About Mayhew School Of Dance & Performing Arts

Meet the Team

Fiona Sheehan MA BA (Hons) LRAD FISTD

Principal

Fiona trained at the Royal Academy of Dance, graduating with a first-class honours degree in the Art and Teaching of Classical Ballet, before studying for a master’s degree at the Laban Centre, London. Her former pupils have successfully auditioned for vocational schools including The Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School, and Elmhurst, and can be found working in all areas of the performing arts worldwide.

Fiona has been an Examiner of the Royal Academy of Dance since 2003, a job which takes her all over the world. She is also a member of the ISTD Dance Research Committee & Classical Greek Committee and has lectured for the ISTD Classical Greek Faculty. She has taught for the RAD on their International Summer School in Italy and has worked as an External Examiner for the RAD's Faculty of Education.

Linda Knight LISTD

Bringing a wealth of experience to the school, Linda has been teaching for many years. A former principal of the school, she has seen many pupils move on to further training and successful careers. She teaches all dance subjects, specialising in National and Greek where she inspires a love of dance and a joy in movement and music.

Emma Earl

Emma trained at Performers Performing Arts College from 2003 to 2006, under the direction of Brian Rogers and graduated with a higher national diploma in Dance & Musical Theatre. She then performed in cabarets at various prestigious London venues including the Grosvenor Hotel, the Dorchester, and the Bloomsbury Theatre, and as a backing dancer on the television show Top Of The Pops. Emma has been teaching at the Mayhew School since September 2006 after gaining her ISTD teaching certificates in Modern Theatre and Tap.

Helen Furniss

Helen graduated with a degree in Drama (Performance) from London’s Queen Mary University. Alongside her studies, she began working for Sky TV as a reporter. This, in turn, led to work with two major television production companies. Backed by her industry experience, Helen began to realise a long-held dream to teach and pass on her love of drama and theatre.

She gained her teaching qualification and began to deliver classes for students aged 3 to adults. This included teaching and preparing students for LAMDA and ESB examinations, in which she now has more than 10 years of experience. Helen continued to teach as an independent practitioner alongside teaching drama at secondary school level for the past 7 years.

Flick Murby and Jess Botterill

Flick and Jess have been coaching gymnastics for over 20 years, first working as junior coaches and working their way up to their Level 3 (Jess) and Level 4 (Flick) coaching qualifications. They gained this passion from their mother, Jane, who has taught gymnastics all her life.

Jane opened her own gymnastics club, Gymnastricks, in 2005, which Flick joined alongside her sports therapy qualifications and Jess later, whilst qualifying to be a primary school teacher. Due to having children and their passion for the club, both became business partners alongside Jane. Having spent their childhood doing gymnastics, Flick and Jess spent their time competing in dance festivals and shows, as well as undertaking television work and singing semi-professionally.

With this in mind, Flick and Jess were determined to add this knowledge and expertise into their gym club and Gymnastricks is currently the only performance-based gym club in the country. The club has performed on television, London’s West End, pantomimes, and various local shows and fetes.

They are both excited to work at Mayhew and look forward to watching the Acro elements being encompassed into dance routines.