Lucy Brooks trained at Brooks Dance Academy across a wide range of styles, achieving her advanced ISTD examinations and beginning her teaching journey at just 14 years old. She went on to spend four years teaching and choreographing alongside her studies at the University of Kent, where she gained a Master’s degree in Drama and Theatre Studies.
 

Lucy holds Level 4 and Level 5 Diplomas in Dance Teaching and Pedagogy with the British Ballet Organisation and has undertaken further training with ISTD, Rambert Grades and Acrobatic Arts. Her teaching experience extends into education, including working with local colleges such as Shoreham Academy to provide A-Level Dance choreography.
 

Alongside teaching, Lucy has worked within the professional arts industry with organisations including the Royal Albert Hall, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and DanceEast, gaining experience with companies such as Hofesh Shechter Company, NDT and BalletBoyz. Her professional choreography includes a music video for Logic1000 featuring Christine and the Queens, while her competition choreography has received recognition at the All England Dance Finals, Dance World Cup and other national competitions.
 

At Brooks, Lucy teaches and choreographs across numerous styles and leads Brooks Dance Company. Her dancers have taken part in professional projects including Paraorchestra’s SMOOSH! She is passionate about developing confident, versatile and expressive dancers with strong technique and individual artistry.

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In 2026, Lucy also starts a new youth development programme, Sussex Young Dance Artists, in partnership with Ceyda Tanc. 

Katie trained at Brooks Dance Academy from a young age in all styles. She teaches and choreographs across all genres including Tap, Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Lyrical. 

Katie graduated from University of Chichester where she completed a masters degree in Contemporary Dance and Performance Practice, being a member of 3Fall Dance Company, and touring extensively with MAP Dance in her graduate year.

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Before Uni, she worked for a year at Shoreham Academy

working as part of the dance department teaching students

from Year 7 up to Year 13.

Miss Chloe is an ISTD-qualified teacher in Ballet and Modern and a versatile dancer and performer, with experience across a wide range of styles including Lyrical, Tap and Musical Theatre.

Chloe trained at Glendale Theatre Arts and grew up performing and competing extensively at festivals and events, including competing with solo work at Dance World Cup. This experience has given her a strong understanding of both performance and competitive dance.
 

At Brooks Dance Academy, Chloe teaches junior classes and choreographs festival work across a variety of styles, including Musical Theatre and Character, as well as creating solos, duets and trios for festivals and competitions.

 

She is passionate about sharing her performance experience with younger dancers and helping them develop confidence, technique and a love of performing.

Lee Payne is a versatile performer, choreographer and director with an extensive career spanning dance, theatre and film. A highly accomplished tap dancer, Lee was lead tap dancer with Riverdance for over a decade, touring extensively throughout the UK, Europe and the Far East.
 

His performance credits include dancing for Enrique Iglesias, appearing in the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, reaching the semi-finals of Sky One’s Got to Dance with A Hoofer’s Song, and performing as a guest tap dancer with Diversity. He has toured internationally with productions including Magic of the Dance and Swing at the Cotton Club, and has appeared in music videos for artists including Gabrielle, Honeyz, Wyclef Jean and the Appleton Sisters.
 

Alongside performing, Lee has worked extensively as a choreographer and teacher, creating work for dance companies, theatres

In 1995, Miss Jackie Brooks (AISTD CDE) founded Brooks Dance Academy, formerly known as The Shoreham School of Dance.

 

Her journey includes training with the late Miss Elizabeth Hodgshon, a senior ISTD examiner, and studying dance at Arts Educational dance college in London, earning her diploma and teaching qualifications in Ballet, Tap and Modern.

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Transitioning from a professional dancer to a dedicated teacher, Jackie worked with various Sussex schools, teaching, choreographing festival groups and achieving outstanding results in ISTD exams.

 

In 2015, she realised her vision by opening a purpose-built dance studio in Lancing, now the heart of Brooks Dance Academy where she remained principal until 2026.

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Jackie remains committed to professional development, engaging in regular CPD with the ISTD, participating in the English National Ballet and The Royal Ballet's Inspire programme, and holding qualifications as a Progressing Ballet Technique instructor.

Maria Doick started her training with Elizabeth Hodgshon, followed by Bush Davis School of Theatre Arts. Gaining advanced levels in Ballet (RAD & ISTD), Modern ISTD, and her teaching qualifications with the ISTD, Maria went on to dance professionally with Vienna Festival Ballet dancing Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. During her two years with VFB she toured England, Switzerland and Germany.

 

She also worked for Carnival Cruise Line travelling around the Caribbean followed by a Far East Tour.

Maria then decided to focus on teaching – working for many local schools entering ISTD exams and choreographing for festivals and shows. She has worked at Lancing College since 2009 directing the dance department.

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Maria has taught at BDA for many years and loves the friendly, down-to-earth atmosphere.

Amelia, AKA ‘Curly Coach’ is a West End specialist musical theatre vocal coach who has worked in the professional industry delivering coaching to children and young people who work professionally in theatre, film and television for 23 years. Amelia’s experience of performing, coaching and having run a 380 strong performing arts school, coupled with a passion for coaching professional performers, inspires her work, bringing an understanding of the complexities faced by young performers training for and working in the industry.

 

Amelia has worked at many UK training schools and colleges, and currently enjoys teaching some of the many talented performers at Laine theatre arts as well as at her private London practice and her Online Singing School Associate programme. 

 

Her studies have involved a multi-disciplinary research project for helping professional children in musical theatre experiencing performance anxiety. Amelia received a distinction for her MA research project and is now teaching these helpful strategies to teachers and performers of all ages across the UK. 2025 is the year Amelia will have two chapters published in books for singing teachers! 

 

You can find out more on her website www.ameliacarrvoice.com or follow her #curlycoach via all social media platforms.