About Us
Here at Empire Dance Scotland, we value: respect, positivity and fun. We are focused on providing a safe, healthy and positive learning environment, where there is a mutual respect between teachers and students. We encourage open and honest communication and regard our classes as a safe space where everyone is welcome.
Having fun is the most important thing for us, and we love seeing our students leave their dance classes inspired, excited and proud.
Studies show that children learn better when they feel safe, comfortable, heard and understood. Our mission here at Empire Dance Scotland is to create this environment within our classes for all students..
Our vision is to create an empire of students who understand and demonstrate respect for their peers, have a positive attitude towards their learning and enjoy having fun!
We offer affordable classes in fundamental dance styles with qualified and enthusiastic teachers.
We have classes for dancers from as soon as they can walk right up to adults!
We believe that children who dance lead enriched lives and we want as many children as possible to access this.
Feel free to give us a call if you'd like to hear more about our values, mission or vision (We could talk about it all day!)
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Miss Sophy
Dance Teacher & Co-Owner
Miss Sophy has a passion for creating a positive space for young dancers to explore the joy of dancing. She is focused on ensuring each child is heard and understood, and that their dance classes are their favourite place to be!
Miss Sophy has danced since she was 2 years old with Rhona McNab at The Dance Bank. Sophy started training full time in 2015 at Dance For All Theatre School in Edinburgh where she graduated 3 years later with an A in her HND Professional Dance performance and distinctions in her Advanced 1 ballet, tap & modern exams.
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After graduating, Miss Sophy moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she completed a further training course at The Space Dance and Arts Centre. She trained with acclaimed contemporary company Scimm Dance Professional and benefitted from taking classes with a multitude of industry professionals. Miss Sophy danced professionally whilst in Melbourne, and appeared in various commercial and theatre performances, as well as teaching regularly at several dance schools across the city.
Miss Sophy is dedicated to continually increasing her knowledge on all things dance teaching and child development. She is a registered teacher with the ISTD (Diploma in Dance Education Tap & Modern) as well as being a qualified Acrotrix teacher. Miss Sophy is currently halfway through her Royal Academy of Dance Certificate in Dance Teaching so she can become a registered ballet teacher with the RAD.
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Miss Sophy is also a First Aider, Safeguarding officer & working towards her British Sign Language Qualifications.Empire Dance Scotland is affiliated with Rosina Andrews Method, AirTumble, The Ballet Blog & AcroTrix
Miss Sophy takes having fun VERY seriously and loves to share it as much as she can!
Miss Renee
Co-Owner & Administrator
Miss Renee is in charge of all the serious stuff here at Empire Dance. She will answer your calls, reply to emails, help you with any questions or concerns you may have, and most importantly, make you a cup of tea! (She also occasionally makes Empire biscuits too!!!)
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Miss Renee is dedicated to her role at Empire Dance (alongside her full -time job) and continually updates her knowledge surrounding safeguarding and child protection.
Miss Renee is our designated Child Protection Officer and any concerns can be reported to her in person, over the phone or via email.
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All staff hold a PVG/DBS and dance teachers are fully insured.
Miss Claire
Dance Teacher
Miss Claire teaches our Musical Theatre classes here at Empire, as well as assisting with Tuesday Acro & helping us out with some cover!
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Miss Claire fell in love with dance aged 4 and spent the next 15 years training in her home town of Northampton at the Mayhew School of Dance. Learning Tap, Jazz, Modern, Ballet, Greek, National & Contemporary styles through ISTD, DES and RAD exams & competed successfully locally & nationally. She also performed in various AED galas, pantos and many festivals up and down the country. Claire branched out into musicals at University, where she also choreographed various shows. Miss Claire is also a musician & singer, performing in venues across Europe in many choirs, bands & groups from choral music to jazz, blues and opera. In more recent years she retrained as a Pilates, PT & run coach & has been running dance & fitness workshops and regular classes for all age groups, teaching in schools as well as privately. Miss Claire has also recently trained in Progressive Ballet Technique. She enjoys visiting the theatre & loves sharing the feeling a good piece of music can do for the soul, whether singing, exercising or dancing to it.
Why Empire?
If you’ve ever been to a bakery in Scotland, you’ll have seen the classic ‘Empire Biscuit.’ It’s a well known and loved favourite amongst Scottish families. When Miss Sophy & Miss Renee met in Australia, we bonded over a love for empire biscuits and dismayed at the fact that it was impossible to get them on the other side of the world! Our relationship was built on the foundation of home baking and we’d often bake treats together when we’d see each other. Our first baking adventure was of course, empire biscuits! We think that Empire biscuits give a real feel of homey-ness! The idea of them feels very small-town, Scottish and sweet.
Our hand-drawn logo shows a ballerina on top of the empire biscuit, showing that a strong foundation in dance training is super important!! And of course, she looks amazing in her purple tutu! 💜🩰
Have you noticed that our class names are based on biscuits!? Head to our classes page to have a look!
