Emma Cronk AISTD
Principal of RAPA Dance
Hi, my name is Emma & I am the principal of 'RAPA Dance', part of the 'Ratton Academy of Performing Arts in Eastbourne. Since the age of 3, I have loved all aspects of dancing. On leaving school I went on to attend the prestigious 'Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom where I trained for three years with some amazing & truly inspirational teachers. I gained my Associate in Tap & a Musical Theatre Diploma.
Performing is my biggest passion & I had a long career working with various pantomime companies as both dancer, and assistant & under study. I then auditioned for a job that I fell in love with, Irish dancing! 'Spirit of the Dance' took me around the world performing in their many shows. Irish, Salsa, Jazz, Tap, Christmas Rockette style show & a Broadway Medley as both singer and dancer, were among some of the shows performed by 'Spirit' in Europe, Asia, the UK & USA. Some of my favourite moments were working with Jimmy Osmond in Branson, Missouri & touring with Michael Jackson & friends.
Having decided to finally hang up my dancing shoes, I chose to further my education in dance & started to teach. As a full member of the ISTD, I continue to further my knowledge and passion for training young dancers whilst attending regular workshops and training within the Imperial, giving me the tools to inspire and stay current for today's dancers.
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'Discover your Talent'
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https://www.spiritofthedance.com/
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Watch my performance with 'Spirit of the Dance' in 1999 with 'Michael Jackson & Friends
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIGHFNjax38
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsthhfPUTtI
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Meet the RAPA Teachers
Miss. Claire
Teaches Ballet, Contemporary, and Hip Hop at RAPA. Qualified in both ISTD, IDTA & ID Dance, Claire always brings energy, fun, and enthusiasm to all her classes and has been a much-loved member of the faculty for 6 years.
Miss. Nicola
Nicola trained at 'The Brighton Academy' & teaches our younger members of RAPA Dance and is fully qualified in Modern and Tap within the ISTD syllabus. The children feel at ease with her and both children & parents love her classes
Miss. Ellie
Ellie gained a place to train at a professional Drama School in London, where she achieved a BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre.
Alongside performing, she loves teaching and has previously worked at Stagecoaches, and specialist dance schools. Ellie teaches Jazz and Body Conditioning classes at RAPA.
Bollywood Becky
Becky Knight began her dance training at the age of 2, obtaining all major exams in Ballet,
Modern, Jazz and Tap, completing her dance teacher training at the Deborah Lamb Theatre School. As a freelance teacher, Becky has taught all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Bahrain and Thailand. She teaches Ballet, Modern, KS3, GCSE and BTEC
dance at a secondary school in East Sussex as well as running a very successful dance company. Currently, Becky’s pupils are studying at Trinity Laban and past pupils are performing in the West End. Becky also runs workshops and CPD workshops in working in partnership with other performing art specialists. She teaches Adult Ballet at she is known as “Bollywood Becky”.
Miss. Lesley
Lesley started dancing at the age of 3 . She then studied for three years on the Professional Dance and Teacher Training course at the Drusilla Duffill Theatre School in Burgess Hill.
She graduated with Associate dance teacher qualifications with the Imperial Society of teachers of dancing in Modern theatre dance, Tap, and National dance with distinction and was later awarded the Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) with the Istd with whom she is a fully registered teacher.
Lesley has had a long teaching career in East Sussex, teaching and entering pupils for exams from Primary up to Advanced, and has choreographed group, and solo dances for many shows and festivals with children qualifying for The All England Festival finals. She has also entered pupils for the Janet Cram Awards with the Istd.
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Lesley is delighted to now be teaching at RAPA DANCE 💕💕