JEN RANKIN
Founder
Jen Rankin began dancing at a very early age, taking part in local theatre shows and dance groups. Jen had the passion to continue this as a career and completed her GCSE in dance and drama and then went to Dance college where she took classes in various dance styles including, ballet, jazz, contemporary, musical theatre, drama, singing and much more.
Jen went off at 18 to dance in her first professional show and never looked back. Since becoming a professional Artiste, Jen has worked in many shows including, working abroad as a dancer/vocalist with The Divas show and Dusty Springfield show in Germany, Head Dancer in Lanzarote, Head Dancer In Menorca, Dancer in Kicks n Tricks UK tour, Head Dancer in Merseymania UK Tour, Choreographer/Head Dancer and Vocalist in UK Tour “One Night In Vegas” with the British Philharmonic Orchestra.
Jen has performed at many corporate shows and brands including Strictly Events, Vegas, Christmas, Great Gatsby, Coca Cola and many more events. Jen has also had leading roles in pantomime including Wendy in Peter Pan in Essex, Little Red Riding Hood in Newcastle and most recently a Dancer in Sleeping Beauty in Dundee. Jen also has worked as a lead vocalist in a corporate band and does regular solo vocal gigs.
Jen decided to lay her roots down in Dundee and that’s where she began teaching for Showcase The Street and also taught for various primary and secondary schools and The Byre Theatre In St Andrews. After 6 years working with a great Charity Jen was given Showcase The Streets blessing to continue with her own school. Jen decided to set up Wicked Entertainments supplying Dancers, bands and singers to corporate events.
Jen is very excited to see where the students of Creative Academy Of Performing Arts go in the future.
DANIEL AING
TEACHER
His passion for dance brings him to explore and experiment different ways of using movement merging styles together; such as with Breakdance, Hip Hop, Capoeira and the flow, creativity and expression of contemporary dance.
His classes will invite the dancer to express their individuality, whilst he challenges the physicality and dynamics within taught sequences and improvisations. In all classes there will be options for more or less complexity so each person works at the level that best suits them.
You should expect fun, engagement, a mixture of styles and personal choice.
ROBIN MATHER
TEACHER
Robin worked on P&O cruises for a number of years playing for many celebrity guests and in house shows. Robin was the MD for All Butlin hotels where he wrote the shows for the band, dancers and singers including writing the scores.
Robin has played all over the world with various established singers, comedians, dancers and has been part of many prestigious orchestras.
Robin spent a number of years in bands until he become a solo performer where he now plays a wide range of styles in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and his home town Dundee.
Robin is an excellent vocal coach and guides our stage school students in an exceptional manner. Robin is also available for one to one vocal tuition. Please get in touch via the capa email to arrange.
LAURA MUMBY
TEACHER
Laura began dancing at the age of 3 and trained until 18 at Wendy Foster School of Dance in North Lincolnshire. Within this time she performed in professional pantomimes and competed in Dance Festivals across the country and was selected for several bursaries. She studied to RAD Advanced 1 Ballet, while gaining A Levels in Dance and Photography.
Laura continued to study dance while taking a degree in Photography and graduated in 2009 from Nottingham Trent University with a BA(Hons). At University she presented a dance photograph exhibition which lead to her photographing prestigious companies such as Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet, and Scottish Dance Theatre. She traveled for 3 years working for P&O Cruises photographing events, tours and the headliners theatre company. Before settling in Bonnie Scotland.
She was fortunate to return to her dance studies, where Principal, Sindy Monson (Ballet Academy Scotland) tutored her to gain qualified teacher status with IDTA and her first professional job in dance. Laura is an advocate of safe practice in dance and continually updating her practices with the IDTA, Progressing Ballet technique and a dance physiotherapy course on The Ballet Blog.
Laura is proud to teach dance around Scotland, striving to be a positive role model to children and young adults. She hopes to provide them with life long skills; creativity, discipline, perseverance, motivation, to have good physical fitness, a respect for their bodies and a love of dance! She is excited for new teaching opportunities that this year has brought at The Scottish Youth Ballet and of course, CAPA!
ASHLEIGH CONNER
TEACHER
Ashleigh started dancing with Jen at 8 years old. First taking classes in hip hop and as CAPA evolved so did their timetable.
Ashleigh takes classes in Lyrical, Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre, Breaking and Popping spending 6 days a week at CAPA training.
Over lockdown Ashleigh had a flare for Litefeet and trained very hard in this style and this became her favourite style. Jen noticed that Ashleigh had a raw talent from a young age and has helped her to become a confident helper with the our younger ones. As Ashleigh progressed and became more confident she was given her first class to teach at CAPA. This class is supervised by Jen. Ashleigh also currently does our Litefeet sets for our teams when we compete at Hip Hop competitions.
Ashleigh has competed in advanced divisions and holds 1st place titles at many notorious competitons. Ashleigh is an excellent teacher and the kids have grown incredibly under her.
Leigh Mcconville
TAP TEACHER
Holly Ryan
COMMERCIAL TEACHER