Kerry is our official patron at EDSA! Here is what she has to say about our performing school:

"EDSA is a wonderful performing arts school run by passionate, talented and creative teachers. Its a fantastic place for young people to train in musical theatre and express themselves. The students I have met had a real buzz about them which is perfect for this industry and I'm sure they will go on to be fantastic performers and creators".

Kerry trained at Laine Theatre Arts.

Watch Kerry perform here: http://www.kerryellis.co.uk/

Kerry has just finished a year starring as Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Theatre includes Svetlana in Chess In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall opposite Josh Groban, Adam Pascal and Marti Pellow; Fantine in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre and Ellen in the National Tour of Miss Saigon. She created the role of Meat in the original London cast of the Queen/Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre and took part in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. Kerry understudied the role of Eliza Dolittle in Trevor Nunn’s production of My Fair Lady at the National Theatre and Drury Lane, playing the role opposite Jonathan Pryce on many occasions. Workshops include Way Beyond Blue, written by Imogen Stubbs and directed by Trevor Nunn, and the title role in Helen of Troy, directed by Gary Griffin.

In 2008, Kerry released Wicked In Rock, produced by Brian May, featuring Defying Gravity and I’m Not That Girl from Wicked, and the single No One But You (Queen & Kerry Ellis). She was honoured to be asked to perform Defying Gravity with Brian May at the 2008 Royal Variety Performance.

Kerry played the role of Elphaba for two years in the London production of Wicked, and then for six months at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway. For her performance, Kerry won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favourite Female Breakthrough Performance and won Best Takeover in a Role at the 2008 Theatregoer’s Choice Awards.

More recently, she performed her one woman show The Great British Songbook at the Shaw Theatre. She was also honoured to sing at the BBC Radio 2 ABBA concert Thank You For The Music in Hyde Park and last year again for BBC Radio 2, headlined Proms In The Park.

She has recorded Somebody to Love which features on the new best selling Only Men Aloud album Band of Brothers, and Come What May with Alfie Boe on his new album Bring Him Home and Wind Beneath My Wings with the Central Band of the RAF on their top ten album Reach For The Skies.

Kerry’s long awaited debut album Anthems was released in September 2010 on Decca Records.

Kerry headlined The Night of 1000 Voices last year and also sang at The Festival of Remembrance, both at the Royal Albert Hall. Anthems: The Concert will debut at the Royal Albert Hall on 1st May 2011, before Kerry and Brian set off on a UK tour throughout May 2011.

Emil started his career as a member of the National Youth Theatre and The National Youth Music Theatre of Great Britain. He appeared in Hanging Around at the National Theatre, St Vetus’ Project at Sadler’s Wells and a season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He then went on to train for three years at the Arts Educational Schools, London, where he graduated with a degree in Musical Theatre.

Emil played Otto in Pippin, Police Man in The Pirates of Penzance, Grosvenor in Patience, Bunn Foo in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Timmony in Carousel.

He also appeared in the Sondheim 75th Birthday Celebration at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Emil appeared in Jack and the Beanstalk, Beauty and the Beast and will be joining the cast of Footloose at the Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage. Emil recently was offered the part of the White Rabbit with the Cambridge Touring Theatre.

Emil also has an exciting career in television presenting. After presenting on Trouble TV, he went on to train at the London Academy of Film Television and Media and has recently worked on radio and a whole host of music festivals and events.

This year Emil co-presented the Culture Show and has recently finished presenting for Brit Asian TV. Emil has just finished filming a new series for the BBC called Relic playing the part of Mekite. Emil has taught and trained with Stagecoach and Perform (London). He started directing with his first company Fluidtheatre.

Emil is excited about seeing you at the weekend school!

Victoria graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2006 with first class honours. During her training Victoria appeared in the projection videos for the national tours of Westlife and Feeder, and worked with Lisa Spakman from V-TOL Dance Company within Bedfordshire Youth Dance Company.

Victoria also performed work at The Place by Stephen Petronio, Kerry Nicholls, Siobhan Davies, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Richard Alston, Yan De Schynkle, Merce Cunningham Dance Company and Adam Benjamin with CandoCo.

Since graduating she has appeared in Picnic, a site specific performance in Mile End ArtsPark, London (Director/Choreographer Katharine Fry), Everything is Different with Aranea, The Blue Elephant Theatre, London, (Choreographer Charlotte Spencer), Between Two Waves of the Sea with Present State and Connecting Arts Orchestra conducted by David Corkhill, St Mary Le Bow Church, London, (Director/Choreographer Rachel Birch-Lawson), Rewind with Off The Map in Resolutions! 2008 (Choreographer Steve Johnstone). Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009 with Off The Map (Choreographer Steve Johnstone). A flash mob at Nobakov Arts Club, for Tangled Feet Theatre. Followed by choreographing for The Pink Singers Choir at the O2 Arena.

Victoria has performed with ‘Made By Katie Green’ dance company extensively over the past four years, work includes Flight at Ignite:2006, The Open Space ’07 at Siobhan Davies Dance Studios, Connect Festival at Lilian Baylis Theatre - Sadlers Wells (2007), Pyramid Award Winners Ceremony at Circus Space (2007) and at the Burgos International Choreography Competition - Madrid where Flight was nominated for the New Trends prize (2007). Victoria is also a part of Play to Win (part I) performed at The Parlour Studios Project Space, Chalk Farm, and Play to Win (part II) in the reception of One Canada Square, Canary Wharf (2007). Lost and found at Bournemouth Pavilion Launch (2009).

Victoria then worked with first and second year students from London Contemporary Dance School on a site specific project for the Bloomsbury Festival (2007), and later performed Box Clever as part of Touch Wood (2007). Recently Victoria has worked on Big Brother 9 and 10, devising and performing ‘No Strings Attached’ and ‘Tiny Dancer’ task instruction videos, with a live appearance on Big Brother’s Little Brother. Followed by exploring aerial and harness based dance performing The Love Pet by choreographer Robyn Simpson. Victoria also teaches freelance in London, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Along side her dance career Victoria runs a blog on her fashion and street style inspirations linking to her online shop selling a mixture of vintage and retro clothing with unique and customised items.

Click it up! Wilma And Winston Website.

Phil is enjoying a diverse career, spanning more than 20 years so far, during which his varied talents have kept him in demand as a keyboard player & programmer, musical director & conductor, accompanist & repetiteur, recording producer, composer & arranger.

In addition to working extensively in musical theatre for companies such as Cameron Macintosh Ltd., Really Useful Group and Working Title, he has played for household names, including Sir Cliff Richard and Elaine Page OBE and with well-known orchestras, such as the Bournemouth Symphony. Phil has recorded for various labels, written music for TV and for children and set-up his own recording studio (Sirius B) which is suitable for solo artist and singer-songwriter recording.

Check out Phil's Official website

Sarah has been involved in Theatrical productions since an early age, starting at school and participating in local theatre groups both on-stage and off. At university Sarah was part of the committee that ran the drama society, focusing heavily on technical theatre and directing. She directed three major events at university, including directing “Little Shop of Horrors” in 24 hours and raising nearly £4000 for charity!

Sarah currently works as the Facility Administrator/Project Assistant in a company on the outskirts of Cambridge, providing assistance to the Management team, running the administrative tasks for the company and providing Project Management Assistance to a number of highly demanding and challenging projects on and off site.

Sarah loves being involved in EDSA and can’t wait to help train the highly talented children we have in our school!

Contemporary dancer and fashion conscious Ryan likes to have his own style and not follow the latest trends. He currently helps out at fashion shows which he thinks of as another creative output.

Ryan uses dance to release his emotions having lost both his mother and brother to cancer. He cites his strengths as his "artistry and emotion that he puts into every performance".

Ryan trained at Bird College and straight after was cast in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake. He went on to be a swing in Grease and was later invited back to be dance captain. He has also worked on the film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera, as a ribbon dancer in Wicked and as Rudy in Cabaret.

As well as dancing, Ryan teaches at Stella Mann and has just finished choreographing a show entitled Discotivity.

www.so-you-think-you-can-dance.co.uk/contestants/ryan-jenkins/

Debbie is a Mum with an enormous passion for Performing Arts.

Since my eldest child decided that performing was the life for him at the age of 11, I have watched, encouraged, and chaperoned him and his younger brother and sister in countless shows in theatres, schools and stage schools, dance festivals and more recently university and performing arts school.

During this time I have been in awe at the talent and confidence of some of the young performers and have tried to select the best training possible to help my children fulfil their potential and dreams. EDSA has proven to take my breath away as the enthusiasm and determination of teachers and pupils alike has seen the school grow and flourish in such a short space of time.

I have worked with children of all ages for several years in school and as Head chaperone at the Gordon Craig Theatre and I am so excited to now be part of such a dedicated and committed team                                        of people and hope to bring a Mum’s point of view with me.

Joanna Bool is a British actress. She gained a BA Hons. from the prestigious Guildford School of Acting where she also received the much coveted Principal's Award.

"...a brilliantly natural performance. Joanna displays real understanding of the text and has a wonderful energy which draws the audience in. Definitely one to watch out for."

Marco Pennette

Co-executive producer/writer ABC Desperate Housewives

Joanna recently had the pleasure of joining Poleroid Theatre Company in their sell out performaces of FlickBook and Back2Back.

Joanna Bool is also known for her role in the massive hit series LOST!

Training: Arts Educational School (2005 Harmer-Smith Award for Outstanding Student of the Year).  Theatre includes: Wes in Footloose (UK tour); We Will Rock You (Dominion); understudy Nick Piazza, Joe Vegas and Goody in Fame (UK tour); understudy Roger and Eugene in Grease (UK tour) and Jack and the Beanstalk (UK Productions).

Television includes: Captain Mark Phillips in The Queen (Channel 4) and Burger King commercial (European TV).

http://www.greasethemusical.co.uk/whos_who/cast/ryan_quish.php

Nerys has been acting, singing and dancing since she was 3 years old and was a member of The Bancroft Players Youth Theatre in Hitchin for 6 years. She has appeared in over 90 shows, both amateur and professional and has gained experience through this and part-time training/workshops.

Some of her favourite roles include Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Madame Souffle in Beauty and the Beast, Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, Georgie in The Full Monty, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage) Leah in Beautiful Thing, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Abigail Williams in The Criucible, Mavis in Stepping Out, Au Pair/Model in The Blue Room, Jill in Equus (Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin) Anita in West Side Story, Sally in Me and My Girl, Calamity in Calamity Jane (Hitchin Thespians Operatic Society) Kate McGowen in Titanic (Lytton Players) Sheila in A Chorus Line (New Royal Theatre, Portsmouth) .

As well as being an actress, in 2003 Nerys trained at London’s Greasepaint and became a professional TV, film & theatre hair and make-up artist. She combines this with being a Supporting Artist/Stand In and has appeared in a never-ending list of TV and films.

You will usually spy her as paramedic in most BBC dramas! Nerys comes from a long line of teachers (5 to be exact) therefore has the passion for teaching herself. She has the practical experience and the drive to want to achieve the best from the performing talent that the youngsters bring to EDSA.

Arran trained in at Arts Educational School of Musical Theatre in London and has just finsished the UK Tour of High School Rocks. Arran has appeared as a dancer on X Factor and has worked on many commmercial musical videos for huge artists.

Arran holds workshops all over the country and has choreographed over 20 different shows in the last 3 years.

To the X Factor and Newlyweds, Tom Gearing has an enviable reputation. An exceptional player and fine musical director, Tom works regularly on the function circuit, in theatre and for live and recorded TV performances.

After completing his music degree at Manchester University in 2001, Tom became the Musical Director for prestigious cruise ship fleet, Windstar. He then went on to become resident pianist at the largest log cabin restaurant in Lapland, for a Christmas Season with Canterbury Travel.

Since then, he has continued to build an impressive CV which extends to include live performances for Westlife, Louise (Eternal), Journey South, Simon Webbe (Blue) and Rhianna, plus sessions as a rehearsal/audition pianist for various West End Castings, including Grease and The Rocky Horror Show.

His good looks and personable nature, coupled with his varied experience and repertoire, makes Tom the number one choice for our full time Musical Director!

Aaron trained professionally for three years at Arts Educational School of Musical Theatre London. Since graduating with a BA Honours, Aaron landed a part in an independent British film "Morris a Life With Bells On" due to be realised next year with Naomii Harris from Pirates Of the Caribbean.

Aaron then went on to join the number one UK Tour of Hello Dolly with Darren Day and Anita Dobson. Aaron has also co-choreographed and danced for Michelle McManus (ITV's Pop Idol winner) and appeared in Pixie Lott's new video as well numerous TV appearances including;

A WW2 concert for the Queen and Royal Family and the recent T-Mobile Commercial along side Pink!

Aaron has worked for two of the biggest Panto Company’s in this country, Qdos with Brian Conley and First Family Entertainment in Peter Pan and Cinderella. Aaron looks forward to meeting you all at the weekend school!.

Aaron has just finished filming Katie Melua's new music video "The Flood".

Lucinda graduated from Arts Ed with a BA Hons in Musical Theatre.

Theatre credits include: ‘Gotta Sing Gotta Dance!’ (UK Tour) ‘Mary Poppins’ (UK Tour) ‘Heroine’ (Courtyard Theatre, London) ‘Children Will Listen’ (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) ‘Follies in Concert’ (London Palladium) ‘Cinderella’ (Mansfield Palace) ‘Spittin’ Distance’ (NT Studio)

Choreography credits include: ‘Snow White’ (Jordon Productions) ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ (Cambridge Arts Theatre).

The Greatest Show on Earth’ (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)  ‘Punch and Judy’ (Saddler’s Wells) - for NYB. ‘Thumbelina The Musical’ (Workshop and Edinburgh Fringe).

Amy grew up in the Isle of Wight and began her professional career with Isle of Wight Theatres Ltd. Credits include: Annie Oakley-Annie Get Your Gun, Nancy - Oliver, Aladdin - Aladdin, Carrie Pipperidge - Carousel, plus many other leading roles. 

In 1999 Amy travelled the UK & Europe singing lead vocals in Mike Nolan and David Van Day's New Bucks Fizz.  She went on to Richard O Brien's Rocky Horror Show European tour, understudying and playing the roles of Janet and Columbia.

TV appearances include playing a fighting Nun for the BBC's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? advert and is currently featured on DAVE, appearing in the new idents advertising the channel.

Most recently she has appeared at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage as Eloise in Beauty and the Beast and Rusty in Footloose.

Amy also has years of experience as a gigging musician singing in function bands. She started with her parents 10 piece band at 16 and is still busy working all over the UK with various groups.

Amy's Official Website: AmyBird.com

Training: Pat Barker’s Academy of Dance and Arts Educational, gaining a BA Hons in musical theatre.

Theatre includes: Pricsilla Queen of the Desert (West End) Harry and Harrison in Chicago (West End), ensemble and dance captain in Dick Whittington (Camberley), Thomas Hassinger and covered/played Stewpot in South Pacific (UK tour), One More Time, a charity concert in aid of Breast Cancer (Piccadilly), Emperor and dance captain in Aladdin (Rhyl Pavilion),

Stephen Sondheim’s 75th Birthday Gala, Children Will Listen (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Follies (London Palladium), Cecil in Peter Pan (Wyvern, Swindon), ensemble in the annualHorse of the Year Show (Kensington, Olympia) and a variety performance for the ‘Not Forgotten’ Association (Painted Hall, Greenwich).

Other work includes: commercials for Forever Vienna and The Ashes. Matthew can be seen on the cover of the Forever Vienna CD and Football Manager 2010 game for the Xbox. He has done numerous fashion shows and modelled for More magazine.

Laura trained at HTS (Hertfordshire Theatre School) on the Acting & Musical Theatre course, and at the New York Film Academy in New York on the Acting for Film course.

Since graduating, she’s been involved in various productions, as a performer and as a writer. Personal highlights include performing in “Elegies for Angels, Punks & Raging Queens” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, and taking her own show “So, How Was You Day?” to the Edinburgh festival.

Laura’s own singing training over the years has included tuition from Robert Emery, Anne-Marie Lewis Thomas and Rob Cousins; all west end musical directors. She has also had lessons with Kate Hughes, whose late partner trained Michael Crawford; the original Phantom of the Opera.

Laura has studied and performed lots of different styles including classical arias, pop & rock, gospel, musical theatre and jazz. She regularly composes and arranges her own music. She runs two vocal groups; an a cappella quartet called “All In Gospel”, and “The North Herts All Girls Choir” for teenage girls. She is also the lead singer of rock covers band “October Rose”. With her partner Paul McHugh she helps run MCQ Music Studios in Hitchin, a small studio providing professional recordings for local artists.

She teaches singing and piano lessons privately, and has been a singing teacher/musical director/director at various youth theatre schools since 2005. She’s delighted to be teaching with her old friends Emil and Vicky, and very proud to help train such fantastic students.

Stephanie graduated from CPA at Bodywork Dance Studios in July 2009. In her first year, she was dancer and swing in the college production of West Side Story, in her second year she played the part of ‘Bebe’ in A Chorus Line and in her third year she played ‘Jessie’ from the play ‘Beautiful Bodies’ and ‘Sister Hubert’ in Nunsense.

In Stephanie’s final year at Bodywork, she was awarded Head Girl and had to organise her year group’s events and work very closely alongside her tutors. She performed at the Lady Rattlings Ball at the Dorchester Hotel in Sept 2008 and with Premier Pantos in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ as Swing/Dancer in December of that year.

During her time at Bodywork she continued to rehearse outside of her training with ‘Fit to Dance’ in Peterborough to compete in International Competitions in both Sardinia and Barcelona in which she won a scholarship to further her training in Rome in 2009 and 2010.

After graduating with a Distinction in July 2009 she then went on to perform at the Gordon Craig theatre as Dancer/Ensemble in ‘Footloose’. Shortly after she got a contract with Belinda King Productions in Sept 09, to dance in Portugal in their new upcoming show, ‘BEAT’.

Stephanie looks forward to joining the team at Emil Dales performing arts.

Kimberley trained at Mountview Academy Of Theatre Arts, graduating in 2007, gaining a BA Hons in Performance:Musical Theatre. While studying at Mountview she played Alexandra in "The Witches Of Eastwick", Edith in "The Pirates Of Penzance", Suzannah in "Hair", Nickie in "Sweet Charity", and Clootie in "In Flame".

Since graduating she has been part of the cast of "Rent" at The Broadway Theatre where she was featured ensemble, singing the solo in Seasons Of Love, she spent Christmas 2008 as the lead singer in the tour of "White Christmas" on the South Coast,and just before that was ensemble in "Sweeney Todd" at The Union Theatre in London.

Over the summer in 2009 she was part of the cast of "Footloose" at The Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage,where she played the role of "Wendy Jo", and has just finished a run as "Mrs Curtin" in the musical "A Man Of No Importance" at The Union Theatre.

Recently Kimberley has been involved as a lead vocalist and back-up singer in a lot of live gigs and acoustic sets of original material. She loves getting up on stage and singing something totally new.

Kimberley has been performing since the tender age of three, spending most of her teens years performing in local pantomimes and school productions including Grease where she played Rizzo and Goldilocks and The Three Bears where she played Goldilocks.

She attended Stage Right Studios dance school in Royston) from 3 to 19 where she took every style of dance she could and was involved in most competitions and festivals. Kimberley was always a singer but started singing technique lessons at the age of 14 bringing her to a good standard to audition for Musical Theatre college in 2004.

Kimberley teaches people of all ages in all three aspects of the arts and loves it.  She has been teaching for many years,starting as a teaching assistant in classes at her dance school at the age of 15.

Kimberley is currently auditioning for professional productions and hopes to be a leading lady in the West End, or a Vocalist on a cruise in the future.