Guest Teachers

Barbara Barnes Guest Tutor


Barbara has worked in theatre, film TV and Radio for the past 25 years. She has been in productions at many theatres across the UK and in London including the Riverside Studios, Bush Theatre, Soho Theatre, the Royal Exchange Manchester and Salisbury Playhouse, in plays by new writers as well as well known playwrights like Alan Ayckbourn and Tennessee Williams. She has appeared on TV in Poirot, Miss Marple, The House of Anubis and Rebus. She has also been in many radio dramas including playing ‘Dorothy’ in THE WIZARD OF OZ!  Barbara has also done many voice overs and recorded several audio books.  Most recently she recorded TRUTH OR DARE , 20 Tales of Heartbreak and Happiness (!)


Evan Placey Drama Tutor

BA Honours English; MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media

Evan holds and MA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media (Distinction) from the Central School of Speech and Drama, and a BA Honours from McGill University, Canada. Playwright and Director, his work has been produced and had workshops and readings in Toronto, Montreal, London, Edinburgh and Seoul, at venues including the Gilded Balloon Theatre, TNC Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, BFI Southbank, Hart House Theatre, The Royal Court Theatre, The Churchill Theatre, The Finborough Theatre and the Harbourfront Centre.

He is currently on the Invitation Writers group at the Royal Court Theatre and is Assistant Writer on the Hampstead Theatre’s 50th Anniversary play. As a drama tutor he has run projects for the Canadian Stage Company, the Toronto District School Board and was Director of the City of Toronto’s Fine Arts Camp.

In addition to MTA, he currently leads youth theatres for Greenwich and Lewisham Young People’s Theatre and the Hackney Empire Theatre, and is a Trustee for MakeBelieve Arts.

Hannah Mason Video Designer

BA Contemporary Arts

Hannah studied Contemporary Art at Nottingham Trent University specialising in Video. Her skills range from, designing and creating digital visuals for interactive theatre projects touring nationally, AV consultant for numerous theatre, music and art events. Creating, designing visuals and VJing at 700 guest club nights. Documentary photography and filming, editing and DVD authoring. Running workshops in Vjing, digital photography, filming and editing and digital projection with participants ranging from children to adults and people with learning Disabilities. Some of the clients and venues I have previously worked with are: National Theatre, The Old Vic, Tate Britain, The Albany, Roundhouse, Ministry of Sound, Trafalgar Square Disability Arts Festival, London Bubble, Theatre Is.., Ballistic Arts, GLYPT, Heart ‘n Soul, Burntprogress.

Hannah had also produced and curated many art events/festivals with audiences of up to 1500 people.

Charlene Dinger Dance Tutor

Originally from Toronto, Charlene has been living in London for two years. She began dancing at the age of 3, and has trained extensively in Cecchetti method ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, acrobatics, and street dance. She has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards throughout her dance career, and is recognized among some of the top dancers in Toronto.

Charlene’s dancing has allowed her to travel all across North America, and has given her the opportunity to work and train with some outstanding choreographers, including Mia Michaels, Savion Glover, Marty Kudelka, Nick Bass, Brian Tanaka, and many more. She is now expanding her dance career to Europe, and is currently training and working within the industry in London.

Charlene’s passion for dance eventually led to a teaching career over 10 years ago. She is a certified dance instructor with Maple Leaf Dance Masters of America, and the Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association, two of the most recognized associations in North America. She has worked with students of all ages in various different styles. She encourages a fun and professional environment for her students, and is truly passionate about  passing on her love of this art.

Johannah Jolson Singing Tutor

BA Honours Musical Theatre, Guildford School of Acting

Johannah is a 2009 graduate and most recently appeared in (and was dance captain for) Boxed – a Beatboxing Adventure which ran at the Bristol Old Vic before returning home to the Southbank Centre.  Prior to this, she thoroughly enjoyed playing an opera singing “chav” (!) in a commercial for Freeview HD, which is currently being aired on ITV and Channel 4 amongst others.

Other roles since drama school include the lead role of ‘Honey Bear’ on the concept recording of new musical Celebrity Bear, ’Alice’ in a rehearsed reading of Drat!  The Cat!, and ‘Lotte Lenya’/Dance Captain in Here I’ll Stay: Kurt Weill in America.  A supporter of new writing, Johannah has created the roles of ‘Susie’ in Chat! (Electric Theatre premiere) and ‘Lady Land’ in Blow ‘em Away!  The Musical, for which she also choreographed.

In August 2009, Johannah co-founded her own theatre company, Strong Point Theatre (www.strongpointtheatre.co.uk), and is proud to have produced and appeared in two projects with them to date, 24/8 and Twist & Shout.  She is looking forward to getting stuck into their third project, currently in the developmental stages.

Emanuela Brahamsha, BA, MSc
Ballet Teacher
Emanuela has been studying and dancing ballet continuously for the last 27 years. She has a BA in Dance (and Economics!) from Smith College in the USA. She has studied a wide range of techniques: Vaganova, Balanchine (with NYCB Soloist Carol Sumner), Cecchetti, RAD, IDTA and most intensively Legat with her beloved teacher Barbara Vernon Gregory – a favourite pupil of Nicholai Legat. She recently obtained Honours in the IDTA Intermediate Performers Exam.

In addition to ballet, Emanuela studied Duncan technique and musical theatre with Gemze de Lappe, the American Ballet Theatre and Broadway star who was a pupil of Michel Fokine and Isadora Duncan’s daughter Irma and worked intensively with Agnes de Mille. Emanuela is a trustee of the Legat Foundation and work to preserve the legacy of the great teacher.

Her non-dancing life has been spent in international development working with deafblind people in India, Africa, Latin America and Romania. Having spent considerable time volunteering in primary schools supporting both teachers and the children, she decided to undertake a PGCE at Goldsmiths College last year and is currently a teacher at Myatt Garden Primary School.

Ellie Gray
Singing Teacher:  Saturday School and Early Starters Singing & Music

Ellie began her musical life studying classical guitar and music theory in which she studied to grade 6 through the London College of Music. She then found her love for singing and studied classical singing with The Associated Board. Ellie then had a change of direction and in the summer of 2001 graduated with distinction from The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM), Europe’s Leading School for Rock and Pop Musicians. She has rapidly and successfully proven herself as a professional vocalist and natural songwriter having performed alongside internationally renowned artists such as Hazel O Conner, Carleen Anderson, and pop band Rooster.

Ellie also provides backing vocals for various singer/songwriters. Throughout her musical life, Ellie has been involved in many Musical Theatre productions and has had success in lead roles such as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Anne from Half a Sixpence to name a few. Ellie has been involved in productions such as Carousel and My Fair Lady through to contemporary shows such as The Wiz and Snoopy the Musical. Ellie is also an experienced studio vocalist. Recording in many of London’s top studios’ Ellie worked alongside renowned bands and producers such as Bernard Butler, Rooster, The Veils, James Yuill and various Production Companies recording in a number of different styles from dance and pop through to rock.

Ellie has performed on BBC Radio London as part of the Elefest Festival and has also appeared on ITV news as a consultant vocal coach. Ellie is currently working as a private vocal coach, teaching contemporary vocals and you will also find her fronting the sensational new all female 15 piece 1940’s swing band ‘The Bombshellettes’.