by GK Stage Academy offers tuition in dance, drama, song & musical theatre to boys & girls aged 3 – 18! Build confidence, nurture creativity and have fun in a positive, inclusive and encouraging environment.
Classes comprise of a mix of the three fundamentals of performance; dance, drama and singing. Classes are divided by age, class in school and ability. Our teachers continually strive to ensure children are engaged and challenged and continually push to help them meet their full potentially, all the while keeping fun and positivity to the forefront.
Instructors:
Grainne Kennedy – Director and Dance Teacher
Fresh from the Helix stage in one of Dublin’s top rated pantomimes, Gráinne began dancing with the Metropolitan School of Ballet before moving to Spotlight Stage School. From there she commenced full time training at the College of Dance. She also trained in Classical and Musical Theatre singing to grade 8 at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Theatre credits include; four consecutive Christmas Pantos, Bugsy Malone and Our House: The Madness Musical at the Olympia Theatre, Christmas Crackers and Oliver! at the National Concert Hall, Celtic Circles at the Point, Grease at the Gaiety, The Musical Awards at the Bord Gais, Welcome to Burlesque at the RDS and Convention Centre Belfast, Skipper and Scooters Adventure at Tayto Park and eleven consecutive pantos at Helix Theatre as well as various corporate events across the country and beyond, including dancing with Taylors Irish Nights in London and for Rudimental in Dublin’s 3Arena. Grainne also performs regularly around the country with XOD.
Tour credits include; three seasons in Wilde Nights Cabaret on board the Oscar Wilde as lead Irish dancer and dance captain. Four tours of North America with Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret, Normandy Nights Cabaret Show on board the MV Normandy, a tour of Denmark with Irish Dreams and a tour of Holland with Celtic Rhythms as Irish dancer and lead female vocalist.
TV and ad credits include, several appearances on The Late Late Show, Republic of Telly (RTE) George Gently (BBC) Ireland Am, The TV3 Toy Show (TV3) Penny Dreadful, Ripper Street, Vikings (Sky Atlantic) The Imperium Stone Movie. Adverts for INUA Hotels, Lifestyle Sports, Sky Sports Heineken, Vodafone, and Aura Gyms. Grainne also featured in country singer Claudia Buckley’s latest music video.
Choreography credits including, Strictly Summerhill, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, All Shook Up, We Will Rock You, Grease and Back to the 80s (Oatlands College) Strictly Broadway 2017, Dancing Through the Decades, Musicals Gala Night (St Pats College and Mercy Convent, Navan) Don’t Give Me Lip (St Pats College and Loreto Convent, Navan) Broadway Battle, Dancing Through the Decades, Genre Battles, Dont Give Me Lip, Music Legends, Musical Mayhem (Ashbourne Community School) Broadway Battles, Dancing Through the Decades, Dont Give Me Lip, Musical Mayhem, A Night in the Spotlight (O’Carolan College Nobber) The Lion King Junior (St Pius X Boys School, Terenure) The Enfield Revue 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, Strictly Come Dangan 2018, Grease and School of Rock (St Joseph’s of Killiney) Musical Mayhem (Ard Scoil Rathangan) along with choreographing and judging a large number of Strictly Events country wide.
Laura Wynne – Singing and Drama Teacher
Laura is no stranger to the stage and has been involved in Musical Theatre from an early age. She has performed in all the major theatres in Ireland. Laura studied “Theatre Studies” in Inchicore College and also trained in the Gaiety School of Acting. She starred as “Eva Peron” in the Irish Premiere of “Evita“. She also played the lead role of “Sally” in “Me and My Girl” at the Gaiety Theatre. Laura starred in a Christmas pantomime which ran for three months in the Tivoli Theatre. She has since performed with the same Theatre Company five times, playing lead on each tour. Laura has also starred as “Rizzo” in “Grease”, “Maria” in “The Sound of Music”, “Audrey” in “Little Shop of Horrors” and acting roles which include William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “Bombshells” which ran in the Sugar Club. She was also nominated for “Best Actress in a performance” for her role as Eva Person. Laura has also toured with “Normandy Night Cabaret” to France for two years as lead singer and with “The Oscar Wilde Cabaret” as singer and dancer.
Laura has worked with the Lambert Puppet Theatre for the last eight years starring in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin and many more… She is also a member of “Bentley Boys Band” and performs at weddings and festivals all over the country.
Laura is currently preparing for a role in “Vikings” and American television series “Into the Badlands”.
Laura has over 15 years teaching experience and has taught in many Stage Schools over the years.
Aine Mooney – Contemporary Dance Teacher
Áine has many years experience teaching ballet, jazz, lyrical, musical theatre, and drama. She completed a diploma in dance and drama at C.S.N. Cork before training in Professional Musical Theatre at C.P.A Studios, London. She has since been featured internationally as a dancer and actress in blockbuster films, TV shows, and commercials. She has worked with companies such as Disney, Warner Bros., Supervalu, Glenisk, Acorn TV, ABC, ITV, RTÉ, Tourism Ireland, Sky Sports, Tesco, Lucozade and Apple Inc. Áine has also previously partaken in Dublin Youth Dance Festival, dance film residencies, was a featured panelist in Wicklow ScreenDance Laboratory Festival 2021 and Laois Youth Dance Festival 2021. She is currently in her final year of studying ISTD DDE in Imperial Classical Ballet.
With a BA in English literature, Áine is also a published poet and brings this special creative gift to her unique teaching style.
Yasmina Aniss – Dance and Drama Teacher
Yasmina graduated from the College of Dance in 2009, under the supervision of Joanna Banks after completing a two year full time course and acquired a National Diploma in Dance and Musical Theatre. She has also graduated from Maynooth University with an honours bachelor degree in Business and Management.
Yasmina found her love of performing arts at the age of three training in London at the McAlpine School of Dance studying RAD (Ballet) and ISTD (Jazz and Tap) syllabus.
She also became an associate of the prestigious English National Ballet in their youth dance program and gained the opportunity to dance in the Royal Albert Hall.
After re-locating to Ireland, Yasmina took up commercial dance with Dance Fusion and privately began acquiring her teacher’s diploma studying Russian Ballet for NATD. In 2007, she began her training with the College of Dance, Monkstown.
Yasmina has worked extensively with children aged 3+ in all areas of the performing arts for the last 13 years in stage schools, primary + secondary schools, creches and musical societies.
Yasmina is delighted to be in her 2nd year with GKSA and is consistently amazed by the continuous dedication and talent within the school.
John Kennedy – Administrator
A Dublin native, John began his career with AIB where he worked for twenty plus years. A keen member of the banks ‘Tops of the Towns’ group, he has himself graced many of Ireland’s top stages, including the Olympia.
A long time ‘stage Dad’ he understands the time, effort and dedication given by the parents as well as the children!
John will be on hand during class times to answer any queries you may have.