From dancing at three years old, to becoming a professional dancer for TV and stage, Nadia tells us what led her to opening her own dance studio in Middlesbrough.
Working as a professional dancer nationwide as well as abroad, Nadia tells us how she went from her TV appearances to running her own dance studio in Middlesbrough.
“I first started dancing at three years old and have danced ever since, nearly thirty years!
I knew around the time of my GCSEs that dance was what I wanted to pursue as a career. After school, I went to train at a performing arts college in Essex – Masters Performing Arts College. I was there for three years studying for my diploma in performing arts and got my teaching qualification while there.
I then moved to London to work in dance, including TV work, which was scary! It’s a bit of a bubble in college, where opportunity is handed to you. Going from that into the real world, where you’re on your own, hiring an agent, and finding work, was a whole new world.
I was lucky as I had roles like dance captain during college, so I had help and connections from some of my college teachers when I moved to London. My first-ever dance job out of college was on stage with John Barrowman in Glasgow for pantomime. I got that first break in show business with help from one of my college teachers. Again, I was dance captain for that role, which was a great experience.
While living in London, I had opportunities to dance on TV, once on the gameshow Red or Black with Ant and Dec, and another time on Got To Dance live on Sky One. I even got a “you go girl” and a slap on the bum from Davina McCall!
I worked in London as a dancer for a few years before getting a job in Marrakech as a showgirl for a six-month contract, which was amazing but a challenge as dance captain.”
After I got back from Marrakech, I knew I wanted to be near family, especially as my sisters had recently had children.
Teaching dance had always been my end goal, but I wanted it to be right. I needed the right space in the right place before committing to open a studio, so I left it up to fate! If I couldn’t find a space then I would open the business, if not I would get another dance contract abroad.
I looked online and visited a few spaces, but they weren’t right. I was put in touch with my now landlord, who said he had a cool loft space with bare brick, and I came to see it.
When I got here, it was derelict. The walls were orange, the beams were blue, and there was a boat and a fountain in the space as it had been an Indian restaurant!
I saw the stage and the huge windows and knew I wanted the space. I said to my mum and dad that this was it, this was my new home. They were amazing and fully supported me the entire way through renovating the space and starting the business.
My landlord was amazing and put it back to a blank shell for me. I then moved walls, added CCTV for the children’s safety, and added a dance floor. It took about three or four months to get ready to open.
We did leaflet drops and social media campaigns to announce the studio opening. Social media was probably the biggest thing that worked for me.
We opened the doors in 2017, and I still remember we were inside painting the day before! Some of the children who came to that first class are still with me now.
Starting a new business was petrifying!
My landlord was actually brilliant during the whole process. He kept me on the right track and advised me on everything I needed to start and run a business.
I’ve grown now to the point where I have five ladies who help me and also teach here at the studio. I was doing everything myself for a long time, around three years, and it got to the point where I could afford to have someone else come in to take classes.
I have such a good group of people around me that help the studio run as well as it does; it’s become a community. I have lovely ladies who come in and organize show items, or some come in to clean. One of the children’s parents runs the social media for me, and having this team of amazing people really helps me to no end. Everyone feels so at home.
Some of the kids come in to sit and do homework and hang out here, even when they’re not attending classes. I’d rather they were here, knowing they are safe, than hanging out on the streets, and it’s great that they’re comfortable enough to do that!
The plan is to just keep growing and attracting more students! I teach from 18-month-olds to 80-year-olds, so the timetable is full.
We teach an over-60s class at the moment, and it’s great. That’s something we want to keep growing. They don’t have to pay a penny because it’s funded by Middlesbrough Council. We just need to get the word out there to those people that they can come along to the sessions!
My five-year plan was to have 70 students, and I hit that before I turned 5. This year, I actually have 150 in the show!
“If I can choose one thing that I’ve learned from starting and running a business that I would pass on to other business leaders, it’s the importance of approachability.
I think the children here, and the parents, would agree that I’m approachable, and if there’s a problem, they can come and tell me about it right away. I’ve made this everyone’s space; it’s not just mine.
The children know that everyone is to be treated equally, including the other teachers.”
