Frances Ryan
LISTD MB, AISTD IB (Dip) RSA, CDE, PBT.
Frances Ryan is a fully qualified and registered teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD). She holds Licentiate status with the Society, as well as the Certificate in Dance Education (CDE).
She also holds certificates in Anatomy & Physiology, History of Dance, Occupational First Aid and Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT). Frances regularly undertakes CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses, ensuring that her knowledge remains current and that she continues to develop her teaching practice and keep up to date with syllabus developments and teaching techniques. She is also a qualified Special Needs Assistant.
Frances began her dance training at the age of seven with the Annette Hynes School of Classical Ballet and Modern Theatre Dance, where she achieved high honours in all graded examinations up to and including Intermediate level.
Following secondary school, Frances successfully auditioned for the Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre in Liverpool, where she undertook professional teacher training and gained her teaching qualifications with Distinction.
Her studies included Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre and Jazz, National Dance, Contemporary, Tap, Pas de Deux and Repertoire, Drama, Musical Theatre and Singing. During her time in the UK, Frances also performed in a variety of musical theatre productions and pantomimes.
In the 2000s, Frances was selected to teach and prepare students to demonstrate new syllabus work at an International Dance Congress for the ISTD. She was also one of the first teachers in Ireland to achieve Licentiate status with the Society.
On returning to Ireland, Frances continued to perform regularly and has appeared in numerous stage productions, including Cabaret, Oklahoma! – where she danced the role of Laurie in the dream sequence; Carousel – in which she played the part of Louise; Fiddler on the Roof, Showboat, My Fair Lady and many others.
Alongside her teaching career, Frances has worked extensively as a choreographer, collaborating with musical societies and schools throughout Ireland. Her choreography has included productions such as Evita, Guys & Dolls, Bugsy Malone and West Side Story, and she has received a number of awards for her work.
Frances began her teaching career in a number of dance schools and primary schools throughout County Wicklow. In the early 1990s, she returned to work with Annette Hynes and, in 1994, took over the running of the school, establishing what is now known as Frances Ryan School of Dance.
The school expanded to Gorey, Co. Wexford, in 1999 and has continued to grow and develop over the years.
As the school continued to grow, Frances took the next step in its development by transforming an industrial unit into purpose-built dance studios, complete with sprung floors, ballet mirrors and barres. This provided the school with a dedicated home designed specifically for the teaching and training of its dancers.
The success of the Arklow studios led to the opening of a second purpose-built studio in Gorey, offering the same high-quality facilities and providing dancers in the area with a professional and welcoming space in which to learn, train and perform.
Today, the studios provide classes for children and young people of all ages and abilities, with an emphasis on sound technique, enjoyment and a positive approach to learning.
Frances has always believed strongly in the value of a good dance education and in the importance of children being taught by qualified teachers from the beginning of their training. She believes that dance can play an important part in developing confidence, self-discipline and self-esteem, as well as providing students with a lasting appreciation and love of the art form.
Her approach to teaching is centred on creating a warm and encouraging environment in which students can develop their technique, confidence and individuality, while enjoying their dance training and reaching their own potential.
