Meet the team

Hannah

Hannah Louise Jackson – Principal and lead Ballroom/Freestyle Teacher

As the owner of Empowered Studios, my aim is to provide top quality coaching for adults and children of all ages in a safe and friendly environment. I have trained top champions in Freestyle, Rock and Roll, Slow and Street for numerous years. My students have regularly represented the North West Area in the IDTA’s Nationwide Medallist of the Year finals held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. I have extensive experience choreographing and producing shows as well as being a championship adjudicator, judging a variety of talent shows, competitions and festivals.

I am a Fellowship member of the International Dance Teachers Association and hold a variety of teaching qualifications in a number of dance styles including; Latin American, Freestyle, Dance Exercise Diploma, Street Dance, Line Dance and Rock and Roll. I am also a qualified Dance leadership coach with Sport UK, a Street Cheer instructor with the U.K.C.A. and a Acro Coach with both Acrotrix and Acrobatic Arts.

I feel privileged to be able to train such talented students on a daily basis, Empowered Studios allows me to make great dancers even better whilst nurturing new talent and helping to build confidence. I am so honoured to be working such an amazing team to ensure the best training, together, we are Empowered.

Neil Cooper – Freestyle Teacher

Neil started dancing from an early age training in Theatre and Freestyle, performing in some of the most prestigious venues in the country and competing nationally in both freestyle competitions and theatre scholarships.

He has gone on to gain his BTEC National Diploma, a Foundation Degree in Musical Theatre and graduated from University with a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance Practice. 

Developing his teaching career, Neil has achieved his IDTA Freestyle Licentiate qualification with Distinction and is a licensed Freestyle Competition Adjudicator under the British Dance Council. Neil has been a part of the Empowered teaching team since its inception in 2015 and is looking further his teaching qualifications whilst continuing to share his knowledge and experience with our students.  

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Lauren Ogden – Lead Commercial Street Teacher

Lauren trained at Stockout Arts, where she completed a BA Honours degree in Professional and Commercial Dance.

She has been delivering classes and workshops throughout the country for a number of years and has trained in dance styles including Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary.

Lauren has travelled as far as America to further her training, more recently concentrating on Commercial, Urban Choreography and Street.

Other career highlights include travelling to America to train in Los Angeles; performing in the LA Carnival; performing at the World Of Dance in Germany, and of course, appearing on the hit TV show, Got To Dance.

Lauren and her street dance group just missed out on the finals of the show. As a semi-finalist on Got to Dance, she was mentored by Ashey Banjo from Diversity.

Lauren is looking forward to passing her knowledge and skills on to the students of Empowered Studios.

Kerys Tough – Freestyle teacher

Kerys is currently training at the prestigious Phil Winston’s Dance college in Blackpool, in her 2ndyear she is at the height of her training and loves passing on her knowledge and skills to our students.

Kerys trained in a wide range of dance styles from a young age, at various studios including Empowered. We watched Kerys progress from a beginner to a Double Premier Champion winning titles and championships all over the UK.

She also has Bronze, Silver and GOLD Medals from the Dance World Cup in Portugal 2018 & Barcelona 2019 as well as numerous wins in nationwide Theatre and Street Dance competitions. She has a drive and passion for dance that is infectious, and we know she will inspire so many of our students to follow their dancing dreams.

Karolina Romaniszyn-Tong – Senior Ballet Teacher

Karolina trained at private dance schools in the Northwest, gaining Vocational and Teaching qualifications with the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance), IDTA (International Dance Teachers’Association), ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) and NATD (National Association of Teachers of Dancing).

Passionate about Ballet, she gained a MA degree in Ballet Studies from Roehampton University, is a Fellow of the IDTA Ballet Faculty, a RAD Registered Teacher, Associate of the NATD Ballet Branch and Trustee of the Legat Foundation of Russian Classical Ballet.

Alongside Ballet, Karolina has specialism in Contemporary Dance, Classical Greek, National Dance and Labanotation. She gained a BA (Hons) in Dance and Visual Arts from Manchester Metropolitan University, the DDI (Diploma in Dance Instruction) and DDE (Diploma in Dance Education) from the ISTD and Advanced Labanotation Certificate through the Labanotation Institute.

Since gaining her first teaching qualification in 1999, Karolina has enjoyed teaching within different contexts, bringing dance into the lives of pre-schoolers through to the elderly. Her work spans the private dance sector, higher and further education, primary schools, arts centres, museums, galleries and summer schools.

Kristina Brown – Lead Contemporary Teacher and Ballet/Tap teacher

Kristina has trained in a wide variety of dance styles since a young age. She has competed in various styles to an extremely high level retiring from Freestyle as a Championship dancer. Kristina has also passed many IDTA examinations with excellent marks, and has represented Empowered at the IDTA scholarship awards. She has won lots of titles in different styles of dance.

Kristina is now currently at the start of her teaching career with the IDTA in Ballet. Grading a distinction in her first teaching exam, she will continue her studies to gain further qualifications to ensure our students have the best training possible. Kristina works day to day with children, providing a safe and positive environment for them to thrive in her classes. This, with her excellent subject knowledge and teaching skills has allowed to to train our students to a high standard – leading to 100% pass mark for all her students that have completed IDTA ballet exams.

Kristina’s passion is also contemporary dance. She has enjoyed taking our students to competitions securing lots of individual and group wins for our students. Her flair for choreography and improv really shines in this subject and we are so lucky to have her as the lead teacher for all three of our contemporary classes.

Sue Dobson – Acro Gymnastics Teacher

Sue attained her BAGA Club Coach qualification, teaching 4-piece gymnastics. Sue has previously worked for Salford Community Leisure teaching in both the Leisure centres and with Salford Schools.

For numerous years she was an assistant Gymnastics coach for Lions Gymnastics Club, but decided to spend more time with her family. Sue attended Empowered studios with 3 of her Grandchildren and as soon as we found out her vast experience, expertise and qualifications we asked Sue if should would like to join our teaching team as an Acro coach. She has been a fantastic addition to the team and has helped delve and progress our acro students so much.

Paris Hay – Teaching assistant

Paris started dancing at the young age os two years old. She studied all available styles in Ballroom, Street and Theatre branches. Paris completed in Theatre competitions and freestyle competitions – by the time she was 10 she was an U10 Championship dancer – and was even sponsored by a local dress maker. Paris has passed her International Dance Teachers Association Exams to a high level, attaining excellent marks in all subjects (Ballroom, Street, Freestyle, Ballet and Tap).

Paris started assisting Hannah over two years ago at the studio and has been a huge asset. She has an amazing connection with the younger children and has since taken the lead on Saturday morning freestyle classes.

Paris is currently at college studying fashion design, we are looking forward to putting her new skills to good use at our next showcase.

Grace Gallagher – Teaching assistant

Grace first started at Empowered Studios in March 2017, she dances many different styles such as; Freestyle, Contemporary, Acro and Showdance. Graces favourite style is Freestyle. She began Freestyle disco at the age of 11, starting at beginner level and is now Championship level in all her sections. She has completed in many different areas of the UK.

Grace has passed all of her International Dance Teachers Association exams with high levels and was recently nominated for the IDTA scholarship award.

Grace also recently auditioned at Pendleton college and has been accepted to study dance triple vocational A-Level from September, to further her dance knowledge and start a career in Dance.

Grace has recently started assisting with the freestyle competition classes. She is a excellent role model for the younger students and all her help and assistant has been greatly received.

Anya Teefey – Teaching Assistant

Anya first stared at Empowered in 2017 and has trained in various styles including; Ballet, Theatre, Freestyle, Acro and Contemporary. She started competing in freestyle at the age of 11 in Beginners and is now at Championship status in all her sections. Anya has travelled all around the UK competing nationally and has won multiple titles and championships. A personal highlight was in 2022, Anya and her partner Mya Walker won at The World Freestyle Championships in winter gardens Blackpool. 

Anya has passed her dance exams to a high level with the International Dance Teachers Association and was recently nominated for the IDTA Scholarship award.  

Anya started assisting in Acro in 2021 and has completed her Assistant Acro qualification with Acrotrix. She has been a huge asset to our Wednesday timetable and is enjoying putting all her new skills into practise.