About Us

An established Dance School, Dance Scene runs classes at Churchgate School, Old Harlow and Harlow College.

Dance Scene offers classes in Street/Commercial, Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Adult Tap, Lyrical Contemporary, Private Singing, Acrobatic Arts Qualified, Preschool Ballet and Tap with regular performances and I.S.T.D exams throughout the year.

Lorraine Hodges ISTD DDE – Principal

Lorraine has been teaching for 30 years in Harlow and the surrounding areas. Her vast experience in Ballet, Tap, Modern and National has given many students the opportunity to train as dancers from 18 months to adult!

Many students have gone on to vocational performing arts colleges and are having very successful dance careers.

Lorraine trained at The Arts Educational School in London where she gained her professional teaching qualifications.

Lorraine’s career started as a professional dancer. Her professional credits include various pantomimes in the UK as well as being dance captain on various touring shows.

Lorraine founded Dance Scene to share her experience and knowledge of dance with everyone who comes through her doors from children to adults. One of Lorraine’s greatest achievements is her adult tap class that she has been running for 30 years and it’s still going strong!

Jodie Parker ISTD DDE

Jodie graduated from The Centre Performing Arts College in 2014 where she gained her ISTD DDE examinations in Classical ballet, tap and modern theatre.

She trained in all genres of Dance and Musical Theatre. Since she has been lucky enough to have taught dance in China, Japan, Australia, America and London. Jodie loves to inspire and be inspired by everyone who comes to class! Jodie completed her yoga 200hr TTC in Goa, India. She currently enjoys teaching kids & adult classes alongside dance. 

Jodie has been guest teaching for Dance Scene for many years and we now welcome her onboard as a full time member of our team. We are delighted!

Danielle Barton

Danielle started dancing at the age of 3.

She then furthered her training at Harlow College and then completed a Diploma in Musical Theatre & Dance Performance at The Centre PAC.

Since graduating in 2014 she has had the privilege of working as a Dancer/Model for the Ski & Snowbard Fashion Show, Dancer for Jason Derulo on The X Factor Semi Finals, Dancer/Singer for P&O Ferries, Dancer/Ensemble in Peter Pan 2016 for Evolution Productions, Dancer/Choreographer for Jasmin Walia’s new music video “Bom Diggy”, Dancer for Camila Cabello on MTV EMA’s 2017 & Dancer on The X Factor Finale 2017, Jingle Bell Ball 2018 and Top of the Pops Christmas special 2018 for Jax Jones.

Danielle has open regular slots at Pineapple Dance Studios, BASE studios and teaches for a company called At Your Beat.

Danielle has been teaching at Dance Scene since 2015 and is a bubbly and important part of our Dance Scene family!

Becky Gentry

Becky has attended stage schools and various dance schools since the age of 6 and, after finishing school at 16, went on to further her training with a 3 year intense Musical Theatre course at CPA Studios. Here, she worked under directors, choreographers and performers such as David Leighton, Damien Delaney, Edwina Cox, Flik Swan, Stephen Mear, Mark Smith and David Barber.

Upon graduating at CPA Studios, Becky went on to focus mainly in the dance industry and has performed on stage, in film and TV, in Fringe theatre and in various music videos for popular artists such as Example, Pixie Lott, Tinchy Stryder and Matchbox Twenty.  She has been cast as a dancer in various TV shows, such as ‘Misfits’ and films, such as, ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’, ‘Between Two Worlds’, and Beautiful Devils’.  Becky has written and produced, as well as performed in, fringe theatre shows such as ‘Borders’ which was part of the Lambco Fringe Festival.  

Becky has worked alongside the very talented Broadway and West End choreographer, Stephen Mear, to workshop ideas for the West End revival of the classic musical, ‘Crazy For You’.

Becky has taught dance consistently throughout her career and loves having the chance to pass her skills and knowledge on to a new generation of dancers.

‘Behind every performer who believes in themselves, is a teacher who believed in them first!’

Rachel Lewis

Rachel began dancing when she was 3 years old, starting with Ballet, Tap and Modern before branching out into Contemporary, Commercial and Musical Theatre. 

Rachel trained in both ISTD and RAD completing her advanced two exams in Ballet,Tap and Modern with excellent results. As well as given the opportunity to participate in the ISTD Janet Cram Finals and the Marjorie Davies Tap Awards. 

She has also competed in various dance festival competitions around the country and reaching the All England Dance finals hosted in London many times. Rachel was also a  member in the National Youth Ballet for many years, performing in many of their productions working with choreographers such as Frank Freeman and Drew McOnie.  She was also a member of The London Children’s Ballet Company.

Rachel then continued her professional training by attending the prestigious Doreen Bird College, while training she performed in many musicals and dance projects such as Heathers, Hair, Damn Yankees and gaining her Modern DDE  teaching qualification in the process. Since Graduating in 2017 Rachel has performed at Twickenham Stadium as well as in various pantomimes. She is now continuing to balance a life of auditioning, dance teaching and developing her fitness career.

Rachel has been working for dance scene for over a year and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and is looking forward to helping students develop their technique as well as their artistic style further.

Charlotte West

Stylistically diverse, Charlotte’s singing career has seen her perform as a soloist with the world renowned BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and, in 2012, at the Paralympic Games Torch Ceremony alongside Tinie Tempah as well as a host of other venues and events.

Originally training as a classical singer, Charlotte graduated with a BA(Hons) in Music Performance from York St John University. Following on from this, she gained an MA in Community Music from York University.

After overcoming issues related to voice loss and performance anxiety with the support of a number of excellent vocal coaches, Charlotte found a desire to pass on the knowledge she had gained from her experiences. This lead her to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Professional Voice Practice exploring the diversity of the voice thereby giving her coaching the flexibility to meet the demands of musical theatre and contemporary music alike.

Charlotte provides both individual and group tuition for both children and adults of all ages and abilities. She is educated in preparing for exams and audition for Rock School, ABRSM and Trinity and Guildhall.

Charlotte’s ethos is for her students to love singing as much as she does and to have fun! Charlotte is very excited to become part of the Dance Scene team and is looking forward to working with the students. 

Chantelle McDermott

Chantelle trained at The Centre Pac for 3 years completing a diploma in Theatre Performance. She is a qualified DDE teacher in Ballet,Tap and Modern.

Over the past 6 years, she worked onboard cruise ships gaining experience as a Dance Captain, Choreographer, and Swing. In between contracts Chantelle performed in First Family Pantomimes and has taken part in various gigs across the UK, whilst always pursuing her passion for teaching and developing the next generation of performers.