Teachers
Katie Ventress - Principal
Dance Teacher ISTD DDE
Hi!
I'm Katie Ventress, a professional dancer and ISTD DDE trained ballet, tap and modern dance teacher.
I grew up in Driffield, East Yorkshire and started ballet when I was 6. Throughout my childhood my parents found it hard to stop me from dancing and singing round the house so after A-Levels I went to the world famous Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts (featured in CBBC's School for Stars) in London to complete a Diploma in Musical Theatre.
I have since trained as a dance teacher at Anthony Clifford Studios in Essex, gaining a Diploma in Dance Education in Ballet and Modern, and a Diploma in Dance Instruction in Tap. I taught the 'Early Stages' classes for Stagecoach in Barnet, Hertfordshire for 10 years, where I coached children aged 4-7 in drama, singing and dance, as well as running my own ballet school in London for 5 years. I have run dance clubs in several York schools including Bootham Junior School, Clifton with Rawcliffe, Hempland and Poppleton Road Primary Schools.
Since opening its studio doors in 2015, Katie Ventress School of Dance has gone from strength to strength. There are now over 250 students enrolled.
Our students follow the ISTD Dance syllabus and have the opportunity to take exams from Primary grade upwards.
Past students have gone on to and are currently studying at The Royal Ballet School (both White Lodge and Upper School), Central School of Ballet, London Studio Centre, Laine Theatre Arts, Preston Dance College, The Northern Academy of Ballet's CAT programme, Performers College, and DanceBox Studios.
My classes are safe, imaginative, creative and most of all FUN!
I look forward to many more years of success in York with the Katie Ventress School of Dance!
Miss Katie x
Mollie Pulleyn Jackson - Vice Principal
Dance Teacher ISTD DDE
Mollie is an ISTD qualified teacher with many years of experience. She joined us here at Katie Ventress School Of Dance over ten years ago and has been an integral part of the team ever since.
Mollie studied her formal teaching qualifications at Ellite Studios and is currently furthering her qualifications to Licentiate level.
Mollie has gained extensive teaching experience in a variety of dance subjects and brings a wealth of knowledge to our faculty. She has worked at a range of dance schools, vocational colleges, and associate programmes, this range of experiences has helped her develop a teaching style that combines professionalism, passion, and the joy of dance.
Mollie aims to share her love for dance with all of her students, her lessons aim to inspire the next generation of performers. In Mollie's classes there is something for everyone, from those who want to take dance further into a career, to those who want to enjoy a once a week hobby, Mollie's classes are inclusive for all, they are creative, fun and friendly!
Mollie loves having the opportunity to share her knowledge, experience, and passion with her students. She believes all young people should have access to arts education and that dance can enrich the lives of all.
Mollie teaches ISTD Ballet, Tap, and Modern classes, as well as our Jazz Technique, Teen Tap, and Adult Classes.
You will find her in the studio Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday afternoons.
Hattie Laud
Dance Teacher ISTD DDE
Hattie is true KVSOD success story! She is a former student of the Katie Ventress School of Dance and was one of our first students to continue into Vocational Training. Hattie studied at Preston College Dance, whilst studying her degree Hattie also gained her ISTD Vocational exams and her ISTD Diploma in Dance Education.
Hattie has been around the school for so many years and is now here with us as a teacher.
Hattie's lessons are fun, engaging, and full of energy. Hattie's infectious personality means every student feels welcomed in her classes and will always leave feeling a great sense of achievement.
Hattie has experience working with students of all ages from our younger dancers, right up to our seniors (some of our seniors can even remember Hattie as a teenage teaching assistant when she was a pupil with us)!
Hattie is an inspiration to our dancers to show them what successes can be achieved!
Hattie teaches ISTD Tap, Ballet, and Modern aswell as our Musical Theatre classes.
You will find her in the studio Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Stacey Young
Dance Teacher ISTD DDE
Stacey has danced from a young age in her hometown of Wakefield, taking part in shows and pantomimes whilst working through the ISTD examinations. She gained her Advanced 2 ISTD Vocational Exam in both Tap and Modern and Intermediate Vocational Exam in Ballet.
Stacey has also participated in theatre shows with the York Stage Musicals company and has entered the Northern Janet Cram Awards.
In 2015, she joined the Ellite Studios Performing Arts College and trained for 3 years to gain her Diploma in Dance Instruction and Diploma in Dance Education, in Tap, Modern, and Imperial Ballet. Stacey has gained many years of experience in teaching ISTD examination classes to her students as well as free dance classes to people of all ages.
Stacey has recently completed her ISTD Licentiate qualification in Tap to further her teaching and is keen to share her interest in dance with all her students. Our students are so lucky to have Stacey's extensive knowledge in their classes.
Stacey teaches ISTD Tap, Modern, and Ballet, as well as our Ballet Technique class.
You will find her in the studio on Mondays.
Rachel Langhan
Dance Teacher ISTD DDE
Rachel started dancing from a young age - taking part in Street Dance and Contemporary classes. After A-Levels Rachel took the leap to attend SLP College gaining her Level 3 Trinity Diploma in Professional Dance.
Teaching and inspiring the next generation became a true passion of Rachel's after graduating. She has since gained years of experience teaching classes in Ballet, Tap, Modern, and Musical Theatre to varied age groups as well as movement classes for toddlers and pre-schoolers.
Rachel's classes are focused, full of fun, and inspirational for all.
Rachel teaches ISTD Ballet and Modern classes, as well as our Ballet Technique class.
You will find her in the studio on Thursdays.
Alison Tranter
Dance Teacher ISTD DDE
Ali is an inspiring and experineced dance teahcer who brings passion, creativity, and
warmth to every class she teaches. With over twenty years of teacheing experience, Ali hasdedicated her career to helpin studnets of all ages discover their love for dance.
Originally from Oxfordshire, Ali grew u performing dance and drama in local shows before perusing her professional training. She studied Contemporary dance and Ballet at the prestigious Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and hols a Degree in Performing Arts/Dance. Ali also holds her ISTD Ballet and Modern Theatre qualifications, reflecting her strong technical foundation and commitment to high-quality training.
In 2019 Ali completed the inaugural training with the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary for the brand new Rambert Grades and Creative Dance for Early Years syllabus. This qualification allows Ali to teach performance material created by leading choreographers including Matthew Bourne, Vidya Patel, Will Tuckett, Hofesh Shechter, and ZooNation, bringing professional-level creativity and artistry into her students learning.
Ali's teaching style is positive, inclusive, and imaginative. She believes dance should be joyful and accessible to everyone, encouraging her students to explore their individuality while developing strong technical and performance skills. Her holistic approach nurtures confidence, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for movement and self-expression.
