Erna Kuenen PGCE BPhil (Hons) LRAD ARAD LISTD

Erna is the Artistic Director of Spotlight & JC School of Dance and she is a well-respected teacher of RAD Ballet as well as an RAD examiner.

Erna started Ballet in her home town of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and has been taking examinations of the RAD since the age of 6. After graduating from High School  she auditioned successfully for the teachers training College of the RAD where she graduated in 1979
After 3 years in London she went home to teach for Emmy Moers-Grijze and the Conservatorium in Tilburg but soon missed performing and came back to London to gain further teaching qualifications at the Stella Mann School of Dance and to audition as a professional dancer.

She successfully auditioned in London and spend quite a few years touring the UK and the world on cruise ships and performed with small companies.

After her performing career, she was invited to teach at Stella Mann College, taught at West Street School in Covent Garden and became an RAD examiner. She also successfully completed a dance degree whilst pregnant with her daughter Anya with Durham university as well as a PGCE with The Institute of Education.

Erna now has over 40 years of teaching experience and successfully runs Spotlight and JC School of Dance together with Ellie Franklin, as well as jumpup Dance Academy in Hampstead & Mill Hill North West London.

Erna feels passionately that students should have fun and make lots of dance friends as well as learn a skill which will benefit them for life.