45 Years of Bingham School of Dance

Bingham School of Dance was founded in 1981 by Shan Jones, mother of Megan Nicholson (bbodance Registered Teacher). After getting married and moving up from Wales to Nottinghamshire, Shan started teaching at the Bingham Old Church House, and for 45 years it’s where generations of local families have enjoyed dancing.

What began as a small, local class quickly grew through word of mouth and community support. Shan built the school on strong classical training, high standards and genuine care for every child who walked through the door. Many of those early pupils are now parents themselves, bringing their own children to dance at the school, which feels incredibly special.

Shan went onto creating Hykeham School of Dance which she later left for Alison Wallace after having her first born (Bethan Hall).

In 2021, Megan took over the school from her mum. Having grown up in the mix of Bingham and Hykeham schools herself, she felt both a huge responsibility and a real privilege to continue what her mum started.

The school’s connection to the British Ballet Organization goes right back to Shan’s own childhood.

She began dancing at 10 years old in Caldicot, taking bbodance exams with her teacher Pam. She later trained under Elizabeth Corney, who was a bbodance member and played a big part in shaping Shan’s early training and values as a teacher.

Before moving to Nottinghamshire, Shan also taught in Caldicot alongside bbodance teacher Angela Fryer. Her belief in the bbodance syllabus and its structure has never changed, and it has remained at the heart of the school ever since.

Over the years, the school has held countless shows and charity performances, always trying to use dance as a way to bring people together and give back.

A particularly proud moment was Shan receiving a civic award in recognition of her commitment to the community. It meant so much, not just to her, but to the whole school family.

The Bingham team are also incredibly proud of their pupils who have gone on to vocational dance training, completed dance degrees, joined programmes such as the bbodance Scholars, Royal Ballet and Royal Ballet Associates and built professional careers within the industry. 

They have also supported and mentored members of our own former students and teaching team to qualify with bbodance and establish their own schools. Seeing staff grow into confident teachers and leaders is something they truly value.

Since taking over in 2021, Megan has continued to grow the school while keeping its family feel at the centre of everything they do. Alongside Bingham School of Dance, Megan now also leads Hykeham School of Dance and has recently established Collingham School of Dance, allowing her to offer the same supportive, high-quality bbodance training to even more children.

The schools continue to focus on strong technical foundations, regular examinations, performance opportunities and supporting those who wish to audition for associate or vocational pathways. Just as importantly, they remain committed to developing their staff, mentoring them, encouraging further qualifications and investing in the future of dance education within their schools.

“As we celebrate 45 years, we feel incredibly proud of our history and deeply grateful to the families who have supported us over the decades. We look forward to continuing to grow, nurture both students and teachers, and carry the bbodance legacy forward for many years to come.”