Welcome to Oxford Academy of Dance
Ballet, Tap and Modern classes for children and adults Request InformationImportant Dates
The dates are a little complex this term, so please make a careful note of them:
Classes at the URC with Segolene
- Friday September 7th – Classes resume
- Friday October 26th – NO Classes
- Friday December 14th – Last classes before Christmas
Classes at St. Aloysius
- Saturday September 8th – Start of autumn term
- Saturday October 6th – There may be no classes, more details nearer the time
- Saturday September 22nd – All payments are due
- Saturday October 13th – Last day of first half of term
- Monday October 29th – First day of second half of term
- Friday November 2nd – No classes, these will be run on 7th December instead
- Saturday December 1st – This will replace October 6th if that has to be cancelled
- Sunday December 2nd – RAD examinations
- Friday December 7th – Replacement for Friday November 2nd
ISTD Examinations Easter 2019
I have applied for a session of ISTD Examinations just before Easter 2019. The dates I have applied for are: March 24th, 30th and 31st. Unfortunately I have no control over which date I am given, but will let you know the date as soon as I have it.
About Oxford Academy of Dance
Oxford Academy of Dance was founded in April 2001 by Paula Nattrass. It provides high quality professional tuition in RAD Ballet, ISTD Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz. Pupils are taken from the age of three through to adults. The aim of the classes is always to have fun and enjoy the dancing, whilest also recognising that dance is an art form which requires hard work and dedication to succeed.
All levels of students are catered for from Nursery through to majors.
Principal – Paula Nattrass LISTD, RADrts
Paula trained at the Doreen Bird College of Dance, where she gained full teaching qualifications and at the Drama Studio, London. She worked professionally in both the West End, where shows included Jesus Christ Superstar and Hello Dolly and in repertory theatre at Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Rep. Film work includes The Scarlet Pimpernel and Ragtime with Donald O’Connor and an Elvis Costello video called “I Write The Book”. Teaching work includes 10 years at the Guildford School of acting, teaching Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz and Historical Dance as well as choreographing operetta and drama projects.
As well as running Oxford Academy of Dance Paula also teaches Ballet at The Manor Preparatory School in Abingdon.
“I’ve been a closet tapper my whole life, so when the opportunity came via some friends to join Paula’s adult beginners tap class it was a no-brainer – I leapt, or should I say ‘hop shuffle stepped’…… Six years on and after a lot of sweat and bouncing we’re still going strong and it’s the highlight of my week. Paula is a brilliant teacher – truly gifted in patience (much needed with us) and an ability to explain things simply and at the right pace to ensure we learn. More importantly, she makes it fun and we have a terrific laugh. I travel a lot with work and so often have to miss sessions, but it’s no problem and Paula is incredibly flexible and ensures I slip back into things with ease. My youngest son is now also learning tap, modern and ballet with similar enthusiasm and joy as myself. I cannot recommend Paula’s Oxford Academy of Dance highly enough to anyone wanting to learn to dance, get fit and have some fun.”
Professor Irene TraceyHIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
My daughter has been a pupil of Oxford Academy of Dance for the past 6 years since she was 5 and has loved every minute. She dances ballet, tap, modern and jazz and she has progressed very well through her exams. She loves the shows, which give them all chance to see the other grades and aspire to reach them with their confidence to perform growing every year. They offer professional, fun and friendly classes for all ages, with fantastic shows and excellent exam results. Paula is professional, caring and extremely committed to ensure the pupils reach their full potential, going above and beyond to help prepare the pupils for their exams. I would highly recommend them.
ST - ParentWhat We Offer
RAD Ballet
Ballet is at the heart of all dance styles and all students are encouraged to do it. It develops excellent posture and technique and provides the foundation steps for other dance styles. We start from the age of 3 learning movement and steps through imaginative sequences and follow up from the age of around 5 learning the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus where pupils will be able to take examinations should they wish to.
ISTD Tap
Tap classes are taught from age 5 at Oxford Academy of Dance. Students follow the ISTD syllabus and it should be taken alongside their normal ballet classes.
Tap is a percussive style of dance which focuses on rhythm and co-ordination. It is fun and lively and provides an excellent opportunity to improve, musicality whilst learning the technique.
ISTD Modern
Modern is a dance style often seen in the West End in musicals such as “Grease”, “Cats” and “Wicked”. It is a crossover between the more funky street dance style and the discipline of classical ballet incorporating a combination of jazz and lyrical movement and isolations into prepared exercises.
At Oxford Academy of Dance we follow the ISTD syllabus from Grade 1 and students can start from the age of 5. Modern classes should be taken alongside Ballet classes.
Adult Classes
Our adult classes are for those looking to have fun, learn some dance styles and keep fit. Adults of any level are welcome to join classes. At Oxford Academy of Dance we have classes for Adults in Tap, Ballet and Body Conditioning and Strengthening.
Our Teachers
Paula Nattrass
Principal
Paula trained at the Doreen Bird College of Dance, where she gained full teaching qualifications and at the Drama Studio, London. She worked professionally in both the West End, where shows included Jesus Christ Superstar and Hello Dolly and in repertory theatre at Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Rep. Film work includes The Scarlet Pimpernel and Ragtime with Donald O’Connor and an Elvis Costello video called “I Write The Book”. Teaching work includes 10 years at the Guildford School of acting, teaching Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz and Historical Dance as well as choreographing operetta and drama projects.
As well as running Oxford Academy of Dance Paula also teaches Ballet at The Manor Preparatory School in Abingdon.
Hara Kyriazi
Teacher
Hara got her BA degree from Niki’s Kontaxaki-Nikoletta’s Bakali Higher Professional dance school, where she specialized in Classical Ballet and Contemporary dance. Since graduating at 2012, she has been teaching junior and adult classes at her previous school.
During that time she participated in various dance shows in Athens, Greece. Hara also holds a degree of Archeology and History of Art, from the University of Athens. In 2016 she moved to the UK and she worked as a dance teacher in various dance academies and schools at Cardiff. From September 2016, Hara will be part of the teaching team at the Oxford Academy of Dance.
Segolene Tarte
Teacher
Ségolène Tarte studied ballet with Geneviève Guillée, of the Paris Opera Ballet, at the “conservatoire municipal du XVe – Frédéric Chopin” (Geneviève danced with the Paris Opera Ballet company for 20 years, reaching the grade of “grand sujet” in 1961; she further sat as a panel member on the jury of the Paris Opera Ballet company’s annual internal promotion contest in the 1980s, whilst teaching at the conservatoire). Ségolène pursued her ballet training in Berne (Switzerland) with Ivana Halamka (soloist at the Prague Chamber ballet, at ballet Karlsruhe, then ballet mistress at the Berne Statdttheater Ballet) and joined the semi-professional company City Ballett Halamka for 5 years where she danced a number of solos, whilst completing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. In parallel with pursuing her academic career, working as a Digital Humanist in close collaboration with Classicists at the University of Oxford, Ségolène’s move to Oxford in 2008 has seen her debuts as a choreographer, improviser, and ballet teacher. She has shown her work at various venues in Oxford, including at the Pegasus Theatre and the Old Fire Station, and teaches for a number of well-established dance schools in Oxford. Drawing on her training in the French School of ballet and, to a lesser extent, in the Russian School, through her ballet classes, Ségolène strives to share the joy of movement and the subtleties of intention through movement. Her favourite technical foci are: presentation and articulation of the feet and lower legs; fluidity and breath in the movements of the upper body; and precision and clarity in the orientation of the body in space.
Where are the Classes
The majority of the classes are held at St. Aloysius school, which is on the corner of St. Margarets Road and Woodstock road. Some of the classes on a Friday evening are at the United Reformed Church Hall in Summertown, opposite Laura Ashely.
Oxford Academy of Dance
Oxford Academy of Dance - URC
How to contact me.
Please feel free to contact me on the number below. If I can't answer please leave your name, number and message and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Please bear in mind I teach most evenings until late so it will probably be the next day before I am able to respond. Alternatively please fill in your details in the form opposite and I will get back to you, if not the same day then certainly the next.
Tel: 07913 995963