About DanceSport Academy
The DanceSport Academy has over 35 years experience of providing the highest quality of dance training. Every child matters, thats why we don't just teach children to dance, we teach them skills for life. Through a series of relaxed lessons or classes, children develop confidence and a sense of social awareness.
The professional team at DanceSport Academy strive to keep up to date with the latest teaching methods and technique by attending external training organised by corporate members of the British Dance Council, the governing body of dance in Britain.
About our dance principal
All our classes are run under the
supervision of Reg Challinor, the academy principal. Reg holds qualifications
with the National Association of Teachers of Dancing, qualifications and membership
with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the International Dance
Teachers Association. In addition he is a member of The Ballroom Dancers Federation,
The National Dance Teachers Association, The Bedford Dance Teachers Network
and the Ballroom Dancers Federation International.
Reg started his dance career with the famous Syd Perkin and Edna Duffield in Newcastle under Lyme. He took his first teacher qualification with them. Further training was taken with Guy Howard, Michael Needham and Monica Needham (Dunsford). He worked for 10 years with Court Schools of Dancing where he developed the business knowledge of running a dance school. He then ran the two Sydney Francis schools in Hendon and Balham. In 1977 he formed the Courtlands School of Dancing which later became the DanceSport Academy.
In 1994 he started a programme to take dance into schools, this programme continues today. He is well known in the dance industry and regularly writes and speaks on a variety of topics and has made a number of television appearances, including the Channel 4 �Faking It� series with Sammy Stopford and Paul Harris. The most recent project was for �Children in Need�, where Reg was the Choreographer and Head Judge for BBC Three Counties Radio �Dancers in Need�. This involved training a number of Radio Presenters in a series of Ballroom and Latin American Dances, to enable them to dance in a competition broadcast on television in what must be a first on Radio.
Excellence Coaching
The DanceSport Academy operates an Excellence Coaching Scheme for the development of its dancers. The Excellence Coaches will bring leading edge performance and choreography. Excellence Coaching takes place both in Bedford and at the studios of the Excellence Coaches. This gives us access to the three of the most prestigious DanceSport training Studios in the UK. It is very motivational for our dancers to visit these studios and find themselves having a lesson in the same room as some of the finest coaches and dancers in the world. ALL DanceSport Academy dancers are automatically members of the scheme.
The DanceSport Academy has access to a wide range of coaches in both Ballroom and Latin American dancing. Some of our Excellence coaches have included Matthew Cutler, from Strictly Come Dancing, and former World champion, John and Snieguole Wood, John a former world Ballroom Champion, Andrew Cuerden and Hanna Haarala. Christopher Hawkins and his then Partner Hazel Newberry, Both former triple undefeated World Champions and currently competiting. We currently have dancers taking lessons with Karen Hardy from Strictly Come Dancing and Alison Fulham, Former World Champion, a leading coach for Juvenile competitors.
Youth Development Programme
DanceSport Academy recognises the contribution that can
be made by teenagers and the need to help them develop into responsible adults.
The Youth Development Programme has been introduced to allow young people aged
14-19 years old to become volunteers. We have two categories of volunteer: DanceSport
Leaders who assist in classes partnering and mentoring other less experienced
dancers and Trainee Coaches who lead classes in exercises and provide one to
one training within a class where appropriate.
In both Volunteers will be able to develop their communications and motivational skills. Also they will learn additional skills such as presentation, planning, organisation etc. These are of course all skills for life.
