                                                                    

James has worked with choreographers including Paul Roberts, Mikey Mindon, Brian Rodgers, Paul Domaine, David Wood, Gary Lloyd, Alan Harding and Michelle Thorne. 

He is now one of the most sought after choreographers in the UK. 

ROSIE PRICE

Ballet Tutor

BA Hons, CBTS (RTS, RAD)

Rosie trained at Elmhurst School for Dance and then Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance.  During which she worked with some of the most talented and inspirational dancers and choreographers in the Industry including Mark Baldwin, Kerry Nichols, Leila McMillan, Douglas Thorpe and Dane Hurst.   

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Since returning to the Midlands in 2012 Rosie works as a freelance contemporary, ballet and pilates teacher and choreographer for Spitfire Theatre Company, Kings International ballet academy, Chantry School of Contemporary and balletic arts and Leicestershire Arts.   As a qualified teacher through the Royal Academy of Dance she delivers classical ballet coaching, choreographs classically and delivers body conditioning methods for dancers. 

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As a former head of contemporary and choreography at The School of Ballet Theatre UK she relishes developing contemporary dance techniques and uses a mix of Cunningham, Graham and Limon (after completing the teachers course in Prague with the Jose Limoncellos Foundation), to enhance movement, dynamic and performance skills as well as delivering contemporary repertoire and exploring improvisation and other choreographic approaches. 

Stewart Arnold

Contemporary Jazz Tutor

Having initially trained as a dancer at The London School Of Contemporary Dance, Stewart Avon Arnold has gone on to become a highly successful choreographer. 

 For the last 20 years Stewart has been constantly involved in West End Shows, Pop Promos and Television series. 

He also finds time to teach intensive courses and master classes at leading schools throughout Europe, Scandinavia and Japan.

The breadth of his knowledge of forms of dance, together with his unique talent and sensitivity, make Stewart a very powerful creative asset to every production.

marcus scimia

Head of Acting and Btec Course Leader

Marcus trained at the Arts Educational Schools, London graduating with a BA Hons  in Musical Theatre and Acting.  

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Marcus worked extensively in all areas of the Industry including UK Touring plays and Musicals, Concerts, Cabarets and several workshops for new theatre pieces

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Marcus has been teaching and directing for several years and is currently studying for his Masters in Voice Pedagogy with the Estil modell. 

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ollie botterill

Tap Tutor

Ollie started dancing at the age of 2 at the Ann Oliver Stage School, Leicester he then continued his professional training at LCPA graduating with a Trinity Guildhall National Diploma in Musical Theatre and 3 B.D.T.A. diplomas. 

Ollie started his professional career dancing for Carnival Cruise Liners and has appeared in many shows such as 'Simply Gershwin' (Guest Tap Duo UK Tour), Spirit of the Dance (Lead Tapper Worldwide), Tap Dance Fever (UK, South Africa and Canada), Tamid Seanachai - A Celtic Revolution Canada, Hollywood Spectacular UK, 'Dora' West End, to name a few. 

Ollie formed a tap duo 'TAPmosphere' for entertainment in the commercial market, from that it led him to co-choreographing a new tap show called 'The Rhythm Club' which opened September 2014.  He also started teaching for Tap Attack and is part of Tap Attack which travels the world regularly on cruise liners. 

ellie cobb

Cabaret Tutor

Ellie is professionally trained in Musical Theatre. She has worked in Theatre, Film and Television throughout her career.                              

Past credits include We Will Rock you, 42nd Street, Assistant choreographer BBC The People's Strictly, Resident Director Thursford Christmas Spectacular.  

Dancer The John Bishop Show, Resident Dancer ITV Pop Star to Opera Star, Dancer Thursford Christmas Spectacular, Soloist Spirit of Broadway UK Tour, Vocalist/Dancer Songs from the Musical, Dancer 20th Century Fox Mrs Henderson Presents. 

ADAM HOWELL

Musical Theatre Tutor

Musical Director

Adam is a Composer, Lyricist, Musical Director, Orchestrator, Vocal Arranger and Musician. A founding member and former Artistic Director of Uncontained Arts; a theatre company based at Derby Theatre in the East Midlands (UK), Adam was a performer for several years and composed the songs and music for all of the Company’s productions, touring to such esteemed national venues as E4’s Udderbelly (Southbank, London), The Lowry (Manchester) and The Gilded Balloon (Edinburgh Fringe), as well as touring internationally to The English Theatre of Warsaw (Poland) and many other theatres.

He has scored for film trailers of THE BFG (Derby Live), WE ARE THREE SISTERS (Northern Broadsides), SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING (Manchester Royal Exchange) and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Derby Theatre).

Adam is also the Composer/Lyricist of the critically acclaimed ANGELA’S ASHES (The Musical), which is based on the world-famous Pulitzer prize winning book by Frank McCourt and received its world premiere in Ireland in 2017. 

Adam’s most recent work, BLONDE (a new musical about Marilyn Monroe) was performed as part of the RADA Festival 2018.

danielle james

Acting Tutor

Danielle trained at Bird college graduating in 2012 with a national diploma in Musical Theatre.

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Danielle is well known for playing the role of "Trev" in This is England - Bafta award winning film and TV series from 2007 - 2015.  Other credits include Wire in the Blood, Bernard's watch and Peak Practice.  

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She is has also been a soloist in singing and dancing at many events including the Queens Commonwealth day at Westminster Abbey. 

julia gaunt

Singing Tutor

Julia has performed as a singer, musical director and an accompanist throughout the UK. Julia has worked on a variety of productions both professional and amateur with young children, operatic groups and drama groups through to large successful companies such as Bill Kenwright. 

Students that have been taught by Julia have gone on to perform in shows such as We Will Rock You, Spamalot, Spirit of the Dance, High School Musical, 42nd Street, Annie, P&O Cruises, Costa Cruises, plus many more.

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Julia is an Associate of the London Music College and a member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians as well as the British Voice Association. 

RYAN DOUGLAS

Dance Tutor

Ryan trained at EPA graduating in 2012.   Ryan is currently  Cast Manager onboard Princess Cruises.   

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Having already had an extensive career as a dancer onboard Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Cunard Cruises.  

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Ryan specialises in teaching Jazz technique classes. 

dana de waal

Pianist/Composer/Singing Tutor

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travis kerry

Commercial Dance Tutor

Travis is a British dancer and model whose Musical Theatre credits include Hamilton, Aladdin and Evita.

Travis also appeared in Mamma Mia - Here we go again film and appeared in commercials for Coca Cola, Sure and Amazon. 

Travis trained at EPA. 

David hallam

Physio & Sports Massage

Sharlotte somerville

Mental Health advisor 

dELIE SOMERVILLE

Student Liaison/Residential Support

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      THOMAS COOPER

                           Acro/Gym Tutor

Thomas has been working onboard P&O cruises as a dancer and acrobat.  A fully qualified dance teacher and coach Thomas was trained by his late father Stuart Cooper who was a County club gymnastic coach. 

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Thomas will be training the students in gymnastic and acro.  

        SIAN DAKIN

                           Course Leader

Sian having worked extensively in the Performing Arts for the past 20 years joins us from Celebrity Cruises having worked for the past 5 years as Lead Install director.  She has worked extensively in dance, acro and aerial work for Celebrity Cruises, Royal Carribean Cruises and Costa Cruises.  She also trained with C5 in Las Vegas aerial training and performed in Los Angeles in Phantom of the Opera.

      MOLLY REANEY

                           Administrator

Molly having worked on Thomas Marella discovery joins us now at EPA as an administrator. 

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Molly is a graduate from EPA.