Frances Ryan
LISTD MB, AISTD IB (Dip) RSA, CDE, PBT.
Frances Ryan is a fully qualified and registered dance teacher of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She holds Licentiate status within the organisation and also holds a CDE, Certificate in Dance Education, with the same teaching body.
Frances also holds certificates in Anatomy and Physiology, History of Dance, Occupational First Aid and PBT – Progressive Ballet Technique.
Frances began her dancing career at the age of 7 with 'Annette Hynes School of Classical Ballet and Modern Theatre Dance'. While attending the school, she achieved high honours in all the graded exams up to and including Intermediate level.
On leaving school, Frances auditioned and was accepted into 'Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre', Liverpool, where she completed the teacher-training course and received her teaching qualifications with Distinction.
In college, Frances studied Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre / Jazz dance, National, Contemporary, Tap, Pas de Deux work/Repetoire, Drama, Musical Theatre and Singing. While in the UK, Frances danced professionally in many musical theatre productions and pantomimes.
She continued performing on many stages around Ireland once back home and has appeared in many productions such as, 'Cabaret', 'Oklahoma' – where she danced the part of Laurie in the dream scene, 'Carousel' – where she played the part of Louise, 'Fiddler on the Roof', 'Showboat', 'My Fair Lady' and many more.
Aside from teaching children and students during the day, Frances also currently works as a professional choreographer. She has enjoyed working with many societies around the country on a huge variety of shows - 'Evita', 'Guys & Dolls, 'Bugsy Malone' 'West Side Story' to name a few - and she has won many awards for her choreography.
At the beginning of her teaching career, Frances taught in several dance schools and primary schools in County Wicklow. She returned to work for Annette Hynes in the early nineties and in 1994 took over the school and it became 'Frances Ryan School of Dance'. The school expanded into Gorey, Co. Wexford in 1999 and both branches have grown and developed into thriving exciting venues, dedicated to providing children and young adults with the very best of dance education in the area.
The school has since expanded into Gorey, Co. Wexford and into Avoca, Co. Wicklow. In the 2000's Frances was chosen to teach and prepare students to demonstrate new syllabus work at an International Dance Congress for the ISTD. She also became one of the first people to hold Licentiate status in Ireland.
Frances believes in the power of dance to build confidence and self-esteem in all children. Her obvious love of dance ensures that talent is nurtured in a positive and encouraging environment.. She also believes it is very important that children and students are taught by qualified teachers from the beginning of their dance journey, in order to create, guide and shape dancers and performers of the future.
