Our Teachers

Teachers

TEACHING STAFF All our teachers are qualified in their chosen fields, CRB checked and insured. We all keep our knowledge in our fields updated to keep abreast of the constantly changing syllabuses and requirements. We are all passionate about what we teach!

Chris was born in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire and trained at I M Marsh College of Physical Education, Liverpool from 1971 to 1974 specialising in Dance and Music. She then moved to Southport to teach at Stanley High School where she became Head of Girls' PE (better known as Miss Bradbury) where she established dance firmly on the curriculum writing her own Mode 3 CSE examination syllabus and running many successful extra curricular dance activities including early morning technique classes before school. She married Rod Wright in 1979 and left Stanley in 1981 to become a full time mum to their daughters Alison and Anna. Encouraged by former pupils she formed Chris Wright's Contemporary Dance Group in 1981 and loved performing herself! She also taught adult classes in contemporary dance, aerobics at Formby High School and dance to the competition class at Southport YMCA Gymnastics Club.

In 1985 when Alison was 3 and Anna 2 she began teaching creative dance classes which once established became Chris Wright's School of Contemporary Dance.

At the same time, Chris worked for Sefton on supply which included a spell teaching boys PE at Stanley and two years at Presfield School. She then went to Birkdale School For Hearing Impaired Children where she was Head of Performing Arts from 1990 until the school closed in 2003, writing and producing many shows and teaching GCSE Drama. After two terms teaching drama at Greenbank High School Chris decided to spend more time developing her own school with her two daughters and introduced Drama and Piano lessons and the school became Chris Wright's School of Dance and Drama. She still enjoys being with the children, teaching Contemporary Dance, Drama and Piano to all age groups, but after 35 years teaching, Chris is now happy to share the responsibility of the school with her daughters and particularly enjoys being a member of Alison's adult Tap class.

Alison Wright - Teacher

Alison began dancing at the age of 3 at Chris Wright's School of Contemporary dance. (Now Dance and Drama) She began assisting her mum with classes from the age of 8 and loved it so much she decided she wanted to become a teacher herself. Whilst completing a BA (Hons) with QTS degree at Liverpool John Moores University to become a Primary School teacher, Alison trained at The Maureen Jeffery School of Dance on a dance teacher training course. Here she completed Associate level 'Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing' examinations (ISTD) in Tap, National, Modern Theatre and Jazz dance. She has since gone on to complete her CDE (Certificate in Dance Education) qualification in London with the ISTD and Alison has also become a registered Melody Bear® pre school dance teacher. In November 2009, Alison became a level 4 cheerleading coach with the NCSSE and the British Cheerleading Association and can't wait to set up her own squads in 2010!

Alison teaches at Chris Wright's School of Dance and Drama teaching all aspects of dance from the babies to the adults and loves every minute of it! She continues to work as a Primary School teacher in Southport teaching children from nursery to year 6 and enjoys her freelance dance teacher work in holiday clubs, nurserys and schools across Merseyside.

Anna Wright - Teacher

Anna's passion for dancing began at the age of 2 where she started dance lessons at Chris Wright's School of Contemporary Dance. (Now Dance and Drama) She then went on to assist in the classes alongside her mum and eventually trained part time at the Maureen Jeffery School of Dance obtaining her teaching qualifications with the ISTD.

Anna also studied in Newcastle, gaining a degree in Psychology and was lucky enough to be chosen out of over 3000 hopefuls to become a member of National Youth Theatre Great Britain. She spent some time in London working with the company on their technical course gaining practical training and experience in the technical approach to theatre production. Anna is now a teacher at Chris Wright's school of Dance and Drama which she really loves. She is very happy to be working alongside such talented staff and a lovely bunch of children. In addition to this, Anna is back at university training to be a children's nurse. She hopes eventually to promote dance as a therapy for children who may struggle in terms of health and spend a lot of their childhood in hospital. She hopes to use dance to inspire children and keep them smiling.

Amy Challen - Teacher

Amy Challen was born in West Sussex and began dancing at the age of 3 at La Ronda Dance School where she undertook Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet up to grade 3 then moved to Dance Industry Littlehampton where she completed Royal academy of Dance qualifications to Elementary (70% of all people who take this professional examination fail.)

The teaching staff at Dance Industry thought Amy would benefit greatly at a full time professional Ballet School. Amy auditioned and was successfully accepted into Elmhurst Ballet School in Surrey at aged 9 where she gained further qualifications in 'Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing' (ISTD) Tap, Modern, Ballet, Sociedad de Baile Spanish Dance. Amy was also chosen for a promotional shoot to advertise the School in the Dancing Times. She also successfully gained a part in the Myrddin Production Ltd (ITV) Children's series "If you meet a fairy" and has performed in various other performances in London's West End.

Amy Brings with her both professional teaching and performance experience and is looking forward to teaching Ballet and Hip Hop at Chris Wright's School of Dance and Drama.