ABOUT
Best School of Musical Theatre gives young people a place to learn vital life skills like communication, teamwork, and confidence, and to begin exploring who they are through the performing arts and having fun.
We’re passionate about maintaining a safe space where equality of opportunity, positive support and individual care form the backbone of our teaching.
Each Saturday the schools split into three age-appropriate groups that enjoy an hour each of singing, acting, and dancing led by highly experienced, family orientated industry professionals.
TIMES
Saturdays
AM Class 1000 - 1300 (St Albans & Ware)
PM Class 1330 - 1630 (St Albans Only)
LOCATION
Sandringham School, The Ridgeway
St Albans, AL4 9NX
and
Southern Maltings, Kibes Lane, Ware, SG12 7BS.
Best School
of Musical Theatre
Ages 6 - 16
singing acting and dancing
AGE RANGE
Age 6 - 16
Too young? Check out our Best Beginners Course.
Too old? Check out Best's The Company or The Feel Good Factor.
FEES
Termly fee of £360 split into four monthly instalments of £90. Childcare vouchers accepted, sibling and multi class booking discounts available.
BOOK
Book your place or two week trial here:
Best School of Musical Theatre
Singing
It’s more than hitting the right notes! We teach rhythm, listening, harmony and healthy, safe vocal techniques. We help students to sing out and try different styles like pop, musical theatre, and folk. Across the year we share our work and everyone gets to shine in our yearly large scale musicals.
Best School of Musical Theatre
Dancing
Our dance classes encourage everyone to get moving with a range of different styles. Classes are energetic and buzzing, focussing on reassurance and building physical confidence. We balance solo technique and group choreography in developing routines and performance pieces, where dance is part of the story.
Best School of Musical Theatre
Acting
Through group work, games and exercises we explore different acting techniques and styles. Alongside working with pre-existing text, we play with building characters and inventing stories. There are lots of performance opportunities within the session, as well as in our big Best show every year.
We hire skilled, committed and family orientated theatre professionals with a real passion for teaching. We value consistency and a progressive, structured approach. We know that it is Best’s responsibility to provide the framework in which the teachers can thrive – loving what they do and being able to pass that enjoyment in bucket loads on to the students.
Meet The Team
Best School of Musical Theatre at St Albans
AMY CORDINA
Born and raised in Malta, Amy trained in musical theatre from the tender age of three, with the initial stage school she attended being her entryway into theatre. Amy then went on to train in Classical Voice with ABRSM. She is a Musical Theatre and Dance Teacher Training graduate from MPAA which works along the ISTD and is now part of the University of West London. Alongside her teaching career, Amy has been and is currently a working performer with her last contract just finishing last year.
As a performer who still attends classes, I love to bring what I learn myself to my classes to make sure they’re as current as possible. My teaching style is very student focused with my main aim being to build up student’s performance skills and confidence at a bespoke level. While I believe that technique and skill is extremely important, my main aim for my classes is to create a safe space for them to grow and be the best version of themselves.
Singing
JASMINE RICKETS
Jasmine loves to get people moving, grooving, and feeling confident! As a facilitator Jasmine is passionate about encouraging young people to find their creative voices through movement and performance.
After graduating from the University of Exeter with a BA in Drama, she went on to study an MA in Choreography at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Since then, Jasmine was a part of the 2017/18 cohort of Overture, a community dance programme run by New Adventures Dance Company.
Recently Jasmine was the Movement Director on Rain and Zoe Save the World at the Jermyn Street Theatre where reviews included "The choreography is a thing of beauty and the movement direction throughout is impressive". "It is an inspired piece of physical theatre" The Stage.
Jasmine’s work spans opera, theatre, dance, and film, with notable moments including working with English National Opera on two critically-acclaimed productions, and being a part of the small team bringing Disney Musicals in Schools to London.
Jasmine is also a qualified Mental Health First Aider for both adults and young people.
Read more on Jasmine's website
Dancing
Acting
DAWN HUDSON
Dawn gained a professional diploma in dance from Laban and a degree in music and dance from Roehampton and continued to develop her love of drama and acting taking many different courses across the next 20 years. She follows her passion for music and playing instruments by leading choirs and bringing songs and music to life across her roles at Best.
Dawn has numerous teaching qualification from working with early years through to adults.
The epitome of a multi-skilled performer and director.
Dawn has performed and toured with a diverse range of companies including The Royal Opera House, Unicorn Children’s Theatre, Pentabus, Forest Forge, Box Clever and Tall stories.
As a facilitator Dawn has many years of experience and has taught for the education departments of both the National Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe.
As ‘Artist in Residence’ she has worked to develop creativity in the curriculum in several primary schools and is an associate of The Map Consortium, designing and delivering professional development training to organisations in the UK and Europe.
Her physical theatre work includes Alexander Technique (studied with Paul Burge for 10 years) and working with David Glass, Theatre de Complicite.
Dawn also worked with Trestle Theatre for 10 years, and leads their integrated groups -‘Sing Up’ and ‘Dance Now’. She has also been spotted conducting large flash mobs of community choirs in St Albans city centre.
Meet The Team
Best School of Musical Theatre at Ware
Dance
LILLIE-MAE STEWART
Lillie-Mae is an actress, dancer and singer who, at the age of 10, made her professional theatre debut playing Margaret Gormley in the West End’s “Billy Elliot The Musical” at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Lillie-Mae is an alumni of Italia Conti Theatre Arts School London (2020) and The Urdang Academy, London (2023). Other credits include, ITV’s “Fool Britannia”, Idina Menzel and Michael Buble’s “Baby I’s Cold Outside” music video, and London’s West End production of “13 The Musical”, playing the lead role of Kendra.‘
Acting
HANNAH CONWAY
Hannah is an actor, theatre director, drama tutor and theatre maker.
She's often described as a big ball of energy and has performed across the UK as an actor for many years, alongside working with young people in the performing arts across the country. She says "I have a real knack for improvising and working with children. I find a real joy in making children laugh and letting them escape into a world of fantasy where anything is possible!"
We are thrilled to welcome her as the new Director for our Hertford & Ware Musical Theatre branch in 2023!
MOLLY TELLO
Molly started performing at the age of 3 beginning with Ballet and since then has always known it was her love and passion. She began her career not long after in TV and Film, such as Holby City, Eastenders and Ali G The Movie, and hasn’t stopped since, always rehearsing for at least one show at a time.
Working at Best is Molly’s weekly get away and bundle of happiness who says, “I love nothing more than watching the students at Best grow as not only performers but individuals too. I am proud to have worked as Bests Hertford singing teacher for over a year now and plan to stay for many years to come. Without the stage, life would be a whole lot duller.”