Charis Holdsworth - Unit 4 Tap
BA (Hons); FISTD Tap; LISTD Modern Theatre, Imperial Classical Ballet Control Pilates Teacher
Charis completed her professional dance training at Bird College and gained a first-class honours degree in Dance and Theatre Performance, and an Associate in Tap teaching. After graduating, Charis’s dance career enabled her to travel throughout the world, as a performer and dance captain.
Upon settling back in the UK, Charis began freelance teaching in dance schools in Sussex. Charis now holds ISTD Fellowship Status in Tap Dance, and Licentiate status in Modern Theatre and Imperial Classical Ballet.
In 2014, Charis joined the Dance2Advance family, providing open tap technique classes to DDE students. She is now part of the DDE Tutor team and delivers Unit 4 in Tap. She is particularly passionate about teaching tap dance and recently had the opportunity to study with the American Tap Dance Foundation in New York, under the tutorage of Barbara Duffy.
Charis is a Body Control Pilates teacher, and runs her own pilates and adult tap classes in East Sussex. She also teaches in local dance schools in Sussex.
André Koschyk - Unit 1/ Unit 4 Modern
FISTD; examiner
André was born in Germany and trained at Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in England.
After a career as a singer and dancer in Musical Theatre he and his wife taught at their own dance school in Ulm, Germany for 17 years where they also run a full-time teacher training course.
André choreographed various musicals for a college near Frankfurt, is an examiner for the ISTD for Modern Theatre and Tap, member of the Modern Theatre Committee, approved tutor for the ISTD teacher training program DDE and a member of the Advanced 1 MTH, MTH Grades and the Tap teaching teams.
Emily Koschyk - Unit 2
MSc Dance Science, RAD Teaching Dip, Dip LCDD, ISTD DDE
Emily trained at London College of Dance and Drama in Bedford and graduated with Distinction in Teaching Studies.
In 1988 she moved to Germany and danced in national television and theatre productions. She taught in various schools around the country before opening her own school in 1998. At this time, she also led a full-time 3-year teacher training programme, from which many young aspiring teachers successfully graduated.
In 2020 Emily relocated back to the south of England and now teaches on a freelance basis. She conducts workshops and teaches at various summer schools in Europe.
Since its inception in 2004 Emily was a tutor for a number of modules of the Royal Academy of Dance CBTS and now tutors on the current Certificate in Dance Teaching. Emily also tutors on the PDPTC and PDTD programmes. She is an examiner and was invited to be a CPD tutor for all levels from Pre- Primary to Advanced 2 and travels extensively in these roles.
Katie Lawrance - Unit 5
BA Hons F.I.S.T.D.
Katie has over 20 years of experience in the dance education sector, teaching and entering students for ISTD exams both in college settings and in private dance schools. After gaining a BA Hons degree in German at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, she re-trained as a dance teacher under the guidance of Penny Meekings, gaining her Certificates in Dance Education in Imperial Ballet, Tap, Modern Theatre and National. She ran her own dance school in Bedfordshire for many years alongside freelance work teaching ISTD Tap and Modern at various schools and colleges across the country. Katie has taught across a wide variety of age groups and genres and holds Fellowship status in Tap Dance.
Katie is an established approved tutor for the DDE qualification, specialising in providing tuition in the contextual studies and teaching practice units.
Katie is passionate about both dance and education, and endeavours to inspire new dance teachers to develop their zest for learning and teaching, both through the DDE qualification and into their careers beyond.
Penny Woodman - Unit 4 Ballet
ISTD LISTD(DDE); RAD RTS
Penny has been teaching ballet for 27 years, helping and encouraging students to enjoy dancing across a wide range of ages and abilities (from under-fives/Pre-Primary to Advanced 2 students). During her career, she has taught at several different schools across East and West Sussex, as well as vocational colleges. She holds the Level 6 Diploma in Dance Pedagogy (DDP).
Choreography is also a passion and over the years, Penny has worked with local societies in Worthing, Crawley, Littlehampton and Brighton on shows, pantomime, even one opera. Particular favourites have been West Side Story (Pavilion Theatre, Worthing; Theatre Royal, Brighton), La Cage aux Folles (Theatre Royal, Brighton), Carousel (Hawth Theatre, Crawley), Oliver (Theatre Royal, Brighton).
Penny also delivers dance classes for people suffering with Parkinson’s Disease.
Liz Hewson - Pianist Unit 4
Liz began piano and composition aged 4 and went on to study with Alan Richardson at the Royal Academy of Music, followed by a few years in music publishing. She began working as pianist/musical director in the '80s for ballet classes and theatre productions, as well as a brief but glittering episode of pop "stardom" on Top of the Pops and in France. Since '91 Liz has composed and played for the ISTD London Mabel Ryan and Southern awards and accompanied the grades video and later the inter-foundation/grades dvd. She plays for regular ballet classes at various schools and enjoys extensive freelance exam accompaniment around the country, as well as playing her beloved chamber music.
