Instructors

Bryony Pickup – Founder & Teacher

Started dancing at 4 years old and trained in Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Classical Greek and Rhythmic Gymnastics. Bryony competed in yearly festivals and competitions and qualified to the All England Dance finals in London on four separate occasions.

Before going to university she competed at National Group Championships with the rest of her team in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rhythmic South Seniors, placed 1st place, best in the country, in years 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 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 also spent four years teaching BTEC Dance and degree classes at multiple colleges in the area. Bryony has her DDE in Contemporary Dance, is qualified with PBT and is working towards her Associate in Ballet and Contemporary with NATD. 

As well as running the school Bryony has worked  for entertainment companies like Butterflies Event Dancers, which specialise in corporate events and charity balls and LE Entertainment, which performs at festivals and holiday parks around the country. Doing fire, illusion and circus skill shows. Bryony has also decided recently to start up her own events company, Pickup Events. Only in the rehearsal stage at the moment but stay tuned for exciting news!

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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 Events Southampton. Becca now helps out Bryony with her Saturday morning classes. She is experienced in teaching and very experienced in performance and gymnastics. In gymnastics we teach the NATD syllabus for student’s to take their exams. Becca is a qualified teacher and works in a local college alongside teaching at PDS where she enjoys providing additional support and has an interest in promoting mental health. Becca is working towards her intermediate and associate in Gymnastic Dance with NATD.