Our Team

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Hollie Bishop - Principal & Teacher: Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Commercial

Emma Yexley - Teacher: Ballet, Modern, Tap, Street
Daisy Bishop - Teacher: Ballet, Modern, Tap
Nicola Casserley - Teacher: Drama
Molly Durston - Teacher: Musical Theatre, Flexibility & Limbering

Melanie Ward - Manager: Wardrobe, Uniform & Logistics
Ali Cronin - Manager: Social Media & Marketing

The JMDS team all hold enhanced DBS certificates. Melanie is a registered chaperone.

Hollie attended the Jayne Marie Dancing School from age three to 18 and was Head Girl from the age of 15. She completed ISTD exams up to Advanced 1 in Ballet and Tap, and Advanced 2 in Modern, and attended the London Junior and Senior Ballet's Associate programme in ballet and contemporary for five years. She went on to gain her ISTD teaching qualifications at The Dance College in Royston and Momentum Performing Arts Academy. She is a talented and accomplished choreographer and has choreographed many of JMDS's award-winning solos, duets and group dances. In 2019 she was creative lead for our award-winning full-length production Wonderland. Hollie became owner and Principal of JMDS in 2023.

Daisy trained with JMDS from the age of three to 18. During her time there she competed in numerous British Arts competitions, gaining many 1st places in the London Finals, and passing ISTD exams up to Advanced 1. For her final year she became Head Girl and enjoyed helping with the younger dancers. She then went on to complete a three-year degree course in dance at London Studio Centre where she specialised in Ballet and Contemporary. During this time she loved to return in her breaks to teach at JMDS Summer Schools and support at competitions. Since graduating she has performed in the Johann Strauss Gala UK tour, with the English Chamber Opera in Istanbul, and with All or Nothing; the Musical Experience UK Tour. She has TV and Film credits including dancing in Rebecca for Netflix, and appearing in Enola Holmes 2, My Policeman, House of the Dragon, Fantastic Beasts 3 and many more. She is also an associate artist with the English National Ballet, choreographing and assisting ENBYouthCo on several projects. She is really excited to be back teaching at JMDS where her love for dance began.

Emma started dancing at the age of three and is an ex JMDS Head Girl. As a student she won numerous British Arts awards and many for her choreography: one of her passions. She went on to train full time at The Italia Conti Academy in London. Professional engagements include working as a dancer on shows and events including the Pop Idol tour and The Brit Awards; performing at Sadlers Wells and in the musical To Die For at The London Palladium; recording backing vocals for various children’s CDs and featuring in adverts for Fox Kids and Nickelodeon as well as working for the BBC in the Tracy Beaker series. She was also featured in the film Love and Other Disasters. Emma went on to gain her ISTD teaching qualifications and has taught at JMDS and many other theatre schools and dance companies. She has enjoyed choreographing for many of the JMDS students over the years for their competition pieces and has had great success with them at The British Arts Awards. She is currently training at the Linda Sweetzer Teachers college, working towards gaining her Licenciate (higher dance teacher qualification) in tap. Emma has three children.

Nicola's passion for theatre started at age three, watching her mum rehearsing shows while her dad built the sets! Soon after, she started dance classes in ballet, tap and modern. She studied Theatre, Film and Television at Aberystwyth University, during which time she performed in several productions and short films. Back home, after a few years helping to direct a local youth theatre group, she trod the boards at the Playhouse, taking on various roles including Sally Hardcastle in Love on The Dole, Mme de Tourvelle in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Laurie in Oklahoma and Nellie in South Pacific. Most recently she was Hermione in The Winter's Tale in collaboration with the RSC. She also taught drama at The Hemel Hempstead School. Nicola has three children.

Molly trained in Musical Theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. She has performed in many musicals over the years, including The Addams Family (Wednesday Addams), A Little Night Music (Mrs Segstrom), The Little Mermaid (Scuttle), and Jack and the Beanstalk pantomine (Mrs Fleshcreep). She has always loved to teach and share her skills and techniques with students, whilst exploring genres such as musical theatre, pop, jazz, rock and many more. 

Our fantastic Wardrobe, Uniform & Logistics Manager works tirelessly to support JMDS through managing our costumes, uniform, chaperoning, quick change, tickets and much, much more. Melanie has held a professional chaperone licence for over 12 years and has worked on many stage productions and films. She is also a welcome face on Saturday mornings at Sunnyside, where she bases most of her uniform transactions. Both Melanie’s children attended JMDS from the ages of 3-18. We are very lucky to have her on the team. 

Ali manages our publicity, marketing and social media and is a veteran creative copywriter and social media manager for both domestic and multinational public and private companies. She has three children, all of whom started JMDS at age 3.