Principal and Ballet Teacher
Heidi received formal training at ‘The Royal Ballet School’ and ‘Corona Academy Stage School’ both in London and gained her teaching qualifications at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
As Principle of the school she has choreographed numbers for performances at Sadler’s Wells, Her Majesty’s, The London Palladium, The Royal Albert Hall, Theatre Royal Windsor, Legoland Windsor, Disneyland Paris, A Night At The Musicals UK Tour, Essence of Ireland UK Tour and The Theatre Academy – Oliver, Sound of Music, Annie & Honk.
Theatre credits include ‘Annie’ at Victoria Palace (Opening Cast), ‘Cats’ UK Tour, The Royal Ballet, Ballet International & Numerous Pantomines!
TV Credits: Mike Leigh’s ‘Home Sweet Home’, The Sweeney, Grange Hill Series 2, 3 & 4, LWT Two’s Company, Play for Today ‘Where Angels Fear’, Sunday Night At The Palladium. Film credits: The Elephant Man, The Omen.
Megan Rhodes
RAD RTS ARAD / Acrobatic Arts module 1 & 2 /
ID – Dance contemporary
Head of Competition Team, Ballet & Acrobatic Arts
Megan trained at The Heidi Rhodes School of Dancing from the age of three and was accepted to be an associate at London Junior Ballet and Central School of Ballet. When Megan was fifteen she successfully auditioned and was offered a scholarship for Legat School of Dance at Bede’s School in Sussex. Megan completed two years of vocational training and was proudly awarded Head Girl of Legat in her final year!
Megan completed her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies with the Royal Academy of Dance and was also awarded her ARAD after successfully passing her Advanced 2 ballet exam with distinction. Megan teaches most of the ballet at TRAD and also Advanced Acro classes.
As well as this she also runs her own competition team which is going from strength to strength. Most recently they competed at the Dance World Cup 2023 representing Team England and becoming double World Champions!
Megan is also the head of dance at Upton House School where she teaches Ballet, Acro & Lyrical/Jazz. She is hugely passionate about teaching and choreography and is always looking for ways to keep the school improving.
Sophie Walsh
BA (Hons) Ballet Education RAD RTS
Ballet Teacher
Sophie joined the Heidi Rhodes School of Dancing at the age of eleven as a student. During her time as a pupil she attained her graded and vocational ballet examinations as well as having the opportunity to compete in Dance Festivals and be part of dance groups performing in the West End. Sophie attended Royal Academy of Dance, following her A-Levels and she achieved BA (Hons) Ballet Education and RAD Registered Teacher Status. Since graduating she has continued as a freelance ballet teacher.
Rachel Chapman
BA (Hons) Musical Theatre
Modern & Tap Teacher
Rachel trained at ‘Julie Sianne Theatre Arts’ and at 17 went on to train further at ‘London Studio Centre’. Rachel graduated with a BA Hons in Musical Theatre and Dance alongside winning the award for most outstanding Tap Dancer. Since graduating she has appeared on many TV shows and commercials including Children in Need, Comic Relief, The Jonathon Ross Show and Britain’s Got Talent. She has performed in Musical Theatre shows across London and around the world. She teaches Tap and Jazz across top Dance colleges such as Urdang, Laine Theatre Arts, GSA and Millennium. For the last two years she has focused on choreographing and her credits include BBCs ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, ‘The Brit Awards’, new shows onboard cruise ships for MSC and Norwegian Lines and shows such as ‘The Rat Pack’, ‘Blues Brothers’, ‘Bad Girls’ and many more!
Philippa Dewsnap
Progressing Ballet Techniques Level 3 & Pilates Level 3
Ballet Techniques and Pilates Instructor
Trained at the West Street School of Classical Dance in London’s Covent Garden, graduating with a Diploma in dance and her Associate in Cecchetti Ballet.
After a 10 year professional career in Dance performing in many theatres across the UK and spending years travelling the world dancing for Celebrity Cruise Lines Philippa has gone on to teach Pilates, which she has been doing for over 20 years.
Most recent training includes Progressing Ballet technique completing all 3 levels. ITEC diploma in Anatomy and Physiology. Level 1 and level 2 flexibility training with the amazing Lisa Howell.
“My passion is sharing both my love for Dance and Pilates to educate young dancers and give them the tools to take forward on their own dance journey. I am so delighted to be back teaching at The Rhodes Academy of Dance working with all the talented students.”
Lucy Seymour
ISTD DDE
Modern and Tap, Contemporary Teacher
Lucy is married with two daughters and has been dancing for over 25 years in a variety of genres including ISTD Tap and Modern, RAD Ballet and Contemporary. Lucy started her dance career at Pond-Grainger School of Dance and in later years moved to Spotlight competing in competitions, festivals (including All England Dance Finals), performing in many shows and completing Vocational examinations. She started her teaching career in 2017 at Woking Teacher Training College and passed her ISTD DDE Tap qualification in 2018. Shortly after having her second daughter she continued her training in DDE Modern at Joanna School of Dance and says “Dance is a huge lifelong passion of mine and my aim is to help make every dancer be the best dancer they can be.”
Miss Sarah
RAD RTS B.Ed (Hons.)
Ballet Teacher
Sarah has had extensive experience in both classical ballet, and teaching; beginning her journey at Elmhurst Ballet School and Susan Robinson Ballet School where she trained for many years with a growing passion for teaching. Sarah then achieved a full teaching degree in Primary school education (specialising in human movement), gaining experience as a primary school teacher.
During Sarah’s teaching career she studied for her RAD CBTS, and followed her passion to grow her own Ballet school in 1998 (Bluebell Ballet School). Going from strength to strength, the school found home in a beautiful new studio in the heart of Camberley. The school has subsequently been passed to her daughters, as she continues to expand her career.
Over the 25 years of Ballet teaching, Miss Sarah has inspired many pupils to continue their training at professional schools, successfully auditioning for Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, London Studio Centre, Italia Conti and RAD to name but a few. Sarah’s testimony is the happiness and success of her students, and is looking forward to sharing her passion with Rhodes Academy of Dance.
Jane Du Toit
LISTD Tap DDE Modern & Tap
Modern and Tap
Jane graduated from Laine Theatre Arts with a diploma in Performing Arts and her ISTD Teachers qualifications in Modern and Tap. After graduating she pursued an extensive performing career of around 12 years, which took her singing and dancing around the world many times. Jane is married with 2 daughters who are following in her footsteps.
Jane has choreographed and taught for various Performing Arts schools around London, Surrey and Berkshire for the last 20 years, she has a 100% pass rate in Modern and Tap up to and including a professional level. Many of her past students have gone onto professional collages and are now working in the industry.
Other qualifications include being a Professional chaperone, RSA Exercise to music instructor and a Make-up Artist.
Miss Despina Kefalidis
RAD RTS ARAD, ISTD DDE, RBS DDT, BA (Hons) Theatre Dance
Ballet Teacher
Despina comes originally from Athens, Greece where she began dancing at the age of four. She continued her dance studies reaching an advanced level in Classical Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern and Tap. Despina completed the three-year Dance and Teaching Diploma accredited by the State Ministry of Culture in Greece whilst performing for 5 years with the RAD Youth Ballet.
In 2006 she moved to London to study Musical Theatre at the London Studio Centre where she performed with Jazz Co. and graduated in 2008 with a BA (Hons) in Theatre Dance. In 2016, Despina was offered a place to study at The Royal Ballet School’s Diploma of Dance Teaching after successfully auditioning for their teaching program, graduating in July 2018. Despina is also an Associate Dance Artist with the Royal Opera House program Chance to Dance.
In December 2021 after an intensive training, Despina was appointed an examiner with the Royal Academy of Dance.
