OUR FACULTY
Meet The Team
JESSICA MULCAHY – BA (Hons)
BALLET EDUCATION RAD RTS
Miss Jessica grew up and trained in Ireland.
In 2013, she came to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dance gaining a BA (Hons) in Ballet Education in 2016. Jessica is qualified as an RAD Registered Teacher with a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance.
Miss Jessica is very interested in fostering children’s creativity through each of her ballet lessons along with instilling technique, musicality and performance quality to each of her students.
SAFFRON QURESHI – BA (Hons)
BALLET EDUCATION RAD RTS
Miss Saffron started ballet lessons in America when she was 18 months old and has loved ballet ever since, taking exams in both ISTD and RAD alongside tap and modern. She is also a seasoned performer, dancing in numerous ballet shows, West End shows and school productions.
After her A levels, Miss Saffron was offered a place at the Royal Academy of Dance, but she chose to study Performing Arts for a year to develop her all-round performance skills. In 2021, Miss Saffron took up her place on the BA (Hons) in Ballet Education degree course at the Royal Academy of Dance and graduated after her three years of study.
Miss Saffron has taught ballet across London, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire. She is excited to bring her passion for ballet to Bluebirds Ballet School.
EMMA MCMAHON RAD, RTS, ATAP
Shareholder​
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL TEACHER
Emma founded Bluebirds Ballet in 2010, she is dedicated to helping students learn the love of dance and reach their personal best. She recognises that students have different needs and abilities and ensures all students feel equally valued and engaged in the learning process.
​
Emma is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), Silver Swans Licensee and a certified Royal Ballet School Affiliate Teacher (ATAP). She has over twenty years of teaching experience in London.
​
Emma’s classes provide an energised, creative and fun learning environment for all ages. Her technical classes are a joy and give a strong sense of body intelligence, control and expression.
​
Emma heads up the Affiliate Training and Assessment Programme at Bluebirds Ballet School. This innovative programme gives young dance students a high-quality, holistic learning experience. It is an alternative to other recreational training models based on learning a syllabus for examination. Students work towards assessments in ballet vocabulary and choreography which are then moderated by The Royal Ballet School.
​
Her students over the years have received excellent exam results and success with admissions into the Royal Ballet School and London Children’s Ballet.
NICOLE E M BECKER
Shareholder
COMMERCIAL & CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP DIRECTOR
Nicole, a British native raised in Switzerland, pursued her academic studies in London, earning degrees in Cultural Studies & Sociology, and a Foundation Degree in Psychology.
With a lifelong passion for ballet, which she began at the age of three, Nicole trained intensively at prestigious institutions in Zurich, aiming for a professional dance career, which stagnated due to an injury.
​
In addition to her artistic endeavors, Nicole demonstrated a keen entrepreneurial spirit, founding a concierge company in 1998 and launching a healthy fast-food restaurant in 2004. These experiences honed her skills in business development and customer service.
​
In 2013, Nicole joined Bluebirds Ballet School, bringing her diverse expertise to support its growth. She believed strongly in the school’s potential and made a personal financial investment to further its success. Her dedication and vision led to her appointment as Commercial Director in 2017. In this role, Nicole oversees daily operations and co-directs the school’s bi-annual ballet recitals.
​
As a mother of two teenagers, Nicole continues to inspire both on and off the stage, balancing family, business, and her love for the arts.
ALEX TURNER
ARAD,RTS
There are many aspects of teaching that Miss Alex loves. Her main ethos is instilling her students with inspiration and confidence to carry throughout their lives as they develop into young adults.
Miss Alex has always had a passion for Dance, which began when she started attending ballet classes & exams, following the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. Her passion continued through school, studying GCSE and A-Level Dance, which provided her connection with English National Ballet, to then gaining a place within their youth company.
Miss Alex graduated from Roehampton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. Thereafter, she worked with DanceWest and ENB on their outreach programmes to local schools in West and East London. After exploring the different avenues within the Dance world, she was drawn to teaching and began her teaching journey at Pleasing School of Dance based in North London, which is where she embarked on gaining her RAD teaching qualification- Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies.
The atmosphere I create for my students is welcoming and full of positivity. My aim as a teacher at Bluebirds Ballet School is to have an atmosphere where creativity is encouraged, allowing students to flourish with confidence as ballet dancers and individuals.
Suk-yi Yeung – BA (Hons)
RAD RTS, ARAD
Originally from Hong Kong, Suk-yi is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). During her student years, she received multiple scholarships and participated in various international competitions, gaining extensive experience. These include advancing to the semifinals of the Adeline Genee Awards in the United Kingdom, competing in the Asia Pacific Regional Youth Ballet Dancer Competition in Tokyo, and participating
in the International Dance Competition in Mississippi, USA.
After graduating from HKAPA, Suk-yi joined the Hong Kong Ballet, performing in productions such as “La Fille Mal Gardee”, “Les Patineurs”, “Who Cares?”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”,
“Giselle”, “The Nutcracker”, playing the role of Wen Xiu in “The Last Emperor”, “Swan Lake”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Cinderella” and “Two Pigeons”.
Suk-yi is now a dance teacher and engages in choreography work. She was invited by a Taiwan dance school to choreograph their annual large-scale performance. She also served as a
rehearsal director for the Hong Kong Ballet Group. Prior to moving to London, Suk-yi was the School Principal in her Ballet School in Hong Kong for 15 years.
Suk-yi is delighted to bring her ample teaching experience to Bluebirds Ballet School.
Bluebirds Ballet School Information
Directors
EMMA MCMAHON RAD, RTS, CBTS Shareholder CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL TEACHER
​
NICOLE E M BECKER Shareholder COMMERCIAL & CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP DIRECTOR
​
Administration
Please note there are no administration facilities at the hall, please email Nicole Becker to discuss enrollment, payments, orders etc. In the interest of all the children in the class do not use the lesson time with the teacher to discuss payments, uniform orders or your child’s progress. We request that you email or call during office hours and we will be happy to assist.
​
Office Hours
Monday to Friday
9am – 3pm
​
Classes
Melody Movement Preschool Ballet, Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus, Progressing Ballet Technique, Contemporary Dance, Adult Ballet & Silver Swans.
Term
12 Weeks (payable in advance)
Four week written notice to the office is required to withdraw a child from classes
Without written notice, your child will be automatically re-enrolled
Bluebirds Ballet School Rules
Health
Please notify the school of any medical issues or learning difficulties that may affect your child’s learning.
Punctuality
Children should ideally arrive at the venue ten minutes before the start of their class. Parents are asked not to enter the studio prior to the completion of the previous class. There is a ten minute change-over which should be plenty of time to prepare for their class.
Toilet
Please ensure your child has been to the toilet prior to the commencement of class to avoid accidents or disruptions to the lesson.
Supervision
Parents and carers are asked to ensure their children are well behaved at all times whilst getting ready for class and that siblings have an activity to occupy them whilst waiting.
​
Uniform and Appearance
We ask all students to wear the recommended uniform. The uniforms not only ensure students look elegant but also feel confident. Uniforms can be ordered through the school and we have full range of items in stock. On the penultimate day of every term the dress regulation is relaxed and pre-school children encouraged to wear any costume of their choice including fancy dress outfits. Hair should always be off the face and neckline in a bun or similar. For safety purposes jewellery should not be worn.
​
Behaviour and Decorum
Whilst watching class parents, are asked to refrain from talking and to turn mobile phones to silent. All calls should be answered outside the hall. The school rules are designed to enhance your children’s learning and enjoyment of the ballet experience and help maximise their full potential.
​
Baby Ballet Parents
We ask that parents and carer’s assist their child reach their full potential in the baby ballet classes and to refrain from texting, chatting, photographing and feeding their children whilst the class in session.
Nappies
Should your child need a nappy change please take the rubbish with you.
​
Food
Eating and drinking is not allowed in any of our classes in particular preschool classes.
Parent Watching Days
Once a term parents, family and friends are invited to watch class this is also on the penultimate week of the term. Whilst watching class parents, are asked to refrain from talking and to turn mobile phones to silent. The school rules are designed to enhance your children’s learning and enjoyment of the ballet experience and help maximise their full potential.
​
Photography
Parents are permitted to take photos on parents watching day unless another parent in the class objects on the day, teachers will always ask everyone’s permission before the demonstration class begins. We ask parents to refrain from videoing the class for child protection and copy right reasons.