Duet Academy of Dance

Rosie Chalmers

I enjoyed dancing and singing from a very young age and joined Duet Academy of Dance at the age of 4, attending classes from 2001-2015.  While dancing at Duet, I also performed in school productions and in productions at The Little Theatre with Wigston Amateur Operatics Society and as a senior dancer in the annual pantomime.  I later went on to train for 3 years at the University of Chichester, achieving a first-class degree in Musical Theatre.  In my time at university, I worked with various tutors that are currently working/have previously worked professionally in the industry.  Over the 3 years, I further developed my dance skills (ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and commercial) as well as my skills in acting and singing.  The training presented me with many opportunities and I performed in various musical productions including Carousel, Murder, Mayhem and Masque and Merrily We Roll Along.  By taking the university route, I also able to expand my skills set by studying arts management and teaching within the arts.  Since leaving university, I have been working with FTM Dance as a support worker and teacher assisting children with special needs and disabilities through the performing arts, which I have found extremely rewarding.  As well as this, I have returned to my former college, Wigston Academy, to work with the dance department and I am currently leading their Dance Academy.  In the future, I hope to pursue a teaching career and I am keen to encourage the arts within education.  I will also be performing in Mother Goose at The Little Theatre as Fairy Tranquilheart over the Christmas period.

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Emilee Platts

Having attended Duet since I was 2 years old and developed a love of dance, in 2015 after completing my A Levels I decided to attend Bucks New University to study BA (Hons) Dance and Performance.  I chose this university as it offered lots of different styles of dance and allowed me to improve in styles that I had already learnt at Duet, and the also try new ones.  I really enjoyed my time at university, and not just in the dance course side of it.  I got involved with lots of extra curricular that helped with my dancing like being on the dance and cheerleading teams, which really helped me develop as a dancer.  As well as dancing, I had a lot of theory work to do.  My dissertation in my third year was a study about nutrition for dancers and if their energy intake had an effect on their level of fatigue.  Since graduating, I have started a graduate internship at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where I assist in their dance programmes.  In the future, I hope to travel abroad and work as a dancer in hotels.

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Lydia Rushton

I joined Duet Academy of Dance in 2005 when I was 9 years old and developed a real passion for performing.  So much so that I also joined the Wigston Amateur Operatics Society and Leicester Drama Society where I have been a member for 8 and 6 years respectively, performing at The Little Theatre at least twice a year in Panto over the Christmas period and other shows and musicals throughout the year.  I am also a full time chef and work long hours, so fitting in rehearsals and performances around shifts keeps me very busy!