Meet our Teachers

Hip-Hop
Shanise Liang

Hi, my name is Shanise! I am a musician, dancer and composer. I started dancing in university, and since then, dance has been inseparable from my life. After a year of dancing, I choreographed and led a dance crew to compete at the BIL dance competition, winning first place. In terms of teaching, I currently teach under Project Pac, Boomdiggidy and DIL, but I also often teach my own pop-ups at studios such as Studio 68, The Hub, Pineapple and Base. My main dance style influences are Hip-hop, Popping and R&B. My biggest dance inspirations are dancers like Melvin Timtim, Youngbeen and Cheshir, who are super grounded and powerful dancers, but who make dances look chill and effortless at the same time! I’m very much looking forward to teaching at UCL Dance Society and to see my past choreos/styles, you can go check out my Instagram @shanise_liang!

Jazz
Andrew Ashton

Andrew has just come off the back of an 18 month international contract of Swan Lake with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, the renowned contemporary ballet company. Having trained at Laine Theatre Arts Andrew is exceptionally strong at a variety of dance styles and combines these together in his classes to create a fluid mix of contemporary, jazz, balletic and commercial styles. His UCL jazz technique classes takes his deep anatomical and applies it to modern dance movement in a way that makes any move, no matter the difficulty, feel natural on each individual body. He has a strong focus on technique and strength but wants to ensure that each and every exercise has a purpose and a performance and always wants his students to come out of class feeling powerful and grounded.

Street
Tarek Khwiss

Dancer, choreographer and creative director based in London and known globally for my fresh and fierce vision. I believe in uniqueness & encourage all to be you, be free, be fabulous. My aim is to empower you through dance, to positively disrupt the world and unite every unique soul by sharing my vision. The creator of Gawz, a lifestyle brand where being who you are is celebrated.
Credits include: Pet Shop Boys, Dua Lipa, Amazon Primevideo, Tiktok Pride, Alicia Keys Soulcare event, Tinder Ad.

Ballet
Jayne Bennett

Jayne studied at the Royal Academy of Dance where she achieved a first class degree in Ballet Education and was awarded the Iris Truscott scholarship. Jayne is a Registered Teacher with additional Licentiate and Associate status; alongside Imperial Society for Teachers of Dance (ISTD) DDE qualifications in Imperial Ballet and Modern Theatre. She is a member of The RAD London & Middlesex regional committee and mentors/assesses on the RAD teacher training programmes. Upon graduating Jayne performed with VIBE gallery resident dance company, Carpe Diem Dance Company and Co.Motion Dance. Jayne currently teaches in a selection of dance schools and organisations across London. Teaching highlights include the BBC Patron’s Lunch performance, choreography for the Pride of Sport Awards, Pineapple Community Dance classes and Tring Park Associates.

Tap/Break
Ben Simmons

Training: Italia Conti Academy Of Theatre Arts, London
Career Highlights include dancing in the UK, Spain, UAE & Switzerland.
Some venues include the Royal Albert Hall, V&A museum, Kensington
Olympia, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
Ben is a member of Foundationz Cru & is a former national tap dance
champion.
Choreography and teaching:
15 years experience including teaching for top institutions such as
Italia Conti, Urdang Academy, City Literary Institute, UCLU, Kilburn
School of dance and many more schools across the UK and abroad.
Won a number of choreographic awards. Tap students of Ben have recently
achieved 1st place in tap dance nationally & 3rd globally.

Contemporary
Madeleine Waters

Madeleine is a London based, Canadian born dancer. Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, she started dancing at the age of 3, training in jazz, tap, ballet and lyrical in the dance competition circuit. She completed her RAD advanced 2 ballet exam in 2011 and moved to London to continue her training in hip hop, commercial and contemporary. She has been teaching for UCL since 2015 and is looking forward to another fabulous year of dancing with you!
Credits: Dua Lipa, Robbie Williams, Calvin Harris, Akon, Sean Paul, Years & Years, Ellie Goulding, Becky G, Busted, The X Factor UK, The Voice UK, Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, MTV EMAs, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, ITV Dancing on Ice, Brit Awards, Chanel, Cartier, Adidas, Jaguar

Have a look at the wonderful teachers in charge of our weekly classes!