Stella Mann College of Performing Arts

Stella Mann College of Performing Arts is an independent, co-educational performing arts school and college specialising in dance and musical theatre. The college is located in the Harpur area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, in the United Kingdom.

Overview

Founded by the dance teacher Stella Mann in 1946, the college began as dance school located in Hampstead, London. In 2003, the college moved to its present location in Bedford in a building previously occupied by Middlesex University.

Today, Stella Mann College provides specialist vocational training in dance and musical theatre and, is recognised as one of the UK's leading institutions in this field. The college prepares students for a professional career in the performing arts and has a history of feeding artists into West End theatre and well known dance companies.

Key areas of study include classical ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance, singing and drama. Successful candidates who complete the course are awarded either the National Diploma in Professional Dance or the National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre. The college is accredited to the Council for Dance Education and Training and its qualifications are accredited by Trinity College, London. Both qualifications are rated at Level 6 on the National Qualifications Framework and despite being classed as further education, are equivalent to higher education courses such as a First Degree. Being recognised amongst the leading performing arts schools in the UK, the college is also one of the 21 schools selected to allocate Dance and Drama Awards, a government funded scholarship scheme to subsidise vocational performing arts training. The college is also an approved centre of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and students have the option to study for nationally recognised dance teaching qualifications with the organisation.

Alongside its professional training, the college also operates a part-time lower school, which teaches dance and theatre skills to children of pre-vocational age. Children are prepared for examinations with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and take part in an annual school production.

Graduate destinations

• Tobias Mead, competed in Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life and performed at the Royal Variety Performance, and is a contestant on Britain's Got Talent
• Michael Peters, created the ensemble role of Thad in the West End production of the musical Hairspray
• Aaron Spendelow, Production Assistant for GMTV
• Adrian Stokes, cast member with the official European tour of the musical We Will Rock You
• Lauren Oliver, appears in Strictly Come Dancing: The Workout, the official fitness video of the television show
• Janet Montgomery, played a role in the E4 drama series Skins and will appear in the film Wrong Turn 3, which is currently in production
• Hayley Lander, played a role in the BBC1 drama series, Waterloo Road
• Abramo Ciullo, cast member with the official UK tour of the musical Chicago
• Ijy De Luca Assistant Choreographer for Britannia High on ITV1

Graduates also achieve employment in professional pantomime shows throughout the UK, at Disneyland Paris and with leading international cruise lines invluding Costa, P&O, Princess and Fred Olsen.