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Our Story
Spotlight Dance and Theatre School is run by former West End Performers Mike Scott and Rachel Barrell. We have been running Spotlight for over 15 years and have created a fun and friendly environment where children can express themselves and develop talents to their full potential.
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We offer dance tuition in Ballet, Tap, Street Dance and Jazz. Dance school students take part in a spectacular Annual Show and are presented with Rainbow awards for their efforts at the end of each year.
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We have Junior and Senior Theatre Schools where children develop their drama and performance skills and take part in regular performances and full scale musical productions.
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We offer private singing lessons where students develop their confidence and vocal technique and all students are encouraged to sing in our Cabaret event each year.
Who We Are
Rachel Ford (Barrell)
Owner, Singing & Drama Teacher
Rachel was born and grew up in Portsmouth. She started Ballet lessons at the age of two and as she got older, took up other forms of dance including Tap, Modern and Contemporary. She always had a passion for singing, taking lessons from the age of 12 and subsequently joined various amateur dramatic companies as she grew up.
After leaving school, Rachel went to Guildford School of Acting to embark on a three year Musical Theatre Diploma course. Shortly before her graduation, Rachel landed her first professional role at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park with the New Shakespeare Company. The summer season comprised of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, playing a fairy and understudying the role of Hermia, “Love’s Labours Lost” understudying the role of Jaquenetta and the musical “Where’s Charley?”
Rachel then went on to appear in the Original UK Tour of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in which she understudied the leading role of Belle, before making her West End debut at the Shaftesbury theatre in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” starring Amanda Holden and Maureen Lipman. She was a dancer in the ensemble and understudied the roles of Millie and Dorothy.
Most recently Rachel has been playing the leading role of Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London.
In February 2007, Rachel took part in a one night only charity gala performance of Sondheim’s “Follies” at the London Palladium in which she played the role of Young Sally.
Mike Scott
Actor & Theatre Teacher
Mike’s interest in dance and performing began at the age of 10 when he attended a local dance school in his home town of Reading. Shortly after, he made his professional stage debut playing ‘Friedrich’ in The Sound of Music at the Apollo Theatre, Oxford. His childhood career then continued with performances in Basingstoke and Winchester in a series of C.S.Lewis plays, before making his West End debut at the age of 12 playing ‘Jason’ in the American musical March of the Falsettos at the Albery Theatre.
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As an adult, Mike has enjoyed a successful and varied career as an actor, dancer, singer and teacher. He has performed on several UK tours including 42nd Street, Aspects of Love and Smokey Joe’s Café. His West End credits include Me & My Girl, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Carousel and Thoroughly Modern Millie, the lead role of ‘Chris’ in Miss Saigon, ‘Quasimodo’ in Notre Dame de Paris and ‘Mr.Pressman’ in the Madness musical Our House. Mike played ‘Bobby’ in Stephen Sondheim’s Company at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and appeared at the Victoria Palace theatre in the award-winning musical Billy Elliot for its entire 11 year run.
Over the years, Mike has taught and choreographed as a guest teacher at several dance schools and colleges and brings his extensive experience in performing arts to both Spotlight Dance School and Spotlight Youth Theatre.
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Kerrie Dearlove-Blake I.S.T.D.
Dance School Teacher
Kerrie started dancing when she was three years old at Bushey School of Dance. She trained at Margaret Howard Theatre College for three years where she received a Diploma with Distinction, studying Ballet, Tap, Modern, National, Jazz, Contemporary and Musical Theatre. She has achieved I.S.T.D. Advanced 2 level in all genres, with I.S.T.D. Associates teaching qualification in Ballet, Tap, Modern and National.
Kerrie is also very experienced in all styles of Hip-Hop and Street Dance and has trained in San Diego, Switzerland and London with top international teachers and choreographers.
Kerrie’s performing experience includes UK Hip-Hop Championships 2005-2007, Breaking convention (Sadlers Wells), Culture Shock Showcase (San Diego), Sport Relief (Featured dancer), Street Dance Weekend (The Barbican), Mardi Gras (Disneyland Paris), Cork City Ballet and various pantomimes with the Kings Langley Players.
KATE GARVIE
Dance & Theatre School Teacher
Kate is originally from Lancashire where she started dancing at the age of three, going on to train at Northern Ballet School in Manchester on the professional musical theatre course where she also gained her ISTD teaching qualifications. Upon graduation Kate was cast in her first musical, West Side Story at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre.
She has worked extensively around the world performing both onstage and on television in Paris, Berlin, Switzerland, Australia and cruising the world as dance captain for Princess Cruises. Her additional musical theatre credits include Cats - Hamburg, Disney's Beauty and the Beast - Stuttgart and a return to West Side Story as dance captain.
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Kate has almost 30 years teaching experience at local dance schools, primary schools and stage schools. After taking a break to have her children Kate rejoined the industry teaching Fitsteps (adults dance fitness classes www.fitsteps.co.uk )
Kate is also certified to teach Acrobatic Arts.