Jill Baird

AISTD

 Following an injury at the Royal Ballet School, she trained for three years as a dance and academic teacher at Trent Park College (now Middlesex University) then worked in academic schools for several years, followed by freelancing as a private dance teacher locally. Forty years ago she set up Woodley School of Ballet with just six pupils, later opening branches in Earley, Wokingham and Warfield, and these schools later became merged into Allied Schools of Dance.

Gaining a national reputation for outstanding training in Classical Ballet, National and Greek dance, Jill has sent hundreds of dancers into the profession over the years. Her students have appeared at every Regional and National Finals of All England Dance since its inception, with numerous dances she has choreographed winning medals, including many National Finals winners. Students have been equally successful in gaining places in full-time training as dancers and teachers and winning scholarships; and former pupils can be found all over the world, dancing in the West End, in dance companies, on cruises and performing in films and on television. Over many years a large number of students have been accepted onto the Royal Ballet School’s courses as Junior, Mid and Senior Associates, and also into White Lodge, The Upper School of the RBS and the Teacher Training Course. Many of her former pupils are also teaching dance at home and abroad, passing on the love of dance to their own students.