Sophie Gallie Dance Academy

Directions Website Contact the business

Sophie Gallie Dance Academy Developing confident dancers and happy humans. Welcome to Chester's Award-Winning Dance Academy! Our doors are open for your dancer. Visit us: www.SGDA.org.uk

Sophie Gallie Dance Academy is a highly regarded dance academy in Chester, known for exceptional training, a brilliant teaching team and a supportive, people-first approach. Since its inception in 2011, SGDA has grown both in student numbers and reputation,
earning recommendations from some of the top vocational dance schools and artists in the UK. At SGDA, we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, warm, caring, and professional academy. While our reputation for excellent dance training is well-known, we are dedicated to nurturing all students, whether they aspire to a career in dance or simply want to enjoy it as a hobby. We have relocated to the state-of-the-art facilities at The Hammond, which now serves as our primary training location and new home. Our students have achieved full-time and associate placements at prestigious institutions such as The Royal Ballet School, Elmhurst, The Hammond, Tring Park, Northern Ballet School, Emil Dale Academy, The Dang Academy, ICMT, PPA, Leeds Conservatoire, KS Dance, Liverpool Central Studios, Moorland Ballet Academy, Ballet Boost, English Youth Ballet, National Youth Ballet, MELT, The Ballet Associates, Northern Ballet Company, and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. We are proud to be one of only 55 schools globally delivering The Royal Ballet Affiliate Teacher and Assessment Programme. Our exciting new ATAP classes will launch in September 2024 and are open to all local dancers. Come along, trial some classes in our state-of-the-art studios, and see what we are truly all about.

04/10/2026

đŸ†đŸ˜±đŸ†đŸ˜±đŸ† WE WON. ACTUALLY WON. đŸ†đŸ˜±đŸ†đŸ˜±đŸ†

SGDA is officially the UK Dance Awards 2026 winner for Nurturing Young Movers ‌‌

And if there was ever an award that summed up what we want SGDA to be, it’s this one.

Yes, we teach dance. Yes, we want our dancers to progress, work hard and achieve.

But more than anything, we want them to feel safe, supported, confident, included and genuinely known by the people teaching them.

This award belongs to our whole team, our dancers and every family who has trusted us with their children over the years.

We are so, so proud. đŸ„čđŸ„č

If SGDA has been part of your dancer’s story, tell us below what the academy has meant to them.

We’d absolutely love to read these tonight.

UK Dance Awards 2026
Nurturing Young Movers WINNER đŸ„‡

Tomorrow, Miss Warburton and Miss Eccleston-Tuohy are heading to London to represent SGDA at the UK Dance Awards.To be s...
03/10/2026

Tomorrow, Miss Warburton and Miss Eccleston-Tuohy are heading to London to represent SGDA at the UK Dance Awards.

To be shortlisted in three national categories is something we're incredibly proud of. It's a huge achievement for our academy and one that simply wouldn't be possible without the dedication of our amazing teaching team.

Thank you to Miss Warburton, Miss Eccleston-Tuohy, Miss Mather, Miss Aeryn and everyone who has played a part in making SGDA what it is today. Your passion, commitment and belief in our dancers is what makes this academy so special.

Of course, none of this would be possible without our incredible dancers and families either. Thank you for trusting us to be part of your journey.

Whatever tomorrow brings, we're already so proud to see SGDA recognised on a national stage.

Wishing Miss W and Miss Ecc the most wonderful evening. We can't wait to hear all about it! 💛

A little thought for parents of 6, 7 and 8 year olds.This is such a lovely age to begin dance.They’re still little, but ...
24/09/2026

A little thought for parents of 6, 7 and 8 year olds.

This is such a lovely age to begin dance.

They’re still little, but they’re starting to understand more, ask more, listen more, make friendships and take in the world around them in a different way.

At SGDA, we don’t expect children to arrive knowing exactly what they’re doing.

That’s what class is for.

We teach them the steps.

We help them build confidence.

We give them time to settle.

We get to know how they learn.

And bit by bit, they grow.

Some children come in full of beans.

Some children need a quieter start.

Some children watch first and join in when they’re ready.

All of that is ok.

We have a few spaces for dancers aged 6-8 this term, so if you’re not sure where your child would fit, just message us and we’ll help.

A little thought
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the way dance schools are sometimes spoken about as though we are...
22/09/2026

A little thought


I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the way dance schools are sometimes spoken about as though we are all meant to be in competition with each other.

I’ve never really understood it. đŸ€·â€â™€ïž

Children move classes. Families try new things. Dancers find different styles, different teachers, different environments. Sometimes they stay somewhere for years. Sometimes they need a change. Sometimes they come back. Sometimes they find something that suits them better elsewhere.

And honestly, that’s okay.

It happens everywhere. People change gyms, hairdressers, schools, clubs, restaurants, tutors. It doesn’t always mean one place is good and one place is bad. Sometimes it just means one place is the better fit for that person at that time.

I think the whole “dance school beef” thing is really outdated. đŸ„±

Every school has its own feel, values, standards, teachers and way of doing things. Every child is different. Every family is different. There should be room for that without anyone needing to turn it into a drama.

At SGDA, our focus is SGDA. 💗

That doesn’t mean we think we are better than anyone else. It means our energy goes into our own dancers, our own teaching, our own standards, our own families and our own school culture.

And I really believe that has to come from the adults first.

Teachers, staff and parents set the tone. If adults model comparison, suspicion and competitiveness, children pick up on it. If adults model respect, confidence and kindness, children pick up on that too.

I want our dancers to grow up knowing that they can be ambitious without being unkind, confident without needing to prove themselves against somebody else, and proud of where they train without pulling anyone else down.

There is room for different schools, different children, different approaches and different paths.

And honestly, I think that is a good thing.

I get this one so much.“I think they’d love dance, but I don’t actually know what to book.” And honestly, fair. Because ...
20/09/2026

I get this one so much.

“I think they’d love dance, but I don’t actually know what to book.” And honestly, fair. Because unless you’re already in dance world, why would you know the difference between all the classes?

Ballet, tap, commercial, lyrical, acro, musical theatre, grades, primary, foundation, all the different names.

It’s a lot.

And when it’s your child, you’re not just thinking “what class fits their age?”

You’re thinking


Will they cope with the room? Will they enjoy it? Will they be behind? Will they understand what to do? Will the teacher get them? Will they come out smiling?

And I get that. As a dance teacher, obviously. But also as a mum.

So if you’re looking at the timetable thinking “I have no idea where to start”, that’s ok.

You don’t need to have it all worked out before you message us. You can literally just say,

“My child is 7, they love dancing around the kitchen, where do we start?”

And we’ll help you work it out.

We have a few spaces for dancers aged 6-8 this term, and we’re always happy to help you find the right starting point.

Another one I hear quite a lot.“They’d love to dance but they’re not very confident.”That’s ok. Like genuinely, that is ...
17/09/2026

Another one I hear quite a lot.

“They’d love to dance but they’re not very confident.”

That’s ok. Like genuinely, that is ok.

Children don’t need to walk into class already confident. They don’t need to know what they’re doing. They don’t need to be the child who runs straight in and joins in with everything immediately.

Confidence is often the thing that grows because they start.

Because someone notices them. Because they’re given time. Because they’re not made to feel silly for being unsure. Because the room feels safe enough to try.

And honestly, 6, 7 and 8 is still little. They’re still working out new places, new adults, new children, new rules, new noise, new everything.

Some children bounce in. Some children observe first. Some children need a few weeks before they properly feel like themselves in the room.

We get that.

At SGDA, we care about good training, obviously. But we also care about the child in front of us, and how they actually feel in the class.

So no, they don’t need to be confident to start.

That can come later.

We have a few spaces for dancers aged 6-8 this term. If you’re not sure where your child would fit, message us and we’ll help.

And now it’s Rosa's big sister Matilda’s turn!! đŸ€Matilda also auditioned for Stagebox and was successful, being offered...
16/09/2026

And now it’s Rosa's big sister Matilda’s turn!! đŸ€

Matilda also auditioned for Stagebox and was successful, being offered membership in BOTH their Singing and Acting programmes starting this month!

Absolutely brilliant news and another very exciting opportunity for her.

Huge congratulations Matilda, go and absolutely smash it! ✹

Just a little thought because I hear this quite a lot from parents.“My child is 7, is it too late for them to start?”No....
15/09/2026

Just a little thought because I hear this quite a lot from parents.

“My child is 7, is it too late for them to start?”

No. Absolutely not. Like genuinely, not even a little bit.

I think we sometimes forget that 6, 7 and 8 year olds are still really little. They don’t need to walk into a dance class already knowing what they’re doing. They don’t need to be flexible, confident, perfectly behaved, super focused or able to pick everything up straight away.

That is what class is for.

Some children run in like they’ve owned the place since 2011. Some children need to watch first.

Some children spend the first few weeks figuring out the room, the teacher, the other children, the noise, the expectations, all of it.

And that’s ok.

At SGDA, we care about good training, obviously we do, but we also care about the child in front of us. How they learn. How they feel. What helps them settle. What makes them light up.

So no, starting at 6, 7 or 8 is not late.

It might actually be exactly the right time.

We have a few spaces in our classes for this age group at the moment, so if you’re not sure where your child would fit, just message us and we’ll help.

Big congratulations to our Rosa!! đŸ€Rosa auditioned for Stagebox and has been offered a place on their Acting & Singing P...
14/09/2026

Big congratulations to our Rosa!! đŸ€

Rosa auditioned for Stagebox and has been offered a place on their Acting & Singing Programme starting this September!

We LOVE seeing our dancers getting out there, auditioning, trying new things and saying yes to opportunities like this.

So proud of you Rosa, have the best time! ✹

THIS ONE IS HUGE!! đŸ€Our Zoe has been offered a place on the Royal Ballet School Advanced Associates Programme in London!...
13/09/2026

THIS ONE IS HUGE!! đŸ€

Our Zoe has been offered a place on the Royal Ballet School Advanced Associates Programme in London!!!

This is such a massive achievement and we honestly could not be prouder of her.

Zoe has worked SO hard for this. The progress she has made, particularly over the last 18 months, has been incredible to watch and this is so deserved.

To be selected for Advanced Associates at the Royal Ballet School is no small thing. It is an amazing opportunity to train alongside some of the most talented young dancers in the country and to be recognised at this level is just massive.

Zoe, we are ridiculously proud of you. You have absolutely proven what can happen when you keep showing up, keep working and keep believing in yourself.

London here she comes!!! âœšđŸ€

Address

The Hammond, Mannings Lane, Hoole Bank
Chester
CH24ES

Opening Hours

Tuesday 6pm - 9pm
Wednesday 6pm - 9pm
Thursday 5:30pm - 9pm
Friday 4pm - 9pm
Saturday 8:30am - 3:45pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sophie Gallie Dance Academy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Sophie Gallie Dance Academy:

Shortcuts

Share

Category