About Us

About Hannah

Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and has gifted me so much of what it can offer: physical and mental discipline, inquiry and escape, a place of embodied reality and continual learning.

From as far back as I remember, I have existed within a world of dance. I lived above the family-run dance school in Norwich and grew up in-amongst its dancers, costumes, shows and glorious music. A retired professional ballerina taught me ballet from the age of two, and at seventeen I went into full-time vocational dance training, in Ballet, Tap and Jazz. My training included both the RAD and BBO ballet syllabi and the IDTA Tap and Modern Jazz syllabi. I regularly attended the London School of Contemporary Dance for many years and continue to go to this day for classes as a mature adult dancer. I was trained and inspired under the watchful eyes of world-leading teachers and undertook Vocational examinations across different genres to advanced levels.

Following this, my career path and enthusiasm led me to teach and into my place of passion: dance education. I trained and qualified with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) as a teacher, guided by their highly experienced tutors, and with the International Dance Teachers’ Association (IDTA) in other dance genres. More recently as a mature adult, I achieved a first in a BA Dance Education Degree (with the RAD) and aspire to complete my Masters.

Hannah’s Teaching Practice

Since 1996 I feel very privileged to have taught dance in a wide variety of contexts to all ages and abilities. My practice has included teaching in both primary and secondary schools, tutoring student dance teachers, choreography for award winning theatre companies, leading corporate adult ballet dance initiatives for Prudential, and trialling the RAD’s Silver Swans project in Wales for a year. I teach from beginners (age 3) through to pre-professional levels at my established and successful school in Pembrokeshire and have had many students move into full-time prestigious dance and theatre colleges across the country. My students all have the option of taking examinations with the RAD and IDTA and have consistently received exceptional marks.

I regularly attend specialised courses with world-leading professionals for my ‘continuing professional development’ and strive to learn more in this forever diversifying and progressive art form. My commitment to the art of dance and continuing teaching practice, is that it should be delivered as an inclusive education which values the strengths and artistic beauty of each student.

To read more about my teaching practice for Adults CLICK HERE

Our History

My dance teaching career began in 1996 and in 2004 On Your Toes School of Dancing was given its name. During my early years of teaching, I taught for the Cardigan School of Dancing before joining a friend and highly respected dance teacher to open a school in Haverfordwest. Due to logistics, our successful partnership had to end, and I remained as sole Principle in Haverfordwest - to expand, evolve and create my school into what it is known as today. To this day, we remain firm friends and supportive work colleagues at our independent schools and regularly collaborate for exam sessions at her school in Carmarthen.

On Your Toes School of Dancing - Today

Today, On Your Toes School of Dancing has three branch areas: its school in Pembrokeshire, an adult dance practice around Wales and the luxurious Tranquil Swan retreats.

The school in Haverfordwest runs its classes from the Tabernacle community centre at the bottom of Barn street. It has a large downstairs hall and an upstairs studio with attached mirrors and barres. On a Saturday, under the guidance of both Francesca and I, Sophie Grehan (a training tap teacher) teaches the younger tap students. She has taught for us for over a year and has achieved excellent results. She is a valuable member of our school and a talented teacher. On a Saturday we have tea, coffee and cakes available and two comfortable waiting areas for parents to relax in.

Current timetables, news and events can be found here (Dance School) and here (Adult Dance).

Francesca Tebbutt

Francesca Tebbutt is a highly accomplished performing dancer and teacher of all genres.

Peter Brown

Peter is a professional pianist specialising in dance, musical theatre and chamber music.