The Team

Tara
Lynsey
Oonagh
Jessica
Devan

Tara Prior

Tara has danced since the age of 3 years and has studied every form of dance from

Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Contemporary through to the Modern styles of dance in which

she now specialises.

She assisted her mum Stephanie with dance classes from the age of 13 and very

quickly realised that dancing was her vocation.

Tara is an Associate of the National Association of Teachers of Dancing and

qualified with honours, gaining 99% in every section of the examination. At the age

of 11, she was one of the youngest students in this country to have studied with the

N.A.T.D., and achieve the highest marks ever, in Ballroom and Latin American, for

which she received a Presidents Award.

Tara has been asked on many occasions to participate either as a solo artist, or with

a troupe, at events which have launched some of the worlds leading manufacturers'

cars.

She has choreographed many routines for her students and taken them through tough

auditions to watch and perform with them, on some of Londons' most prestigious

West End stages. Together with some of her students she has performed for

television on numerous occasions.

Tara is regularly asked to adjudicate at local and National Freestyle competitions

and has lectured and given workshops covering various forms of dance to other

schools and dance associations.

As well as running her own Dance School, Tara is now working with local education

authorities in Hertfordshire and Essex, teaching dance as part of the National

Curriculum.

Lynsey Britton

•	Adelaide in 'Guys & Dolls' opposite Patrick Swayze
•	Rumplteazer in 'CATS'
•	The role of Belle, in Disney’s 'Beauty and the Beast'
•	'Calamity Jane', playing the title role
•	Carrie Pipperidge in 'Carousel'

Lynsey Britton trained at Laine Theatre Arts where she gained her modern

and tap associates (ISTD) with distinction and a musical theatre diploma

with honours.

She has had an extensive professional performing career in both the West-

End and on UK tours with credits including:

She has continually taught all styles and disciplines of dance and musical

theatre alongside her musical career and has often led master class

workshops to pupils of all ages.

She is thrilled to be working at the Stephanie Prior School of Dancing.

Oonagh Phelan

Oonagh is an experienced ballet teacher having been an Associate of the Imperial Society

of Teachers of Dancing since 1997, and having run her own dance school in Islington for

ten years.

She, like Tara, was introduced to the dance world by her mother, who ran a successful

school in Enfield for forty years. As well as passing all the ballet grade exams, Oonagh

performed in many shows throughout her childhood, performing ballet and national dance,

often specialising in character roles. Her love of acting evolved, and she took a degree in

Drama and French. Her language skills helped her develop a career in book publishing.

Having continued to study ballet through her teens and twenties, Oonagh also taught at

her mother’s school, and decided to qualify to teach ballet with the ISTD. She started

her own school as a Saturday morning venture, alongside her publishing career. The

school grew so that Oonagh could go part time in publishing, and after 10 years she had

over 150 pupils studying ballet, tap and modern theatre dance. Her pupils enjoyed 100%

success rate in the children’s grade exams of the ISTD, and had performed in several

shows at a small professional theatre in Hackney. She sold the business when she moved

to the Royston area and started a family.

Oonagh is very excited to be teaching ballet at the Stephanie Prior School of Dancing.

Jessica trained at Bodywork Company Dance Studios in Cambridge,

completing a three year course in Performing Arts.

She has worked as both a dancer and singer since leaving college.

Jessica's credits include:

She continues to work as a singer for various function and covers bands.

Jessica has extensive teaching experience, working with all ages!

Jazz/Tap/Street and Musical Theatre - Bodywork Company, Jazz - BA Honours

students - Middlesex University, Jazz - The Dance College - Royston, Singing

- Stagecoach - Northampton.

She is currently teaching Street/Tap/Jazz and Musical Theatre in various

schools around Cambridge as part of the Outreach Project.

•	Swing/Dance Captain in “Godspell” - UK tour
•	Swing/ Dance Captain in “Summer Holiday” - UK tour,
•	Dancer for Clothes Show Live - Birmingham NEC
•	Vocalist for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Jessica Pendall

Devan is studying for her ISTD teaching qualifications at The Dance College.

She has danced since the age of 3, starting off learning Freestyle Disco and all the genres that

surround it. At 16 she retired from competitions as a championship dancer, and focused on

the classical styles.

Devan has performed with Union Contemporary Dance Company, and has been in many variety

shows at The Gordon Craig Theatre. She also had the opportunity to perform at the Edinburgh

Fringe with Big Spirit Youth Theatre, with whom she became experienced in Musical and

Physical Theatre.

Devans' ISTD training is ongoing and she has a wealth of exciting and fresh new ideas to bring

to the school. She is thrilled to be joining the teaching faculty at Stephanie Prior School of

Dancing and embarking upon her professional teaching career.

Devan Angharad Mitchell