Teaching Faculty

BBO Syllabus & Exam preparation, Repertoire, pointe work, adult ballet.  

Specialities

Sonya has a particular interest in training and preparing students for vocational careers.  She has been lucky enough to have several students graduate from top schools including the Royal Ballet School Associates, Elmhurst School for Ballet, London Contemporary, Rambert and Leban Conservatoire for Dance and Music.  She has a passion for educating dancers of all ages in preparing and establishing good pointe work technique.

She has a passion for sharing her love of dance with anyone who shows an interest and as a result has students of all ages and abilities in her school including adults and those with extra learning needs.  

Training & Qualifications 

Sonya has been dancing for 40 years starting at the tender age of 4 years old, with Tina Pilgrem at King Slocombe School of Dance in Cambridge.  She passed her exams in ballet with Distinction including Intermediate and Advanced level.  She returned to the dance world after a short break in 1999 and trained to teach under the guidance of Esther Juon, Dancelaines in Brighton.  She completed her studies with the BBO Dance shortly after and opened the school 12 years ago.  She is also a qualified and is Registered as a Level 1-6 Acrobatic Arts teacher. More recently she has qualified in Psychology and Coaching with the University of Cambridge. 

Specialities

Gwendolen is a professional contemporary and ballet dancer, teacher, and Movement Director/Choreographer working in live performance, opera, and film. Having trained in RAD and BBO ballet since the age of 4, Gwen went on to graduate with a First Class (BA) Honours Degree from DeMontfort University before continuing her training with world renowned London company The BalletBoyz. After many years performing as a freelance dancer with multiple UK based companies, Gwen moved into the world of film and TV, landing dancer roles in movies such as Summerland 2020, Last Night in Soho 2021, Last Letter from Your Lover 2021 and Doctor Strange 2 2022, and TV series Britannia 2 and Pennyworth. Most recently Gwen took the role of Choreographer for the 2023 movie The Boys in the Boat by Director George Clooney after her debut as Choreographer for Garsington Opera’s Youth Company in their 2020 and 2021 seasons.

 Alongside her performance career, Gwen is an established ballet teacher for all levels. With an eye for detail, she enjoys coaching both dancers and non-dancers to learn, develop and achieve.