About Us

The school has children ranging from 2 1/2 years to students preparing to attend full time training at 18 years. At the school we try to get the right mix of fun and excitement with the discipline and control required for dance.

The Challis School of Dance has been established since December 2000 and has had many successes since then including biannual shows and excellent examination results.

We currently have approximately 300 pupils in the school and enter about 100 children a year for exams in tap, ballet or modern. We regularly enter pupils for vocational exams in London with a 100% pass rate.

Our regular school show is held at The Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, so the children get the chance to dance on a stage and perform to a live audience. Not only do the children relish such an occasion but it is a wonderful experience for the parents to see their children enjoying such a rare opportunity.

The school has also performed in children’s variety performances in the West End, London. Several of the girls have danced with the English Youth Ballet and National Youth Ballet with one pupil won the Gold Cup for ballet in the Aylesbury Dance Festival.

We have also had students successfully audition for The Royal Ballet School junior, mid and senior associates as well as classes at Central Ballet School. As you can see we love to celebrate our pupils’ successes and achievements and The Challis School of Dance is about so much more than just attending classes.
 

Our History . . .

The school was founded in 1993 by Jane Bishop, and grew from a few classes held in her living room. In December 2000 Jenny Challis took over the school and renamed it The Challis School of Dance. Since then the school has continued to grow dramatically with the introduction of RAD ballet exams and ISTD modern and tap exams, and most recently started freework street jazz classes.

Challis School of Dance caters for children from two and half years to professional level and has enjoyed excellent exam success for both children’s and vocational grades, with past pupils going on to perform in the West End and with companies overseas as well as continuing their careers in teaching.