Meet the Team VG Teaching Staff
Vicky Grant - Principal and Owner, BTDA Examiner
Vicky Grant is the principal and owner of the school. She is also the head of classical ballet and modern jazz for the school, a qualified examiner for the British Theatre Dance Association (BTDA), and is part of the BTDA Modern Jazz Artistic Group, helping to develop the Modern Jazz programmes of study.
Her love of dance started at age three when she started classical ballet with the Norma Terry School of Dance, followed quickly by modern jazz and tap dancing. She grew to love all forms of dance and took classes in contemporary and street dance as her training continued. At age eight, she made it into the finals of 'Young Stars of Tomorrow' with Arlene Philips describing her as 'A fabulous ball of energy'! At age 11 she started to assist with junior classes and her love for teaching was born! She told her parents that one day she wanted to own her own dance school, and the dream came true! As well as dancing, Vicky has an avid passion for Musical Theatre, and played many lead roles in shows such as 42nd Street and Guys & Dolls, as well as many, many years in the magical world of pantomime.
Vicky Grant is a Principal Member of the British Theatre Dance Association (BTDA), passing her teaching qualifications with a 100% Distinction pass rate. She also holds certificates in the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and has a Level 7 Diploma in Business Management.
Ashleigh Hackett – Dance Teacher, Head of Tap
Ashleigh started Classical Ballet with the Norma Terry School of Dance when she was three years old, soon after starting Modern Jazz and Tap classes. She gained high marks in all her BTDA exams in Ballet, Modern and Tap up to Advanced Vocational Level. At the age of 18, she enrolled on the BTDA Teaching Qualification programme and became a Registered Teacher in 2011. In 2017, Ashleigh became Head of Tap for the school.
From a young age, Ashleigh performed in many musicals, pantomimes and cabarets which brings a wealth of knowledge to her students on both the performance side and the technical side of dance.
Charlotte Cooney - Dance Teacher, specialising in Street Dance and Adult Dance Classes
Charlotte has danced from the age of three. She was trained in RAD Ballet and ISTD Modern and Tap, gaining her grades up to and including Intermediate. When Charlotte was fifteen she joined a contemporary company, training every Sunday and getting the opportunity to perform in many shows. After Charlotte gained her GCSEs she trained at “Bodywork Company” for four years. Charlotte got the opportunity to work with the “Hofesh Shecter” contemporary company and had the privilege to be taught by a variety of professional dancers which lead her to her love of street dance. At “Bodywork” she gaining her Level 6 National Diploma in Dance awarded by Trinity College London. After this Charlotte gained her level 4 PTLLS qualification (preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector) and qualified as a BTEC Dance and Performing Arts Teacher.
Charlotte has always had a passion for teaching and choreographing dance and has choreographed many 1st place routines for competitions all around the UK and in Disney Land Paris. Alongside Teaching for Team VG, Charlotte runs her own after school Dance and Performing Arts Clubs and often takes PE sessions within a variety of primary schools in the surrounding areas.
Sophie Handscombe - Dance Teacher, specialising in Contemporary, Acro and Musical Theatre
Sophie started dancing when she was three years old and was a student of Team VG until she left at 18 to go to the Leicester College of Performing Arts (LCPA) to continue her training. During her three years at LCPA, Sophie also trained as a BTDA Teacher and taught classes in a range of styles for another BTDA school to expand her experience. She graduated from LCPA in 2022 with a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre and we are delighted that she has come on board to teach for us.
In 2023, Sophie completed the Level 1 Acrotrix training and we started multiple classes in Acro. In 2024, she will be gaining her Level 2 to allow us to start higher grades in Acro.
Stephanie Swan - Adult Tap Teacher
Stephanie has trained in a variety of dance styles from the age of 10 and went on to graduate from Liverpool Theatre School with a distinction in professional musical theatre - an industry in which she continues to work. She regularly incorporates knowledge from her performance contracts of how each dance style is evolving into her teaching; helping all ages develop both in self confidence and as performers.