Meet the team

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Ann Callaghan

Ann was born in London to Irish parents and so naturally began her dance journey at Irish class at the age of 4!  She went on to compete in many Irish Feis’ and is very proud to say that she won the  All England championships.

Her love of dance continued and she went on to learn Ballet , Tap, Modern, Freestyle to name a few. 

After to moving to Lincolnshire in 2002, Ann began her teaching career working at dance and performing arts schools in Sleaford and Lincoln as well as mainstream, public sector schools.  More recently she has been returning to London to teach vocationally.  Ann holds dance teacher qualifications with NPAA; RAD; IDTA and the UKA.  She is also a qualified Stott Pilates instructor. 

Many of Ann’s former pupils have gone on to vocational training establishments such as Tring Park and The School of Ballet Theatre UK as well as students going on to higher education in dance drama and musical theatre.  

A few words from Ann….

‘I am honoured to be appointed as an Examiner with NPAA.  The NPAA offers opportunity for everyone of all ages and abilities the chance to perform and achieve.  

As a teacher I feel very fortunate to be member of NPAA.  Watching my students learn, develop and progress within such a supportive and inclusive organisation I am sure that they will continue to grow in confidence ultimately benefiting them in whatever they choose to do.  

In my spare time I still like to take dance classes and I like to read.

Stuart Inglis

Celebrating 25 years in teaching this year, Stuart began his journey in the Performing Arts at the age of two in the Midlands, where he started training in Ballet, Tap, and Modern. Over the years, he continued to expand his skills in Drama, Freestyle, Street Dance, and Musical Theatre, and later progressed into theatre management.

Performance and Creative Work

Stuart has made several appearances on television and has built an impressive portfolio as achoreographer, writer, and director. He has worked on numerous pantomimes, musicals, and plays for local theatre companies, showcasing his creative versatility. In addition, he has delivered engaging performing arts sessions in primary schools and care homes over the past 15 years, offering after-school clubs, PPA cover, seated exercise classes, and live performances.

Student Successes

Stuart is proud to have trained students who have gone on to achieve incredible milestones, including:

• Performing in a variety show at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End.
• Gaining a place at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School.

His commitment to student development continues to make a lasting impact on aspiring performers.

Performing Arts School and Awards

Stuart is the owner and director of SJ Theatre Arts Academy in Droitwich. Previously he has been awarded the Midlands Enterprise Award for Most Dedicated Youth Performing Arts School in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Through SJ Theatre Arts Stuart continues to provide exceptional opportunities for young performers. Some workshop opportunities include:

• Oti Mabuse (Strictly Come Dancing)
• Harrison Vaughan (The Greatest Dancer)
• Warren Bullock (Channel 5’s Baby Ballroom)

His current Musical Theatre students have proudly achieved 1st and 2nd place at the NPAA Championships.

Qualifications and Professional Roles

Stuart holds a wide range of teaching qualifications and continues to pursue professional development. His credentials include:

• Freestyle Fellowship with the UKA
• Licentiate in Musical Theatre with the NPAA
• BTEC Intermediate Award in Live Entertainment

He is also honoured to serve as an examiner for the NPAA, where he takes great pride in witnessing students’ dedication and helping them grow in confidence and ability as they work toward their goals.

“I’m proud to be given the opportunity with the NPAA as an examiner. I get to witness students’ dedication and growth first-hand, helping and supporting them to achieve their goals and ambitions.” – Stuart

Personal Interests

Outside of his professional life, Stuart enjoys swimming and values maintaining an active lifestyle.

Clare Rushby

Clare started her dancing journey at the age of just two taking part in her local Ballet & Tap classes. Having generations of dancers in the family including her Grandma and her Mum it was inevitable dance would become her passion in life. 

After finding the dancing bug at a very young age with Ballet and Tap, Clare expanded her dancing styles to Sequence, Ballroom and Latin, and fell in love. From there Clare progressed through the levels and competed on the Medallist circuit for many years at National level and then joined the open circuit as a young teen becoming British Juvenile Runner up and had much success making many Junior Championship Finals. Her competition years culminatedin many Inventive competition successes and in 2014 when she became British Professional Classical Sequence Champion. One of her career highs!

Throughout her teenage years Clare assisted her Mum in dance classes in all styles and fell in love with teaching and passing on her experience and knowledge to the next generation of dancers. In 2011 Clare and her family opened Rushby Dance and Fitness Centre,  the families dream of opening a multi studio facility had been fulfilled. Rushby DFC offers inclusive dance and fitness to all, across many styles including, Theatre, Cheer dance, Street Dance, Lyrical, Ballroom, Latin and more. 

Along with personal accomplishments Clare has many pupil triumphs to add to the achievement list including members of the school being part of Dance Proms four times at Royal Albert Hall, pupils dancing in the Swan Lake production with the English Youth Balletand Sleeping Beauty the Musical. Clare has had students successfully audition for places at SLP Dance college, Performers College, BIRD, Northern Ballet, Shock Out Theatre Arts and most recently as part of the entertainment team on the CUNARD Queen Elizabeth, MSC Cruise Ships, P & O Aurora/Ventura Cruises and Pickalbatros Resort in Egypt. 

Clare holds Fellowship qualifications across all dance styles and teaches dancers from a social/beginner level through to a competitive standard and also holds her adjudicator licenseand always believes in investing, learning and developing with continued CPD .

Clare has known our NPAA founder for many years and is proud to say Alison has been a wonderful mentor who has always believed in her. Clare values her role as an examiner and loves to continue to develop as a professional in the dance industry. She enjoys travelling across the country to see the Superstars of our NPAA Membership schools achieving, gaining confidence and showing the future of the arts is in safe hands with our next generation!

In any spare time Clare has…………. She continues to work and is a bit of a workaholic, but it’s not a job when you love what you do. She also loves to spend time with her loved onesand her four legged friends!

Andrew Hindley

Andrew has been teaching for over 20 years and currently holds the post of Dance Principal at Preston College Dance (PCD). He is also on the ISTD Tap faculty Committee and is the Regional Representative for the Northwest (Lancashire).

Following his training at PCD, Andrew had a successful performing career dancing on board cruise liners, performing in professional pantomime and other commercial contracts. He soon realised that his true passion lay in teaching, and having gained his teaching qualifications in Tap, Ballet, Modern Theatre and National, he began teaching in number of schools and Colleges in the Northwest of England. Andrew enjoys adjudicating dance festivals and competitions, and he is also a member of the teaching faculty at the Amanda Rogers School of Dance & Performing Arts, where he has been teaching for almost 20 years.

Andrew is equally delighted to be joining the panel and is very much looking forward to meeting lots of you very soon. We can’t wait for you to work with him!

Jen Rees

A graduate of Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Jenny has undertaken further training at The Limon School and Merce Cunningham Studios in New York.

More recently she has achieved an MA with Distinction from Rambert School, where she developed her choreographic practice on the Research for Professional Practitioners course.

Jen has worked professionally as a performer both nationally and internationally, with projects taking her across Europe to countries such as Italy, The Netherlands and Estonia.

She is a founder member of Liverpool based dance company, taciturn and has choreographed and performed with the company since 2006, including shows for The Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Dance Base and Resolutions at London Contemporary Dance School. Jenny currently works part time as a dance lecturer at LIPA Sixth Form College and has a wealth of teaching experience in FE, HE, and school settings, alongside teaching weekly professional and advanced level open classes.

She has worked as a choreographer for both professionals and students, and her pieces have been shown in a variety of platforms, including U.Dance and Can you Dance? Super Convention. Jen has also worked as a freelance movement director for both theatre and film.

Jen is the creator and choreographer of our outstanding Contemporary Grade Syllabi.