Meet The Team
Your highly skilled and passionate teachers...
Hayley
Hayley is the daughter of Philip and Christine and began dancing as soon as she could walk! Over the years she competed in Ballroom, Latin and Freestyle dance up to Championship level.
Hayley has been a professional dance teacher since she was 18. In that time she has achieved two dance degrees from the University of Winchester and Buckinghamshire New University. As well as being qualified in Ballroom, Latin, Freestyle, Rock n Roll and Dance Exercise. She has judged national and international professional level dance competitions. And put on many shows, events and competitions for the dance community and beyond.
Hayley and her husband bought and renovated the Northam studio from an old Salvation Army headquarters into the dance space back in 2016. It was an epic renovation project that was crammed into a 4 month period and involved demolishing walls and totally reconfiguring the building, all with a newborn baby in tow!
Mel
Melanie started dancing at the age of 7 at the age of 17 she moved to London to continue her training professionally at the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts. She graduated in 2000 with a Diploma in Performing Arts and full membership of the actors union Equity as well as Ballet, Tap and Modern qualifications with the ISTD and Acting qualifications from LAMDA.
Melanie is proud to have performed in some of London’s top theatres including West End’s Drury Lane and a performance in front of Royalty at the London Palladium. Other early credits include various TV adverts, music videos (including one directed by IrvineWelsh (Trainspotting author), photographic modelling assignments and dancing for Sky Sports, performing at sporting engagements with teams like Saracens and West Ham (yes, she was a Hammerette!), as well as appearing at the bigger sporting occasions such as the Cricket World Cup in England and the Rugby 7’s in Dubai. In 2001 she started working with the Walt Disney company firstly moving to Paris to open ‘Animagique’ followed by 9 years working onboard Disney Cruiselines as a dancer/performer, dance captain and manager.
Once her performing days were over she then opened up a Theatre school in Dorset and after 5 years she sold the school to start her family. Melanie has now put her dancing shoes down (but always within grabbing distance!) and now enjoys her role as Studio Manager.
Leila
Leila has danced since the age of 4 (although her mum would argue it was way before that!).
She has a BA (Hons) degree in Dance and Culture (which included a year working within the dance industry), a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts, for which she achieved 3 distinctions, ISTD and BA Ballet qualifications and over ten years’ teaching experience.
She’s choreographed for music videos (as well as being a backing dancer), local productions, taught as a freelancer for local dance schools and community groups and spent two years working overseas with Thomas Cook as a singer and dancer.
Leila specialises in Street Dance but loves to dabble in Contemporary and Musical Theatre and has recently qualified as an Acro Trix instructor.
She loves teaching people of all ages and abilities!
Charlie
Charlie started dancing at the age of 3 and gradually picked up many different dance styles as she grew up. She successfully completed many ISTD exams in Ballet, Modern and Tap. At Sixth Form she studied A Level Dance, B.Tech Dance and B.Tech Musical Theatre and then continued her training by completing a Foundation Course at the Prestigious Bird College in London.
In 2018 Charlie auditioned for a place at another highly acclaimed London Studio Centre and got offered a place on their Theatre Dance degree course. Charlie has just recently graduated and moved back to Southampton this summer and is super excited to start teaching with us!
Charlie is continuing her dance training and will be gaining her DDE in Modern with the ISTD.
Sami
Sami started teaching at DM Studios last year.
Leila
Leila has danced since the age of 4 (although her mum would argue it was way before that!).
She has a BA (Hons) degree in Dance and Culture (which included a year working within the dance industry), a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts, for which she achieved 3 distinctions, ISTD and BA Ballet qualifications and over ten years’ teaching experience.
She’s choreographed for music videos (as well as being a backing dancer), local productions, taught as a freelancer for local dance schools and community groups and spent two years working overseas with Thomas Cook as a singer and dancer.
Leila specialises in Street Dance but loves to dabble in Contemporary and Musical Theatre and has recently qualified as an Acro Trix instructor.
She loves teaching people of all ages and abilities!
Debbie
Debbie is head of our reception team and works during the day as an administrator for DM Studios.
Sally
Sally works as on Reception on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She also owns a very fun, Fancy Dress Shop!