About

Bovingdon Dance Academy offer classes in and around Hemel Hempstead covering a wide range of dance genres, including Ballet, Tap, Modern, Lyrical, Street, Commercial, Acro and Musical Theatre.

Our focus is on building confidence and encouraging creativity in a fun and supportive environment. At BDA, our teachers are passionate, qualified, and committed to delivering fun, engaging, and interactive dance classes that inspire every student.

Alongside our core training, we are proud to offer progression opportunities for dancers who wish to take their training further, including preparation for major competitions such as Dance World Cup and guidance for entry into performing arts colleges.

We also provide exciting opportunities to take part in competitions, performances, and unforgettable experiences — from dancing at Disneyland Paris to performing at Silverstone Circuit.

NIKKI STEWART

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL

Nikki found her love for dance at the age of two in ‘Baby Ballet’ at her local school, JMDS. She trained in the traditional styles of ballet, tap, and modern through to age 18 — fitting in her own choreography sessions most Sundays by blasting Michael Jackson and pushing back the living room sofas. Alongside a busy schedule of exams, shows, and competitions, Nikki was made Head Girl at 16 and given the opportunity to start teaching tap and modern — sparking a lifelong passion for coaching and choreography.

After negotiating with her parents to go to dance college instead of university, she won a 3-year scholarship to Italia Conti Performing Arts Academy. But just a month in, Nikki chose the safer route and enrolled at Reading University to study Accounting & Management. Still, she couldn’t stay away from the studio — skipping seminars to complete her dance teaching qualifications.

After university, she qualified as a chartered accountant through the PwC graduate scheme. But while staring at yet another spreadsheet, she knew something was missing. A round-the-world trip was meant to spark a light bulb moment… and it did. One month after returning home, a text from an old school friend landed: “Are you going to start teaching again? Because if anyone’s going to teach Ella-Rose ballet… it’s you.”

And just like that, the search for a local village hall began — and Bovingdon Dance Academy was born. Nikki continues to expand her teaching qualifications and has aspirations of becoming an examiner (to keep her busy during the retirement chapter!). When she’s not working with BDA, Nikki is also the Finance Director of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing—the very examination board through which BDA students take their ballet, tap, and modern exams.

KAREN TOWER

VICE PRINCIPAL

Karen began dancing at the age of two, winning competitions and performing professionally from a young age. She trained at Harrison College, Watford, gaining her ISTD Associate and ISTD Advanced qualifications in Ballet, Tap, Modern, and National.
After graduating, Karen enjoyed a successful performance career, dancing on Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines, and serving as Dance Captain at the Thomson Gold Hotel in Rhodes.

After starting a family, Karen turned her focus to teaching and coached many celebrity clients, including Amanda Holden and Laura Whitmore. Alongside her teaching, she is also a fitness presenter for FitSteps, founded by Ian Waite and Natalie Lowe, and teaches annually at Blackpool Tower Ballroom as well as online to students across the UK and USA. Locally, she also teaches FitSteps at Champneys and Adult Tap in Adeyfield.

Most recently, Karen trained and qualified as an Acrobatic Arts Examiner in 2024 and now examines students nationwide. Bovingdon Dance Academy is a huge part of Karen’s life, and she is immensely proud of every single student and the school’s ongoing growth.

How we met: Nikki had taken a group of ballet exam candidates to share a session with her original ballet teacher. It was there she was introduced to Karen, who was looking to take on more teaching. From that moment, Bovingdon Ballet Academy became Bovingdon Dance Academy — and we haven’t taken our foot off the accelerator since!

SYANNE DAY

TEACHER

Syanne began her dance training at a young age, going on to study at the prestigious English National Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School, where she graduated with a Diploma in Professional Dance.

Her professional career began with English National Ballet, performing in their touring production of Swan Lake and later in their celebrated Swan Lake in-the-round at the Royal Albert Hall. She then joined Cork City Ballet, dancing in their seasonal productions of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

Syanne has performed in multiple productions with Let’s All Dance Ballet Company, including Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Princess & The Frog, and Princess & The Pea, with a career highlight being her role as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.

Alongside her classical work, Syanne has performed with contemporary companies such as Mercurial Dance and Nova Grace Productions, touring the UK in site-specific works—most recently in Unlocked, a project born during the lockdowns that evolved from a virtual performance into a full stage production.

She also collaborates with Constella OperaBallet, delivering live dance and music performances to care homes across the UK and Ireland—an initiative that brings the arts to those who need it most.

Syanne is passionate about sharing her experience and love of dance with the next generation and feels privileged to be part of the BDA team.

ZIKI BUSWELL

GUEST TEACHER

Ziki graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre from Performers College. Since then, she has built an exciting and varied performance career across stage and screen.

Her recent credits include dancing for Becky Hill at the Women’s UEFA Final at Wembley Stadium, serving as Dance Captain in Beauty and the Beast at The Grove Theatre, and touring nationally with PF UK TOUR (EVL Productions) and LMS UK TOUR (RED Entertainment).

She has also appeared in The All New Adventures of Peter Pan at The Alban Arena and performed as part of the ensemble and understudy for Cinderella in Cinderella at The Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford.

Ziki was honoured to be part of Richard Alston’s Final Edition Tour and represented Team England in the Dance World Cup. Most recently, she performed in Moment by Moment, a production set to be released
on Amazon Prime.

Passionate about inspiring the next generation, Ziki loves encouraging young dancers to grow in confidence, performance, and individuality. She has thoroughly enjoyed working with the incredible students at BDA, and feels lucky to be part of such a supportive andha rd-working team.

MOLLY TOWER

STUDENT TEACHER

Molly has been dancing since the age of two and has built an impressive portfolio of performances and awards through numerous competitions. She has also graced the stage in pantomimes at the Watersmeet Theatre in Rickmansworth, showcasing her talent from a young age.

In 2018, Molly joined the BDA team, assisting Nikki with Saturday ballet classes in Whelpley Hill. Her dedication, creativity, and natural flair for teaching quickly became evident. Over the years, she has taken on a larger role, choreographing commercial and street dance routines for competitions and leading Saturday classes at Boxmoor School.

While she will be stepping back from regular teaching in July to pursue her studies at Northampton University, she remains an integral part of the BDA family. She will continue to choreograph for competitions and support the team when needed.

IZZY LEGGE

NEW TEACHER

Meet Our New Teacher: Izzy Legge. We’re thrilled to welcome Izzy to the Bovingdon Dance Academy teaching team! Izzy began dancing at the age of 8 and has spent the past several years training intensively and competing at a high level. Her versatile training includes Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Commercial, Acro, and Tap.

A highlight of her dance journey so far has been representing Team England at the 2024 Dance World Cup in Prague, where she performed in six group routines and helped the team secure a top 10 global ranking. She also had the incredible opportunity to perform on the main stage at Move It 2025
— a memory she’ll cherish forever.

Having just completed her GCSEs, Izzy is now preparing to begin her A-levels in September. She’s excited to start this new chapter as part of the BDA family and can’t wait to share her passion for ballet and inspire the next generation of dancers!

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