Julie Henderson
Before starting a family and moving to the Chalford Julie worked as a professional dancer and singer.
She has been lucky enough to work all over the world with a wide variety of professional dance contracts such as hair and fashion shows , car launches, corporate galas , pop videos and TV appearances including The Royal Variety Performance.She spent three years cruising with P&O world cruises before landing her first West End job in Mack and Mabel and then enjoyed ten years in the West End and touring the UK with shows such as West Side Story, Grease, Sunset Boulevard, Half a Sixpence and Pickwick. She has worked for award winning choreographers such as Arlene Philips, Stephen Mear,Craig Revel Horwood, Peter Darling and Gillian Lynne.
Locally, Julie performed in and choreographed musicals, plays and cabarets at The Cheltenham Playhouse and The Everyman theatre studio for Focus Theatre. She also choreographed The Witches of Eastwick for Blue Parrot productions at The Bacon Theatre.
Julie taught at The Stapleton School of Dancing and was a module tutor for the Performing Arts degree course at The University of Gloucestershire for 5 years.
Julie has been a qualified ISTD teacher for 18 years and since starting the school 17 years ago and partnering with Heidi has been so proud to see Ballyhoo grow into the successful and nurturing school that it now is. She continues to share her knowledge and love for dance and is passionately committed to providing a happy and supportive environment for her beloved Ballyhoo students.
Heidi Hardy
Heidi started dancing at the age of 3. At 16 She attended Stella Mann Performing Arts College a Full-time dance school where she trained to become a Professional Dancer and Dance Teacher ( AISTD NB, BIB).
Heidi was very involved in the NYMT as a performer from the age of 13 and travelled the country and world with them performing in some of their brand new works - she loved the camaraderie and creativity.
After training , Heidi was employed by Princess Cruises and embarked on a 4 year contract with them as a dancer touring Alaska , The Caribbean and The Pacific . In her mid twenties she ended up in NYC working as a freelance dancer , dance teacher and childrens entertainer. She also completed a 3 year acting course at The celebrated Circle in The Square Theatre School on Broadway which led her to start her acting career just before the Millenium. Her final job in America was with The Aquila Theatre Company , a touring Shakespeare Company which travelled
extensively around the USA , this is where she met her husband Nick who brought her home to Chalford where they married and had their 3 children Heidi continued her Acting Career in the UK and also taught
Drama and Dance for a number of local established schools.
In 2010 - Heidi met Julie as their girls were at nursery school together, a year later, Julie asked Heidi to join forces with her at Ballyhoo , and together they have it grown the school.
Thomas Walton
Thomas started dancing at the age of 8 attending the Ann Oliver Stage, Leicester. He then completed his training in 2008 at LCPA, where after completing a 3 year vocational course he graduated with BTDA Diplomas in Ballet, Tap, Modern Dance as well as a Trinity Diploma in Musical Theatre.
Since graduating, Thomas has spent 14 successful years in the industry appearing on stages in both the UK, USA and Ireland. Thomas was also lucky enough to appear on T.V numerous times for RTE (Radio & Television of Ireland) with All Ireland Talent Show & Fame:The Musical.
Among the Shows, Pantomimes, Tours and TV appearances Thomas also Spent 10 years at Sea. Performing Shows for Carnival Cruise Line as a ‘Dancer’, ‘Dancer/Singer’ later being promoted to Dance Captain and eventually Cast Manager.
After deciding it was time to hang up his dancing shoes, Thomas wanted the opportunity to share his experience and knowledge with the next generation of young performers...which brought him to Julie, Heidi and the Ballyhoo team! He knew straight away that he wanted to be apart of the family that they have built, and help them nurture the talent that the Ballyhoo dancers bring to every class!