ABOUT US
A DANCE SCHOOL THAT REALLY CARES ...
Brookes Dance Academy is an outstanding, professional school which has become highly regarded and recommended since it was founded in 2017.
We offer a wide spectrum of dance training for children including ISTD Ballet, Tap and Modern, Acro, Street, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Kicks Leaps & Turn class, Performance class, Pre-Pointe, Pointe work, Conditioning as well as our own Pre-school program, Mini Groovers.
We provide the opportunity to perform in many community events, whole school shows, pantomime, dance competitions and to take accredited examinations in ballet, tap and modern.
OUR PURPOSE
At Brookes Dance Academy, Tenterden, we are passionate about providing the very best, high quality dance teaching while nurturing children to have more confidence, resilience and self-esteem. The discipline in our dance training provides and promotes an appreciation for teamwork while developing self-awareness and desire for excellence.
Encouragement and positivity is at the heart of everything we do!
MEET THE TEAM
PRINCIPAL & BALLET, MODERN, ACRO AND TAP TEACHER
EMMA BROOKES
The principal of the school, Emma Brookes trained at The Royal Ballet School and Bird College of Performing Arts. She had a long and extensive professional dance career in the UK and across the world.
While at The Royal Ballet School she was lucky enough to dance at the Royal Opera House on several occasions including in Peter Wright's first season of The Nutcracker (this version is still being performed by the company today). TV appearances such as the 40th anniversary of D Day at Westminster Abbey and a documentary about Richmond Park were other highlights of her time at the prestigious school.
Emma decided that a 'ballet only' career wasn't for her so went on to train in Musical Theatre at Bird College.
Upon graduating from college Emma worked as a freelance dancer for 10 years, for a variety of companies travelling to across the UK, Slovenia, Portugal, France, India and Greece.
These jobs included Pantomimes, Summer seasons, Corporate events, the Zee TV Awards (in India), the ITV series 'The Grand' and the Blockbuster Bollywood film 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'.
Emma also had her own professional dance company for many years. They performed at events for many companies including Hilton Hotels, the Armed Forces, Ford, The Mirror Group and Noel Edmond's charity 'Airbourne'.
She is a qualified ISTD teacher and has taught Ballet, Modern and Tap as well as Acro, Street and GCSE dance for over 35 years. She is also qualified with Acrobatic Arts, Progressing Ballet Technique and Alixa Flexibility (L2).
Her pupils have consistently had excellent exam results.
Emma’s teaching expertise covers from very young children through to adults, with many of her students going into the dance profession.
She has had extensive training and experience teaching children with SEN.
MUSICAL THEATRE, BALLET, MODERN & TAP TEACHER
LOU EMMOTT-BURKE
Lou performed with the National Youth Ballet for several seasons, as a young teen. Working directly with choreographers including Peter Curtis and Wayne Sleep, who were creating original commissions for the company. Shows included a Gala at the Royal Opera House. Lou featured as the Cheshire Cat in "Alice in Wonderland" at London's Guildhall for Princess Anne, (who she got to meet!). Credits with NYB also included a BBC televised Christmas Concert from The Royal Albert Hall.
Enough of all the high-brow now! She loves a cheesy Pantomime too and performed for years across Sussex and Kent both as a "babe" and then again professionally as an adult. She completed all of her Modern, Tap and Ballet Syllabus exams with Honours and had qualified as an ISTD Ballet Teacher at age 17, before heading to Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts to broaden her experiences into Acting, Singing and Musical Theatre. Three years later, she graduated with Honours as Head Girl.
STREET & CONTEMPORARY TEACHER
EMILY WRAIGHT
Emily trained at Middlesex University gaining a First-Class honours degree in Dance Performance; specialising in contemporary and urban techniques. Emily has performed in work choreographed by Flawless member Leroy Dias Dos Santos as well as performing in site specific pieces. Featuring as a key performer on a man-made structure outside of Wembley Stadium, in a mass movement community project called Rise with Southpaw Dance Company.
Emily now teaches contemporary, street, acro and creative dance to primary and secondary students and enjoys choreographing for community dance shows. As well as keeping up her love for performing as a member of an adult dance collective.
CLASS ASSISTANTS
We invite some of our senior students to assist our teachers in the younger classes. Many of our teenage students complete their voluntary section of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards with us.
The students benefit from learning how to be a good leader using positive reinforcement and develop some understanding of each child's needs.
These are valuable transferable skills for their future careers.
Our younger students LOVE having the 'big girls' help in their classes and form great bonds with them.
WE ARE AN ISTD ACADEMY
The academy is proud to follow the ISTD syllabi in Ballet, Tap and Modern.
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) exams are recognised by OFQUAL.
We are also certified in the Acrobatic Arts Program, Progressing Ballet Technique and Alixa Flexibility (L2).
