OUR TEACHERS
Jane Kirkby
Principal and Teacher
Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz and Musical Theatre
Jane was born in Doncaster and started dancing at the age of 3. She left Yorkshire at 16, having trained at Maureen Law Theatre School in Sheffield, to go to the highly prestigious Laine Theatre Arts on a fully funded course. She graduated in 1993 with her teaching qualifications in Ballet, Tap and Modern Dance as well as her Advanced 2 qualifications in all genres. She then went on to perform in Musicals both in the West End and around the country. Her credits include Starlight Express, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Mamma Mia, Fame, Oh What A Night, and Me and My Girl, to name but a few. She then went on to assist some of the top choreographers in the country and was the associate choreographer for the musical Fame, casting the show and creating the musical many, many times all over the country.
In 2006, everything changed when she had her first daughter, but in the background she has always loved children and wanted to teach so it was a good time to down tools in the Musical Theatre industry and concentrate fully on her school, which she had started in the year 2000.
Jane adores her job and has a great passion for making dance inclusive and for everyone. It’s an extremely important part of her teaching and is paramount to her school. Having taught hundreds of children, she still loves it and especially being able to create choreography in the bi-annual show which celebrates all the children’s hard work over the two years. It’s a great advertisement for her school and is something all the children look forward to.
Jane is proud of what she has created and will never stop teaching!!
Sophie Maasland
Teacher
Drama and Singing
Sophie began performing at the age of 3 and has danced with Jane at the Housley School of Dance since its conception in 2000. At the age of 18, she left to go and train professionally at the London Studio Centre where she gained a degree in Musical Theatre and Dance. It was also during this time that Jane invited Sophie back to Housley, this time in a teaching capacity for drama and singing on a Saturday morning, lessons which Sophie once took herself!
Sophie next went to train at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, studying acting, and graduated with a Masters degree. During her subsequent acting career, Sophie performed at the New Wimbledon Theatre, the Unicorn Theatre and the Criterion Theatre as well as working with companies such Frantic Assembly. Sophie has now moved behind the scenes and works at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
Sophie has taught drama and singing for Jane for nearly 6 years now… Jane just can’t rid of her!
Amy Cable
Teacher
Street Dance and Jazz
After competing in gymnastic competitions from a young age, Amy was introduced to Housley by a friend. She immediately loved the classes but most of all loved Jane. Jane encouraged her to progress at dance college and at the age of 16 she gained a National Diploma in Advanced Dance at Miskin Theatre and then went on to train at Doreen Bird.
She has a passion for fitness and exercises classes, so after leaving college she qualified as a fitness instructor and since then has trained to teach aerobics, Zumba and Zumba kids. She has been teaching dance across Sevenoaks for almost 10 years now, working in primary schools and dance schools.
She also works as a teaching assistant at a local school and is currently a student teacher at Canterbury university. She loves teaching street and jazz dance and loves seeing her pupils improve in their technique and confidence as dancers. Her favourite time of year is when she gets to watch the pupils perform in the Housley dance shows and Chance to Dance.
She is very proud to work at Housley and feels honoured to be part of the Housley family as a teacher.
Charlie Beau
Teacher
Lyrical, Contemporary & Acro for Dancers
Charlie started dancing at the age of 6 in freestyle and street dance. She has competed in competitions all over the country in the Premier Championship category gaining many titles. She then went on the train at Miskin Theatre where she met Jane and gained a Diploma in Dance and Performing Arts. Charlie then went on to train at London Studio Centre taking part in shows at the New Wimbledon Theatre and Touring the Country with the Jazz Dance Company, she graduated with a degree in Dance.
Charlie’s performing experience includes the Pet Shop Boys at the Royal Opera House, dance captain for Rebecca Howell at Move it Dance convention, working with choreography such as Paul Roberts, Shaun Niles and Mandy Montanez and various public and private events. Charlie has taught workshops for schools and teaches at 3 dance schools on a regular basis. She has worked with children and young adults of all ages and has a strong passion for providing performers with a comfortable environment to learn in and giving them the tools to try anything! Charlie also really enjoys working with Jane and is excited to be part of such a positive dance space!
Ella Whitehead
Teacher
Additional Ballet, PBT and Vocal Audition Preparation
Ella started dancing at the age of 3 and joined The Housley School of Dance a year later in 2004. During her time at Housley, Ella helped Jane as her teacher assistant for her younger students. She left Housley in 2018 to train at READ college in Reading for a year. Ella then followed Jane’s footsteps by embarking on a 3 year Musical Theatre Course at Laine Theatre Arts.
Ella graduated in 2022 with a Degree in Professional Musical Theatre and is busy auditioning to be in shows as well as writing her own musical in her spare time. She absolutely loves teaching at Housley because it is inclusive, welcoming and essentially just one big family! She feels so lucky to be able to teach and watch the children improve leaps and bounds every week.