Tanwood was established in 1944 by Mollie Tanner (Miss Mollie) – it is now run by her daughter Pollyann (Director/choreographer)

 

The school provides training in all aspects of the profession, combining all styles of dance, singing, and acting to pupils from 2 – 75 years of age for those working towards a career or purely for leisure. Tanwood has its own premises with 14 staff, working seven days a week with evening classes and a full time course.

 

Current and former students are appearing in the west end, national tours, the Royal Ballet Company and worldwide ballet companies, T.V. and commercials, leading roles in feature films, news presenting, some have hosted their own T.V. shows, many are running their own dance schools or directing or choreographing.

 

8 Pupils have been lucky enough be in Billy Eliot ..

 

Tanwood provided the Orphans for the National tour of Annie with Sue Pollard.

Students have been all England finals winners, Grandison Clark award winners and Janet Cram award winners, and receive 100% pass rates in all ISTD, IDTA, and RAD exams. 38 students have become associates of the Royal Ballet with 11 actually gaining a place at the Royal Ballet School with many others gaining scholarships to Elmhurst , Tring and for older students Arts Ed , Birds, and Laines etc.

 

Pupils have performed for Princess Margaret at Drury Lane Theatre and Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Festival Hall for her 60th birthday celebrations , and Princess Anne was guest of honour at the Tanwood annual extravaganza at the Wyvern Theatre Swindon in 1982, and the world famous London Palladium during our 70th Anniversary celebrations.

 

Tanwood have been providing dancers for professional panto’s for over 50 years, and is in constant demand for concerts and cabaret performances.

 

Our former Patron Moira Shearer sadly passed away in 2006 and we are very honoured that Bonnie Langford had offered to step in to her (red) shoes.

 

2014 was our 70th anniversary and we celebrated big style , including a performance at the famous LONDON PALLADIUM! a Fabulous SUMMER BALL , an Epic show TANWOODS GREATEST HITS which resurrected a lot of original and award winning pieces and invited a lot of ex pupils back from all over the world ! wE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR 80TH CELEBRATION IN 2024!!

 

We were very excited to produce the first ever performance in this area of 'CATS - THE MUSICAL' . in 2016 , which has kick started the annual Tanwood Youth Theatre productions ..2017 is FOOTLOOSE 2018 was 42ND STREET .. MATILDA  ..Watch out for another spectacular production FROZEN in 2024.