About
BKD Performers was established in 2011 by Principal Catherine Francis who is affectionally known to students (and parents) as Miss Cathie!
'Miss Cathie' had a successful career in Musical Theatre as Catherine Carday and had experience teaching in other theatre schools when the desire to pass on the craft began with just 4 Jazz classes and BKD Performers was born!
The mission of the school is to create an affordable theatre school with high expectations and a strong sense of community whilst keeping class sizes small and focusing on individual abilities.
BKD's teachers are qualified teachers and highly trained industry professionals who hold enhanced CRB/DBS certificates, SCC chaperone licenses, First Aid training and Child and Vulnerable Adult Safe Guarding Certification as well as having many professional credits in the performing arts.
In our nurturing and friendly environment students are inspired by our subject knowledge and experience. We view each student as an individual and always expect them to work to the best of their abilities with a sense of professionalism. A life skill they can use in any walk of life.
Take a look around the website and if you would like more info please get in touch
Catherine Francis RAD RTS, PDTD - Principal
Teaches - RAD Ballet, Private Coaching, PBT - Progressing Ballet Technique and Silver Swans
RAD Registered Teacher PDTD, Silver Swan Licensee, PBT Instructor
London Studio Centre - 3 Year Musical Theatre Diploma
Royal Academy of Dance - Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma
June in CHICAGO THE MUSICAL (Adelphi), Iris Kelly FAME THE MUSICAL (UK Tour and Aldwych), Singer RAT PACK LIVE IN LAS VEGAS (UK Tour), Dancer JUS' LIKE THAT (Garrick), Featured Artist in ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE (UK Tour and Queens)Featured Dancer FOSSE THE MUSICAL (Prince of Wales)
Dancer - DE LOVELY (film), Dancer - THE BRIAN CONLEY SHOW (ITV) Dancer - TONIGHT AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM (ITV) Dancer in ACDC Hail Cesar video
Cathie has also worked extensively in the fashion world and regularly goes to London to be a show caller and stage manager for LONDON FASHION WEEK and other corporate events.
Cathie has 3 children, two granddaughters, 3 dogs and once performed at Elton Johns house!
Jodie Axcell - Co - Principal
Teaches - Street Funk, BKD Boys, Jazz and Contemporary, Pre School & Acrobatic Arts
Acrobatic Arts Certified Teacher, Exercise to Music Fitness Instructor Level 2 and Ante and Post Natal Fitness Instructor
London Contemporary Dance School, Conservatoire for Dance and Drama- Certificate of Higher Education
Laine Theatre Arts - Pre Vocational
Ariel Artist and Dance Captain for NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINES
Assistant Choreographer for the PET SHOP BOYS - Pandemonium Tour
Street Dance Coach for BILLY ELLIOT - West End
Jodie has an obsession with jelly snake sweets and has a dog called Ziggy and a son named Chester.
Hannah Edser
Teaches - Singing tuition and LAMDA, Musical Theatre Company and Workshop Leader
Training: Guildford School of Acting & The London School of Musical Theatre
Credits: Haribo Tangfastics Commercial, 'Female Dog' (short film), Say You Love Me/Paris (music videos), 'Ghost' (additional vocals), Jill/Good Fairy - Jack & The Beanstalk (Lost for Words Touring Company)
Teaching Experience: Miss Hannah has been teaching for many years now, across a wide range of disciplines and ages. She hopes to continue teaching for a long time to come, whilst also pursuing her own performance career.
Hannah used to be taught by Miss Cathie and Miss Jodie! Oh, and she also has a very large fear of sloths!
Diana-Louise Towe
Teaches Jazz and Tap, Tots Boogie and Acro, Pre Primary Boogie and Acro and Primary Boogie and Acro
Training - PPA - Musical Theatre & Dance Diploma and Dance College London - Commercial Dance Diploma (covering 15 dance genres)
Diana started her dance training at the age of 2 closely followed by singing and musical theatre and has had a considerable amount of experience and opportunities in her short life, including the following; IDO Tap Dance World championships achieving 8 world titles over the course of 7 years, Professional pantomimes, Copelia for the English Youth Ballet, Emerald & Ivy Ball Charity event ran by Ronan Keating, Britain’s Got Talent, Tap United in Boston MA, Red Carpet Event for Spec Savers, various Tap Attack Promotional video’s and a dancer for the BBC are amongst her credits.
Diana is highly skilled in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap, Street, Heels, Contemporary & Commercial but also trained Circus Skills, Cheerleading and gymnastic and currently teaches for the Tap Attack, First Dance Studio’s, Dance Woking and other dance schools whilst pursuing her own performance career.
Diana is currently No 1 in the world for Tap! She won the Tap World Cup 2023!
Catherine Warnock
Teaches - Vocal Coaching, Musical Theatre Company and Piano Lessons
Training - BA (hons) Actor Musician - Guildford School of Acting in 2022
Her credits include Puppeteer/Mad Scientist/Paranoid Tree/Assistant Musical Director in GOOD EARTH: AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS MUSICAL (Bike City Theatre Company), Choir Member in WEST END DOES:HOLLYWOOD (Forty Four Productions, Cadogan Hall) and, most recently, Actor Musician/Composer in THE BLACK CAT, for which she was nominated for a London Pub Theatre Standing Ovation Award.
She has also worked as an Assistant Musical Director for British Youth Music Theatre and played Flute/Piccolo for the National Schools Symphony Orchestra.
Cath loves music and plays 10 instruments in total- Flute, Piccolo, Piano, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Violin, Trumpet, Recorder, Ukulele and Steel Drums!
Jane Truman
RAD RTS PDTD, ISTD associates
Teaches Ballet and Ballet Company
Training:
Jane is originally from Nottingham, where she completed her training at the Tozer School, achieving Advanced level in ballet, modern, tap, Greek and national, and attained her first teaching qualifications with the ISTD.
After taking time out to raise her children, Jane returned to teaching and was invited to take the Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma at The Royal Academy of Dance in 2014. Since then, she has established her own ballet school in Hampshire and has taught at numerous schools, colleges and universities, as well as being the class teacher for the IDTA Classical Ballet Awards.
Performing experience:
Jane enjoyed a varied professional career in theatre, film and television, which began at he age of 11, and was an original cast member of 42 nd Street at Drury Lane playing a number of roles – including once having to cover for a male character! She has appeared in two Royal Variety Performances, numerous adverts, and in the films Firelight and Feel Good.
Jane has also worked extensively on the production side of television, on programmes ranging from a Björk music video to Big Brother, as well as many great sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Olympic Games.
In addition to her own school, Jane regularly guest teaches and choreographs for a number of schools in London.
Outside of dance, Jane enjoys volunteering for City Harvest, a London-based charity that helps to feed thousands of people in the capital.
Jane is now very excited to be working with us at BKD Performers, and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge and love of dance with you all!
Connie Chow
ARAD, AISTD, CDE (ISTD), RAD T.DIP (Dist)
Teaches - Cover Ballet Teacher
Training:
Advanced Diploma in Ballet, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
Post Graduate Diploma in Dance Studies, University of Surrey
Teaching Diploma, Royal Academy of Dance
Certificate of Dance Education (Modern), Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
Performing experience:
The Patron Lunch, Queen 90th Birthday at The Mall, UK
Paris Opera at the company's Asia Tour, HK
Solo and Trio dances in Missa Brevis, commissioned by Jose Limón Dance Foundation
Crops de ballet, including Big Swan in Swan Lake, The Hong Kong Ballet Group, HK and Singapore
International Dance Festival, HK, Japan and China
Teaching experience:
Dance Movement teacher, RAD Special Needs Project
Practical Teaching Supervisor and Mentor, RAD
Dance Workshops, Surrey County Council