Today's post is an interview with dance teacher, Hayley Rea. Even though it was very stressful towards the end, I managed to hand the work in and don't think it's a bad job. Have a read and let me know what you think.
Hayley dancing with one of her students
To some, first impressions are most important. In this case,
dance teacher and owner of Aim High Dance Academy, Hayley Rea has no trouble.
Having nothing but a beaming smile on her face, you instantly feel welcomed in
her delightful home in Norbury, South London. Although, it is quite hard to
avoid the lovely habit that Rea has of not knowing when to stop talking. This only
makes you feel more at ease in her company, and it was as if I’d known her for
years. Considering her lack of height, its no wonder Rea has the need to be
noticed. That’s not to say she completely ignored me whilst she nattered away, I
was politely offered any snacks or a drink as she bounced around the kitchen to
make her cup of tea, much needed after a ‘long day’.
As the conversation commenced, it was definitely a fact that
Rea deserved that cup of tea. The young woman, now 23, has been building her
career since the age of 18 and has wanted nothing more in her life than to be a
dance teacher. She states: ‘It’s quite a surprise but teaching dance is all
I’ve wanted to do, all teachers want to be dancers but not me!’ Qualifying at
the age of 18 in 2007 as a professional street and freestyle dancer, Rea always
felt one day she would open her own dance school. Gaining as much experience as
she could along the way, she finally felt ‘the time was right’ in 2009 and
before she knew it, Rea had her own company, Aim High Dance Academy, in three
different branches based in Lambeth, Croydon and Merton.
As she took me on a trip back in time, it’s clear to see
what motivated Hayley Rea into doing something challenging and why her passion
for teaching will, hopefully, never disappear. When growing up, like every
typical teenager, Rea went through a ‘rough patch’, as she describes it and dance
was the one thing that kept her going. She elaborates: ‘Dance was always my
little pick me up, I realised then how much it meant to me there and then.’ Rea
mentions that one of these tough times was when her mum couldn’t afford to pay
her dance classes as she grew up so, sneakily Rea had to hide at the back of
the class just so she could do what she always dreamed of doing, nothing was
stopping her. Embarrassingly enough, she did of course get kicked out of them
classes. She laughs: ‘Yes I eventually had to leave the class once they noticed
I hadn’t paid but I just wanted to do it so badly.’ Of course Rea has no intention
of setting this example for any of her students.
It was with this personal experience that Rea felt
determined to create a business for many others growing up with similar situations.
Since young people seem to have somewhat questionable ways to express
themselves these days, Rea created Aim High Dance Academy as a community
project for young people in common deprived areas, all funded by comic relief.
‘At first the dance classes were free but in 2011 we started charging so that
we could expand and it actually became even more popular, I think when
something’s free people think it’s a bit dodgy,’ she laughs. Rea has reached
plenty of young people over the course of her career, as of yet she has nine
classes consisting of 108 students. She’s certainly doing something right.
The talented woman doesn’t stop there. Alongside her
community project Aim high Dance Academy holds a contract with different
primary schools and theatres, part of the payment there keeps the community
project going, every little helps as they say.
As Rea describes a typical day
in her shoes, she mentions that she also has an extra job working as a senior
supervisor in a school, helping her with her own bills and expenses. This
clearly shows that the majority of Rea’s hard work is completely selfless;
anyone would agree that her willpower lies purely in the young children that
she teaches rather than making all the money in the world. She backs up this
personality trait by stating: ‘It would be lovely to take a break from it all
one day, going on holiday would be a luxury but I remember the kids and that
it’s very rare to love the job you’re in so I am very grateful.’ Her commitment
is clearly through the love she has for dance, nothing has ever been handed to
Rea, it’s all off her own back and she certainly proves that if you’re willing
to work hard for something, you can achieve it. The parents of some of the
teenagers also notice the respect they have for her. When their teenagers have
a particular problem they turn to the owner of the inspiring school. It wouldn’t
hurt to have more women like her around really.
It’s no surprise of course to know that Rea’s work hasn’t
been unnoticed. In 2010 she won the Spirit of London award, an achievement
through arts. Now an ambassador for the spirit of London award, Rea, being part
of a network, is able to carry on inspiring young people in even more ways. As
well as this, the inspirational street dancer has also been given the chance to
carry the Olympic torch. It did come as a shock that Rea feels some slight
disappointment. She confesses: ‘I know I should feel proud and I do, I’m
certainly exciting but for the last two years I’ve been trying to get the whole
dance academy involved but nothings come up, it all seems a waste of time.’
By no means have her other achievements been a waste of
time. Time isn’t going to be wasted in the near future either. Having a desire
to support and make a difference is young children’s life; Hayley hopes to
raise money for a six-year-old gun victim, Thusha this June. Rea’s emotional
side shone through as she tells the story: ‘It’s a real shame because she wanted
to be a dancer and now she’s paralysed. So me and another girl are going to
dance our way across London and meet in Hyde Park, just to raise a bit of
money, showing our support.’ I don’t think the public need much more evidence
to prove that this enthusiastic performer doesn't have one bad bone in her
body.
As the conversation ended, Rea admits that throughout all
her success she couldn’t have done it without her mum, Marion Rea and twin
brother, Adam Rea. If it wasn’t for her supportive mum, Rea probably wouldn’t
have pushed herself to open her own business until now, for that she’s entirely
grateful. This gratitude can also be read in the Croydon Guardian since Hayley
nominated her mum for ‘unending support’. ‘Now that me and my brother are
close, he helps me out if I need it and I know my mum’s always there to do
typical mummy things, washing and ironing the schools t-shirts doesn’t sound
like much but it certainly helps.’
For more information on Hayley’s dance school got to http://www.aimhighacademy.co.uk/.
Hayley with mum, Marion and Brother Adam.
Aim High dance academy
