Teachers

Jennifer Burgess

Meet Jennifer, our fantastic Baby classes, Competition Team & Orion Spires Elite Dance teacher here at Premiere Performing Arts!

Jenny started dancing at the age of 4 Premiere Performing Arts in multiple different styles taking exams and competing numerous times.

At 16 she was accepted into the prestigious Performers College, Essex and trained there for 4 years graduating in 2020 with a Trinity College Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance. During this time she was taught by industry professionals and was fortunate to be able to perform in events across the country.

After graduating she found her passion for teaching and has now been teaching for 5 years at multiple schools and prepares students for competitions, exams and shows.

Alongside teaching our baby classes and Competition Team, Jenny also works at Orion Spires, where she teaches at her and Kevin Reygates' Elite Dance Academy in Canterbury. There, she helps secondary school students achieve their absolute best. Over the years, Jenny has taken students to SYWTD competitions and, for the second time this year, to SYWTD’s exciting Thorpe Park event! 

Jenny teaches all ages on a Monday and Friday!!

We are so proud that Jenny started her journey with us and can now pass on her knowledge and expertise to the young dancers at Premiere Performing Arts!!

Abbie Powell

Meet Abbie, our amazing Dance Captain who is currently training to teach here at Premiere Performing Arts!

Abbie began dancing at Premiere Performing Arts at the age of three, starting with ballet and dedicating herself to that style for many years. As her passion for performing grew, she wanted to become more involved in dance shows and performances, so she expanded her training to include the full range of classes offered at Premiere.

Throughout her dance journey, Abbie has achieved many accomplishments, including performing at Disneyland Paris on three occasions, receiving two Sam Stanley Taster Day Awards, and achieving Runner-Up in a major competition, along with numerous other awards and recognitions.

Abbie was honored to be promoted to Dance Captain for one of Premiere's shows and remains incredibly grateful for the opportunity and confidence placed in her by Gaynor and Jodie.

Academically, Abbie achieved a Distinction in GCSE Dance and went on to earn a Distinction and Distinction* in A-Level Dance.

As her experience grew, Abbie was offered the opportunity to assist with competition dances and various classes. Although initially nervous, she quickly discovered a love for teaching and choreography. Seeing Premiere's dancers improve, grow in confidence, and achieve their goals became a huge source of inspiration. Assisting Gaynor, Jodie, and Jenny with dance shows and performances also helped to develop her own confidence and leadership skills. Many of the routines she helped choreograph went on to achieve success at competitions.

Growing up with Gaynor, Jodie, and Jenny as role models inspired Abbie to always work hard, believe in herself, and never give up on her goals.

Abbie is currently working towards gaining professional teaching qualifications to further her career in dance education.

Having been part of the Premiere family for over 20 years, Abbie continues to train, maintain her fitness, and focus on achieving her future ambitions within the performing arts industry

Kalisha Short

Meet Kalisha, our amazing Kali supplies costumes for competitions and shows and is currently training to teach here at Premiere Performing Arts!

Not only has she been part of the Premiere Performing Arts family since the age of just 3 years old, but she now plays a huge role behind the scenes, supplying costumes for our competitions and some of our summer showcases. She has also recently launched her very own business, Costumes By Kali, and has begun training to become a teacher here at Premiere!

Throughout her time at Premiere, Kalisha has performed in numerous showcases, events and dance competitions across the UK, taking to the stage time and time again and creating some incredible memories along the way. Having grown up as part of our Premiere family, we are so proud to see her continuing to develop her skills and take on exciting new opportunities.

Kalisha has also joined us on three amazing trips to Disneyland Paris, as well as performing at SYWTD's Thorpe Park Fright Night! Alongside her dance achievements, she has appeared on stage in several productions with Ashford Pantomime, including:

• Dick Whittington – (2021 - 2022)

• Aladdin – (2022)

• Sleeping Beauty – (2025 - 2026)

We are incredibly proud of everything Kalisha has achieved so far, from her years of dedication as a performer to launching her own costume business and taking her first steps towards becoming a dance teacher. It's wonderful to see her giving back to the school that has been such a big part of her life.

We can't wait to see what the future holds for Kalisha and watch her continue to grow, both on and off the stage. Her journey is only just beginning, and we couldn't be prouder to have her as part of our Premiere family!