Emma Morrison-Smith 

I started dancing with Stapleton School of Dancing when I was 13 years old with Miss Sadie and Miss Emma Weeks, doing Modern and Jazz.  I continued to dance with the school until I was 21, achieving Grade 5 Modern and Silver Jazz.  At 21 I started Tap with Miss Emma Weeks and Miss Sam and achieved my grade 3 before I had to leave due to my job. 

I am still dancing in Worcestershire, doing Tap and Modern and still loving it... all thanks to Stapleton! 

Verity Creed 

I am currently working in a Children's Centre in north Bristol with preschool children. I had a gap year when I was 18, where I completed my grade 8 Ballet with Stapleton School of Dancing. I went onto university in London to train as a Primary School Teacher.  Alongside this I continued with my ballet and street jazz dancing, as there was a big dance facility at our university! Additionally, I participated in shows.  After university I began teaching in a primary school and also did adults intermediate ballet as a hobby.  My husband and I moved to Bristol in summer 2009 due to job opportunities. I took up Capoeira as a hobby and I continue to train in this 2-3 times a week at the Bristol students union.  It's awesome! My dance training as I was growing up has definitely helped with my strength and flexibility.

Hazel Williams

I started dancing with Pat Short/Dawn Shearman when I was about four and continued with the Stapleton School of Dancing until I could not complete any further RAD examinations there.  I then went on to do my Intermediate Ballet and gained qualifications in History and Anatomy of Dance with the intention of teaching ballet, but other career opportunities presented themselves; I am currently working as a Project Analyst for Axa Sun Life in a large IT department.  For pleasure, I still dance at an adult ballet class with five of the same girls I danced with in my youth so I have a lot to be thankful to the dancing life for as some of my closest friendships were formed there.

Jo Axford

I was an active member of the Stapleton School of Dancing for many years from the age of three until leaving for the University of Portsmouth at the age of eighteen, where I embarked upon a BA Honors degree in History.  I have remained a part of the school over the years as it has continued to grow and even more so when my sister Samantha became a Principal with Miranda. In particular I have loved returning to help at the Summer Schools, within the office and building relationships with current students. Stapleton School of Dancing gave me my passion and love of teaching, through my assistant role to the younger members of the school; subsequently I have recently qualified as a secondary school teacher, specialising in History. In addition to teaching, I work with special educational needs students through holiday play schemes, which has cemented my dream to work within special schools later in my career. The family feel at Stapleton allowed me to stay in contact with many friends and their families since leaving the school back in 2006. Above all, Stapleton School of Dancing allowed me to develop self confidence, enthusiasm and passion, which has aided me since leaving the school.

Grace Eccleson

I am currently in my first year at Arts Ed in London, where I am studying Ballet, Jazz, Street Jazz, Contemporary and Tap. We had our mid-term assessments recently and I am really happy with my results. You are supposed to be a C in the first year, building up to an A in third. I am currently a C in all dances, apart from ballet, where I proudly scored the highest in my class and got a B. My Ballet teacher thinks I could be an A by the end of first year which I definitely have got Stapleton School of Dancing to thank for!
 
All the other classes are brilliant and my voice has come on loads! I am singing at the Olivier Awards with the whole of Arts Ed which is just too exciting for words! It is amazing the opportunities this place gives you - Sophie and Danielle, who play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, were in my year and I have met Andrew Lloyd Webber!  Stapleton School of Dancing really gave me the foundations to succeed and to on go and succeed at Arts Ed!

Emma Weeks (Emma Offer)

Emma began her dance training at the age of 3 in Bristol.  She continued her training, eventually leading to teaching qualifications in ISTD, Ballet, Modern and Tap.  Her professional career began in choreography and teaching in Mo I Rana, Norway.  Emma eventually returned to Bristol where she continues to work as a freelance dance teacher and choreographer.

Miss Terry Cross

Terry began her  dancing at the Stapleton School of Dancing as a pupil until she went onto full time training at the “Pattisons Dance and Drama College” in the Midlands.  After graduating Terry worked professionally for eight years in Film, TV, Modelling, promotional work, Pantos and Summer Seasons in the U.K., alongside stars such as Anthony Hopkins, Peter Davison, Lesley Ann Down and Gemma Craven!

Terry then went on to run her own Pre-School Dance School called “Twinkle Toes” which she successfully ran for many years. She also taught Ballet and Festival work at the Stapleton School of Dancing up to 1995. For all her wonderful experiences working professionally, Miss Terry’s heart has always been at the Stapleton School of Dancing where her love for dancing first began.

Emma Johnston

Emma started dancing at Stapleton School of Dancing with the encouragement and support of her grandmother, Pat Short, founder of the School. The aim of the school was always to have a close family feel, where young people can enjoy dance and flourish under the kind guidance of the teachers.  Emma experienced this warm encouragement from a young age and went on to achieve a First Class BA Honours Degree in Time Based Media.  After graduating in 2003, Emma went onto work for Endemol Television Company in 2004, working on a variety of programs for Channel 4 and E4, including the Big Brother’s E-forum.

In 2005 Emma founded her own company, A JEM Production, which is a video production company specialising in making informative, innovative and motivational films for the corporate and educational sector. Emma is still an active member of Stapleton School of Dancing, involving herself with the opening of the Ridgewood Studios and regularly celebrating the ongoing success of the school.