Carole French began dancing at age 7 and went on to train with some of the biggest names in Ballroom and Latin, including Len Goodman and Richard Gleave. After representing England as an amateur, she turned professional in 1975, later opening her own studio; Strictly Smartz, where she has taught ever since. Carole has guided students to careers on cruise ships, the West End, and even trained a young Matthew Cutler—future British Open Latin Champion. Most of all, she takes pride in the joy and lifelong memories dancing has brought to generations of children through her school.
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Ellie started her dance journey at the age of 2 at a Ballet class, then went on to join Carole at the age of 5 to learn Ballroom & Latin. Over the course of 11 years shr took several exams and competed in a number of dance competitions, including Blackpool 7 years in a row (winning four 1st place trophies). Ellie then went on to South Essex College to study Performing Arts and trained in a number of different styles of dance including Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Commercial and Musical Theatre. She obtained her yoga teaching certificate in India back in 2023, and is now teaching both dance and yoga in her free time, to people all of ages and abilities.
Sitara is a professional belly dance instructor, choreographer, and performer based in Essex, with a career spanning over two decades. Fluent in Hungarian, she has performed at prestigious venues including The Millennium Hotel, Planet Egypt, and Oxford University for the Turkish Ambassador. She has toured with the acclaimed breakbeat band Oojami, appeared in a BBC period drama, and featured on shows such as Sky1’s Got to Dance and Britain’s Got Talent. Sitara continues to inspire through her dynamic performances and dedicated teaching.
