Joanne Banks Dancers - The Staff

Dance Teachers

Joanne Banks and Kay Clarey are qualified members of The International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) and, as such, are able to put children forward for dancing exams. Many children in the dancing school have taken up this opportunity and have successfully passed grade and performer exams in the various subjects available. All pupil are eligible to take dance exams but these are optional and children/parents can opt out of taking these exams. Further information about dancing exams can be obtained by contacting us at Studio 10.

Joanne Banks (A.I.D.T.A)

Dance Director and Principal

Joanne began dancing at 3 years old when her Mum took her to Ballet and Tap lessons in Chilton, Co. Durham! She studied all aspects of Theatre dance including Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Theatre Craft, Modern, Acrobatics and Street Dance and spent the best part of her youth in dancing classes around the Teesside area.

Whilst still at school she worked in cabaret as a dancer and when she left school at 18 she went straight into her first professional job in Germany. Joanne joined the National Youth Music Theatre as a performer and Assistant Choreographer and toured Japan with the musical 'Guys and Dolls'.

She set up the Joanne Banks Dancers in 1990 taking classes in community centres and school halls until, in 2000, she bought an old chapel in Middlestone Moor and set about converting it into the modern dance studio it is today - Studio 10.

Since she began teaching Joanne has always tried to offer her students the chance to perform in professional venues and has continued to produce high-quality dance shows in which her students can participate. She has provided the juvenile dancers for over a dozen professional pantomimes as well as the national tours of popular musicals.

Joanne has worked as a choreographer for many years on dozens of musicals and cabaret shows, and so far estimates she has taught over a thousand children and adults. She is currently Choreographer for Dionysis Theatre Company.

Kay Clarey (A.I.D.T.A)

Associate Dance Teacher

Kay started dancing with Joanne when she was 8 years old and started assisting Joanne in class when she was 12. Having taken her IDTA grade and performer exams Kay then went on to train as a teacher gaining high passes in all her Pre-Associate exams. In December 2004 Kay passed her Associate Tap exam with 87 marks. Kay recently worked as Assistant Choreographer on the highly successful productions of '42nd Street' and 'Fame!' by Dionysis Theatre Company and will be involved this year with 'Me and My Girl'.

Kay recently passed her second IDTA Associate Exam in Ballet and is busy helping put together The Joanne Banks Dancers production for 2008 which will be performed at Darlington Civic Theatre in July.

Emma Cox

Pre-Associate Dance Teacher

Emma joined the teaching staff at Studio 10 in September 2005 and is currently working hard towards taking her first IDTA Associate exam. She has gained high marks in all her Pre-Associate exams and has recently passed her Pre-Associate 2 Tap with 92 marks! Emma mainly teaches the beginners at Studio 10 and has a reputation for being very patient and kind!

Joanne Larnach

Drama Teacher

Joanne graduated from Middlesex University with a BA(Hons) in ‘Performing Arts/Drama’. As an actress she worked extensively in Theatre in Education and was project manager for the theatre company ‘Crag-Rats’ for 2 years. She trained in dance with Joanne Banks for 8 years and puts all her training to good use by working with Dionysis Theatre Company as Assistant Choreographer/Director. She recently gained a PGCE specializing in Music and currently works as a primary school teacher.

Barry Hopwood

Singing Teacher

Barry is Assistant Musical Director for Dionysis Theatre Company and an independent vocal tutor. He has been teaching singing and music for 15 years. He is a Director of ‘Myriad Theatre Company’ and regularly takes young performers on international tours to California and Paris. Some of his former students have gone on to great success and can be seen in such musicals as ‘Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang’.

The following people also help keep the dance school running smoothly:

General Manager
Chris Banks
Receptionist and Assistant Administrator
Christine Hurn
Administrator and Head Chaperone
Julie Tyers
Chaperones
Catriona Long
Dance Assistants
Hannah Wilkinson, Jessica Parkinson, Alex Nicholson, Raegan McCourt