WHY SCD?

SCD is about regeneration and wellbeing - for our bodies, our town and our community.

At SCD we know dance has an incredible power to change lives, and today we can all start dancing for good...

We know this through reading published scientific studies as well as through people’s personal stories.

Dancing can help us learn skills, gain confidence & improve your physical health.

Dancing with others makes us less stressed and more connected to our community.

Too many of us often feel isolated - young people wondering who their 'real' friends are in a digital world and many older people finding the TV is often their only companion.

Dance goes deeper.

As we learn to dance with each other we also learn to notice more, to celebrate our differences & uniqueness but also to focus more on how we can work together to make life more colourful.

Dance is a gift not to just impress others but to share with others and to change our world.

Whatever our age we can all begin the journey in #DANCINGFORGOOD join us...

SCD TEAM

Gemma Bonner

Stephen Perry

Gemma Bonner

Gemma is Co-Director of SCD responsible for developing the whole dance programme and teacher team. Gemma has led large scale community dance programmes since 2004 and toured as a dance performer across Europe, the US and the UK.

Gemma has a BA(Hons) in Contemporary Dance from www.nscd.ac.uk

Adam Bonner

Stephen Perry

Gemma Bonner

Adam is Co-Director of SCD with Gemma. Adam is responsible for strategy development and marketing (& tech stuff). He has worked as a Director in a number of large non profit organisations in the field of community development and disability. He has a BA (Hons) HR degree from www.kent.ac.uk and an MA in Community Development from www.dmu.ac.uk

Stephen Perry

Stephen Perry & Co Chartered Management Accountants run the Financial Director services for SCD. Based in York and working nationally, Stephen has a wide experience of Executive Financial leadership roles in the charity and commercial sectors. See Stephen's profile and connect with him here.

Jose Carrillo

Heidi Gravestock

A true lover of Salsa music, Jose is a vital part of the SCD team working hard to keep our studios safe and sparkling clean. His smile is contagious and he is one of life's truly helpful people. Born in Ecuador we love that Jose brings the Latin American vibe to SCD.

Heidi Gravestock

Heidi is currently completing her Dance BA (Hons) at Kingston School of Arts. Previously attending The BRIT School, she is looking to pursue a further career in teaching. She has always felt connected to dance from a young age, driving her passion to share this feeling with the community here at SCD.

Noel Rodriquez

Heidi Gravestock

Noel Rodriquez

Noel is from New York and delighted to be living and teaching in the UK. Noel has spent years growing in passion and skill within the Hip Hope dance genre, teaching popular classes in some of the most well established studios in New York. Noel loves to share his love of Hip Hop, Locking, Popping, House and New Jack Swing.

Joanna Knight

Anton Lawrence

Joanna Knight

Joanna teaches dance in local schools & community settings. From ballet to street she just loves helping people catch the passion for dance. Joanna is a https://www.istd.org practitioner.

Emily Cotter

Anton Lawrence

Joanna Knight

Emily has a BA (Hons) in Dance performance from www.mdx.ac.uk,loves to create fun, exciting and engaging dance classes where students feel safe to express their own creativity.

Anton Lawrence

One chilled, fun loving joker* that brings joy and life through his dancing.

* Mainly dad jokes. You won't find a more fluid Street / Hip Hop teacher than the wonderful Anton.

Maggie Kwan

Silvie Salviano

Su Young Park

Maggie loves to explore dance with expressive and dynamic movement. She has performed and taught in a number of dance companies and schools after finishing her MA in Dance performance from LCDS www.theplace.org.uk

Su Young Park

Silvie Salviano

Su Young Park

Having received dance training in both Korea and Japan, she has worked as a backup dancer and choreographer in the K-pop industry. Over the past 18 years, she has taught dance classes to various age groups in Korea and conducted K-pop workshops in Japan, China, Slovenia, and Croatia. In 2022 and 2023, she is actively serving as a judge for the Kpop UK National Competition.

Silvie Salviano

Silvie is a diversely qualified personal trainer and Pilates instructor with 12 years experience. Through her experience in the fitness industry, she has specialised in several areas including injury prevention, functional training, postural alignment and high intensity.

Shaun Dillon

Liberty Mitchell

Shaun works in partnership with SCD and is the director of Dillon Dance Youth company. Shaun studied contemporary dance, completing his BA (Hons) in Dance at the University of Roehampton. Shaun has established himself as an exciting new and upcoming London based choreographer. https://www.dillondance.co.uk/

Liberty Mitchell

Liberty began her training and found her love and passion for dance at a young age, from there she moved to study at the Brit school for 4 years.

Liberty’s next step led her to train professionally at Performers college.

Since graduating Liberty has taught dance, musical theatre and acting in the local area.

Natalie Ward

Liberty Mitchell

Natalie Ward

Natalie holds a BA Hons in Dance and is a well established professional dancer and choreographer in musical theatre and commercial work. Natalie joines SCD after 20 years teaching dance and fitness. She is passionate about giving everyone the opportunity to dance no matter age, ability, gender etc.

Jaéda Nembhard

Esmeé Whitfield

Jaedea teaches with the well known Moxie Academy and is a former finalist in The Greatest Dancer in her crew 'Prospects'. She is passionate to combine her Hip Hop skills with her love for SCD's values of inclusion and creating as much joy as possible through dance!

Esmeé Whitfield

Esmeé is a brilliant addition to SCD as a versatile dancer with a passion for teaching children of all ages. Teaching our Home Ed, Street, Fame, Ballet & Lyrical and Mix It classes, she is also part of the Dance Lab team.

Jay Emmerson

Esmeé Whitfield

Jay Emmerson

Jay's focus at SCD is on finding strategies to help men, women and children improve their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing using informal exercise therapy in 121 and small group training sessions. With Jay, we have developed a well equipped new space for this work in Studio 3.

Jaimée-Jet Colohan

Jett has recently completed their BA (Hons) in Dance Studies at the University of Roehampton, specialising in contemporary dance & working with dancers with disabilities. Jett encourages each student to find their individuality and artistry, but more importantly to find the enjoyment of moving and grooving!

SJ Lamberton

Jaimée-Jet Colohan

SJ (Sarah-Jane) studied at the University of East London receiving a First Class BA (Hons) in Urban Dance Practice. You’ll catch SJ on the front desk or teaching in our studios! She loves to create and teach in different styles of Dance to all of our students here at SCD.

Ella Harle

Jaimée-Jet Colohan

Ella Harle

Ella has been with SCD since the beginning and is a gifted, engaging and popular Street Dance teacher. Ella is also a qualified physio, recently completing her Masters in Physiotherapy. Ella has a real passion for and lots of experience working with students of all ages with additional needs.

Shifra Sheikh

Shifra is a proud Zumba instructor and full time working mum of 4. She has a BSc in Biology and ILM qualifications in mentoring. A trained Mental Health First Aider and First Aider, she has a passion for helping people become happier and healthier in body, mind and soul.

Rebecca Mills

Shifra Sheikh

Rebecca graduated from Royal Holloway with a BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre. She has worked as an actor internationally and coaches students for LAMDA examinations. She has a passion for helping her students to find their voices and flourish as confident performers.

Aya Saotome

Shifra Sheikh

Aya Saotome

Aya has been working in the UK and the US in the movement field for 16 years with a huge range of people, visually impaired clients, professional dance students, sports men and women, teenagers, fitness fanatics and many more. Aya teaches contemporary, Jazz and Yoga. She graduated from London Contemporary Dance School.

Sam Codling

Nadia Williams

Sam Codling

Sam is co -owner of Sutton Sports Medicine, resident partners with SCD. A graduate with honours in Sport Rehabilitation from St Mary’s University Twickenham, Sam is a firm believer in understanding every patient is different and that no one should live with pain or injury.

Zoe Rush

Nadia Williams

Sam Codling

Sam is co -owner of Sutton Sports Medicine, resident partners with SCD. She graduated from St. Mary’s, Twickenham, with a 1st in Sports Rehabilitation BSc (Hons). Zoe has a background in gymnastics and trampolining which has driven her passion towards keeping people mobile and strong.

Nadia Williams

She came to dance and stayed to help our FOH team, First Aid work and general support to keep SCD alive. And also stayed to keep dancing!

Graham Hodson

Jenna-Mae Thornton

Since being bought his first camera age 7, Graham has been fascinated with capturing 'the moment' in stills or video. With a day job as a BBC cameraman Graham has been involved with SCD since the beginning as our filmographer and visual media man. https://www.grahamhodson.co.uk

Jenna-Mae Thornton

Jenna holds an IDTA Associate Teachers Qualification and is currently studying BA (Hons) Dance Performance at Chichester University. She loves to provide an exciting and creative class to dancers of all age.

Michaela Kent

Jenna-Mae Thornton

Michaela Kent

Michaela spent 25 years as dancer & entertainment manager at holiday centres. She is a qualified ISTD practitioner across a variety of styles. Michaela particularly loves working with more mature groups, including dancers with dementia. She is excited to join SCD to work with the young at heart

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Jeff Davila

Jeff is the founder and director of Aerolatino® and AeroStep Latino, now working in a resident partnership with SCD.

Jeff’s dance and fitness career began in 1984 in his native Colombia. Having studied jazz and ballet alongside Colombian style Latin dances, he qualified as a fitness instructor with Reebok University and embarked on the road of instructing.

Tori Lynch

Jeff Davila

Tori Lynch

Tori’s dance and fitness career started when she discovered her passion for dance, and began studying ballet when she was 5 years old. Her interest and love of dance grew as she continued to broaden her knowledge whilst studying Tap, Jazz, Ballroom, Latin American, Disco and Rock and Roll. Tori joins SCD through the partnership with Aerolatino®.