BTEC Faculty

Julie Hatton founded her dance school in 1993. From one small dance class run on Saturdays called ‘Dance Express’ it has grown into a hugely successful performing arts school with over 60 classes in acting, singing, musical theatre and up to 15 styles of dance. Over the years she has also added new departments to the school such as teaching in infant schools, Scarborough Youth Theatre and in 2014 she launched Hatton's College that delivers Btec Level 2 and 3 qualifications in Performing Arts.

 

Julie was a professional dancer herself before starting her business, performing all over the world including a year’s contract in Korea.

 

Julie’s pupils are known not only for their high level of technical training but their work ethic and versatility. Many past pupils now have successful careers in the industry including commercial dancers at events such as the Brit Awards and XFactor, choreographers, dance school principal, performing on cruise ships, Bollywood choreographer/director.

 

CHOREOGRAPHER

 

Julie is well known in the area for her choreography, creating routines for not only the numerous shows and events she produces but also production companies and touring shows.

 

Credits include: Best Choreography Winner at Can You Dance, Tony Peers Productions Summer Season (Director), Tony Peers Productions Pantomimes, QDOS Pantomime

 

PRODUCER

• Christmas Carousel

• Monday Showtime

• The Producers

• Les Miserables

• Sweeney Todd

At the age of three Sophie began her training at Kirkham Henry Performing Arts Centre in Malton, taking part in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, drama, speech and drama and singing classes. Alongside this she also trained at the Yorkshire Ballet Scholarship Centre. Sophie performed in many competitions and amateur productions including: The Nutcracker (Clara); Cinderella (Summer Fairy); Coppélia (Prayer), Giselle (soloist in the Dance of the Wilis); Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Sleepy); Robin Hood (one of his merry men); Starlight Express (Nintendo); CATS (Rumpus Cat); FAME (Iris) and Oliver (Bet) to name a few.

 

After gaining places at vocational musical theatre schools such as Bird College and Urdang Academy, Sophie decided that her passion was in teaching and has recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) with a BA (Hons) Ballet Education; Licentiate of the RAD (LRAD) and Registered Teacher Status (RTS). She has recently become an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD) after passing her Advanced 2 RAD ballet exam.

 

The RAD has provided Sophie with many opportunities such as: dancing to Strictly Come Dancing’s theme tune on the One Show; dancing in the Parade and Finale alongside Darcy Bussell in The Patrons Lunch celebrating the Queens 90th Birthday; dancing in a Taylor Swift flash mob on BBC1 Let’s Sing and Dance for Comic Relief. Alongside her studies Sophie taught at various dance schools across London, with most students achieving distinctions and a few with merits in their ballet exams. She recently became a certified teacher of Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT).

 

Sophie has enjoyed the past three years in London but pleased to be back up North and teaching at The Hatton School of Performing Arts.

 

Within my ballet classes not only do I focus on syllabus work, but also incorporate: floor barre; body conditioning exercises; repertoire work and free enchaînements to provide the students with a well-rounded perspective on ballet.

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Janna Leith studied music at the University of Leeds as a classical soprano. She sang with the National Youth Choir of Great Britain for 6 years ending with a 7 week world tour. Janna went on to sing professionally with the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and features as a soloist on the choir's album 'One Day Fine'.

 

Since returning to Scarborough she has trained with pop vocal specialist Kim Chandler.

 

Janna is an experienced performer in opera, classical repertoire, pop and musical theatre.

 

She has 15 years teaching experience that began at The Hatton School of Performing Arts and is still based here as well as teaching in local schools.

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Stewart is the formost pioneer of Lyrical Contemporary Jazz in the UK, developing the genre from as early as 1979 to the present day.

 

He trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance, his dancing heritage originates with the Martha Graham technique, with the likes of Bob Cohen, William Luther and Jane Dudley as his teacher/mentors that have been his springboard from which he has developed his unique style and genre, consequently becoming one of our most acclaimed and sought after International Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer.

 

For many years Stewart has been constantly involved in a variety of top West End shows, including Wayne Sleeps' ‘Song & Dance’ as a soloist dancer.

 

He was guest choreographer for Wayne Sleeps dance company ‘Dash’, joint- choreographer on ‘The Wiz’ at the Hammersmith Lyric Theatre, and featured as a soloist dancer in the Johnny Depp version of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’.

 

Choreographing Pop promo’s for artists such as David Grant, Elton John and working exclusively with Kate Bush over the last 20 years as a dancer and a choreographic consultant have also been fitted in to an already busy schedule.

 

He also had his own dance series on Channel 4, along with Claude-Paul Henry, called ‘Streets Ahead’, and toured Europe along with Anthony Van Laast and Claude-Paul with their Dance Company called ‘Souls in Motion’ and took his own concept musical ‘Dancing and Singing the Blues’ on the same European circuit directing as well as choreographing the show.

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As an artist Stewart is a unique innovator, whose work is a combination of old and new school, along with a spiritual and artistic richness which makes his work relevant, different and essential not only to the industry but also a great basis for anyone who works with him to start or enhance their creative and technical development as performers in their own right.