MY BACKGROUND

My name is Steph Richardson and I have held a passion for Drama and Dance since a very young age. I took regular dance and drama classes and many exams and this led to me achieving a BA Honours degree in Dance and Drama and then a PGCE in Dance and Drama which led me into my teaching career in secondary education. I have been teaching Drama and Dance for 23 years in secondary education. During this time I have directed, choreographed and stage managed over 20 large scale school productions. I have also directed or advised on children’s’ performance pieces for Theatre in Education, the Secondary Schools’ Drama Showcase at The Hall for Cornwall and the Shakespeare Schools’ Festival at the Minack.

Through my drama training and teaching, I develop students’ skills in various styles and techniques such as realism, physical theatre, Brecht, Stanislavski, Artaud, Berkoff, surrealism, farce and melodrama.

I have also taught Dance (contemporary, modern, ballet, musical theatre, jazz, Indian and African) at the High Wycombe branch of Stagecoach to all age groups, Tots dance club and worked as an aerobics instructor at Bisham Abbey.

I believe that Drama and Dance can offer so much to children in so many ways. Aside from the performance skills, the life skills they can gain are unbelievable: Confidence, self-esteem, co-operation, problem solving, leadership, multi-tasking and presentation skills to name but a few. These skills are needed everywhere in everyday life.