Catherine Gill

School of Ballet

Established 1984

The Principal

Royal Academy of Dance Registered Teacher https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/dance-with-us/register-of-teachers/

Catherine Gill BA (Hons), LRAD, RAD RTS, FISTD, CDE

Catherine Gill graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance in 1984 and holds the RAD B.A (Hons) in Dance Education, Licentiate and Life Registered Teacher status. alongside the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Fellowship and CDE, She also holds a Silver Swans Licence, is DBS checked,undertakes annual safeguarding training and CPD courses, and has taught on a sessional basis at the Royal Academy of Dance.

The School

Catherine Gill succeeded as Principal of the school in 1984 and is responsible for all of the classes, ensuring continuity of tuition. The school aims to create an atmosphere that gives enjoyment and a love of dance to each child, with live piano accompaniment, and to enable children of all abilities to reach a high standard of individual achievement and fulfil their potential. Classes run from Pre-school Ballet / Baby Ballet to Advanced RAD Ballet plus Easy Adult Ballet and Silver Swans. Many pupils continue training at the school until the age of 18 before progressing to University courses or to full-time dance training, and former students have also returned as adults and/or enrolled their own children in the school.

Continuity of Tuition and Live Piano Accompaniment

Term Dates

The school operates 3 terms a year designed to coincide with local school terms and holidays although this cannot be guaranteed. Each term is 10 weeks,with a one or two week half term break so please check.

In the event of severe weather conditions or other possible cancellation please check the website after 2pm on a weekday or after 9.00am on a Saturday. Should it be necessary to cancel, alternative classes will be arranged at a later date.

Spring Term 2026

Monday 5th January to Saturday 21st March.

Half Term Monday16th February to Saturday 21st February

No Royal Academy of Dance Exams or Exam classes planned this term

New pupils are welcome to join at any point during the term if there is a place available.

Please contact me to book a taster class.

Summer Term 2026

Monday 13th April to Monday 29th June

No classes Bank Holiday Monday 4th May

Half Term Saturday 23rd May to Friday 29th May

Autumn Term 2025

Saturday 6th September to Saturday 29th November.

Half Term: Saturday 18th October to Saturday 1st November

Junior and Senior Ballet Workshop Saturday 29th November

English Youth Ballet Performances, Crawley. Swan Lake 30th October and 1st November

RAD

Timetable.

New pupils are welcome. Please contact me if you would like to enrol for a taster class.

Monday

4.30pm	Pre-School RAD Ballet / Baby Ballet
5.00pm	Grade 5 RAD Ballet
5.45pm	Intermediate RAD ballet
7.00pm	Easy Adult Ballet and Silver Swans
7.30pm	Extra tuition
8.00pm	Extra tuition
8.30pm

Wednesday

4.30pm	Grade 1 RAD/Grade 2 RAD Ballet
5.00pm	Grade 5 RAD Ballet
5.45pm	Advanced RAD Ballet
6.30pm	Easy Adult Ballet and Silver Swans
7.00pm	Extra tuition
7.30pm	Extra tuition
8.00pm

Saturday

11.00am	Pre-School RAD Ballet / Baby Ballet
11.30am	Grade 1 RAD / Grade 2 RAD Ballet
12.00pm	Grade 5 RAD Ballet
12.45pm	Easy Adult Ballet and Silver Swans
1.15 pm	Extra tuition
1.45pm	Extra tuition
2.15pm	Extra tuition
2.45pm	Extra tuition

Fees and Cancellation Policy

Fees are very reasonable and vary according to the length and number of classes taken.

In order for the school to run efficiently please give notice by the start of the half term break to discontinue a class the following term. A term's fees will be due in lieu of notice.

Fees are not refunded for absence but in some circumstances pupils attending multiple classes can make up a class.

New pupils are welcome to pay for a taster class. Please contact me to enrol, and include a mobile number.

Theatre Productions and Competitions

Pupils are encouraged to audition for suitable local productions and have performed at a variety of theatres including: The London Palladium; Her Majesty's; London Coliseum; Lyceum; Theatre Royal Haymarket; The Churchill, Orchard, New Wimbledon, Worthing, Hawth, Cochrane, Bloomsbury, Peacock, Stag, Hazlitt, and Harlequin Theatres

Accolades include:

English Youth Ballet Cinderella in Hollywood, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Coppelia, Giselle, Etudes;

The Lion King-Lyceum Theatre as Nala; All England Dance Competition Finals;

BYMT Oklahoma as Laurie and Chorus; Shrek as Shrek, Fiona, Young Fiona, and Chorus,

The Wizard of Oz as Glinda and Chorus; Surrey Youth Ballet Cinderella;

London Children's Ballet The Secret Garden, Nanny McPhee, The Little Princess;

National Youth Ballet 21st Anniversary Gala; The Tempest as Miranda with Ralph Feines; Bugsy Malone; Annie; Cavalcade, Alladin, Cinderella and Peter Pan pantomimes; numbers from Cats ,James Bond and Alladin at the London Palladium and Her Majesty's Theatre; our very first performance of Carousel at the Churchill Theatre in 1990

and many more

Vocational training

Some students choose to pursue Vocational training or related University courses. Vocational colleges students have been accepted at include Urdang Academy; Bird College; Trinity Laban; Lewisham College, London Studio Centre; Hammond; Tring Park, Performers and the Royal Academy of Dance

Exceptional standards

Workshops and Theatre Visits

The school offers workshops and theatre trips for pupils and family members

Events include:

Ballet, Musical Theatre and Richard Alston workshops and performances, , English National Ballet My First Coppelia; Northern Ballet Theatre Goldilocks and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas; Matthew Bourne La Syllphide, Nutcracker Edward Scissorhands; English Youth Ballet Swan Lake Coppelia, Giselle; Sleeping Beauty; Nutcracker, Etudes; London Children's Ballet Nanny McPhee National Youth Ballet Gala; St Petersburg Ballet Swan Lake Romeo and Juliet, Nutcracker; Imperial Ice Stars Swan Lake, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty on Ice; Celtic Journey Gansta Granny, Georges Marvelous Medicine, Bugsy Malone; Annie, Chicago , Top Hat

and many more