The run down...

So this is how I got where I am!

I began ballet at six years old in 1985 at the local school with Sandy Beck instilled in that we dance because we love to. I progressed through the grades and at 14 Mrs Beck asked me if I would be the assistant in the Saturday morning classes. It was while being a starfish or making diamonds, and making resources for the class room that I knew that I wanted to be a teacher not a dancer. I helped every saturday and as I got older would help from 9 to 1 and then go on to my saturday job.
During school in 1994 I did two weeks of work experience at Roynon Dance Centre with Mrs V Wilkinson. It was the run up to the show and I saw the teachers role for the first time, helping back stage, making props and seeing the ground work. I helped with little ones and attended day time classes.
In July 1996 attended a 2 week course at the Royal Opera House, taking class everyday at Pineapple, attending work shops, listening to lectures and watching Manon at the ROH.
Post 16 I attended college and started A level dance as well as academic subjects. The course stopped due to low numbers and I went into work, fitting 2 jobs around dancing.
I achieved my Elementary ballet in 1997 with highly commended as a 'once a weeker', taught by Mrs Beck for 2 hours a week and Julia Chittenden for 1 class a week. All the time I wanted to be a teacher, and my teachers suggested I auditioned for the Royal Ballet teachers training course but was unsuccessful.
When I was 19 I discovered I was pregnant, but after I had my son I attended the amazing Chichester ICB 2000 with Miss Fish, Miss Rycroft and Mrs Prime (& Kate!) in an attempt to really focus on my teaching.
My teacher encouraged me to teach classes and I began to study for my associate. I had success with my coaching, and I had 2 pupils audition successfully for the pantomime at the Mayflower Theatre.
As my son got older I became a lone parent, it became too difficult to continue with teaching and I was forced to stop.
I married in 2004 and my daughter was born in 2006. I had floated from job to job and decided that I would start to study and teach again in 2007. I started to study the FDI.
After my 2nd son was born in 2008 I continued with studying and started coaching small community based classes in a multicultural and less affluent area of Southampton where there is a high percentage of unemployment. I went to local primary schools and taught free work shops on a voluntary basis. I pre-registered and entered my first pupils for Primary.
I took my DDI practical exam in July 2009, had another son in 2010 and finally qualified with the DDI May 1st 2012.