Katharine’s roots are in Crediton where her family still live and who until recently ran a local business which extended though three generations and over 100 years.

Having been educated in Exeter, Katharine returned to Devon in 1997 after a dancing career which has seen her perform and study at some of the UK’s foremost dance schools and benefited from the tutelage of a number of nationally renowned teachers.

Katharine has over 15 years of teaching experience and has a proud record of her pupils achieving a 100% pass rate in RAD
dance examinations during this time.

• Started dancing from the age of 3 yrs.
• Trained with Olga Cooper (FRAD) up to the age of 16 yrs.
• Passed RAD Adv 2 exam at the then record age of 15 yrs.
• Spent three years training at the Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts covering all aspects of dance and the performing arts.
• Danced professionally for five years including various TV appearances including the House of Elliot.
• Studied at the Royal Academy of Dance, London gaining the RAD teaching qualification.
• First teaching role at the Bristol School of Dancing; taught for 6 years under the guidance of Angela Redgrave (recent recipient of RAD lifetime achievement award) - choreographed for annual shows, festivals and professional performances.
• Established the Southville school of dance (subsequently sold to Bristol School of Dance).

After completing his early training with Suzanne Hanger and Patricia Rowley in New Zealand, Ben moved to Exeter and trained under Olga Cooper.

Ben then spent three years at the Bush Davies Schools in East Grinstead graduating in Dance, Drama and Music.

Since graduating Ben has danced on the West End, where his credits include Me and My Girl, Nine, My One and Only, Hello Dolly and Andrew Lloyd Webbers Aspects of Love.

Ben has toured worldwide as Principal for Lido de Paris and at the famous cabaret on the Champs Elysee, Paris. He has also appeared in both the prestigious Easter Festival Salzburg and sung at the Batignano Festival Tuscany among many other Royal Galas and concerts.

Ben brings to the school a wealth of professional dance experience gained with various ballet companies and is guest principal with Ballet Russe.

Ben currently works with the Royal Opera and Royal ballet companies at Covent Garden, London – such experience has proved invaluable when coaching children for festivals, during workshops and choreographing dances for the school’s annual show.

Sadie Oliver started dancing at the age of 4 and trained with with Pamela De Waal in Paignton, Competing in local festivals and south-west semi-finals and Finals in London, Winning the South West Championships in Modern at the Palace Avenue Theatre in 2002.

After taking her advanced 2 in Modern and Tap and advanced 1 in classical Greek Sadie gained her F.D.I teaching qualifications in Modern,Tap and Classical Greek dance. She has been teaching for Totnes School of Dance and Dawlish and Teignmouth Academy for 5 years. She also teaches on the BTEC dance course at K.E.V.I.C.C in Totnes.

She has performed all of her life  dancing as a child in 'Copellia', 'The little Mermaid' with Ursula Hagley, Pickwick with Sir Harry Secombe, dancing as a junior and a senior in Torquay and Paignton Pantomimes, Alongside Jimmy Cricket, Juliette Kaplan [ Last of the summer wine] and Hunter from Gladiators.  She also danced with P.O.A.D.S in Oklahoma! as Dream Laurey.

Sadie is a resident dancer at the Babbacombe Theatre in Torquay and is also dance captain and assistant choreographer, She has danced in the Rivera Fashion show and she has choreographed the Charity show for cancer research in Halifax west yorkshire which she also performed in along side Cannon and Ball, The Cheeky Monkeys, Tupele Dorgu [Coronation Street].

Sadie is delighted to become a member of the teaching team at the Katharine Mitchell School of Dance.