Faculty

Hannah Francis

Founder

Hannah Francis began dancing in her hometown of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk at the age of three under the direction of Angela Morgan. Hannah remained in Bury St Edmunds performing in professional productions and winning numerous competitions until the age of 16 when she transferred to Sidcup, Kent to study at BIRD college.

During her time at BIRD college, Hannah completed her ISTD teaching qualifications and performed in various events and showcases. Upon leaving college at the age of 19 she was fortunate enough to begin working for Carnival Corporation as a professional dancer and soloist travelling around North America, South America and the Caribbean. After her first professional contract Hannah took a small break to work at the prestigious Pirouettes Dance Academy on the outskirts of Chicago, USA before returning to dancing professionally for a 6-month contract in the Canary Islands in hotels and casinos.

Following that Hannah returned to the states for another 6 years before moving to Italy to open her own school “Accademia Royal Danza e Teatro” in the Marche region.

During her time in Italy, Hannah opened her first Pre-Professional Course with a 100% success rate, with students being accepted into the English National Ballet School, Laine Theatre Arts, Bird College, Performers College, The National Opera of Roma, National Opera of Verona and Elmhurst Ballet School to name but a few. Many of Hannah’s Pre Professional students have now graduated and are currently working in the industry throughout Europe and America.

Hannah’s professional development continued by obtaining 94 marks for her Licentiate Ballet qualification with the IDTA.

Hannah returned to the UK in 2017 and began working at Dance East Ipswich as a Ballet Tutor. Later that year, Hannah returned to her studies with the RAD and University of Bath and began her BA (Hons) in Dance Education.

In 2018 she added to her teaching curriculum teaching Ballet and Jazz to vocational students for years 1-3 at Bodywork Company, Cambridge. In 2019, returning to her passion for pre vocational work, Hannah became the foundation year tutor for Ballet and Jazz at Bodyworks.

In January 2020 Hannah took over as Principal and Owner of Hazelwood Dance Studios, developing the school by adding Pre Professional Courses, Commercial, Contemporary and Musical Theatre to its already full timetable of Ballet, Modern and Tap.

Hannah is founder of Eden Theatre Arts – a Pre Vocational college offering Foundation and BTEC Courses.


Charlotte Scott

Head of Jazz, Musical Theatre

Charlotte is originally from Norwich and trained professionally at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts graduating with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre.

In the West End Charlotte has understudied and played lead roles such as Miss Honey and Mrs Wormwood’ in the RSC’s ‘Matilda’, Hope in ‘Urinetown’, Kathy Seldon in ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ and Glinda and Nessarose in ‘Wicked’ as well as dancing alongside Strictly Come Dancing’s Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace in ‘The Last Tango’.

Regional and touring theatre credits include: Glinda/Aunt Em in ‘Wizard of Oz’ Blackpool Opera House, ‘Me and My Girl’ Chichester Festival Theatre, Jellylorum and understudy Grizabella in ‘Cats’ International tour, dance captain in ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ , ‘Fame’ , ‘Footloose’ and Jemima and Rumpleteaser in ‘Cats’.


Hayley Marie Baker

Commercial

Hayley Marie Baker trained at Masters Performing Arts College in Rayleigh, Essex. Since graduating Hayley-Marie has worked among the commercial dance and modelling scene, including working for clients such as Grand Marnier, Bollywood, J-Lo, The BBC and many more, and has toured with several U.K. Tours. Work includes ‘Penny’ in ‘Dirty Dancing’, and dance captain and assistant choreographer for two other UK tours; ‘The Power Of Love- Celebrating Celine Dion’ and ‘You Win Again- a celebration of the Beegees’. Most recently Hayley-Marie has been touring the country as a singer and dancer with renowned production company ‘Total Productions’. Shows include ‘Icons’, ‘Rock for a Heroes’ ‘Total Pop Party’ and ‘Mannilow- Through the Rain’. As well as her continuous work within the professional performing and touring industry, Hayley-Marie has worked extensively as a teacher in various genres of dance and performing arts. She regularly teaches for the foundation college ‘Evolution’ where she continues to choreograph for their end of year shows, as well as being a permanent teacher at Bodywork College Theatre School. She continues also to choreograph and assist for the successful production company ‘Total Productions’ and throughly enjoys bringing her experience and skills to the studio to teach the young performers of the future.


Rachel Dawson ARAD, RTS, TC

Ballet

Rachel was born in New Zealand and trained at the New Zealand School of Dance, in ballet and contemporary, graduating with a 3-year diploma in dance performance.

Rachel performed with numerous dance companies throughout New Zealand, including an Australasian tour with Paul Jenden Dance Company. Following from this, Rachel was the choreographer, director and founder of Catapult Dance Company in Wellington, NZ. She was excited to be shortlisted for the role of Gollum in Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings film Trilogy

Rachel gained her RAD Teachers’ Certificate with distinction in 2001, and was proud to achieve her ARAD initials in 2019.

In 2007, Rachel moved to Cambridge, UK with her husband and two children.

Since 2010 she has been employed by the Royal Ballet School as a technical/creative teacher on their out reach programme ‘Primary Steps’, and leads their creative work shops in Primary schools across the East Anglia, a role that culminates in choreographing graduation performance pieces for Primary Steps students.

Rachel currently works in Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds in the private sector as an RAD ballet teacher entering students into RAD graded and vocational exams. She also teaches adult get fit, senior citizen classes and contemporary as part of community dance classes. Recently starting in 2020, Rachel has been delivering primary sector dance based lectures for dance teachers to enhance their CPD for the ISTD and continues to deliver these in 2021

She previously worked as a ballet tutor and choreographer for 12 years at Bodywork Performing Arts vocational college in Cambridge on their 3-year full time training programme.

Past student highlights have been student placements in the JA and MA associate programme of the Royal Ballet School and one student successfully gaining a position at White Lodge Royal Ballet School.

Rachel has had over 25 years of teaching and choreographic experience and enjoys inspiring students and seeing them reach their full potential. She is energetic, highly creative and passionate about all forms of dance. Rachel started working with Eden Theatre Arts in 2021.


Anna Damigella

Head of Acting Studies

Anna studied musical theatre from a very young age taking LAMDA exams in Acting and Verse and Prose up to grade 8 and ISTD exams in Modern, Tap, Ballet and Jazz and exams in Classical singing at the renowned award-winning Tiffany Stage Academy. She then won a full scholarship to TTC where she graduated in Musical Theatre.

Anna walked straight into her first professional job playing Fern in Charlotte’s Web touring the UK and with the same company continued her success playing Fairy Mary Weather in Pantomime.

This success then lead Anna into a London Musical called TOYS where she played the lead Rag Doll. During this production Anna appeared in many Sunday Charity Performances including Princess Diana’s memorial variety performance with Wayne Sleep and the Royal Ballet where Anna proudly sang solo and in New Yorks prestigious Lincoln Centre.

Theatre credits also include Fame the musical, Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, The Crucible, and many pantomimes.

Whilst in a gap from theatre Anna decided to dip her toes into the TV world and appeared in Holby City, The Rotters Club, Alien Autopsy and Spoons comedy show.

In 2005 Anna decided she wanted to see the world and so embarked in the cruise ship industry and stayed for 7years as Production Singer enjoying performing to 2000 to 3000 a night and enjoying a different country every day. All through her professional career Anna always came back to teach, freelancing in many stage academies in Essex & London and taught at St Benedict’s High School in Colchester. 

Anna retired from the profession and opened her own theatre school and has been teaching in St Benedict’s, Finborough and Sudbury Ormiston LAMDA syllabus and private singing.


Helen Woodley (Level 6 Diploma in Dance Teaching (bbo dance), LIDTA, LISTD

Contextual Studies, Student Welfare & Vocal Coach

Helen is originally from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, where she first started dancing at the age of three at the Rosalyn Wicks Theatre School. During her time at the school she participated in festivals, IDTA exams, coming runner up in the IDTA Modern Jazz Performer Theatre Awards, and started her professional career as a juvenile dancer in pantomimes at Barnsley Civic Theatre.

At 16 she went to Laine Theatre Arts to study Musical Theatre and on leaving LTA joined the cast of Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria, London) as a swing covering the lead roles of Pearl and Belle. She went on to work as dancer and lead singer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and at Le Cabaret at the Casino de Monte Carlo.

While performing she gained her first dance teaching qualifications and worked as a freelance performing arts teacher at dance schools in Yorkshire, Cornwall, Kent and Hertfordshire.

In 2005 Helen moved to Le Marche, Italy and started her own school, Dance Fusion Italia, teaching ballet, modern jazz, commercial, musical theatre and singing. In 2013 a chance meeting in a pizzeria led to her also joining Hannah Francis’ Accademia Royal di Danza e Teatro to teach Musical Theatre. As the Accademia grew, so did Helen’s teaching role and she became involved with the teaching of tap, advanced modern and commercial, as well as the training of pre-vocational students and teachers. During this time, realising that dance teaching was evolving, she enrolled on bbo dance’s dance teaching diploma course, gaining her Level 6 Diploma in Dance Teaching with distinction in 2018.

In 2020 Helen returned to the UK and resumed her role as freelance performing arts teacher, teaching at schools in Yorkshire and Kent. During lockdown she was able to once again aid Miss Francis (by the miracle of Zoom) in the teaching of pre-vocational students and their preparation for auditions for vocational schools. She also returned to studying and is in her second year of an MA in Voice Pedagogy with the Voice Study Centre in collaboration with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David for which she is focusing on teaching pre-vocational dancers to sing.

Helen is delighted to be working with Miss Francis again and is looking forward to helping her prepare Eden Theatre Arts students for their future careers.


Rachel Canham-Maddock MSc MISRM

Sports massage and rehabilitation specialist

Rachel’s background is in ballet, which she taught for a number of years after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dance. It was here, during her undergraduate degree, that she developed an interest in pointework and dance injuries. She then studied for a Masters Degree in Dance Science which presented many opportunities to further her knowledge, and led her to develop Pre-Pointe assessments for students. After experiencing a number of injuries herself, and struggling to find a therapist who understood the demands of dance, she decided to train as a Soft Tissue Therapist so she could help dance students, performers and teachers in the same position as herself.
At Level 5, the Diploma in Soft Tissue Therapy is the highest level of qualification available in the profession. This means that Rachel is able to assess and treat injuries using a range of massage and manipulation techniques, as well as offering advice on training and rehabilitation exercises. Combined with an MSc in Dance Science, and many years of teaching, this has given her the expertise and experience to successfully work with dancers in injury rehabilitation, injury prevention, and performance enhancement.