Bryony Pickup – Founder & Teacher
Bryony started dancing at 4 years old and trained in Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz & Classical Greek. Taking and achieving exams up to Intermediate Foundation with ISTD & RAD. Bryony competed in yearly festivals and qualified to the All England Dance finals in London on four separate occasions.
Bryony also started Rhythmic Gymnastics at age 8 and competed in yearly competitions as a soloist, and as part of a team. Before going to university she competed at the National Group Championships with the rest of her team and placed 1st in 2010 & 2011.
Bryony found her passion for Contemporary dance and studied it at GCSE and A Level. Bryony then took part in Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Centre’s Summer programme before going off the complete her degree, followed by her Masters. While doing her degree Bryony performed in places like Oxford University, Tate Britain Museum (London), Holborn Museum (Bath) and The Brighton Fringe Festival.
She started the school in 2014 with only one class and two students. Bryony currently teaches Aerial, Contemporary, Ballet, Gymnastics, Tap and Modern, while being fully insured and DBS checked. She is a qualified teacher and a member of International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) and National Association of Teachers of Dancing (NATD), Bryony received a Distinction and managed to get 98% in her Teaching Ability module! Bryony has achieved associate level in Contemporary and Gymnastics and is qualified with Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT).
As well as running the school she previously worked for entertainment companies which specialised in corporate events and charity balls, as well as performing at festivals and holiday parks around the country. Doing fire, illusion and circus skill shows.
Bryony now runs her own small scale dance festival, Shirley Dance Festival, incorporating eight different genres and creating the opportunity, twice a year, for budding young dancers to compete and experience festivals in a small and friendly capacity.
Bryony is qualified with Acrobatic Arts for their Aerial Silks course and also completed an acrobatics adjudicating course allowing her to judge competitions. She loves to watch the talent of young performers blossom and takes great pride in providing helpful feedback to all.
Rebecca Clarke – Gymnastic Dance Teacher & Preschool Ballet Teacher
Rebecca first got into gymnastics when she was five years old and joined a local artistic club, where she trained for three years, until the age of eight when she switched to rhythmic gymnastics.
Becca competed in national competitions until she was seventeen whilst performing in an array of shows along the way. She then went onto university to complete a degree in War, Conflict and Modernity at the University of Brighton.
After moving back home to Southampton she re-connected with Bryony and joined the team at Pickup Dance Southampton. Becca now helps out with all gymnastic classes as well as festival team sessions. Becca is a qualified teacher and works in a local college alongside teaching at PDS where she specialises in teaching those who require additional support.
Becca is extremely experienced working with young people with mental health requirements, autism and ADHD. She is an absolute assest to the team with her wealth of knowledge.
Charlie Raines – Aerial Hoop Teacher
Charlie started ballet at a young age and managed to get all the way up to grade 6 alongside school and her passion for music. Coming from a musical family Charlie plays the cello, piano and guitar and took exams up to grade 8! At school, Charlie studied GCSE Dance and was inspired by professional pieces by Matthew Bourne and Christoper Bruce. At A-Level, she continued to dance and be inspired by Alvin Ailey which then drove her passion for dance even further which led her to Bath Spa university where she met Bryony.
Throughout University, Charlie took part in performances around Bath and within the
campus. Studying dance on camera, dance technique and somatic practice Charlie left
university with a 2:1 BA hons. After university Charlie worked at in independent school in the music department as well as supporting the performing arts team.
In 2016, Charlie was accepted onto a Dance PGCE course through Brighton University and the Solent SCITT. After qualifying as a secondary dance teacher, she then found herself teaching food technology and moved to a school in Wiltshire. Charlie continued to teach until April 2023 when she joined NHS talking therapies and Solent Mind as an employment advisor. Charlie is qualified in a level 2 diploma in Awareness in Mental Health & Level 2 Counselling.
In her spare time Charlie found a passion for aerial when attending a pole and hoop class
with Bryony in Shirley. After a few years here, Charlie’s enthusiasm for hanging upside down
continued at Tiger Tone studio where she took part in several performances. Charlie has
also continued to attend ballet and contemporary classes at Pickup Dance. Charlie loves teaching aerial and has rejoined classes herself to continue building her skills.
Pickup Dance Southampton 