PEPPER STREET
PERF0RMING ARTS
Pepper Street Performing Arts (PSPA) is a small company delivering a range of performing arts education and services throughout North Staffordshire. The company was established in November 2014 by two like-minded performers/teachers (Ali & Olivia) determined to share their love of performing arts in a friendly and accessible way...
WHO WE ARE
Ali Spender BA(Hons) MSc PGCert, PSPA Founder
Ali began music lessons at the age of 7, piano lessons at first closely followed by violin and singing. She’s participated in all manner of performances as a solo vocalist and with choirs, ensembles and in musical theatre. Whilst at university, Ali sang in rock/pop bands and performed in musical theatre productions.
She studied for her MSc in Music Psychology researching what makes effective music teaching. Since university she has worked extensively with children and young people including teaching and community development work within schools, colleges, universities and local authorities.
In recent years Ali has taught singing and musical theatre classes in performing arts academies preparing children and young people for exams and performance and delivering 'just for fun' sessions. She currently runs an adult and a junior rock and pop choir which perform regularly at local events and charity functions. Alongside this Ali also participates in the local musical theatre scene both performing and in production.
Olivia Birkin, MBBO, PSPA Founder
Olivia has loved performing since the age of 3 when she started her dance training and got involved with local Amateur Dramatics. From the age of 5 she has been appearing regularly in productions, her favourite roles to date being Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables, Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot, Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Eva Peron in Evita.
In 2005 Olivia was awarded a Jazz Scholarship with the British Ballet Organisation. In the summer of 2011, she won the chance to perform on the West End stage as Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot at The Victoria Palace Theatre, London. Professionally Olivia has appeared in Whistle Down the Wind, Romeo & Juliet (Birmingham Royal Ballet), several pantomimes and performing for Her Majesty the Queen at the official opening of The Regent Theatre. For the last five years she has been performing as a singer/dancer on the Let Me Entertain You professional international tour.
At the age of 11 Olivia began to help out in children’s ballet and tap classes as a teacher’s assistant and from then on she hasn’t stopped teaching children how to dance and takes great pride in her job. She is a fully qualified dance teacher with the British Ballet Organisation and is very proud of Pepper Street Performing Arts.
Ann Johnson, PSPA Ballet & Tap Teacher
Ann has been dancing from the age of 4 training in Ballet and Tap and holds awards and qualifications in the BBO syllabus including her Level 4 Ballet Teaching. She is an experienced teacher of Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz and Pointe Work. She is furthering her education in dance by currently studying a BA (Hons) Dance Education Degree with the Royal Academy of Dance.
Ann is also an experienced performer having taken part in dance shows at local theatres, competing at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool and being cast as an extra in films and adverts!
Ann enjoys to perform dance in the styles of Jazz and Salsa and we're really hoping she'll share some of this in the not too distant future with additional PSPA classes for children and adults... watch this space