Meet the Team

I am 20 years old and a teacher at Shine. I knew from a very early age that acting, performing and music would be the path I would follow. I am now assisting my mum, June at Shine Performing Arts. I relay all my experiences I’ve learned in the Performing Arts industry to young, aspiring actors in the classes. I am very passionate about helping younger children improve their confidence and to realise their potential in performing, script and song writing, filming and indeed any other discipline associated with the industry.

I have achieved a level 3 BTEC qualification in popular music and a Foundation BTEC qualification in Performing Arts with a distinction. I am studying my final year of my degree at University which covers all aspects of performing and production, whilst pursuing my acting career with SPA Agency.

I have achieved a number of short films credits to my name including Downton Abbey when I was younger, The World’s Most Evil Killers and appearing as a leading role in a professional theatre production.  

My love for performing started with dance. I trained with Emjay Dance Academy in Southampton and went on to win competitions around the country including at Sadlers Wells in London. I achieved a BA Honours Degree in Performing Arts and after university successfully auditioned to work with Capital Radio Hampshire’s on-air team- broadcasting live from local events and reporting on travel news in the area.

After a varied career in radio I then decided to train to teach. I successfully completed my GTP teaching qualification in 2010 and since then, I have worked in the local secondary schools as a Drama and English Teacher. Currently I am sharing my skills with a younger audience at a local infant school. Between 2013 and 2018 I also ran ‘Disco Duck’ classes locally for Pre-school aged children with their parents/carers. I am very experienced and have taught the LAMDA syllabus to both children and adults alongside working on many live performances as a director or as a choreographer. 

I am a fully trained Paediatric first aider with experience of working with children with Special educational needs and disabilities of a physical and emotional nature. Safeguarding is an extremely important responsibility, so I am proud to say years of experience in this area to support children during classes.  

I am a Southampton-based actor and acting teacher with 18 years of teaching experience in schools, colleges and universities.

I am currently Shine’s Head Teacher for the Hedge End branch and Bursledon School drama club, as well as a private LAMDA tutor. I love working imaginatively with children to help them develop skills in performance for stage and screen, confidence and creative self-expression.

In 2016, I graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with a Master’s Degree in Actor Training and Coaching (Distinction). Having trained with world-class acting teachers and directors at Central enables me to offer up-to-date, professional-standard actor-training to my students.

As an actor I work regularly with local writer-director Deborah Gearing, as part of the Fuse Collective, devising and performing new writing. As well as being a stage and screen actor, I also write, direct and devise my own work. In 2022 I was awarded funding to complete an artist’s residency at MAST Mayflower Studios, developing a contemporary LGBTQI+ retelling of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ and I am currently writing a play as well as researching and developing a one-woman show.

I am a credited classical actor, voice actor and screen actor. I trained at London academy of music and dramatic arts in classical theatre and at TVI actors studio in Los Angles. After a 20 year professional career I am now the head of Performing Arts at City College Southampton and trains his students to a professional standard and has helped many students over the past 15 years gain entry to drama school and conservatoire.

I am a fully qualified fight director and stunt coordinator, I trained at the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. I have worked with many prestigious companies, training professionals in fight choreography. I have also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Tour De Force as well as the BBC and many independent film companies.

Previously I have owned my own physical theatre company where I toured for many years around the UK. My focus now is on training and teaching before heading back into industry later in life.

I’ve loved performing since childhood. Having studied drama for GCSE, I then gained a National Diploma in Performing Arts and went on to graduate from Bournemouth University in 2012 with an FdA degree in Musical Theatre.

After leaving university, I decided to continue living in Bournemouth, where I set up my own business with my partner, specialising in design, marketing & IT. We grew the business for 7 years & I was eventually in charge of a staff of 25, employed from the local area, teaching me valuable leadership skills along the way. Having sold the business, I’m now looking forward to returning to my roots and passing my knowledge on to the next generation of performers. I’m also a passionate baker, running a small local Brownie baking business and a dog lover.

I’ve been going to Shine for about a year, practising my drama and performing talent. I am currently in my second year of a vocational drama and performing arts course at college at Brockenhurst College and I feel like being able to interact and help others on the their progress can benefit my own.

I am one of the assistant teachers at Shine performing arts and have attended Shine since I was 12 and I’m now currently studying performing arts at college and hope to further progress in the performing arts industry in the coming years. Acting has been a passion of mine for many years now and I enjoy helping others discover their own path in performing arts.

Dance has been the biggest part of my life since aged four and from that I developed a real passion for performing. I trained at Winchester University, graduating with a First Class BA (hons) degree in Dance. I have studying a variety of genres over the years, such as, Musical Theatre, Tap, Ballet and Jazz. Throughout my time I have performed with companies including the English Youth Ballet and Avant Garde Dance. 

Being in the industry has taught me how unique every individual is and the importance of self-love and inner belief, qualities I cannot wait to pass on the a new generation of performers.

Furthermore, I have a great love for the Media industry having studied it all the way to A-level which has fuelled my interest in choreographing both dance and acting for the screen.

My passion for the arts is unmatched and I cannot wait to embark on my Shine journey! 

I have been involved in performing arts since a very young age. I attended group drama and dance classes throughout her early years later gaining the experience and confidence to audition for more prominent roles in bigger amateur theatre productions.

With a continued interest to learn new drama techniques I am very excited to share my experiences with my peers as I builds a career in acting. I am also currently in my second year of a vocational performing arts qualification.

As a recent graduate of Musical Theatre, Ben is on-fire for practising and teaching the many aspects of theatre. Ben has a passion for bringing in-depth character into songs and dances to create a show that emotionally connects to an audience.

Enthusiastic, high-energy lessons help draw each individual child out of their shell to interact with the judgement-free, playful environment that children work best in! Ben firmly believes that people will push themselves much more when they’re having fun and don’t feel afraid to fail. His lessons are all about getting better, and having a fantastic time doing it.