"To dance is to live...
to live is to
dance."
TEACHING STAFF
Principal
JULIA TIMMONS - PDTD, AISTD
Classical Ballet
Julia trained at Bush Davies, East Grinstead. She danced professionally for eighteen years in Germany as a classical ballet dancer with the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern and Stadtstheater Lübeck and in musical theatre at Theater des Westens, Berlin. Ballets she danced in include The Nutcracker, Rite of Spring, The Tale of the Stone Flower, Joan von Zarissa and Gayane. Musicals whilst a resident member of Theater des Westens, include Cabaret, Chicago, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar and La Cage aux Folles.
Throughout the past twenty five years Julia has taught students of all ages at both recreational and vocational level. Several of her pupils have gained places in full time vocational education in both Germany and the UK – John Cranko School Stuttgart, University of the Arts Berlin, London Studio Centre, Laine Theatre Arts and Urdang Academy. Choreographic work with the Regensburg Theatre, Zwingenberg Summer Festival and Kelley Theatre Stuttgart include My Fair Lady, Bugsy Malone, Beauty and the Beast, Die Fledermaus and White Horse Inn, and most recently, for The Questors Theatre Ealing, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Crucible and Mother Goose.
Julia has been an adjudicator for the German Ballet Festival since 2011.
In September 2014 Julia began teaching at the School of Dance Mortlake and became principal of the school in January 2015.
ALEXANDER SIMPKINS - MA, PDTD
Classical Ballet
Alex trained with John O'Brien, Suzanna Raymond and at the Central School of Ballet. He danced with the ballet companies of Graz and Linz in Austria and for four years with the Ballet de Zaragoza in Spain. He completed his career as a soloist with various companies in Germany and his repertoire included roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Cinderella, Les Patineurs, Allegro Brillante, as well as many contemporary creations. Alex worked as a guest ballet master for several companies in Germany. He currently teaches at various locations in London and Sussex including London Studio Centre, Millennium Performing Arts, RAD Dance School, Gielgud Academy and Pineapple Studios.
EMILY HUFTON
Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance
Emily began her training at The Royal Ballet School and then later at Elmhurst Ballet School, where she gained her National Diploma in Professional Dance. In 2006 she danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet on their national tour of The Firebird and Romeo and Juliet. In 2007 Emily joined Vienna Festival Ballet as a soloist where she performed many principal roles. She became ballet mistress of the company in 2012 and over the next 10 years re-choreographed many of Vienna Festival’s major productions including Swan Lake, Coppelia, Giselle and Rhapsody in Blue. Emily trained in Contemporary Dance under the world-renowned dancer Andre De Villers, and later Jenny McNamara at Elmhurst Ballet School; she has also worked with award winning Contemporary dancers and choreographers Amy Hollingsworth of Rambert Dance Company, and Michael Corder, choreographer for The Royal Ballet. Emily has taught at London Children’s Ballet and The Northampton School of Dance.
Guest Teachers
LINDA PACKER - PDTD, ARAD
Linda trained at the Arts Educational School where she received the Alicia Markova Award for Classical Ballet. She danced professionally with the Scottish Ballet Company for twenty five years and in that time performed principal roles in most of the company’s productions. These include The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Giselle, Coppelia, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Raymonda, Symphony in D, The Two Pigeons, La Fille Mal Gardee, Four Seasons and The Snowman. In August 2014 Linda successfully completed the Professional Dancer's Teaching Diploma at the RAD headquarters in London.
All our teachers are DBS checked. These checks are updated annually.
