ELITE

TEAM

royalacalogominiYASMIN ALAMIRI

BA (hons) RTS LRAD ARAD
Principal

Yasmin began her training at the age of 3, studying Ballet, Jazz and Tap, achieving Royal Academy Ballet examinations from Pre-Primary to Grade 8, attaining Distinction in all. From the age of 11, Yasmin won the Young Gifted Dancer Scholarship to attend The Arts Educational School in West London, where she gained a wide experience of all aspects of performing arts. Yasmin studied Classical Ballet, Contemporary dance, Tap dance, Musical Theatre and Drama, performing several shows a year. Yasmin also toured Europe with the chamber choir, performing in Venice’s St Mark’s cathedral. After completing her studies at Arts Educational, Yasmin gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dance University, where she completed a degree in Ballet Education and passed the LRAD course becoming a full member and associate of the RAD. The programme provided Yasmin with a wide range of dance teaching skills, from Ballet and Contemporary dance technique to choreography, pedagogy, Laban and Benesh notation, dance science theory and many more. Since graduating Yasmin has taught for Ballet schools all over south and west London entering children for RAD examinations with a 100% pass rate. Yasmin also became head of dance at the Study School Wimbledon teaching Ballet and Creative dance and choreographing dances for the Wimbledon Village fair held every summer. Yasmin then set up Elite Dancers Academy in 2013 providing high standard ballet, tap and jazz classes in Chiswick and Wimbledon. Yasmin is currently a mentor to the Royal Academy of Dance ballet degree students, helping guide the students in their teacher training placements.

For more information on Elite Dance Academy contact: Tel: 07929 483 124

Rebekah Mather

Vice Principal – Tap and Acrobatics Teacher

Rebekah has been passionate about performing from a very young age. When she was eleven years old she was a full time vocational student at The Hammond School of Ballet in Chester where she was trained professionally in ballet, tap, jazz and musical theatre. She then went on to study at the prestigious Performers College in London where she graduated with distinction in dance and musical theatre as well as gaining her ISTD DDI teacher training qualifications in ballet, tap and modern. Rebekah is also qualified in teaching the Acrobatic Arts syllabus.
 
As well as teaching at various dance schools in the area, Rebekah works as a professional dancer and actress. Some of her highlights in her career so far are dancing at the ‘We Day’ charity concert at Wembley Arena alongside Fleur East, appearances on the ‘Rugby Tonight Show’ on BT Sport, Hollyoaks, and choreographing for the NFL Takeover on London’s Regent Street where her students performed with America’s Jacksonville Jaguar’s cheerleaders.
 
Rebekah is very happy to be working at Elite Dancers Academy and looks forward to developing the talents of each individual student!

Poppy Barnes BA (Hons)

LRAD, RAD RTS
RAD Ballet teacher Kingston & Streatham

Originally from Northumberland, Poppy started her classical ballet training at the age of 7, studying all RAD graded and vocational exams up to Advanced 2 level. Her passion for dance and art, as well as an enthusiasm for teaching, allowed her to successfully gain a place on the Ballet Education degree programme at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. This gave her the opportunity to train in a wide variety of teaching settings, including with multiple private ballet schools, and professional community platforms. Alongside this, Poppy achieved the Licentiate of the RAD qualification with distinction, providing her with detailed knowledge of the RAD syllabi and ballet teaching. She has also studied contemporary dance and enjoyed opportunities to be involved in outreach programmes, master classes, and perform with various professional companies. Poppy now works as a freelance dancer and teacher in London, and is a current dance ambassador for One Dance UK.

Poppy is excited to share her love of dancing with all the dancers at Elite to help them further their enthusiasm and joy for the wonderful art form that is ballet!

ALICE MCDERMOTT

BA (hons) LRAD ARAD RTS
RAD Ballet teacher – Chiswick and Wimbledon

Alice grew up in Jersey, Channel Islands where she started dancing at the age of 5 studying ballet, tap and modern dance in the RAD, IDTA and ISTD syllabi. Over the years, Alice has enjoyed participating in showcases with principal dancers of the Royal Ballet and competing in local festivals and national competitions. In 2016, she was successful in winning a bronze medal at the Bloch Dance World Cup Finals. Alice moved to London in 2017 to begin her teaching studies at the Royal Academy of Dance and has since graduated from the BA (hons) Ballet education degree course and also with the LRAD qualification giving her an in-depth knowledge of the syllabi from pre-primary to Advanced 2.

Francesca Causer 

Principal teaching assistant

Francesca has been training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern & contemporary since the age of 3. At the age of 12, Francesca began her vocational studies at Arts Educational Schools London where she spent several years enhancing her experience in the studio as well as on stage. Francesca has had the privilege of performing at the Savoy Hotel at the annual Make a Wish Foundation charity fundraising gala, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel representing the Royal Academy of Dance and the New Wimbledon Theatre performing various ticketed shows. Throughout Francesca’s dance career she has been taught by the industry’s top professionals who encouraged her to pursue new opportunities as well as complete all RAD ballet exams up to grade 8, attaining distinction in all exams in addition to ISTD Tap & Modern grades. Francesca has been volunteering at Elite since the age of 12, learning the many ins and outs of being a teacher under Miss Yasmin before then graduating to become her assistant. In 2020, Francesca has completed her qualification as a level 3 personal trainer and a level 2 fitness instructor with a specialisation in nutrition and group fitness in addition to a degree in physiotherapy by 2023.

JACK DERGES

Head of Outreach

Born and raised in Devon, Jack moved to London in 2008 to train as an actor. He attended the prestigious drama school, ArtsEd in Chiswick.

Jack mainly looks after nursery and after school clubs for Elite, managing everything from initial point of contact through to registration and enrolment.

If you have any questions or are interested in Elite running a club at your school or nursery, please email Jack: jack@eliteda.co.uk