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The Janet Lomas School of Dancing, established in 1978, is a traditional classical ballet school offering structured training for boys and girls, aged four to 18 — from beginners through to pre-professional level.
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About our schoolOur school caters to a range of students, from those wishing to dance as a hobby through to those seeking pre-professional training in preparation for a career in dance.
We pride ourselves on being a traditional dance school with fully-qualified dance teachers. Our school is family-run and is not a franchise. In 2018, we celebrated our school's 40th anniversary. Classical ballet is widely recognised as the foundation for all dance styles, as it provides technical training, strength and a highly-developed body awareness. Although classical ballet is at the heart of all training at our school, we also offer classes in other styles. These enhance and complement our ballet training, enabling students to expand their knowledge of dance and become a well-rounded dancer. Our classes prepare students in all aspects of dance: sound technique, musicality and artistry. The school nurtures a passion for dance in all students. Although we encourage hard work and dedication, we do so in a kind, caring and friendly environment – something parents, pupils and even non-members of the school frequently comment on. Great friendships are often formed between students that last for many years, as they all share a common interest — a love of dance! 
Since September 2017, our school has offered Silver Swans® ballet classes for the over 55s. Our Silver Swans® classes in Bury were part of the pilot scheme by the Royal Academy of Dance, where only 120 teachers across the world were initially licensed – we were the first school to offer Silver Swans® classes in Lancashire.
We now have over 80 Silver Swans® attending ballet classes each week ranging from complete beginners to ex-professional ballet dancers – our Silver Swans® classes have been featured on BBC Two's Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness, BBC North West Tonight, BBC Radio Manchester Breakfast and Drivetime show, That's Manchester TV, The Times, The Daily Express and in local newspapers. |
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Faculty
Miss Lomas
RAD Life Teacher NATD Life Member MNATD ANATD NNEB
- MNATD (Licentiate) Ballet
- ANATD Ballet & Tap
- Awarded Life Membership for the National Association of Teachers of Dancing for quality and services to this world-renowned organisation.
- Awarded Life Teacher for the Royal Academy of Dance for quality and services to this world-renowned ballet organisation.
- Winning hundreds of medals and trophies at competitions and championships as a dancer.
- IDTA 6th Gold Bar in Ballroom (trained at Alfred Hughes School of Dancing)
- Trained at the highly-regarded Lupino School of Dancing, and Maureen Williams School of Dancing.
- Won awards for choreography.
- Taught ballet to a highly-successful gymnastics competition squad.
- National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB)
- Alongside working as a dance teacher, also worked in a day nursery, infant school, and for 17 years as a teaching assistant in an academic Junior School.
- CRB Checked (enhanced)
Miss Lomas danced for twenty-five years and has been teaching since 1972. She opened the Janet Lomas School of Dancing at Manchester Road Community Centre in Bury in 1978. Now based at Blackford Bridge United Reformed Church in Bury, the school celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018. Miss Lomas is married with two grown-up children.
Click here to see Miss Lomas's students' achievements throughout the years.
Miss Johanna
LTCL, AMusTCL, LISTD (Imperial Ballet), ISTD DDE (Modern Theatre, Tap Faculty), ARAD, Silver Swans® Licensee
- ISTD Licentiate (Imperial Classical Ballet)
- ISTD Diploma in Dance Instruction (Imperial Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre & Tap Faculty)
- Observation and Understanding of Teaching and Learning Techniques
- Promotion of Health and Safety in Dance
- Vocational Graded Examination in Dance: Intermediate
- Dance Practice and the Relationship between Music and Dance in a Chosen Dance Genre
- ISTD Diploma in Dance Education (Imperial Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre & Tap Faculty)
- Planning Techniques and Evaluation of Dance Teaching
- Dance Teaching Practice
- Lifespan Development and Learning in Dance
- Dance Practice and the Relationship between Music and Dance in a Chosen Dance Genre
- Contextual Study of Dance
- Royal Academy of Dance Silver Swans® Licensee
- Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD)
- ISTD Advanced 2 Imperial Classical Ballet – Distinction
- ISTD Advanced 2 Modern Theatre – Distinction
- ISTD Advanced 2 Tap – Distinction
- RAD Advanced 2 Ballet – Distinction
- Licentiate Diploma in Recital in Piano (Trinity College of London) – Distinction
- Associate in Music Theory and Composition (Trinity College of London)
- Grishko registered Pointe shoe fitter
- Youth Dance Ambassador for The Lowry in Salford for three years, working closely with organisations including Birmingham Royal Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, BalletBoyz and The Lowry itself.
- OFQUAL accredited First Aid
- CRB Checked (enhanced)
Miss Johanna danced for twenty-four years and has been teaching since 2008. Alongside teaching, Miss Johanna is also Technical Consultant for one of the UK's largest dancewear manufacturers and distributors. She regularly works with dance students of all ages, vocational dance students and professional dancers in major ballet companies.
In July 2018, Dame Darcey Bussell came to join in Miss Johanna's ballet class to film for her BBC documentary Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness.
Matthew Hadley - Pianist for Silver Swans® ballet classes
DipABRSM, ATCL, trained at Chetham's School of Music
Starting piano lessons at the age of five, Matthew accompanied his first Royal Academy of Dance ballet examination aged nine. Matthew was educated at Bury Grammar School – during this time, he continued to play for RAD ballet and NATD tap classes and examinations. He also accompanied local amateur operatic societies for rehearsals and productions such as Oklahoma, South Pacific and Fiddler on the Roof. In his teenage years, Matthew competed in music festivals and competitions, winning multiple awards and trophies. In 2000, Matthew was awarded the Besso Memorial Prize from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) for achieving the highest mark in his Grade 5 piano examination.
At age 17, Matthew successfully auditioned for Chetham's School of Music and studied for three years under the late Mark Ray (Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music), Murray McLachlan (Head of Keyboard Studies at Chetham's School of Music) and Bernard Roberts. While studying at the school, he participated in masterclasses with Philip Fowke, Eduardo Montiero and Bryce Morrison, and accompanied the Vocal Department's Opera Extracts production (Die Fledermaus – Strauss II).
In 2016, Matthew gained his Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (DipABRSM) and Associate of Trinity College London (ATCL) – both with Distinction.
Matthew works as a piano accompanist and soloist across the Greater Manchester and Lancashire region with repertoire including classical, musical theatre, pop and light music.. In 2017, Matthew played piano in the Light Music Society orchestra, under the leadership of Gavin Sutherland (Principal Conductor of English National Ballet) for the society's 60th Anniversary Celebration Concert.
Matthew began accompanying our Silver Swans® classes in September 2017 – a greatly valued and much-loved part of our Silver Swans® classes. Alongside regular weekly classes, he accompanied our special class arranged for Rochdale Royal Voluntary Service's (RVS) First Time for Everything scheme (sponsored by Prudential) – this was broadcast by BBC Radio Manchester and That's Manchester TV. An audio recording of Matthew also appeared in a video about our Silver Swans® classes for Mercury Press and Media, which was shared across the world via media outlets such as MSN.
In July 2018, Matthew was the piano accompanist for the filming of BBC Two's Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness.
At age 17, Matthew successfully auditioned for Chetham's School of Music and studied for three years under the late Mark Ray (Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music), Murray McLachlan (Head of Keyboard Studies at Chetham's School of Music) and Bernard Roberts. While studying at the school, he participated in masterclasses with Philip Fowke, Eduardo Montiero and Bryce Morrison, and accompanied the Vocal Department's Opera Extracts production (Die Fledermaus – Strauss II).
In 2016, Matthew gained his Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (DipABRSM) and Associate of Trinity College London (ATCL) – both with Distinction.
Matthew works as a piano accompanist and soloist across the Greater Manchester and Lancashire region with repertoire including classical, musical theatre, pop and light music.. In 2017, Matthew played piano in the Light Music Society orchestra, under the leadership of Gavin Sutherland (Principal Conductor of English National Ballet) for the society's 60th Anniversary Celebration Concert.
Matthew began accompanying our Silver Swans® classes in September 2017 – a greatly valued and much-loved part of our Silver Swans® classes. Alongside regular weekly classes, he accompanied our special class arranged for Rochdale Royal Voluntary Service's (RVS) First Time for Everything scheme (sponsored by Prudential) – this was broadcast by BBC Radio Manchester and That's Manchester TV. An audio recording of Matthew also appeared in a video about our Silver Swans® classes for Mercury Press and Media, which was shared across the world via media outlets such as MSN.
In July 2018, Matthew was the piano accompanist for the filming of BBC Two's Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness.
