WOW! Announcing our final total of an incredible £904 raised in our Christmas Sparkle Week this year! This is the largest total we have ever raised in a fundraiser so a HUGE thank you to everyone who donated so generously.

This year, our chosen charity was SHAK The Sanctuary (Safe Homes and Kindness) – a charity and sanctuary for abused, mistreated and neglected dogs. We hope that all the dogs at SHAK have a wonderful Christmas

Thank you to our student, Grace, for announcing our total in her beautiful sparkly tutu that she wore for online ballet classes on Christmas Sparkle Week!

We thrilled to share the exciting news that Johanna is a finalist for Online Coach of the Year, by the UK Coaching Awards!

From hundreds of nominations, the judges have selected Johanna as one of only three finalists for Online Coach of the Year. This is in acknowledgement of her ballet training across all sectors in online formats, breaking geographical boundaries through accessibility to quality ballet training – from children's ballet training to Silver Swans, and her Ballet for Sports program, working with athletes from across ice skating, artistic roller skating, artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics.

The UK Coaching Awards are regarded as one of the most prestigious events within the coaching community and celebrates coaches at all levels. From elite to grassroots, the awards were established to recognise the invaluable role coaches play in building a happier and healthier society – whether masterminding a gold medal moment that can inspire a nation, or turning up week in, week out to support participants at a community sports club.

Our Silver Swan, Lorraine, featured in the latest edition of the RAD's official Silver Swans newsletter, 'Taking Flight'!

Lorraine joins in our weekly live online ballet classes every week from on board her residential narrowboat.

Introducing our Royal Academy of Dance 'Silver Swans: On Screen' video submission, featuring our global online community of Silver Swans and Seated Swans

The choreography was created by our Silver Swans Licensee, Johanna, focusing on inclusivity across all our online Silver Swans and online Seated Swans groups. The film captures how ballet doesn't need to have limitations, and anyone can experience the joy of dance The choreography was learnt across all classes as part of their Port de Bras in the summer term of their Zoom online classes.

The Royal Academy of Dance asked that each Licensee should "capture the spirit, energy and essence" of their Silver Swans group in their video submission. So, what better way to celebrate our global community of dancers, connected together by our love of ballet, than by dancing to the music, 'What a Wonderful World'.

Visit the Royal Academy of Dance's social media page this afternoon to see the full celebration!

🌎 Featuring 27 of our Silver Swans and Seated Swans across nine countries
🩰 Choreography by Silver Swans® Licensee, Johanna Hadley

Today is our school's 8th Anniversary of Silver Swans®!

An initiative of the Royal Academy of Dance, our Silver Swans® Licensee, Johanna, was thrilled to be part of the RAD's pilot programme for Silver Swans from the very start in 2017. Eight years on, our classes are still going strong!

What started with just one in-person class a week, eight years on, our vibrant online community of 5x live online Zoom classes a week are attended by dancers, aged 55-90, from all across the UK, Europe and USA. And we have some Silver Swans still dancing with us from eight years ago!

Since 2017, Johanna has also taught regular Silver Swans and Seated Swans classes for charities such as Carers UK and the Royal Voluntary Service. Johanna also actively hosts Silver Swans events for causes, such as Age UK's Silver Sunday, Age of Creativity Festival and Angela Rippon's Let's Dance.

And what an honour it has been for our classes to have been featured by media outlets in the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA these last 8 years:
BBC Two's Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness, BBC North West Tonight, ITV Tonight: How To Age Well?, Woman's Weekly, The i Newspaper, The Connexion (France), Breathe Magazine, ​BBC Radio, That's Manchester TV, World Ballet Day, The Times, ​The Telegraph, Daily Express, MSN (UK and international), Caters News and RAD@Home.
Thank you to all our wonderful, dedicated Silver Swans® who make classes every week such a joy

We are so proud of our students appearing in the Dancewear Central Back to School Teacher Catalogue 2025/26 – and with Phoebe and Beatrice as the front cover stars!

The catalogue features current students Phoebe, Beatrice and Lorelle, and past pupils (now in full-time training), Emily, Denis and Eliana.

Such beautiful photos!

We would like to send lots of luck to Lorelle as she starts at The Hammond School this week!

It has been an absolute pleasure teaching Lorelle since she was just five years old – and six years on, she's now achieved a place at her dream full-time dance school, The Hammond. Not only that, but she has also been awarded the Christine Eccleston-Touhy full scholarship to attend!

In these six years, Lorelle has achieved so much – Elmhurst Junior Associates, Tring Park Associates, outstanding examination results (100% Distinctions), a ballet champion, and many years of modelling professionally for Dancewear Central.

Lorelle will be greatly missed in our classes – but as always with our students, it is never goodbye, but see you soon!