About Us
Expert Teaching
20 years teaching experience and continued personal development through the ISTD teaching programme.
100% Exam Pass Rate
Plus over 50% gaining a distinction. We train and nurture our students so they reach their full potential.
Award Winning
We've had huge success in the Dance World Cup as part of Team Wales, bringing home many medals, as well as festivals and local competitions.
ABOUT US
We provide a friendly and supportive environment, love to nurture talent and provide opportunities for students to grow in confidence. Our dance school is like a family.
Students are encouraged to take exams, but this is not compulsory. Major vocational dancing examinations are also studied. Performance opportunities are provided through participation in our annual show, Plus students have the chance to perform alongside the best dancers in the UK and the world by taking part in dance competitions, festivals, and the Dance World Cup. Competitive events are by invitation only.
All classes follow the I.S.T.D. (Imperial Society of Teachers) syllabus. ISTD teaches good technique whilst also allowing room to dance with freedom of movement. Totally inclusive we welcome boys and girls from age 3 and up, as well as adults.
Sarah Burnell (AISTD, Adv Dip)
Principal, Teacher, Choreographer, Tap, Modern, Ballet, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, PBT
Sarah established SBSOD in 2001. After extensive training as a young dancer under Christine Atkinson Brock(currently senior RAD ballet examiner Asia) Marjorie Browning RAD, Tim Clifford ISTD (Instep Theatre Arts)and Jane Clark ISTD, Sarah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of opening her own dance school. Before this, Sarah was a member of National Youth Music Theatre in 1997 performing in several productions with them, including The Ragged Child and She Stoops To Conquer. She also performed in professional pantomimes (Paul Holman Associates)and musical productions.
She has taught at Swansea Grand Theatre School and Stagecoach Cardiff, Bridgend and Cowbridge. After gaining her teaching qualifications with distinction from the ISTD examination board, SBSOD was launched. Sarah has taught thousands of students since 2001 with many going on to work professionally in the West End, Broadway, on cruise ships and in some of the country's leading contemporary dance companies.
Her choreography work has been recognised throughout the industry, most recently Dame Arlene Phillips selected her contemporary group 'Tilted' to be performed at the London Coliseum as part of the All England Dance centenary gala. She has also choreographed a number of amateur musical theatre productions and fashion shows.
Sarah has won several awards for her choreography at the All England Dance competition and Dance World Cup. In 2016, her students won Team Wales' first ever gold medal at the Dance World Cup. They have since won 6 World titles at the DWC, including best duet/trio of any genre in the 2017 competition.
Sarah is passionate about teaching and nurturing the next generation of young performers. She has a love for choreography and lives to inspire her students, artistically, emotionally and technically.
Anya Evans
Head of Acro, Teacher, Choreographer, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Acro, Boogie Bunnies Pre-school
Anya started dance at the age of 4 with Sarah. Under her guidance, Anya progressed through all her ISTD grades to Advanced 2. She competed regularly at the All England Dance competition and Dance World Cup winning several medals in both competitions.
Anya soon developed a passion for choreography and teaching. Sarah inspired her to go down the teaching route so upon completing her A'Levels, Anya started her ISTD DDE training. Under the guidance of Judith Hockaday (senior ISTD examiner) Anya gained her DDE qualifications with distinctions. She has also completed her Acrobatic Arts teaching examination achieving 100%.
Anya is already a very accomplished choreographer. She has choreographed several pieces for competitions achieving wonderful results.
She is a very well respected member of the team and is highly thought of by her students.
Michael Morwood
Musical Theatre Director, Ensemble Singing Coach
Michael trained at the Royal College of Music. He was director of music at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts from 1993 to 1997, and Deputy Head of Musical Theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts from 1997 to 2004.
Currently Michael is a tutor and musical director on the undergraduate and postgraduate musical theatre courses at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. His West End credits include Sunset Boulevard Adelphi Theatre); Martin Guerre (Prince Edward Theatre); Show Boat (Prince Edward Theatre); Annie (Victoria Palace); Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre); Blood Brothers (national tour); Mamma Mia! (Prince Edward Theatre); The Witches of Eastwick (Theatre Royal and Prince of Wales Theatre) and The Full Monty (Prince of Wales Theatre).
Michael was a BBC audition adjudicator and an Associate Chorus Master for the feature film "The Little Prince". He was part of the creative team that opened the Welsh Millennium Centre in Cardiff in 2004. He has been a musical director for Qdos Pantomimes, performing at the New Theatre since 2004, and was the assistant musical director for the BBC's Voice of Musical Theatre.
Michael was the musical supervisor for the Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre opening gala concert in 2005. He has been an adjudicator for BBC's Young Musician of the Year and BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year Competition.He was Musical Supervisor of the Aberystwyth Arts Centre Summer productions from 2006-2015 for productions including Hairspray, Chicago, Sister Act and Little Shop of Horrors.
Rhian Morwood
Head of LAMDA, Drama Teacher
Rhian moved to London at 18 to train at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where she graduated with a first class honours degree in Musical Theatre.
Her Previous theatre credits include; Miss Adelaide in Guys & Dolls at Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival, Phoenix Addams in the Addams Family at The Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival, Mama Rose in Gypsy (Westminster Theatre, London), Moll in Moll Flanders (UK Tour), guest soloist as Anita with Crouch End Festival Chorus in West Side Story (Westminster Central Hall and Watford Coliseum).
Rhian has performed in many concerts and cabarets all over the UK, and worked on many collaborative projects with bands and composers.
Teaching Assistants - Immie Dodd (Acro), Lexie Bowen (Primary Modern), Mia Thomas (Primary Tap)
Finance Team - James Williams and Claire Hodge.
