Dance at Farlington reaches new heights as professional dancer Kayleigh Wells joins the team

Farlington School in Horsham, West Sussex, is proud to offer students aged four to 18 an all-new dance experience, following the appointment of professional dancer Kayleigh Wells as the school’s new Dance & Drama Teacher. 

Farlington School has an excellent reputation for performing arts, with consistently outstanding academic results, sellout drama performances, highly impressive LAMDA results, and Olivier Award-winning alumni. Now, alongside its thriving Music and Drama Departments, the school has launched a new Dance Department, headed up by the hugely talented Kayleigh Wells, experienced dance teacher and owner of popular local dance school KDF Academy of Dance & Fitness.

Farlington Headmaster James Passam has had great plans to expand performing arts at the school since his arrival at the helm in September 2021, and is now bringing those plans to fruition. Whilst dance has always been offered to Farlington students within the PE curriculum and as part of the school’s ‘creative carousels’, with Kayleigh Wells now on board, all students have the opportunity to take extra-curricular examination classes in the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD)'s Imperial Classical Ballet, Tap Dance and Modern Theatre Dance. In addition to these examination classes, Farlington is excited to offer classes in Street Dance, Musical Theatre and Lyrical/ Contemporary Dance, all of which will lead to performance opportunities throughout the year.

“At Farlington, we are committed to providing a broad curriculum for our students. Dance represents another exciting development for the school, which will provide further opportunities to our students in performance and the development of physical literacy, and which places a priority on arts and culture,” says James. “Kayleigh has fantastic experience in the world of dance, and will make a real difference to our performing arts team. Our students can’t wait to experience the different dance genres that we are now able to offer.”

A keen dancer since the age of five, Kayleigh Wells successfully auditioned for The BRIT School at 16. After graduating with a Diploma in Performing Arts, she went on to gain her ISTD Diploma in Dance Education in Imperial Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre Dance and Jazz Dance, whilst also gaining International Dance Teachers’ Association teaching qualifications in Associate Ballet and Musical Theatre, and the Progressing Ballet Technique teaching qualification.

Kayleigh brings to Farlington a wealth of experience in teaching dance. Over the past 15 years, she has taught at some of the country’s top dance schools, and has owned her own Horsham-based dance school, KDF Academy of Dance & Fitness, for 10 years. Over the years, Kayleigh’s students have achieved a 100% pass rate in all ISTD dance examinations; gained places at top performing arts colleges and universities; been crowned overall title winners at local dance competitions; and landed roles in West End shows, and even films. 

Kayleigh’s own professional experience spans many areas of the industry, having appeared in commercials and major feature films; worked as a talent agent; danced in professional theatre shows; appeared on the BRIT Awards, and worked in countries across the world for The Walt Disney Company, as a choreographer and events manager.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to join the Farlington team,” says Kayleigh. “The future is looking extremely exciting for dance at Farlington, with trips, workshops, productions, great performance opportunities – and maybe even the opportunity to compete – on the horizon. So watch this space!”