Catherine Simpson

CATHERINE SIMPSON

Miss Catherine Simpson, AISTD (BA hons)
The AlexZanDance School of Dancing, 48 Wheelers Park
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP13 6GH
Tel: 01494 510 623 Mobile: 07720 891 248 Email Miss Catherine Simpson
Cecchetti ISTD Ballet, Contemporary, Street Jazz, Choreography and Performance Technique!
Catherine's website: www.alexzandance.com
Artistic Director

Welcome to AlexZanDance... Buckinghamshire's leading School of Dance, directed by Catherine Alexandra Simpson, Professional Dancer, Choreographer and Teacher of the ISTD.

We teach classes in ISTD Classical Ballet, with the option of taking Graded Examinations, Rock Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Street Jazz, Flexibility and Conditioning and Choreography! Our classes are for children and adults, beginners and Professionals! All our classes and performances are fresh, inspiring and full of expressive energy. We endeavour to push all boundaries and build the confidence, stamina, technical skills, imagination and individuality of all our students and dancers!

In additon to AlexZanDance Youth, AZD also has two associated Dance Companies... always keep your eyes and ears open for performances by AZD 2, our audition only Youth Dance Company, and the Professional Dancers Company, AZD 1.

Artistic Director

Catherine Alexandra Simpson
(BA Hons) ISTD

Catherine, age 28 has worked extensively as a Professional Dancer, Choreographer and Teacher and she now performs her own work with AlexZanDanceONE to which she is also Artistic Director and Choreographer. Catherine has performed with the Chinese singer/songwriter, Cici, winner of the prestigious 5 continents singing competition in Shanghai, Combinations Dance Company, Ballet Evolution, the Belgian Company DAthe Dance Theatre, the Royal Opera and the National Youth Dance Company. Her TV credits include CD:UK, CBBC and MTV.

Catherine Simpson

Catherine is winner of the Madge Atkinson Award for Choreography and she believes that “through the expression of emotion in dance and music is the power to make positive changes: spiritually, physically, and emotionally”. The stronger a human emotion the stronger the human reaction. Dance is a language she wants to make accessible to ALL people.
Catherine was a Cecchetti Scholar at the London Studio Centre and she is now an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Cecchetti Faculty. She has worked with the Chelsea Ballet Schools, numerous educational schools in North West London and Kent and she has held professional dance classes in private studios and colleges across London including Marylebone Dance Studios, the Tabernacle and Kensington and Chelsea College. She teaches Street dance, Contemporary, Rock Ballet, Classical Cecchetti Ballet, Dance Circuit Training, Flexibility and Conditioning and Choreography and Performance Technique.

Choreography & Performance Technique

Choreography and performance technique is complimentary to the GCSE & A-Level syllabus.

The class focuses on developing creativity through weekly choreography and performance tasks which evolve to produce new dance works created exclusively by the students.

Through observation, performance and discussion, this class opens the mind of the individual to new choreographic and performance possibilities.

Classical Ballet

AlexZanDance teaches the Cecchetti classical ballet method in association with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD).

Whilst AlexZanDance follows the Cecchetti method and set syllabus work, the classes are free and expressive with a great element of performance and creativity, particularly in the grades with younger students. As you near the more advanced grades, the class work takes a more serious tone and you are taught to behave and perform with a professional attitude towards your studies.

You will work towards taking ballet examinations, however these are not compulsory. Classical ballet is one of the hardest dance forms to master but is an essential foundation for the serious dance artiste's overall technique, strength and form. Whether your main desire is to be a jazz or contemporary dancer, the study of classical ballet technique will set you apart from others and will provide a sound foundation for you to excel in your chosen style.

Street Dance

This is a fun and funky dance class suitable for complete beginners through to advanced students.

The class increases the strength, physical awareness, cardio-vascular fitness and confidence of the individual through the teaching of jazz dance technique and street dance routines.

Street dance is the ideal class for those of you that just want to have some fun and get fit at the same time, but for the more serious dance enthusiast, street dance and jazz dance technique will add to your versatility as a dancer through the progressive learning of new steps and the development of your own movement vocabulary!

Street and jazz dance technique requires quick thinking and will increase the speed at which you can pick up dance steps, isolate different parts of the body and perform with dynamic energy.

Contemporary Dance

Contemporary dance is an expressive and technical dance class with a high performance element.

The AlexZanDance classes mix various contemporary techniques including Cunningham, Graham and Release, with elements of classical ballet technique and classical jazz dance to create its own unique style.

You will learn how to express emotion through the performance of different dance routines whilst at the same time increasing your versatility as a dancer, cardiovascular fitness, strength, co-ordination, flexibility and physical form.

Rock Ballet

Ballet all 'funked up'!

This class is suitable for students who already study Classical Ballet and/or Contemporary Dance at Grade 5 and above. The class uses classical ballet technique as its basis for movement, but elements of different modern dance styles and techniques are incorporated into the exercises. Set sequences are performed to modern, rock and upbeat tunes!

This class is not only great fun but it will also develop your flexibility, muscle strength and core stability.

Flexibility & Body Conditioning

This class is geared towards adults up to age 55 and students age 14 plus who want to increase their flexibility, core stability and tone and shape up the body.

The class focusses on relaxed and focussed breathing, balance and dance based stretches and full body conditioning mat work! This class is ideal for all levels of ability.

Welcome to AlexZanDance... Buckinghamshire's leading School of Dance, directed by Catherine Alexandra Simpson, Professional Dancer, Choreographer and Teacher of the ISTD.		We teach classes in ISTD Classical Ballet, with the option of taking Graded Examinations, Rock Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Street Jazz, Flexibility and Conditioning and Choreography! Our classes are for children and adults, beginners and Professionals! All our classes and performances are fresh, inspiring and full of expressive energy. We endeavour to push all boundaries and build the confidence, stamina, technical skills, imagination and individuality of all our students and dancers!
	In additon to AlexZanDance Youth, AZD also has two associated Dance Companies... always keep your eyes and ears open for performances by AZD 2, our audition only Youth Dance Company, and the Professional Dancers Company, AZD 1.
Artistic Director
Catherine Alexandra Simpson (BA Hons) ISTD Catherine, age 28 has worked extensively as a Professional Dancer, Choreographer and Teacher and she now performs her own work with AlexZanDanceONE to which she is also Artistic Director and Choreographer. Catherine has performed with the Chinese singer/songwriter, Cici, winner of the prestigious 5 continents singing competition in Shanghai, Combinations Dance Company, Ballet Evolution, the Belgian Company DAthe Dance Theatre, the Royal Opera and the National Youth Dance Company. Her TV credits include CD:UK, CBBC and MTV.	Catherine is winner of the Madge Atkinson Award for Choreography and she believes that “through the expression of emotion in dance and music is the power to make positive changes: spiritually, physically, and emotionally”. The stronger a human emotion the stronger the human reaction. Dance is a language she wants to make accessible to ALL people.	Catherine was a Cecchetti Scholar at the London Studio Centre and she is now an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Cecchetti Faculty. She has worked with the Chelsea Ballet Schools, numerous educational schools in North West London and Kent and she has held professional dance classes in private studios and colleges across London including Marylebone Dance Studios, the Tabernacle and Kensington and Chelsea College. She teaches Street dance, Contemporary, Rock Ballet, Classical Cecchetti Ballet, Dance Circuit Training, Flexibility and Conditioning and Choreography and Performance Technique.
Choreography & Performance Technique
Choreography and performance technique is complimentary to the GCSE & A-Level syllabus. The class focuses on developing creativity through weekly choreography and performance tasks which evolve to produce new dance works created exclusively by the students. Through observation, performance and discussion, this class opens the mind of the individual to new choreographic and performance possibilities.
Classical Ballet
AlexZanDance teaches the Cecchetti classical ballet method in association with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD). Whilst AlexZanDance follows the Cecchetti method and set syllabus work, the classes are free and expressive with a great element of performance and creativity, particularly in the grades with younger students. As you near the more advanced grades, the class work takes a more serious tone and you are taught to behave and perform with a professional attitude towards your studies.		You will work towards taking ballet examinations, however these are not compulsory. Classical ballet is one of the hardest dance forms to master but is an essential foundation for the serious dance artiste's overall technique, strength and form. Whether your main desire is to be a jazz or contemporary dancer, the study of classical ballet technique will set you apart from others and will provide a sound foundation for you to excel in your chosen style.
Street Dance
	This is a fun and funky dance class suitable for complete beginners through to advanced students. The class increases the strength, physical awareness, cardio-vascular fitness and confidence of the individual through the teaching of jazz dance technique and street dance routines. Street dance is the ideal class for those of you that just want to have some fun and get fit at the same time, but for the more serious dance enthusiast, street dance and jazz dance technique will add to your versatility as a dancer through the progressive learning of new steps and the development of your own movement vocabulary! Street and jazz dance technique requires quick thinking and will increase the speed at which you can pick up dance steps, isolate different parts of the body and perform with dynamic energy.
Contemporary Dance
Contemporary dance is an expressive and technical dance class with a high performance element. The AlexZanDance classes mix various contemporary techniques including Cunningham, Graham and Release, with elements of classical ballet technique and classical jazz dance to create its own unique style.		You will learn how to express emotion through the performance of different dance routines whilst at the same time increasing your versatility as a dancer, cardiovascular fitness, strength, co-ordination, flexibility and physical form.
Rock Ballet
	Ballet all 'funked up'! This class is suitable for students who already study Classical Ballet and/or Contemporary Dance at Grade 5 and above. The class uses classical ballet technique as its basis for movement, but elements of different modern dance styles and techniques are incorporated into the exercises. Set sequences are performed to modern, rock and upbeat tunes! This class is not only great fun but it will also develop your flexibility, muscle strength and core stability.
Flexibility & Body Conditioning
	This class is geared towards adults up to age 55 and students age 14 plus who want to increase their flexibility, core stability and tone and shape up the body. The class focusses on relaxed and focussed breathing, balance and dance based stretches and full body conditioning mat work! This class is ideal for all levels of ability.