A new chapter
Kandeez Dance Ltd was taken over by Carla Lucas & Hannah Andrews in August 2023. Both had taught for the dance school for many years prior to this and are very excited for this new chapter as principals of Kandeez. For more information on your principals see below:
From our bases in Aylesbury, we offer classes from pre-school age to adults. We also offer one to one dance lessons and first wedding dance choreography.
Learning, growth, fun
Our classes have a warm, supportive atmosphere where pupils learn, grow and have fun. Pupils are given the opportunity to succeed and with guidance, encouragement and hard work, can reach their full potential.
Consequently, a number of our pupils progress on to Dance Colleges, to study Dance at University and work as dancers or teachers in the industry.
Meet the team
Our people
Carla Lucas
Kandeez Safeguard Lead, DFR, Modern Theatre & Tap Exam co-ordinator.
Head of teacher/trainee teacher training.
BA (Hons) Level 3 Diploma in Musical Theatre & Performing Arts, Acrobatic Arts Level 1 Certified, Alixa Flexibilty - Level 1, Modern Theatre and Tap ISTD DDI & DDE (Level 3 Diploma in Dance instruction & Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education), Disco Freestyle Associate (AISTD) & Level 2 (Reed Global) in Leadership & Management. Member of the ISTD Early Careers Group.
From the age of 16, Carla studied at the Margaret Howard Theatre College (MHTC). At MHTC she studied ballet, tap, modern, street, hip hop, musical theatre, lyrical, double work, jazz & contemporary. She successfully completed a three year course, gaining her teaching qualifications – DDI (Level 3 Diploma) and DDE (Level 4 Diploma) in Tap & Modern Theatre. Carla also graduated MHTC with a Level 3 Diploma in Performing Arts & Musical Theatre.
During her time at College she gained experience performing on cruise ships around the Mediterranean and in the Mardi Grass parade at Disneyland Paris.
Carla has taught for Kandeez Dance Ltd for many years, joining the teaching team back in 2011. Carla has also gained her AAC1 with Acrobatic Arts (including a back handspring & aerial course). As well as her Level 1 qualification with Alixa Flexibilty. She also holds a CACHE Level 2 in childcare.
Carla has been a member with the ISTD for over 15 years and more recently (2023-2024) returned to training with Yvonne Taylor-Hill to take her ISTD teaching exams in Disco Freestyle. Carla has gained both her student teacher & associate with the ISTD in Disco Freestyle with a pass mark of 98%. She has been featured in the August 2024 ISTD magazine with an article on ‘Unlocking your teaching potential’
Carla has attended CPD training in the following: first aid, safeguarding, mental health in dancers, inclusion in dance, GDPR, health and safety, creating magic in early years foundation classes, rock ‘n’ roll syllabus and DFR congress.
Carla has delivered our dance in PE to local schools such as St Marys, Padbury CofE and Bedgrove Infant School.
Carla teaches: Modern, Tap, Acrobatics, Disco, Freetsyle, R’n’R and our competition squad and teams. Carla also runs local holiday camps in the school holidays – www.carlalucashc.com
Carla is our safeguard lead alongside co-principal Hannah, She coordinates our DFR, Modern & Tap exams and leads our Teacher training. Carla holds her Level 2 qualification in Leadership and Management, gained through Reed Global. She now looks forward to using her knowledge and skills to train and mentor our newest teaching staff.
Carla lives locally with partner Tom and two boys Ralph and Frank. She enjoys spending quality time with family and friends and visiting new places.
Carla is currently training towards her Rock ‘n’ Roll associate. More recently she has been invited by the ISTD to join their ECG team (early careers group) a group that supports and promotes early career dance teachers at the ISTD something that Carla is hugely honoured and excited to be a part of.
Hannah Andrews - Kandeez Safeguard Lead, Street Dance Exam co-ordinator & head of teacher/ trainee teacher CPD.
BA (hons) Level 3 diploma in Performing Arts & Musical Theatre, Trinity PPA (Professional Performing Arts Diploma), Level 3 Cheerleading & Level 3 in Irish Dancing.
From 2010 to 2013 Hannah trained at Amersham and Wycombe College, gaining National Diplomas in Acting, Dancing and Singing. Following this, she trained as a professional dancer at the Stella Mann College of Performing Arts, where she gained the highest level “The Trinity qualification” a level 3 diploma in professional Performing Arts and Musical Theatre. Hannah also attended Irish dancing lessons and currently holds a level 3 Teaching qualification in this. Hannah holds level 1,2 and 3 in Cheer and tumbling with the UK Cheer Association. Hannah has gained CPD training in first aid, safeguarding, creating magic in early years foundation classes, rock ‘n’ roll syllabus and DFR congress.
Since leaving Stella Mann College, Hannah has continued her love for dance and has taught in many different dance schools in genres including Ballet, Tap, lyrical, Commercial, Street and Musical Theatre . She has also taught in the private school “Maltmans Green” where she taught speech and drama and successfully passed 100 plus students through the years with their Lamda exams.
Hannah has taught at Kandeez dance for many years and teaches Commercial, Street, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, Tiny Tots, Modern & Tap.
Hannah is our safeguard lead alongside co-principal Carla, she co-ordinates our ISTD street dance exams and is the head of our teacher CPD, including first aid, safeguarding, insurances & general CPD courses.
Hannah lives in Leighton Buzzard with her partner Michael and little boy Theodore.
Hannah is currently training and working towards her associate with the ISTD in Street dance and is excited to be offering and co-ordinating street competitions for the first time at Kandeez.
Emily -
ISTD Ballet DDE (Level 4 Diploma)
Lily
Lily has gained CPD training in first aid, safeguarding and creating magic in early years foundation classes.
Shae
SEND Dance Teacher
Shae attended Kandeez Dance for over 9 years, performing in various shows, as well as being part of the Competition Squad. She was also a Kandeez class helper and had the opportunity to gain confidence and experience working with children of all ages. At 18, Shae moved on to study performing arts and musical theatre at the Jackie Palmer Academy. During her time here, she studied musical theatre & acting as well as various styles of dance including tap, contemporary and jazz and gained a BTEC Level 3 national extended diploma in performing arts practice. Shae is currently a teacher at Pebble Brook, a secondary school for children with moderate learning difficulties.Over the past five years, she has helped set up creative arts and dance at the school. She has also been involved in offering the students a wide range of enrichment activities as well as supporting with school performances and shows. Shae is first aid trained as well as has a CPD in safeguarding. Shae teaches the SEND dance classes at Kandeez and focuses on allowing dancers to develop their self-esteem and self-expression in a safe, encouraging environment. Shae believes dance is a fun and exciting way to nurture and develop individual skills and abilities and she has enjoyed being able to teach the classes in a fun and engaging way!
Amy - BA (hons) Degree in Dance & Performance.
Amy danced with Kandeez for 15 years. She has trained in DFR since the age of 4 and competed for 8 years, qualifying for the grand nationals many times.
From 2021 – 2024 Amy attended Buckinghamshire New university where she gained a BA (Hons) degree in Dance & Performance. This was predominantly a jazz based course however Amy also trained in other styles such as Ballet, Dance Hall, Street and Contemporary. As part of her 3 year degree she studied modules such as: Teaching & Learning, Fitness Instruction, Choreography, Dance Anatomy, Nutrition and Community Dance (which included work placement teaching in primary schools) Amy also produced and showcased a graduate show in her final year alongside her peers as one of her final modules, this was performed at the Elgiva Theatre. Amy looks forward to using many of her degree modules here at Kandeez.
Katie - BA (hons) - Level 3 Performing Arts & Musical Theatre.
Milly Sullivan
Milly Has been a dancer for 20 years training in local dance schools in Disco, Freestyle, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Street, Commercial & Lyrical.
Milly has been dancing since the age of 3 and has danced competitively since the age of 7. She qualified for the ISTD grand national finals every year that she competed, placed in the finals multiple times and most recently placed 2nd at nationals in rock ‘n’ roll. Milly works in the SEND department at a local secondary school and teaches their dance programme on a regular basis. She choreographs for regular shoes and produces the schools honeycomb pieces. Milly is fully insured by Kandeez, holds an up to date DBS & has her safeguard training. We are very excited to have Milly on board as a cover member of staff.
Sara Holmes
