WHO WE ARE

Megan started dancing at the age of 4 and never stopped. Whilst growing up and dancing in Torquay she competed in various dance competitions, winning the modern and tap championships and senior Ruby Ginner Finals. Along side competing, Megan took exams with the ISTD and passed with distinction, advanced 2 modern, advanced 2 tap, advanced 2 classical greek, advanced 1 ballet and all her jazz levels. At the age of 18 she took her first teaching exam with the ISTD. After deciding to continue dance as a career Megan successfully auditioned and gained a Dance and Drama award to attend Stella Mann Performing Arts College. Studying at Stella she enjoyed 3 intense years of dance training and gained a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance. After graduating in 2011 Megan moved back home and started teaching locally where she went on to take her freestyle teaching exam and Acro Arts qualification. Since being back in Newton Abbot Megan took over a local dance company, Destination Dance, and performed professionally around the country and abroad. She has been lucky enough to dance in the London 2012 Olympic ceremony, Bahrain GP and Global Village in Dubai to name a few. She choreographed all of Destination Dance’s shows and has choreographed the Bridgwater Pantomime for the 2 years. Megan is so proud to be owner and principal of Oliver Brown Dance Academy, and loves handing down her love of dance and performance to the future dance stars of Devon.

Charlotte danced locally at Miss Jenny’s school of dancing and performed in various pantomimes from a young age. She then gained a full scholarship for Millennium Performing Arts in London where she furthered her training and graduated with the jazz award in 2017. Since graduating Charlotte has been the dance captain and choreographer at Torquay pantomime, toured the country with the satin dolls a professional tap dancing troupe appearing in many different theatres across England. She also secured two dance contracts with Cunard dancing on the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship and visiting many countries across the world. Charlotte is a qualified ISTD dance teacher and has a wealth of experience teaching locally and in London. We are very lucky to have her as part of the OBDA team.

Shannon started her training at Classique Dance Studios in Plymouth, competing in many competitions locally and across the UK. She won numerous regional titles and a national gold medal for Modern at the All England Finals. She later joined Tones School of Dance, where she completed her ISTD and RAD exams in Ballet and Modern. Shannon also competed at the Dance World Cup, proudly bringing home medals for her country. She went on to further her training at Bird College in London, where she gained a First-Class Honours Degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre. Whilst training, Shannon also achieved a Teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama with Mary Frantom. After graduating, Shannon completed her certifications in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and Acrobatic Arts. Some of Shannon’s performance credits include Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Theatre Royal, Dance Doll at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Mamma Mia – Largest Disco Dance in London, House of Kraz feature film, Dolly Parton’s 9-5 Musical, Guys and Dolls Musical. Shannon has been fortunate to travel worldwide to deliver training, most recently this year she has been to Germany, Dubai & across the UK to work with students.

Anya is a versatile and technically precise dancer with a First-Class Honours BA (Hons) from Urdang, a leading professional conservatoire specialising in dance and musical theatre training in the heart of London. She brings a wealth of experience across stage performances and on-screen work. Anya has competed at the All England Dance Finals and represented Team England at the Dance World Cup as a soloist and as a featured dancer in groups, winning multiple gold medals in both solo and group categories. Her talent was recognised early: at age 13, she received the Senior Dance Award from English Youth Ballet and performed a featured duet in their production of Coppélia. She also took part in a radio interview to promote the show. Anya excelled and reached the final stages of the nationwide CBBC series Taking the Next Step. More recently, she appeared in an on-screen production filmed in Cornwall in 2024. Throughout her training, Anya has received multiple scholarships, which have deepened her passion for choreography and teaching. She is a qualified BodyBalance and Combat instructor, blending strength, stamina, and conditioning to excel as both a performer and an educator. Passionate about teaching and choreography, Anya looks forward to bringing her expertise to the school - delivering inspiring classes, creating engaging choreography, and supporting students on their dance journeys.

Joleen Wood trained at Pamela De Waal and later at the Gaynor Walter / Deborah Bond Dance Academy. She is an accredited BTDA fully qualified dance teacher, and DBS checked. Joleen successfully ran her own dance school in Dartmouth for 15 years, with many former pupils going on to train professionally at leading London dance colleges. After COVID, she chose to take a career break to focus on her family. She has consistently achieved high marks across Ballet, Tap and Modern, gaining her teaching qualifications, and also holds a Double Award Advanced Level qualification in Performing Arts. Joleen has performed throughout her life, appearing in pantomimes at the Princess Theatre as a child and later performing professionally at the Babbacombe Theatre in seasonal summer and Christmas shows. She also trained as a Bluecoat dancer and entertainer at Pontins. Dancing from the age of three, Joleen is passionate about all aspects of dance and performing arts. She is enthusiastic about promoting confidence, self-esteem and enjoyment through dance for both children and adults. Alongside her studio teaching, she also delivers after-school dance provision in local primary schools. Joleen is very much looking forward to teaching at Oliver Brown and working with all the students.