Two students from Teddington Dance Studio (TDS) have accepted offers at Laine Theatre Arts School in Epsom.

Students Ella and Sam will be attending Laine in September.

Speaking about her offer, Ella, who has always lived in Teddington, told Nub News: "I applied for a three-year BA Honours in Musical Theatre at Laine Theatre Arts, Italia Conti, Urdang, Wilkes Academy & Emil Dale and received offers from all of them.

"I have accepted Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom and start my course in September."

Sam, who has also always lived in Teddington, added: "After a long but enjoyable audition season I was delighted to get a place at three of my top choices, including my dream school, Laine Theatre Arts where I will be starting in September.

"This was the first one I looked around when starting the audition process and I fell in love with it straight away."

TDS', which is based on The Causeway in Teddington with two purpose built studios, core classes are in Ballet, Tap, Modern, Drama and Jazz, but it also offers classes in Musical Theatre, Commercial Jazz, Singing, and Conditioning.

TDS's drama classes are London Academy of Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) focused and its Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Modern classes are taught according to the syllabuses of both the I.D.T.A and I.S.T.D, allowing students to work towards graded dance examinations.

These exams are held multiple times a year and have proven to be extremely rewarding and enjoyable for students.

TDS has an impressive track record, with an 100% Distinction & Merit rate in all exams taken and former students have gone on to attend professional schools in the field, such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), Addict, TTC and Arts Educational.

Ella started dance classes when she was around three and a half year's old.

"From that early age, I just knew it was what I wanted to do, I've never wanted to do anything else," she said.

Ella joined TDS when she was nine.

She said: "My mum arranged for me to have a trial at Tap and Ballet but after just the first week I signed up to Tap, Ballet, Modern Jazz & Acro, adding Musical Theatre, Pointe, PBT and Conditioning.

"Teddington Dance Studio also runs Drama Classes and I enrolled with that from the very first lesson they held. This really supported me with my Dance, Drama and English Literature exams at school and college."

When asked if she wants to pursue a career in dance, Ella said: "Without a doubt, 100% yes!"

She says that she loves performing and the freedom it gives her to express herself.

Ella added: "I love music, I get to enjoy myself whilst keeping fit and I have made life long friends, to me dance is so much more than 'just physical', I enjoy choreographing and dancing with others as well as a soloist."

She says that TDS' Principal, Natalie Randhawa, really helped her with her dance school auditions.

Ella added: "It's hard to put into words what Natalie (Dance), Chris (Acro), Krystina and Rachel (Drama), Freyana (Singing) and the whole of Team TDS have done to help, they are all so encouraging and supportive.

"However Natalie really has helped guide me, having her own experience from going through vocational training, she took the time to research what is relevant in the industry now.

"I think that is one of the reasons I was so prepared, she spent a lot of time really finding out what it is I want after my degree, and that is to be a Triple Threat, to be able to sing, dance and act, this helped filter where to audition. I filmed my audition tapes in the TDS studio.

"Natalie also has some great connections which has allowed me to really experience different styles of teaching and attend workshops across the South East of England."

The student says that being a TDS pupil has enabled her to get "enough UCAS points from [her] Ballet, Tap, Modern and Drama exams to meet any criteria set by Degree courses" and that "this really did lift the pressure with [her] A Levels".

She continued: "I have met so many amazing dancers, performers and choreographers.

"I also became part of Team TDS and represented Teddington Dance Studio at All England Dance Festivals, which has helped me with understanding sacrifices and commitment, given me confidence to dance and perform on my own, and the ability to work with others in duets, trios, quartets and groups.

"It has also given me an insight and understanding how things work behind the stage too. Most of all though it's given me a safe place to be me."

Meanwhile, fellow TDS student Sam tried to "copy the professionals on Strictly Come Dancing every Saturday and make [his] parents give [him] scores for each dance" before starting "proper" dance classes at TDS.

He said: "During this time, my younger sister had just joined Teddington Dance Studio and a boys tap class opened up on a Monday which I subsequently joined.

"I was five, and remember thinking that I was just like the Strictly Come Dancing professionals in training. This TV show was an early inspiration for me getting into dance."

Sam says what he loves most about dancing is the people he sees when he is there. He says he has made life long friends.

"It's like extended family," he said.

He added: "This reason also benefited me massively during GCSE and A-Level exams as it has been a chance for me to take a step away from revising.

"In addition to this, I love all the extra opportunities I have been able to take part in outside of usual classes. For example, showcases and competitions which have always been a nice way of seeing how much I have improved."

The student has wanted to pursue a career in dance since he first started dancing.

He said: "I would love to go on to perform in a musical on the West End with my dream show being Singin' in the Rain as I love the music in it and it's based around my favourite style of dance, tap dancing."

Sam joined TDS at the age of five and began by just going to a boys tap class that was once a week.

He said: "Since then, I quickly joined as many classes as I could, and now also do Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Acro, Musical Theatre, Commercial, and Drama."

Speaking about how TDS has helped him in his dancing achievements and to prepare for his dance school auditions, Sam said: "Everything I have ever done in relation to dance I have Natalie and everyone at TDS to thank for.

"The amount of opportunities that Natalie has given me since I started has been amazing and perfectly set me up for my next step in dancing and performing. I could not imagine a life without dance and I look forward to any chance I get to perform.

"In terms of auditions, I could not have received better help from Natalie as well as Krystina who helped with my monologues and Freyana who helped with my songs.

"The three of them built my confidence up, reassuring me that everything will be fine. As they have all been through this process before, I knew that everything they had to say would help me and appreciated it immensely."

Since joining TDS, Sam has achieved Grade Six in Drama, Intermediate in Ballet and Modern and Advanced One in Tap, achieving a Distinction mark in each of these along the way.

He said: "On top of this, I have taken part in All England Dance competitions since the age of seven. I have competed in tap, jazz and lyrical and have qualified for the regional finals on multiple occasions and reached the national finals three times including this year."

TDS' Principal, Natalie, says she is "incredibly proud" of both Ella and Sam for getting into Laine.

She told Nub News: "To be accepted into some of the UK's leading vocational training establishments makes me incredibly proud of both Ella and Sam. The sacrifices, commitment, and dedication required to achieve this are second to none.

"The performing arts industry is highly competitive, so securing a place at such a prestigious institution is a remarkable achievement.

"Knowing that their training at TDS has prepared them to the highest standard is a testament not only to their hard work and determination, but also to the dedication of our entire teaching team.

"We are delighted to see them take this next exciting step in their careers and look forward to following their future success."

You can find out more about TDS on its website here.

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