Congratulations to GAPA’s ‘Luca’ who made his professional theatre debut last night – performing alongside TV and West End theatre star John Partridge in John’s ‘Dancing Man’ show at the Chequer Mead Theatre, East Grinstead. A group of GAPA pupils and parents came out in force to support Luca and John and a fabulous night was had by all. Photo of Luca with John and GAPA Principal Suzanne Gielgud.
Harriet Fatela trained at the London Studio Centre, graduating in 2019 with a BA (Hons) degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre. In the same year she joined the cast of professional dancers at Disneyland Paris and worked there as a performer for 4 years. Harriet then moved back to the UK and is now completing her ISTD teaching diploma.
We are delighted to welcome Harriet to our GAPA faculty to teach jazz.
Amy started Cecchetti ballet at Seahaven Dance from the age of 3, later adding ISTD Modern, Jazz and Tap to her studies.
She qualified to teach in 2012 obtaining her DDI in Cecchetti Classical Ballet training with Cara Drower. Furthering her qualifications, she gained her DDE in Cecchetti Classical Ballet in 2018, DDE in Tap in 2019 and DDE Modern in 2020.
We are delighted to welcome Amy to the GAPA Faculty!
Laura Veazey trained at Tring Park School of Performing Arts from 2002-2011. During her training at Tring she performed in over ten Tring Park productions and she also performed with NYB (National Youth Ballet) at many venues including Sadlers Wells, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Birmingham Hippodrome. The ballets she performed in include Alice in Wonderland (choreographed by Wayne Sleep), The Old Man of Loch Nagar (written by the Prince of the Wales and choreographed by Drew McConie) and The Four Seasons by Frank Freeman.
After graduating from Tring Park Laura worked as an intern at English National Ballet Company and then joined Gielgud Management as an agency assistant in 2011 and Gielgud Academy as both office administrator and teaching assistant.
Laura began her teaching training at Chichester college in 2013, gaining her DDI (Diploma in Dance Instruction). She continued her training at Dance2advance, gaining her DDE (Diploma in Dance Education) in both Ballet & Modern in 2022.
Miss Laura teaches both modern and contemporary at the Gielgud Academy. Laura was appointed Deputy Principal in Autumn 2024 in recognition of her exemplary work in building GAPA alongside Suzanne Gielgud, since its inception in 2011.
Ruth began her training at ‘The Pauline Howard School of Dance’ under the guidance of the late Pat Ellis and Pauline Howard. She continued to further her studies at ‘Laine Theatre Arts’ and graduated with ISTD Associates in Modern, Ballet and Tap and LTA Musical Theatre Diploma.
Following her training Ruth spent several years working as a freelance teacher and choreographer whilst returning to teach alongside Miss Pat. In1999 Ruth joined the Dance Faculty at ‘Tring Park School for the Performing Arts’ (formerly Arts Ed Tring) where she taught Jazz, Modern and Tap and was a regular choreographer for Junior and Senior Dance Productions. In addition she was instrumental in devising new work for Tring Park’s Outreach programme which encourages the access to dance in Primary Schools in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. She now teaches at Urdang Academy and Bird College, and is the Head of Modern & Tap at Gielgud Academy.
In 2005 Ruth attained ISTD Fellowship status and was invited to become a Dual Examiner for the Modern and Tap faculties. She is a regular guest teacher at several events including ‘Move IT’ and the ISTD ‘Janet Cram’ Modern Awards and lectures for both faculties at UK and International Courses. More recently Ruth was invited to join the Modern faculty creative team and she has been proud to have recently created optional Amalgamations for the Bronze, Silver and Gold ISTD Jazz syllabi, and the new Intermediate Tap syllabus.
Ruth was delighted to see The Pauline Howard School pupils merge into The Gielgud Academy allowing Miss Pat’s legacy to live on.
Gwendolen is a Sussex-based ISTD and BBO ballet teacher and also specialises in body conditioning. Having trained in RAD and BBO ballet since the age of 4, Gwen went on to graduate with a First Class (BA) Honours Degree from DeMontfort University before continuing her training with world-renowned London company The BalletBoyz. After many years performing as a freelance dancer, Gwen moved into the world of film and TV, landing dancer roles in movies such as Summerland 2020, Last Night in Soho 2021, Last Letter from Your Lover 2021, and Doctor Strange 2 2022, and TV series Britannia 2 and Pennyworth. Gwen took the role of Choreographer for the 2023 movie The Boys in the Boat by Director George Clooney after working as Choreographer for Garsington Opera’s Youth Company in their 2020 and 2021 seasons and touring band Noble Jacks music videos.
Gwen is currently completing her ISTD DDE in ballet, and she teaches both junior ballet and her unique stretching classes at GAPA.
Robyn trained at the Elmhurst Ballet School where she completed her training and graduated at 19 with a Higher National Diploma and ISTD teaching qualifications in both Ballet & Modern. Robyn went on to dance at The Grand Opera House, Belfast, with QDOS productions before joining Carnival Cruise Lines, with whom she travelled extensively for 3 years as a featured singer and dancer. On returning home in 2007, Robyn began teaching. She continued her ISTD teachers qualifications achieving her DDE in Modern Theatre, and in 2016 was awarded her Licentiate in Classical Ballet. She also gained her Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in instructing Pilates Matwork and became a ‘Progressive Ballet Technique’ qualified instructor in 2018.
In 2010 Robyn founded the Sussex Youth Ballet Company with the aim of nurturing talent and inspiring young dancers by choreographing new productions for them to perform in.
In 2019, Robyn was awarded her Fellowship status with the ISTD, in Imperial Classical Ballet.
GAPA is delighted to welcome back Miss Baker who taught for us back in 2012.
Peter Schaufuss is an internationally renowned former principal star dancer, director and award winning choreographer. He trained at the Royal Danish Ballet School from age 7 years and he graduated into the Royal Danish Ballet. Schaufuss has established himself as an international guest principal dancer with companies including the Kirov Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet and the Royal Ballet and London Festival Ballet (now ENB). He also worked with the New York City Ballet and George Balanchine, who created two ballets for him.
Schaufuss has worked as a Dancer, Director and Choreographer in a number of television programmes, and in 1984 the BBC made and screened a 4-part television series about him called Dancer : Peter Schaufuss. He has won a number of international awards in recognition of his contribution to the international ballet scene including an Olivier and an Evening Standard Awards.
Peter has been Artistic Director of the London Festival Ballet (which he renamed English National Ballet and where he founded the English National Ballet School) the Berlin Ballet at Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. In 1997 Schaufuss established the Peter Schaufuss Ballet, based in Denmark – the first independent, international touring Ballet Company in Denmark. The Tchaikovsky Trilogy (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty & The Nutcracker) were the company’s opening pieces and have toured extensively worldwide to great public and critical acclaim and winning awards. He has created over 17 new ballets to modern music including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis. Other ballets include Hamlet and Diana, based on the life of the Princess.
Photographed backstage at the London Coliseum with Suzanne Gielgud.
Christopher Hampson was born in Manchester and trained at the Royal Ballet Schools. His choreographic work began at the Royal Ballet School and continued at English National Ballet where he danced until 1999. He is now the Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet.
Christopher has created numerous works for English National Ballet including Nutcracker and Double Concerto, which won the Barclays Theatre Award and the Critics’ Circle Award for Best Classical Choreography.
Christopher’s Romeo and Juliet, created for Royal New Zealand Ballet, was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award (Best New Production 2005) and his production of Giselle for the National Theatre in Prague has been performed every year since it’s premiere in 2004. Christopher created Sinfonietta Giocosa, for the Atlanta Ballet in the U.S.A. and, after a New York tour it received its UK premiere with ENB in 2007. He created a new Cinderella for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, which was hailed, Best New Production by the New Zealand Herald and televised in 2009. His work has toured Australia, China, U.S.A. and Europe.
Christopher is a co-founder of the International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague and has been a guest teacher for English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Bonachela Dance Company, Mathew Bourne’s New Adventures and the Genée International Ballet Competition. Christopher’s work now forms part of the Solo Seal Award for the Royal Academy of Dance.