ELITE
TEAM

YASMIN 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

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

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