Meet the tutu Team
We are so lucky to have such a talented team of teachers helping the members gain confidence & social interaction, learn about music and rhythm, make friends,  develop concentration,  guide focus to teacher led activity, gain muscle, control, balance coordination, and spatial awareness  whilst we pop bubbles, splash in puddles, fly spaceships, create patterns, spin, and jump mountains!!
Owner
Katie Hazell AISTD ARAD
Katie currently runs the Club from tutu Headquaters and is so proud of her Team. She started ballet classes at the age of 3 years and her love of dance was instant. She won a scholarship for the Royal Ballet Summer school, Danced alongside the English National Ballet and picked up the Imperial Society Of Teachers of Dancing’s prestigious “South Eastern ballet champion” title at 12 years old. Katie trained for three years at Northern Ballet School where she gained a Diploma in Dance and her ISTD teaching certificates, and has continued her training in many other dance disciplines.
Katie loves working and helping with Continuing Professional Development Mentorship and ongoing support to encourage growth with in the tutu Team.
Katie also created & teaches her “Core Stability” programme to adults teaching Pilates and Core classes. She is also a qualified Level 3 Pilates instructor and loves teaching Pilates to her clients. Katie has just been licensed to teach The Barre Eclipse method.
Head of Creative & Teacher
Emily Flowers BA Hons RAD RTS
CURRENTLY ON MATERNITY LEAVE
Emily trained for 3 years at Middlesex University where she gained a degree in Dance Performance. Growing up, Emily trained in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, classical greek and contemporary. Emily has taken part in many All England Dance Competition’s including solos and group pieces, she is also a qualified nursery nurse, trained at Highwood Nursery, Brockenhurst and has completed optional units in researching the creativity of children.
Emily has been part of our team since September 2014, a fully trained tutu teacher with so much knowledge in early years teaching. Emily teaches on a Saturday in Bartley and oversees our Exit& Foundation classes for those children transitioning onto other classes. Emily is also in charge the class plans and content. Emily is qualified to teach the Royal Academy of Dancing syllabus, and Progressive Ballet Technique syllabus.
Development Manager & Teacher
Tilly Ely - AISTD
Tilly trained at the English National Ballet School and after completing 3 years of training, gained a Diploma in Professional Dance. After graduation Tilly went on to work with European Ballet and Northern Ballet Theatre and later traveled the world on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Tilly has qualified in ISTD and gained her DDE in Ballet, Tap and Modern, She has been teaching in the Southampton area for 10 years now & keeps up to date with CPD and most recently, has qualified as a Progressing Ballet Technique instructor.’
Tilly teaches the Shirley & Bursledon classes, along side teaching for the Club Tilly is in charge of staff development and continuity, she ensures that the Club are delivering the best classes week on week. We feel honoured to have such a fantastic ballet dancer and teacher onboard!
Teacher
Hayley Earles
Hayley joined the team last year and we are so pleased she did - Hayley teaches our Saturday sessions in Netley Marsh, Bartley classes on a Thursday and Colbury classes on a Friday.
Hayley started to dance aged 2 1/2. Growing up, she trained in ballet, tap, modern, jazz, Greek and national – competing in All England dance competitions across the south until the age of 16. She then went on to gain her teaching associates in both ballet and modern at Roynon Dance Centre. Whilst teaching, Hayley worked part-time at local radio station Power FM and then went on to pursue a radio career which lasted over 10 years, mostly presenting on the Jack FM breakfast show. Hayley is married with 3 children – she has a daughter who is 7 (who also attended the Tutu club) and twin boys who are 3. Hayley is really excited to be putting on her ballet shoes again and passing on her life-long love of dancing.
Teacher
Grace Le Marquand ISTD DDE
Grace’s passion has and will always be Dance. Grace danced at Roynon Dance Woolston, in various genres since the age of 2 1/2 and has always loved to inspiring others to express themselves through dance.
Over the years, she auditioned, trained, and performed as part of the English Youth Ballet and participated in English National Ballet workshops and gained her continuing professional development (CPD) at prestigious dance schools, such as Rambert School, Royal Ballet and ISTD extended teacher training.
Grace gained her ISTD Diploma in Dance Instruction (DDI) in 2018, specialising in Classic Ballet and Modern Theatre.Then in 2020, after lots of hard work, she passed the ISTD Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) in both genres. Grace is also a certified Teacher in Progressing Ballet technique teacher (PBT) and Acrobatic Arts.
Grace currently teaches the Wednesday classes at Bartley Village hall.
Teacher
Simona Sassone
Simona started her ballet training at the age of 5 in Brighton, which then continued at the Florian School of Dance in Winchester up to the age of 18. Simona has had solo roles in English Youth Ballet and performed with National Youth Ballet of Great Britain.
Simona then went onto study for a year at Laban on the BA contemporary dance course. After taking a break to explore other avenues her love of dance and the dance school environment won her back and this year has been awarded her teaching certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance in classical ballet.
Simona has been working hard during the summer in training with the current tutu Team, and we are so pleased to welcome her to the Team this year. Simona teaches our Hythe sessions and is launching NEW classes in Wellow in 2024.
Teacher - Maternity Cover
Rebecca Hayes - LRAD BA HONS AISTD
Rebecca started ballet classes at 3 years of age and has been captivated by dancing ever since. After completing 3 years training at the Royal Academy of Dance she was awarded her teaching Licentiate and a BA Hons alongside her ISTD Associate Modern.
Rebecca has taught at the RAD Headquarters and at Central School of Ballet for their Junior programme but went on to enjoy a twelve year performance career as a professional dancer, working predominantly at sea. Sailing onboard each of the Cunard Queens QE2 QM2 QV and QE as Dance Captain and Company Manager and also as Ballroom couple for Yachts of Seabourn.
Now with a life more settled on land and two young children Rebecca is excited to be sharing her passion for dance education and the opportunity to be part of the Tutu Club. Rebecca will be covering Emilys Maternity leave and looking after the classes on a Saturday in Bartley and we are so excited for her to start in January 2024.
Assistant
Lola Provan
Lola started dancing at the age of 3 and is currently studying ballet, tap, modern, jazz and musical theatre. Lola has performed in the Mayflower theatre pantomimes in Southampton, and would love dance as a career.
Lola helps Emily on a Saturday at Bartley and is fantastic with the children, Lola is part of our training and development programme and works hard with every task given to her.
Assistant
Lily Beck
Lily started dancing at the age of 4 and is currently studying ballet modern jazz and musical theatre. She is going into her last year of school and preparing for her gcses, including dance and drama. She has always had a love for dance that she loves to share and assists Hayley in Netley Mash on a Saturday.
