Nisa Carter - Ballet
BA(Hons) LRAD RTS
Nisa was born in Bedfordshire where she trained locally with Julia Hyde and Ann Hallett, before being awarded a Dance and Drama award to study at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). Whilst a student at the RAD, Nisa passed vocational exams in ballet, modern and national dance, and gained the Licentiate of the academy.
Over the subsequent 20 years she has taught in a wide variety of settings, teaching pupils from aged 2 to 88! Whilst teaching in London, Nisa provided teaching practice for students on the RAD's bachelor degree. Some past pupils have gone on to dance with the Royal Ballet School, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet and London Children's Ballet.
In 2022 Nisa became co-owner and vice-principal of Turning Pointe School of Dance, a large dance school in mid-Sussex. Nisa is also a Silver Swans licensed teacher.
Damien Delaney - Jazz/Musical Theatre
Training: London Studio Centre: BBO Level 6 DTLLS
After an extensive professional dance career, Damien was a Senior Lecturer/Head of Dance at the University of Chichester on the Musical Theatre Triple Threat Program from 2009 - 2024. During that time he choreographed numerous musicals across a range of musical styles from Threepenny Opera to Rent.
Alongside this Damien has lectured for the IDTA at the Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House and taught at most of the accredited performing arts colleges in the UK.
Other choreography credits include: The Proms (Cork Opera House); Head Over Heels (ICT Theatre, Brighton) Pump Up My Dance (RTE TV); Asst Choreographer Alexander the Great, Warner Bros.; Ex, the Musical (Soho Theatre); ; Whispering Woods (West Sussex Council); Cinderella for FFE (Manchester, Brighton & Milton Keynes).
West End: Cats (New London); Hard Times (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Tonight’s The Night (Victoria Palace); original cast member of Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace Theatre) also acting as children’s dance captain.
Liz Hewson - Pianist Unit 4
Liz began piano and composition aged 4 and went on to study with Alan Richardson at the Royal Academy of Music, followed by a few years in music publishing. She began working as pianist/musical director in the '80s for ballet classes and theatre productions, as well as a brief but glittering episode of pop "stardom" on Top of the Pops and in France.
Since '91 Liz has composed and played for the ISTD London Mabel Ryan and Southern awards and accompanied the grades video and later the inter-foundation/grades dvd. She plays for regular ballet classes at various schools and enjoys extensive freelance exam accompaniment around the country, as well as playing her beloved chamber music.
Lucy Nelson - Contemporary
RAD CBTS RTS
Lucy started dancing with the West Midlands Youth Ballet and began her contemporary training with William Louther. She went on to study at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, attaining a HND in dance. She danced professionally with contemporary dance companies such as Moving Visions, Ijad and NuTempo. She then gained her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies, becoming a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. She now has over 10 years extensive experience teaching RAD ballet classes in London and Sussex, running her own school, Leap & Bound Dance School, in Brighton, as well as for the Rennie Dance Academy, successfully preparing children for RAD exams and choreographing for shows. She also teaches the new ISTD Contemporary syllabus and teaches at Bede's Legat.