Principal

Vanessa Hoskins-McTaggart

LRAD, AISTD, AIDTA, CDE

Vanessa started dancing with the Joyce Butler School – Hillingdon, at the age of 2 ½ years. She supported the school in many dance festivals from the age of 5, winning medals and cups in solo classes, duets, trios and groups.
Vanessa successfully passed all her children’s RAD Graded examinations with Honours and her Pre Elementary Vocational Graded exam in ballet at the age of 11. She started her GCSE Dance course at the RAD when she was 12 and passed on completion with an A grade. She qualified for Miss Dance organised by the IDTA at 16 representing the school in Sheffield.
Vanessa was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) teaching college when she was 16 because of her achievements and the reputation of Miss Joyce Butler. She graduated in 1995 with the RAD Teaching Diploma & Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance (LRAD) qualifying her to teach children and major examination syllabus work. Whilst attending the college, Vanessa studied Anatomy, History of Dance, Psychology & Labanotation alongside ISTD Modern Theatre Dance, Disco/Freestyle Dancing, National Dance & Ballroom/Latin American gaining her Associate teaching qualifications with Distinction. During that time she also studied independently ISTD Classical Greek Associate (becoming one of the few trained Classical Greek teachers) and ISTD Advance Tap. She also gained her Associate membership with the IDTA.
Upon graduation she became a teacher at the Joyce Butler School, the American Community School in Hillingdon, various Montessori Schools in Greater London and started her own school in Hampton. Vanessa became a peripatetic teacher at Eagle House School in Sandhurst and also worked for over 20 years at the prestigious Upton House School in Windsor specialising in Ballet. She is a guest teacher at various summer schools specialising in National and Classical Greek dance as well as master classes for the Welsh Cecchetti Society.
Vanessa continues to update her teaching qualifications and has obtained her FDI & CDE with the ISTD and attends courses for the teaching of dance to students with special needs. She also mentors student teachers for the RAD to help gain their teaching status. Vanessa enjoys all dance genre and especially choreography work.

Since becoming Sole Principal she is excited about putting all her focus and energy into the Joyce Butler School.

Laura Kay

CBTS, RTS, RAD

Laura started dancing at the age of 3 with Joyce Butler at the Joyce Butler School of Dance. Through the school she completed all her RAD Grades, ISTD Intermediate and Advanced 1 Modern examinations.

During this time Laura also took part in many dance festivals, representing the schools with solos, duets and group dances in all genres.

At the age of 15 Laura and her duet partner went on to win the All England Regional Final in Basingstoke.

She has performed in the finals at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London; competing in Ballet, Classical Greek and Modern. Laura extended her training at La Ronda Summer School in Little Hampton and it was here that she was fortunate enough to be taught by a variety of accredited teachers from all over the world.

After completing her A Levels, Laura went to Roehampton University in Surrey to study Primary Education. However, her love of dance brought her back to the Joyce Butler School where she trained for four months before auditioning for The Royal Academy of Dance to gain her teaching qualifications in Ballet. With Miss Vanessa as her mentor, Laura qualified with her teaching certificate in RAD Ballet in 2009.

Laura is principle teacher at Eagle House School in Sandhurst and have covered classes at other private schools within the area.

Laura wishes to expand her teaching qualifications by studying Tap and Modern with the ISTD. She also follows the RAD Continual Development Plan, attending courses and workshops to keep her knowledge and teaching skills up to date.

Jennifer Field

BA (Hons), CBTS RAD, Acrobatic Arts Instructor (Module 1)

Jennifer started at The Joyce Butler School of Dance at the age of 3. During her time at the school she completed all her RAD Grade Exams from Primary- Grade 8, RAD Intermediate Ballet, ISTD Intermediate Modern and Tap, as well as her IDTA Medal Tests to Gold Bar 3 level. 

Jennifer found her love of dance teaching when asked by Miss Vanessa to assist her classes from the age of 15. In 2018, Jennifer went to the University of Sussex where she studied English Literature and Drama. She still kept up her dancing, becoming the captain of the Ballet and Tap competition teams and President of Sussex Dance from 2020-2021. During this time, she was never far away from Joyce Butler, coming back to assist at the weekends, on Zoom in lockdown and at the annual show!

In 2022, Jennifer started studying on the RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies to gain her Registered Teachers Status with the Royal Academy of Dance. Miss Vanessa has mentored her through this and she will graduate in October 2023. She is also an Acrobatic Arts Certified Teacher (Primary- Level 6) and hopes to continue her professional development in ISTD Tap and Modern, as well as Contemporary and other genres. She has also introduced Baby and Toddler Ballet classes at Joyce Butler School of Dance.

Jennifer teaches at various dance schools across London but is most excited to start officially teaching at Joyce Butler and continue her journey within the school. 

Alana Byrt

BA (Hons)

Alana started dancing at the age of seven and took her first lessons with Miss Vanessa at the Joyce Butler School of Dance. From there she discovered her love of performing and participated in as many classes with the school as she could. Knowing that she wanted to pursue dance as a career, she auditioned for ArtsEd and was accepted at the age of twelve. She trained for six years, completing her RAD Intermediate Ballet, her ISTD Intermediate and Advanced 1 Tap and Modern exams. Throughout her time at Joyce Butler, Alana also took her RAD Ballet Grade examinations and her IDTA Medal Tests.

In 2018, Alana left ArtsEd with a triple Distinction Extended Diploma in Dance and continued on to expand her training at Laine Theatre Arts. For three years she studied Dance and Musical Theatre and, despite the challenge of COVID, graduated in 2021 with her BA (Honours) Degree.

Since the start of Alana's career, she has performed in events such as the Dance Proms at The Royal Albert Hall, The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, and a number of short films and music videos. Alongside her career she continues to share her passion with others, teaching with Angela Grant's School of Dance and Arts Ed's Summer Course, 'Reset Dance'.

Alana is extremely excited to be joining the Joyce Butler School of Dance teaching faculty.