"To dance is to live...
to live is to
dance."
TEACHING STAFF
Principal
JULIA TIMMONS - PDTD, AISTD
Classical Ballet
Julia trained at Bush Davies, East Grinstead. She danced professionally for eighteen years in Germany as a classical ballet dancer with the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern and Stadtstheater Lübeck and in musical theatre at Theater des Westens, Berlin. Ballets she danced in include The Nutcracker, Rite of Spring, The Tale of the Stone Flower, Joan von Zarissa and Gayane. Musicals whilst a resident member of Theater des Westens, include Cabaret, Chicago, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar and La Cage aux Folles.
Throughout the past twenty five years Julia has taught students of all ages at both recreational and vocational level. Several of her pupils have gained places in full time vocational education in both Germany and the UK – John Cranko School Stuttgart, University of the Arts Berlin, London Studio Centre, Laine Theatre Arts and Urdang Academy. Choreographic work with the Regensburg Theatre, Zwingenberg Summer Festival and Kelley Theatre Stuttgart include My Fair Lady, Bugsy Malone, Beauty and the Beast, Die Fledermaus and White Horse Inn, and most recently, for The Questors Theatre Ealing, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Crucible and Mother Goose.
Julia has been an adjudicator for the German Ballet Festival since 2011.
In September 2014 Julia began teaching at the School of Dance Mortlake and became principal of the school in January 2015.
ALEXANDER SIMPKINS - MA, PDTD
Classical Ballet
Alex trained with John O'Brien, Suzanna Raymond and at the Central School of Ballet. He danced with the ballet companies of Graz and Linz in Austria and for four years with the Ballet de Zaragoza in Spain. He completed his career as a soloist with various companies in Germany and his repertoire included roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Cinderella, Les Patineurs, Allegro Brillante, as well as many contemporary creations. Alex worked as a guest ballet master for several companies in Germany. He currently teaches at various locations in London and Sussex including London Studio Centre, Millennium Performing Arts, RAD Dance School, Gielgud Academy and Pineapple Studios.
LAUREN MATTHEWS - RAD RTS
Contemporary & Classical Ballet
Lauren trained at Suzanna Raymond School of Dance, Central School of Ballet and then went on to gain her Diploma in Dance and Musical theatre at London Studio Centre. During her time there she worked with choreographers such as Rafael Bonachela, Jonzi D and Vivienne Newport. During her performance career she worked again with Vivienne Newport, at The Royal Opera House, Malmo Opera in Sweden and La Scala Ballet. She worked and toured with Nu Tempo dance company, DA Dance in the UK and Belgium, Stuart Thomas, Jo Meredith, Anthony-Kurt Gable, Resolutions at The Place, Showtime challenge at the London Palladium and various commercial works.
Lauren was awarded her RAD CBTS qualifications in 2010 and has worked extensively teaching and choreographing with various London schools including London School of Contemporary Dance, Suzanna Raymond School of Dance and Myra Tiffin School of Dance. She set up a Choreography club with fellow dancer Maria Jell-Shah in 2018 which is based in Twickenham. Lauren is looking forward to carrying on teaching at School of Dance Mortlake.
MARIE VACHERET
Tap & Modern
Marie Vacheret has a background in various dance styles including Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary. She received her training at the American Academy of Dance in Paris, the Sydney Dance Company and, most recently, at the Choréia Performing Arts Center in Paris, where she earned her Dance Teacher State Diploma in 2023. Marie has been performing as a dancer in the Free Spirt dance collective in France and is a dancer and choreographer for the Emajinarium show hosted at La Seine Musicale in Paris.
She teaches Modern, Tap and Jazz and is currently teaching in various dance schools across London. Marie began to teach at the School of Dance Mortlake in April 2024.
Guest Teachers
LINDA PACKER - PDTD, ARAD
Linda trained at the Arts Educational School where she received the Alicia Markova Award for Classical Ballet. She danced professionally with the Scottish Ballet Company for twenty five years and in that time performed principal roles in most of the company’s productions. These include The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Giselle, Coppelia, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Raymonda, Symphony in D, The Two Pigeons, La Fille Mal Gardee, Four Seasons and The Snowman. In August 2014 Linda successfully completed the Professional Dancer's Teaching Diploma at the RAD headquarters in London.
All our teachers are DBS checked. These checks are updated annually.
