Welcome to Welland! Please see the sections below for information about each of our classes
Welland School of Dancing teaches the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus for Ballet, and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) syllabus for Tap and Modern Theatre. The school caters for both the serious student (many will go on to professional training and careers in the theatre), and the recreational pupil. Children are accepted from age 2 for Ballet, age 3 for Tap & Modern Theatre, 4 for Performing Arts, 6 for Acro and Age 7 for Hip Hop and Contemporary. The school also holds adult classes in ballet, tap & jazz, with beginners welcome.
The school has its main full time dance studio in Stamford, based in the former Stamford Museum on Broad Street with pianists, ballet barres, mirrors and sprung floors; all essential for long term dance training. We moved to our new premises on Broad Street in September 2017 after being based on St Mary's Street in the ballroom floor of former Georgian Stamford Hotel since 1995.
To find out more about individual classes please just click on the dance category and on the right hand side select class that you are interested in and you will be able to find all the information related to that class, from class structure, age group, timetable, fees, uniform and all the related class info.
2014 year
Welland School of Dancing celebrates 50 years
The dance school has long been at the heart of Stamford, both in its location and the role it plays in the lives of local residents. Alysia Anderson, herself an adult student and parent of two young dancers, looks at the WSD past and present.2010 year
Miss Maggie Purr
Principal of WSD 2010 – presentIn 2010 Maggie and James moved back to Stamford and took over the running of WSD from Anne and David.
2000 year
The 2000's
The school played a major role in Stamford’s Millennium "Showcase" concert, Stamford’s largest ever show. The concert was held in a 400 seat specially erected marquee on Stamford meadows. The event was coordinated by David (then Vice chairman of the local Arts committee) and involved all the local performing arts societies including Tolethorpe Shakespeare, Shoestring Theatre, Stamford Pantomime players, Stamford Brass, Choral society, and was a huge success. As well as WSD’s involvement in the evening shows, they performed two special Matinee performances of “Peter and the Wolf” accompanied by the Stamford Chamber Orchestra.1990 year
The 1990's
In 1993, Debbie Shuttleworth joined WSD and instantly became a firm WSD favourite. She’s now been with the school 25 years and daughter Jessica dances with WSD. In 1995 Anne and David moved the school from its St Mary's passage studio to new studios in Stamford Walk, with the main studio being the former Ballroom to the old Stamford Hotel. Anne and David spent many thousands of pounds creating a dance studio complex, including the ballroom that can be turned into a theatre with raised seating made by David, and used for the schools smaller productions.1985 year
Miss Anne Desbruslais
Principal of WSD 1985-2010In 1985 Karen passed the school onto Anne Desbruslais and David Walker.
Under Anne and David, the school grew to over 800 pupils with many starting at aged 3 and not leaving until 18 when they went off to University or dance/drama colleges. Anne taught ballet and other dance subjects at Stamford Junior school, Copthill school and Witham Hall school. During her time as Principal, many of Anne’s Welland school pupils have taken up careers in theatre both amateur and professional. All the local societies are full of Anne’s past and present pupils with many shows produced/directed and choreographed by past members. Over the years Anne has seen thousands of girls and boys through their dance exams with excellent results.
1980 year
The 1980's
Karen Taylor began teaching at WSD in 1976 and then took over the school when Susan Mitchell Smith left at the end of the Spring Term 1983. During Karen’s time WSD produced “Dancemania” with a lively Maypole Dance arranged by Anne Beddow, Tap numbers “Changing of the Guard” and “What a Photograph” and Modern numbers “Urchins” and “Who will buy” arranged by Karen. She stayed until 1985 when she passed the school onto Anne Desbruslais and David Walker.1983 year
Miss Karen Taylor
Principal of WSD 1983-1984Karen started her full time dance training at Bush Davis, Romford. When the school closed after she had been there for a year she transferred to Laine Theatre Arts. Leaving in July 1976, she started teaching for Susan Mitchell Smith in the September. Karen left in December 1984 when her husband 's job moved to London. After leaving the WSD she became a full time mother to her two daughters. As they grew up she returned to dance and now runs her own school in Sheffield.
1970 year
The 1970's
In 1970 WSD gave an open afternoon at Stamford College for the first Stamford Arts Festival. Lecture demonstrations on ballet were given by Susan Mitchell Smith. She was sometimes asked to do the choreography for other amateur productions. The ballet students were also given the opportunity to dance with touring professional companies such as being dolls in Coppelia with the Alexander Roy London Ballet theatre. Susan Mitchell Smith bought 2, St Mary’s Passage in 1971. Much thought went into the WSD logo, which was from a photo of Svetlana Beriosova. It was felt that the image of a ballerina would immediately tell the public what the school was offering.1964 year
1960 year
