About Beat Feet
Academy Of Dance
Discover the heart and soul behind Beat Feet Academy of Dance and our commitment
to nurturing young dancers.
About Us
Beat Feet Academy of Dance is a multi award winning dance school in Derby. We believe that a child's early experiences of dance will stay with them forever, so it's important that they're great experiences. We use a unique teaching approach that allows pupils to develop through creative activity. Our carefully tailored classes enable children to learn in a fun, encouraging environment whilst learning the importance of dance discipline.
Beat Feet Academy of Dance offers caring tuition from 9 months old in a range of genres and provides pupils with the opportunities to take ISTD examinations. Pupils are also encouraged to participate in the academy's performance events.
We inspire students whilst building confidence and providing skills that
can be used in multiple areas of their lives.
ISTD CDE, ISTD FDI, IDTA ASSOCIATES, ZIN LICENSED, ZUMBINI LICENSED & ACROBATIC ARTS CERTIFIED
About the Principal – Julie Latham
Miss Julie had a passion for dance from a very young age, when she attended her first ballet class in her home city of Liverpool at just two years old! She expanded the genres she studied and successfully completed many examinations with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA).
After secondary school, Miss Julie continued her training and was awarded a triple distinction BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts and Musical Theatre. She continued her professional development at North Liverpool Dance Academy Teacher Training College where Miss Julie was the first student to successfully complete the new ISTD Foundation in Dance Instruction (all 6 units inclusive) and ISTD Certificate in Dance Education qualifications (all 8 units inclusive) in several genres.
During her time at college, Miss Julie was also teaching a variety of dance genres, drama and singing at several performing arts establishments across Merseyside where she prepared students for examinations and performances. This gave her excellent experience for when she graduated and began teaching full-time.
In 2010, Miss Julie relocated to Derbyshire where she has since been teaching as a freelance dancer across the region and has maintained her 100% pupil pass rate for examination entries (with many pupils achieving distinctions). She successfully trained as a Zumba® Fitness instructor and was also awarded her speciality licenses enabling her to offer Zumba Gold®, Zumbatomic® and Zumbini® Licensed classes. Maintaining her Continuing Professional Development, Miss Julie later became certified as an Acrobatic Arts instructor and furthered this training through the AcroDance preschool programme.
Throughout her dancing life, Miss Julie has performed in many different shows at prestigious venues including the Liverpool Empire, Sadlers Wells and Disneyland Paris. She also made regular television appearances in Grange Hill and Hollyoaks when working at Mersey TV and Lime Pictures, Liverpool. Miss Julie is very proud to be the Principal of Beat Feet Academy of Dance and is passionate about delivering quality, high standard tuition that is personal and meets the students needs. She is dedicated to encouraging pupil's creativity to allow them to develop to their full potential through the skills of theatrical arts.
Testimonials
EXCELLENT Based on 40 reviews Posted on Andreea MileaTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We've been coming to the Parent and Tots Bop class for nearly a year now, and it's still one of my daughter's favourite things to do each week. The sessions are always fun and engaging and the teacher is fantastic. Can't recommend it enough!Posted on Natalie BallTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I can’t recommend beatfeet enough. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed her time at her acrobatic dance classes. The staff and teachers are wonderful with the children.Posted on Jonathan TurnerTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Daughter has taken both Zumba and Acrobatics. Loves it, and has learned loads from both classes. Grown in confidence in trying new things, and is making some really good friends.Posted on Laura HollowayTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My daughter has been coming to BeatFeet for over a year now and absolutely loves it! She does ballet and modern theatre, and has recently started acrobatics, which is now her favourite class! She has so much fun in all the classes and her confidence has improved massively since she started. She gets to perform in shows and take part in exams and I’m loving watching her become a little dancer and acrobat! The teachers are all lovely and she’s made friends with her classmates. I hope she’ll stick at it for years to come, as she loves being a part of BeatFeet and always looks forward to her classes 💗Posted on Jon ReynoldsTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My daughter has been with Beat Feet for the last couple of years and thoroughly enjoys her lessons. Miss Julie is a fantastic teacher, friendly and welcoming to all her pupils. My little one has learned a lot and we are very grateful!Posted on Rebecca GuestTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've been attending Zumba in Chellaston with Beat Feet for over ten years, including via zoom in lockdown!! I look forward to it every week as after a busy day at work, no matter how tired I feel, I know Julie's class will transform my mood and I'll leave feeling energised, happier, and like a different person! Even my son and husband know this!! My fitness has improved, the rest of the class have become good friends and I love the mixture of dances that we do from Latin to Little Mix!! It no longer feels like an exercise class but a night out dancing. Definitely recommend joining Julie's class on a Tuesday night. There's such a range of ages and abilities and we all just enjoy ourselves regardless whether we are in step or not!! In fact that's half the fun!!Posted on R BakshiTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing dance academy for children! My daughter loves her classes. The teachers are supportive and pay individual attention. Lots of options in dance styles for kids to choose and progress! Thank you Beatfeet and Ms Julie for giving my girl such a lovely platform to grow!Posted on Carpe NoctemTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Carpe Noctem were fortunate enough to work with Beat Feet Academy of Dance on their most recent Dance Show, providing technical support of Lighting, Sound and Video. Julie, and the Beat Feet company are extremely professional and all the dancers seemed to have lots of fun, covering lots of different styles and skills. The audience loved the shows! A pleasure to work with.Posted on Lally TuckleyTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Beat Feet Dance Academy is an excellent school. My daughter attends ballet and loves every minute of it. The teachers are very skilled and put the children at their ease. It is so good to see them growing in their chosen style of dance. This was exhibited brilliantly at the end of year show earlier this month. The dancers worked so hard and it was clear they were enjoying showcasing their talents on stage in front of an audience. The show was so well organised and Miss Julie had everything running like clockwork. A true gem we shall look forward to seeing next year. Well done to everyone involved - you worked your socks off! :)Posted on Georgia BennettTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My daughter had her first ever dance show with Beatfeet Dance Academy. She loved it! Julie put so much time and effort into organising and you could see that from the audience. Thankyou for giving her the best experience. I can’t wait for many more in the future!
Contact Beat Feet Derby
Contact us today for class recommendations or to book an occasions package. We look forward to hearing from you.





