GPSD specialises in the development of skilled, successful, and confident young dancers who are versatile to meet and excel in the requirements of todays dance world. We are committed to developing an inclusive population of dancers who are equipped physically and mentally for the 21st Century.
We offer Vocational and Graded Examinations with the
The Royal Academy of Dance.
“GPSD is dedicated to high standards of teaching resulting in high standards of learning”
GPSD is a Specialist Ballet School.
The school opened its doors more fully to the wider community in 2005 after remaining small from 1996. Georgie was for some years the only teacher, but now has the joy of having her daughter Megan teaching full time alongside her. The school has been growing steadily since and now has approximately 150 students attending from one class to ten plus classes each week. The school environment is welcoming, friendly, and supportive, catering to both ballet as a hobby, dancing for the pleasure and joy of it, or alternatively if a child has potential and desire, they can be taken down a more vocational route
The school currently has, and has had, many students go on to train vocationally full-time at the Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, English National Ballet School, Elmhurst Ballet School,Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Tring Park School for the performing Arts, Laine Theatre Arts, Urdang Academy, London Studio Centre and Edinburgh Festival Ballet School. Some of these students are now having careers as both Professional Ballet & Contemporary dancers as well as teachers, whilst others are still training at these schools.
GPSD has children as associates at the Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, Tring Park Classical Ballet Academy, English National Ballet School, Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance, and London Studio Centre.
The staff will always endeavour to make each child’s learning experience a happy one.
Our Teachers
Georgina Pay (Georgie)
Georgie started ballet once a week at the age of 5 with Barbara Radbourne in Hereford. Her time in ballet was tentative as she spent most of her time training as a gymnast and was at the age of 12 County Champion. At the age of 14 she started dancing in Worcester with Sharon Shakespeare. Whilst there, she was an RAD Scholar for two years and also a member of the Three Counties Youth Ballet.
At sixteen she was awarded a place at Bush Davies Education and Theatre Arts School and after graduating from there went on to perform professionally, in Japan and Malaysia. After returning to the UK, she worked for Molly Molloy at Danceworks in London.
As well as running her own school, Georgina Pay School of Dance – GPSD, Georgie also teaches at Heath Mount Preparatory School where she has been teaching since 1996.
Whilst at Heath Mount Georgie actioned the curriculum in dance for years 1-8, brought Ballet to the Pre-Prep, and has taken children on tour into Europe to perform. She has also directed and produced Annual Performances which have included both Ballet and Commercial Dance for Heath Mount.
Georgie, through GPSD, currently has or has had students training at the Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, Elmhurst Ballet School, Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary dance, Laine Theatre Arts, London Studio Centre and Edinburgh Festival Ballet School.
Other students are currently dancing professionally around the world, whilst many younger students are just beginning their journeys as associates at the Royal Ballet School, Central School of Ballet, English National Ballet School, the Classical Ballet Academy at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance and London Studio Centre.
Georgie has been a co-director of Three Counties Youth Ballet since 2010 and continues to work as a company director now.
Georgie is a fully qualified and registered teacher with the British Ballet Organisation and the Royal Academy of Dance and has been devoted to GPSD since it opened its doors.
Megan Pay
Megan is a Royal Ballet School trained teacher, after completing their two-year Diploma of Dance Teaching Course in July 2020.
Megan first started Ballet at the age of 9 and became a very committed student training 6/7 nights a week. She progressed quickly through her grades until finally passing her Royal Academy of Dance Advanced 2 Exam with Distinction. Megan went on to train full-time at Central School of ballet at age 16, graduating in 2015 with a BA (Hons) in Professional Dance & Performance. During her graduate year at Central Megan took a lead role in Christopher Marnie’s piece, “Scenes from a Wedding” along with dancing in other pieces whilst on tour with Ballet Central. Megan has also worked with Christopher Hampson (Director of Scottish Ballet) Christopher Bruce (Artistic Director of Rambert Dance Company until 2002) and Kit Holder (Birmingham Royal Ballet).
Megan has been an Associate at Central School of Ballet and a Senior Associate at the Royal Ballet School. She was fortunate enough to have also been chosen to attend the Royal Ballet Schools International Summer School at Covent Garden.
Megan joined the teaching team at Georgina Pay School of Dance (GPSD) in September 2015 and has contributed greatly to the student’s learning and joy of dance in this time. Megan teaches Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz at GPSD, whilst also coaching students for the Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition and Phyllis Bedells.
Megan was also a teacher at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts at their Classical Ballet Academy from 2021-2023.
Megan has been involved with Three Counties Youth ballet for their past three seasons (2017-2019) right through from auditions to teaching daily ballet class during the rehearsal process as well as being the student’s Rehearsal Mistress. Megan has had creative and artistic input with choreography alongside also choreographing an original piece in 2019 called ‘Synergy’.
Michelle Styler (Shelley)
Shelley started dancing at the age of 2½ yrs and danced with Sharon Shakespeare until the age of 16. During that time Shelley was an RAD scholar for three years, was awarded an RAD Summer School scholarship, two years running, and the Anton Dolin scholarship at Gloucester Seminar. She was also a Three Counties Youth Ballet member.
At 16 she was awarded a place at Bush Davies Education and Theatre Arts School, and during her time there she won the Noreen Bush Award and was chosen to represent the school in the Prix de Lausanne selection process. When Bush Davies closed Shelley finished her training and graduated from Elmhurst Ballet School. She went on to perform as a soloist with the Wiener Ballet Theatre.
After her professional dancing career and, having gained teaching qualifications in RAD Ballet & ISTD Modern she started her own school which she ran as Principal for 11yrs. She has had children go on to train at White Lodge and Elmhurst Ballet School. She has also added to her portfolio, qualifications as a STOTT Certified Pilates Instructor.
Shelley has been a co-director of Three Counties Youth Ballet since 2010 and still continues to work as a company director now.
In 2018, after intensive training, Shelley was awarded a position as an Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance.
She continues to teach with Georgie, Megan, & Lauren at GPSD when she is not away examining.
Tom Holmes
Tom trained at the Marguertia Hoare School of Dancing from the age of seven years old. He studied Tap, Modern, Jazz and Ballet at the school until he passed his advanced levels in all subjects with high results. During this time, Tom performed in St Albans pantomimes with the school and competed in many festivals, including the All England Dance National Finals in London. At the age of eleven, Tom made his West End debut after successfully auditioning for Cameron Mackintosh’s Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. A few years later, Tom also appeared as Young Don in Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace Theatre, London.
At the age of 18 he went to train full-time at Bird College, graduating in 2019 with a BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre, along with being awarded the Doreen Bird Foundation Award.
Since leaving Bird College, Tom has studied for his ISTD teaching qualifications in Tap and Modern with Heather Rees, Ruth Armstrong, Tereza Theodoulou and Vivienne Saxton.
Tom continues to train with ISTD examiners for further teaching qualifications whilst teaching at the Marguerita Hoare School of Dancing, St Albans, Georgina Pay School of Dance, Ware and Cassana Performance Academy, Ware.
Tom is an Associate Teacher at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and also has guest tutored at other vocational colleges. Tom is a member with the ISTD and bbodance.
Carlie Milner
Carlie joined GPSD in September 2022. Carlie trained at Elmhurst Ballet School and has performed professionally since. She has recently played Penny in the West End tour of Dirty Dancing and has been filming short films in recent months too.
Carlie has many years of experience in a variety of styles and comes with years of teaching experience which shows in her classes and the enjoyment of the students during their lessons with her.
ALL STAFF AT GPSD ARE FULLY DBS CHECKED, HOLDING CURRENT CERTIFICATES, SAFEGUARDING TRAINED, AS WELL AS ALSO BEING FIRST AID TRAINED.
Georgie and Shelley
In 2009 Georgie and Shelley decided to collaborate and create once again the Three Counties Youth Ballet. Since 2010 they have been, and continue to be, co-directors of the company and work hard to produce high standards of choreography and performance. Three Counties Youth Ballet was re-created to offer young students the same wonderful opportunities that both Georgie and Shelley were afforded by their teacher Sharon Shakespeare.
The first season “The Magic Begins” culminated in April of 2011, with performances at the Hertford Theatre.
Season 2 “Right to the Pointe” was performed in March & April of 2012.
Season 3 “Let’s Dance” was performed at the Hertford Theatre in March of 2013.
Season 4 “Perfectly Poised” was performed in March of 2014.
Season 5 “Delight, Inspire… Dance” was performed in July & August of 2017.
Season 6 “Magical Moments” was performed in July & August of 2018.
Season 7, “Pointe Perfection” was performed in July & August of 2019.
Season 8 was postponed due to Covid-19 but it’s hoped that it will take place in 2023!!