Disneyland Dancer Has Plans To Spread Her Magic
Rachel Wills a local mum, trained as a dancer and went on to spread her magic at Disneyland Paris, so is used to making children’s dreams come true.
Now she’s planning to bring her own bit of magic to youngsters closer to home – at her own dance school.
The 36-year-old mum-of-two is starting 2019 on a high by taking over a branch of the UK’s leading pre-school dance academy, babyballet, in her home town of Alton.
Rachel, who has been dancing since she was three, has always wanted to run her own dance school.
She attended the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, London and after graduating later taught at its associated school. But it was her spell at Europe’s most visited theme park that she enjoyed the most.
“It was amazing working there. It was all about the children and seeing their faces light up and making their dreams come true. I’m hoping to recreate similar experiences at my babyballet school because classes really do have that magical touch and make youngsters smile and laugh.”
Rachel returned to Alton to raise her family and is already running a local business alongside her father and brother. She is excited to bring her passion for dance and business experience together.
Award-winning babyballet was set up by mum-of-four Claire O’Connor of Yorkshire in 2005. She spotted a gap in the market for non-competitive dance classes that not only accepted the best, and the business has gone from strength to strength, and two years ago went international. The programme is now available in Australia and New Zealand, and Claire and her husband, Chris, and their children are now on a world tour introducing babyballet to other countries.
In the UK it has 75 franchisees with thousands of youngsters attending more than 1,000 classes every week.
Rachel has taken on the franchise for Alton, and her classes start on January 10th. The nearest babyballet classes are around 20 miles away. She lives in Alton with her husband, Luke, and youngsters, Hector, three, and eight-month-old Edith. She says two of the things she most loves about babyballet is that babies from six months are welcome at classes, and boys have a strong presence.
“My friend runs a babyballet school in another town and I have always wished it was that little bit closer so I could take Hector. He absolutely loves dancing and was a very shy little boy until we started participating in other groups. Babyballet will really help to grow his confidence and coordination. He will go from football to my babyballet class on a Saturday. I think the two have a lot in common. You are interacting with other children and are part of a team.”
She says babyballet is already a strong brand but is impressed that it is now going international.
“I really enjoy teaching and being around children and am proud to be part of the babyballet family. I feel like I’ve come full circle. Alton is a lovely town to bring up children and I will soon be teaching dance to lots of my friend’s children.”
Her new classes are for boys and girls from six months to six years and Rachel has an introductory offer of £15 for a three-week class trial. The first classes are being held at Froyle Village Hall and The Joneses Studio at the Bell House. Rachel already has a lot of interest in classes, through social media, and hopes to expand her business over the next few years and employ more teachers.
To give your child the gift of dance in 2019 at babyballet Alton, you can contact Miss Rachel on 07861696954 or alton@babyballet.co.uk or simply click here to book your 3 week trial online today!
