Enchanted School of Dance
and Enchanted Eyes
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Dance and musical theatre has been her hobby and love since
she was three years old... Now local mum Marianne Randolph runs Enchanted School of Dance. I caught up with her to find out more about it and the classes she's running at Herries in Cookham
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Tell me about you and your family/where you live...
I live in the lovely village of Eton wick with my husband, Anthony, our
two-year-old son, Thomas, and our little doggy, Teddie. My mother, Christine,
is just around the corner from us, which is amazing!
Tell me about your new dance classes...
Our new Enchanted Adventure classes take place at Herries School in Cookham Dean, each Monday of term time from 9.30–10am. Each week, the children will partake in a new adventure, exploring all genres of dance with props, dress up, music, sensory toys and lots and lots of imagination. The cost of the class is
£5. The class is followed by Herries stay and play, offering tea and coffee for
adults and soft play, fruit and water for the little ones. Herries stay and play
is free of charge. Come and join us in September!
Have you always been interested in doing this? How did you get involved?
I have run Enchanted School of Dance for the past seven years, and have taught after-school dance classes (ballet, tap, street dance and cheerleading) at Herries School for the past four years. I offer Enchanted Adventure classes in Eton Wick
and together with the school we decided it would be lovely to bring them to Cookham Dean. I have run Herries stay and play for the past year, so we
decided to offer the class before stay and play each Monday.
It has been so lovely getting to know other parents in the village and to be
able to show them what a wonderful, nurturing, and homely school Herries is.
What do you like about it the most? What did you do before?
All I have ever known is teaching dance and musical theatre, and I honestly cannot imagine it any other way.
Dance and musical theatre has been my life-long passion, and performing
when I was younger is something I will treasure forever, however, from the age
of 16, I knew I wanted to teach. I adore being with children - I'm a bit of a mother
hen! Having assisted some incredible teachers at the start of my career, I was motivated to become an inspirational dance teacher.
I studied a BTEC in Performing Arts before training as a teacher and completing
my foundation in Dance Instruction. During my time working in primary schools,
I also studied to complete a degree in children’s learning and development.
Combining performance and childcare has resulted in the most wonderfully
fulfilling career.
I truly have the best job in the world, watching children grow in confidence, technique and discipline each class is amazing. The positive attitude all of my students have fills me with so much happiness and joy, I hope to encourage each Enchanted Dancer to believe they can reach their dreams and to be positive always.
What advice can you give to anyone wanting to be a dancer?
To believe in themselves, to always look for the positives and to work hard.
Practice makes perfect, try, try and try again!
What are your goals for the future of the your classes?
I hope to continue to run successful dance classes in which the children are happy, motivated, safe and encouraged. I currently run half term and holiday workshops and I would love to expand upon those.
Who is your idol?
Without a shadow of a doubt, my mother. She taught me absolutely
everything, to stay strong, to never give up and to believe in myself.
What's in your handbag right now?
I currently have two – a teaching bag, full of stickers, registers, ballet, jazz and tap shoes, star charts, and my iPod and dock. My other bag has my purse, nappies, the all-important wet wipes, snacks for Thomas and my diary.
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Anything else we don't know about you and should?
I also run a glitter art company named Enchanted Eyes and offer glitter art for parties, festivals and events. Glitter is very popular with Enchanted Dance Parties!
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www.facebook.com/enchantedschool
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