Meet the teachers

We are proud that all our dance teachers 
​​are experienced and highly qualified 
with recognised dance examination boards.

We are a family-run business.
Our teachers hold full teaching qualifications and memberships with the following world-renowned associations:
​
Royal Academy of Dance – RAD 
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing – ISTD
National Association of Teachers of Dancing – NATD
Progressing Ballet Technique® – PBT
British Gymnastics

All staff are DBS checked

Janet Lomas - Founder and Director
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 
  • Awarded Life Teacher for the Royal Academy of Dance 
  • 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.

Miss Lomas danced for twenty-five years and began her teaching career in 1972 alongside working as a teaching assistant in a nursery, infant school and Junior school. She founded the Janet Lomas School of Dancing at Manchester Road Community Centre in Bury in 1978. with the school celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2018.

Miss Lomas was awarded Life Membership to the Royal Academy of Dance and National Association of Teachers of Dancing for quality and services to these world-renowned organisations, also holding her Licentiate level teaching qualification with the NATD. Miss Lomas has received awards for her choreography and many of Miss Lomas's former students have gone into careers as professional dancers and dance teachers across the world, 

 Miss Lomas is married with two grown-up children and now takes an administrative role in the school.

Johanna Hadley – Principal Teacher and Head of Ballet for Sports
LTCL, AMusTCL, LISTD (Imperial Ballet), ISTD DDE (Modern Theatre, Tap Faculty), ARAD, RAD RTS, Silver Swans® Licensee, Diamond Dancers®, NATD Contemporary Dance Diploma, Dance for Parkinson's trained, Level 3 PBT certified

Royal Academy of Dance Teacher Awards – Wellbeing & Inclusion Champion Award 2026 – Finalist
Royal Academy of Dance Teacher Awards – Dance for Wellbeing 2025 – Finalist
Royal Academy of Dance Teacher Awards – Innovation in Dance Award 2024 – Finalist
  • 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
  • Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Training
  • Ballet for Skaters
  • British Gymnastics Sport Support Service member
  • RAD Silver Swans® Licensee + Enhanced Silver Swans® Provision
  • NATD Contemporary Dance Diploma in Graded examinations
  • NATD Contemporary Dance Diploma in Vocational/Professional examinations
  • Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD)​​
  • Trained in Dance for Parkinson's (People Dancing UK)
  • Level 2 Award in Delivering Chair Based Exercise
  • Progressing Ballet Technique fully certified teacher (Junior, Senior and Advanced levels) - Level 2
  • 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

Miss Johanna was trained by her mother, Janet Lomas, from beginner to vocational level and danced for twenty-four years. She grew up as part of the Janet Lomas School of Dancing, attending her first Royal Academy of Dance ballet examination session at age three months old in her baby carrier! Miss Johanna went on to study at Northern Ballet School, Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre, ElliTe Studios, and North Liverpool Dance Academy, completing all her teaching and professional dance qualifications. She then furthered her training under senior ISTD Ballet examiner, Jackie Gray, for her ISTD Licentiate teaching qualification in Imperial Classical Ballet. Miss Johanna trained as a classical pianist from age 14 at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester and holds her Licentiate in Piano Recital and Associate in Music Theory and Composition – an extensive musical education that she firmly believes aids her dance teaching practices today.

Miss Johanna is a fully-qualified and experienced ballet teacher for ballet students of all ages, from beginner to vocational level. Her ballet student have been accepted into all of the top UK vocational ballet schools (Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst, Tring, Hammond, LVBS), and gone into careers as professional classical ballet dancers in major companies. She has transformed the Janet Lomas School of Dancing into one of the most forward-thinking and tech-driven ballet schools in the world and it is this unique vision that enables inclusion on a global scale. Her work is based around her belief that quality ballet training should not be a lottery of a person’s circumstances – whether that be their geographical location or a limitation preventing them from accessing a class. 

Miss Johanna is a relentless advocate for the physical and mental wellbeing that dance can bring to all ages and actively supports adults through her popular live online Swans, Silver Swan and online Seated Swans classes. She is a regular tutor for the Royal Voluntary Service in their Virtual Village Hall which incorporates her work in Silver Swans, Dance for Parkinson’s and for people living with dementia. Miss Johanna has also worked as Associate Artist for People Dancing in their Dance for Parkinson’s classes. Through online ballet classes, she supports annual events such as Silver Sunday, and is involved in Rotary International’s Rural Connections – a group dedicated to connecting those who are at risk of isolation in rural communities.

As the Head of our Ballet for Sports department, Miss Johanna also coaches gymnasts, figure skaters and artistic roller skaters in ballet training, artistry, performance skills and arms choreography, from beginner to national team levels. She works with multiple champions and has helped athletes prepare for World Championships, European Championships, National Championships and local/club competitions. She is a British Gymnastics Support Service member and has received specialist training in Ballet for Skaters.

​Miss Johanna regularly uses opportunities to promote dance as a tool for wellbeing, having been featured on the BBC, ITV, radio and in national newspapers across the UK and internationally. Social media videos and online streams have totalled over 2.3 million views. On multiple occasions, she has been approached for quotes as an dance expert for features in national newspapers – even once being asked to discuss the Royal family's dancing talents for a major newspaper! A particular highlight for Miss Johanna was in July 2018, when Ex-Royal Ballet principal and Strictly Come Dancing judge, Dame Darcey Bussell, came to join in Miss Johanna's ballet class to film for her BBC documentary Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness, which focused on the mental health benefits of dance.

Jacqui Richards
ISTD Licentiate, Diploma in Dance Pedagogy (Classical Ballet), ISTD Associate

Miss Jacqui's childhood training began as a pupil of Cynthia Hancock, Mary Archbutt School and The Hammond School Saturday programme. After gaining her Advanced Vocational grades, Miss Jacqui then began teacher training with the RAD and ISTD at Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre, gaining her Associates in Imperial Ballet and Modern Theatre, and RAD teachers qualifications in the children’s and vocational syllabus.

After opening her own school, Miss Jacqui continued to study to gain her Associate Diploma, Licentiate Assesment, and more recently the Diploma in Dance Pedagogy in Classical Ballet. Throughout her career and the growth of her own School and its valuable team, her passion has remained teaching. Teaching children and more recently supporting other teachers is what Miss Jacqui enjoy – she currently coaches and enters candidates to Advanced 2 level, including analysis teacher exams. Miss Jacqui has a love of learning and is currently aiming towards her Fellowship or Masters qualification in ballet.

Anna McBride
ISTD Licentiate (Imperial Classical Ballet), Level 3 PBT Certified, RAD RTS

Miss Anna has been teaching ballet for over 20 years and feels incredibly fortunate to have spent her career inspiring and supporting young dancers as they develop their technique, confidence and love for ballet. Miss Anna holds her Licentiate in Imperial Classical Ballet, RAD Teaching Certificate and Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) Level 3 teaching qualification, alongside qualifications in Tap, Modern, National and Disco.

Miss Anna currently teaches vocational ballet at Liverpool Theatre School. is the ballet teacher at Ballet Boost Manchester, and across a number of dance schools in Manchester and Liverpool, working with students from graded through to vocational levels.

Miss Anna has supported dancers preparing for competitions including Ballet Grand Prix Scotland, Ballet Britain and Dance World Cup 2026 in Dublin and has also lectured in ballet at Cumbria Class Competitions, working with dancers aged 6 through to 18+.

Her teaching ethos is that dance is for everyone. She believes in creating a positive, supportive and inspiring environment where every student feels encouraged to develop their skills, express themselves and achieve their own personal goals. Miss Anna is passionate about nurturing the next generation of dancers and sharing the joy and discipline of ballet that has been such an important part of her own life.

Guest Tutors

We are delighted to regularly welcome guest teachers for workshops in different dance styles. Guest teachers bring a wealth of professional dance experience.

Past tutors have included dancers who have trained at the Royal Ballet School, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Central Ballet School, danced professionally in Wayne MacGregor's Random Dance, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Astrakhan State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, Peter Schaufuss Balletten, Ballet Ireland, Northern Ballet (Leeds), ex-Commonwealth Games rhythmic gymnasts, and teachers at The Hammond School, Northern Ballet School.