Testimonials

I have been fortunate to have attended one of Miss Hartley's adult ballet classes for the past 18 months. The quality of teaching, preparation, support and professionalism have been of an extremely high standard. Miss Hartley is well prepared, has appropriate music and the subject matter and expectations are high and allow the dancers to enjoy and achieve in the sessions.

On a personal level Miss Hartley has a welcoming manner that puts her dancers at ease and allows them to work to the best of their abilities.

As an ex teacher and Member of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors, involved with teacher training and raising professional standards for nearly 40 years I have no hesitation in recommending Miss Hartley for any teaching position.

E. Knight MA CEIA

This time last year I was a complete novice when I started attending Nicola’s ballet classes. I enjoyed my original so much I joined a second class which she took at a different venue. What I liked was Nicola had a lovely clear voice when explaining and modelling moves. She took time to find out if anybody has a barrier to performing any moves and then made allowances for those and encouraged people to do the best they can. Slowly but surely, with her encouragement and support, I became more confident doing a whole range of moves. At the second class I didn’t feel a complete novice and the other class members assumed I’d been dancing longer than I had! Nicola keeps tweaking her lessons so that I still had to think about what I was doing. If a move was proving tricky, she would lead us through it step by step until we got it. Her classes have been a good balance between bar work and floor exercises and routines. The classes were enjoyable because we could also have a laugh whilst practising. It has helped my balance and core strength as well as being an enjoyable class to take part in.

A. Honeyman

I have thoroughly enjoyed Nicola's ballet classes. Everything from barre exercises, centre work and short dances. I loved the professional but friendly atmosphere. I always left feeling I'd had a good workout and learnt new ballet moves and their names. I'd recommend Nicola J Jobling

For the past few years I have attended weekly ballet classes at ARC, our local Arts Centre. The classes are aimed at ‘mature’ adults, some of whom – like myself – have had no previous experience of this form of dance. She has a pleasant personable manner, and is well able to strike the right tone in speaking to adults (as opposed to children), she is patient and clear in her explanations – especially with people who are new to the class – but is never patronising. The emphasis of the class is on enjoyable participation and I feel that Nicola achieves the correct balance in this respect. Nicola has been calm and relaxed but clear in teaching our class.

S McIntyre, Stockton