I am excited to share something special that the Arts1 team and I have been working on for quite a while. People come to Arts1 for many brilliant reasons: to develop skills, meet like-minded creative people, and cultivate essential human qualities like resilience, confidence, health, and well-being.  Our community is incredible and training in a diverse environment with accessibility and inclusion is very much part of our ethos.

We also understand that some of our students are serious about performing and want to take their passion to the next level, beyond a fabulous hobby.  We recognise that those who want to train seriously need a slightly different conversation and approach to their talent development. This approach is definitely not for everyone, but for those who want towards those kinds of goals, we have created the Advanced Training Programme (ATP).

Any Arts1 student that has built their timetable to 4 classes per week can access this programme.  This is to ensure there is the time for students to develop a balanced curriculum.  There is no audition, the access to training is for anyone that is able to commit to the programme alongside their main timetable.

See you in the studio.

James Grimsey
Creative Director & Co-Founder

Allyson Ava-Brown

Allyson Ava-Brown, born in the UK, is a reputed singer and actress, and is best known for her role of Beatrice in Bear Behaving Badly. More recently, she has been Angelica Schuyler in the West End production of Hamilton.

As a vocalist Allyson provided backing vocals for Rita Ora and George Michael and won a MOBO award. Theatre credits include: Baby Shelduck in Julia McKenzie’s Honk! The Ugly Duckling at the National Theatre; Mimi Marquez in Phil Wilmott’s Rent; Eponine in Matthew Ryan’s Les Miserables; title role in Joyce Brannagh’s Cinderella at the Watford Palace Theatre.

Louisa Shaw

Louisa is the former Director of the Performance Foundation Course at the prestigious Tring Park School for the Performing Arts where she taught for 16 years until January 2022. Past pupils include Ella Henderson (Platinum selling single “Ghost”), Lily James (Title role in the latest Disney Cinderella movie) and Daisy Ridley (The young female star in Star Wars) and numerous young West End performers.

Louisa has an extensive career on stage working on some of the largest shows in the world with creatives including Sir Trevor Nunn and Sir Matthew Bourne.

Ami Henderson

Ami graduated from London Studio Centre in 2007, with a BA (Hons) in Theatre Dance, with an Upper Second Class Honours with specialism in Jazz Theatre Dance. On graduation she toured the UK in The Jazz Dance Company and then went on to work professionally under the Management of Dancers Inc. For the past ten years, Ami has focused fully on dance education and teaching.

Ami has worked extensively in some of the UK's top vocational settings over the past ten years, as Course Leader at The Dang Academy and previously as Head of Jazz & Tap at Performers College Birmingham and Resident Dance Faculty at Emil Dale Academy. Ami has a wealth of experience in implementing high level training at some of the countries top vocational institutions and now has ex - students performing in a variety of professional settings.

Ami has also recently been appointed as an Examiner for The Dang Syllabus Level 4 Musical Theatre Syllabus, examining students age 5-21 years. Alongside her work commitments Ami is also studying for her MA in Dance Education at London Studio Centre.

James Grimsey

James has been working as a voice trainer to actors, singers and coaches for over 15 years. His wide ranging coaching schedule includes working with the UK’s leading training institutions and conservatoires, with winning artistes as featured on the X-Factor and BGT, leads in West End musicals and some of the UK’s finest young talent.

James is at the forefront of voice coaching in the Estill voice training system having learned from the worlds leading vocal gurus. His educational work with technical training for young people and choirs has inspired many thousands of people across the UK to find their voice and achieve their vocal potential.

The full time educational programmes at Arts1 are driven by James vision for nurturing excellence in performance.