All teachers and staff at Swansea Ballet School are fully vetted by DDC Ltd. (Due Diligence Checking) and hold Enhanced CRB / DBS certfication.
DIRECTOR
JAMES CUNLIFFE
James has been involved in theatre and the performing arts from a very young age and presently owns several theatre schools and other related businesses in South Wales and in the London region. James trained in vocational Ballet following the Royal Academy of Dance sysllebus and has worked in the primary education sector. James has extensive experience working with children as teacher, coach and other supporting roles.
James is also the owner and founder of the ‘London Boys Ballet School’ and the 'London Ballet School' located in Islington. This unique school has seen national media coverage and has recently received the Dance School of the Year Innovation Award 2016 from Anne Walker MBE. The judges were Jonathan Gray (Dancing Times) and Angela Rippon OBE (TV presenter). Wayne Sleep OBE has recently accepted the position of school Ambassador and Steven McRae appointed as School Patron.
Owner of an online Dance shop, dance clothing brand and numerous other industry related projects, James has been immersed in the performing arts world for many years.
Sheila Cunliffe comes from a strong theatrical background. Her mother was a singer and younger sister Kathryn was a professional dancer, choreographer and now teaches in her own theatre school in Melbourne. Sheila was born in Wigan, Lancashire and after training in a local dance school she travelled to both Swindon and London to further her teaching qualifications.
Family commitments brought her to Swansea where she then decided to open her own dance school. Her first love is classical ballet. The high standards of ballet at the school, the importance placed on ballet training within the curriculum and the school's reputation for ballet locally are a reflection of this passion.
FOUNDER
SHEILA CUNLIFFE (ISTD)
VANESSA FENTON
SCHOOL PATRON
(THE ROYAL BALLET)
We are very honored to have Vanessa Fenton as our school patron. Vanessa Fenton danced with The Royal Ballet for 13 years. She has also performed with Ballet Nationale de Marseille, Roland Petit, with ENB and with Wayne Sleep at The London Coliseum.She has performed at The Paris Opera, La Scala Milan, The Metropolitan Opera House in New York and almost every other major theatre around the world.
ENNEA SMITH
ONSITE MANAGER
Ennea attended Ballet as a little girl, whilst also completing LAMDA examinations in speech and acting. Continuing her love of dance Ennea attends all SBS Adult Ballet and Tap classes.
Ennea has been on stage since age 11 and has also been involved in amateur dramatics.
Ennea has a 4 year old daughter who also loves to dance and attends SBS classes.
AMELIA CUNLIFFE
BALLET TEACHER / CHOREOGRAPHER
(RAD / ISTD)
Amelia Jane trained professionally at both Northern Ballet School and Laine Theatre Arts where she received her vocal training, advanced dance certificates, teaching and Musical theatre diplomas. She has been entering students for ISTD and RAD graded and Major vocational ballet examinations for the past 15 years. She has been involved in numerous youth and professional choreographic projects with teaching contracts in colleges and dance schools in the UK and overseas teaching all genres of dance and musical theatre.
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Her childhood training began at Counterpointe Theatre Arts in Swansea where she gained multiple professional and competitive performing opportunities which she believes gave her an excellent grounding for her later professional career.
For four years, she worked on board Princess worldwide cruise liners as a dancer/singer and of all her theatre and pantomime appearances in the UK, most notable was her role as ballerina doll/understudy Isabel in the UK tour and West End production of 'Scrooge' the musical. She later played the part of Isabel in its European tour and has also danced with Ballet Russe in the corps de Ballet of Swan Lake, Giselle and Les Sylphides.
ke it yours.
KIM TULLOCH
BALLET TEACHER
(RAD / ISTD)
Kim trained for three years on the full time BA (Hons) Ballet Education degree course at The Royal Academy of Dance, graduating in 2009. She went on to teach ballet classes in various dance schools in London before relocating to Somerset to open her own dance school in 2012. During this time, Kim completed her DDE qualifications in ISTD Modern and Tap and has been teaching all three disciplines ever since. After a great few years of exams and performances, Levels Dance school was sold and Kim spent a year in Australia teaching in dance schools in Sydney. In 2019 Kim returned home and started teaching at Queen’s College, Taunton. Guiding students through exams, creating large dance performances and offering classes to children aged 3-18. This June, Kim moved to Swansea and has been enjoying teaching fitness classes at the local gyms and is now very excited to get the chance to teach dance to children again.. Kim loves teaching all forms of dance, especially classical ballet and looks forward to working with the staff and students at Swansea Ballet School.
TAYLOR ROWDEN
BALLET TEACHER
(ISTD)
Taylor has been dancing since the age of 3 years and at 16 relocated to train professionally at Kate Simmons Dance in Warrington.
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Taylor holds both a Level 6 Diploma in Dance and a full ISTD teaching qualification in Classical Ballet. Taylor has worked worldwide, including the Caribbean, India, Greece and Malta.
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SAMANTHA BOSSHART
BALLET TEACHER
APPROVED COVER TEACHER (ISTD)
Samantha trained at London Studio Centre where she attained a First class BA(Hons) degree in Classical Ballet. Once graduated, she joined Vienna Festival Ballet, performing Classical Ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Coppélia, Snow White and Cinderella. She then moved to the Czech Republic to join the Moravian Ballet Theatre performing a wide range of Ballet Repertoire; her highlights include Don Quijote, Romeo & Juliet and Spartacus. Samantha has taught all around the UK and is delighted to teach at Swansea Ballet School.
TIMOTHY CLARKE
ONLINE BALLET TEACHER
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SAMANTHA BOSSHARDT
COVER BALLET TEACHER
TIMOTHY CLARKE
ONLINE BALLET TEACHER
(RAD EXAMINER)
Inspired by his sister, Tim started dancing at local schools at 6 years of age.
After graduating from Arts Educational School London, Tim began a varied professional dancing career performing in Ballet companies, West End musicals, Royal Variety shows, Olympic Games opening ceremony in London, dancing throughout Europe and in New York.
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After gaining all his teaching qualifications with the Royal Academy of Dance and The Imperial Society, Tim taught at various schools including: Italia Conti Academy, Brit School, Royal Ballet School Junior Associates, Mountview Academy etc.
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Timothy is also a Ballet examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance.
HELEN CUNLIFFE
TAP / MODERN ADVISOR
ISTD
Helen trained at Counterpointe Theatre Arts and found that she had a particular enthusiasm and aptitude for tap and modern dance. As a result she commuted to London and Swindon to gain her tap and modern qualifications to Advanced level. Subsequently she gained her Associates in both tap and modern dance. In addition to teaching, Helen organises the school's finance and adminstration department. She works particularly well under pressure which is a great asset when she steps into the role of stage manager during the school's theatre performances!
ALEX RALLS
ARTS SAFETY MANAGMENT
RISK ASSESSMENTS
Following over 25 years in the Theatre, TV, Film and Events industry, Alex is experienced at overseeing small and large-scale projects.
Originally trained at Guildford School of Acting in Production Management, Alex has managed a diverse range of projects from private concerts for royalty to residential conferences and film and TV shoots, to touring, open-air theatre productions and festivals.
NEBOSH qualified Alex regularly undertakes Floor and Health & Safety Management throughout the UK (including Olympia, NEC and Excel Exhibition Centres) and internationally on Giga-Projects including the Diriyah Seasons in Saudi Arabia.
With a professional, calm and hard-working approach, Alex always looks to exceed your expectations and can offer the personal touch throughout any project. He only takes on work that he can deliver on and so he can guarantee that any project he works on will get his full attention. He has excellent customer service skills and so on-site management is one of his specialities.
Equity, BECTU and SMA registered, a Technical member of IOSH, Associate of IIRSM and FREC3 qualified, Alex also holds a personal licence as well as a full UK driving licence. Strong relationships built with key suppliers ensures that he has all the necessary contacts to be able to exceed your expectations.
EMMA WILSON
TAP / MODERN
APPROVED COVER TEACHER
ISTD
Emma began her dance training at the age of 3 with the Shirley Rees School of Dancing, studying ISTD Tap and Modern. After completing her A Level in Dance, Emma continued her dance journey by studying Contemporary Dance at Bath Spa University. Emma realised that teaching Dance was where her passion lied and did a PGCE in Post Compulsory Education at Gower College before accepting a post at Penyrheol Comprehensive School where she launched a successful after school dance programme and has choreographed their annual school production.
MICHAEL RAINEY
SCHOOL CARETAKER
Also known as Mr Mike to the children (they ask so many questions) and Mr Fix it for everything else.
Michael danced from aged 16 and completed I.S.T.D exams in ballroom and Latin American.
For the past 20 odd years Mike has worked with Swansea Ballet School and In London with the sister school LBBS - The hidden man behind the curtain running around everywhere.
You will also see Mike on Saturdays & Sundays at opening and closing time to sort the building out for everyone's arrival to the schools.
HELEN CUNLIFFE
TAP / MODERN ADVISOR
ISTD
Helen trained at Counterpointe Theatre Arts and found that she had a particular enthusiasm and aptitude for tap and modern dance. As a result she commuted to London and Swindon to gain her tap and modern qualifications to Advanced level. Subsequently she gained her Associates in both tap and modern dance. In addition to teaching, Helen organises the school's finance and adminstration department. She works particularly well under pressure which is a great asset when she steps into the role of stage manager during the school's theatre performances!