Denise Horsley

Head of School Development and Administration, Body Conditioning Coach

Denise trained at London College of Dance, graduating with First Class Honours and recipiency of the Madge Atkinson Cup for Dance Composition, awarded for the encouragement of outstanding talent in choreography. She studied Cecchetti ballet under the direction of Victoria Chappell, Graham Technique with Anne Went and Linda Gibbs, and choreography with Kate Flatt whom she went on to complete an internship with, facilitated through Dance UK. She continued her postgraduate training, MA Creative Practice, on a programme hosted jointly between Trinity Laban/Siobhan Davies Dance/Independent Dance, studying intensively with Gill Clarke MBE. She continued further postgraduate training at Trinity Laban, completing the MSc Dance Science programme, graduating with Distinction and recipiency of the Dance Masters Highest Achievement Prize. Having completed teaching diplomas in both Imperial Ballet and National Dance with the ISTD, Denise went on to complete the two-year Teacher Training Programme at the Royal Ballet School and was awarded their Teaching Diploma and invited to teach for the school.

Denise has taught for the Royal Ballet School as Workshop Leader on the Primary Steps Programme for several years. She has also worked on the Royal Opera House’s Chance to Dance Programme as a Local Artist, mentoring teachers in delivering ballet creatively through workshops in educational settings. She was a lecturer at Coventry University on the undergraduate dance programme for almost ten years before the department closed in 2019; here she was awarded Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy – international recognition of a commitment to professionalism in teaching and learning in higher education, evidencing a practice that is aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF).

Denise is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) teacher, and delivers tailored PBT  sessions to students within Blommaert Ballet School, supplementing and supporting the refinement of their ballet practice. She is also responsible for School Development and Administration within BBS and acts as the school’s Dance Science Advisor.