Ep 51: Joanne Ward, musical theatre leading lady and principal of the Royal Academy of Dance

Joanne's background in professional & performance ballet, musical theatre and television provides her with unique expertise and credentials in the performing arts.

Born in Paignton, Devon where she attended the Pamela De Waal School of Dancing. From an early age she was performing professionally in pantomimes alongside the Carry On team and Freddie Davis. She trained at the Arts Educational School in London, going on to perform principal roles with the Dublin City Ballet Company in Ireland, namely Pas De Quatre, Les Slyphides and The Nutcracker, working with Lou Conte, Paula Hinton Gore and John Gilpin. Joanne also danced frequently with the Dublin Grand Opera in Carmen, La Traviata 

On her return to the UK, she performed in the Jim Davidson show playing the role of Cinderella before joining the original cast of 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Joanne went on to play the role of Phyllis Dale, understudy both Peggy Sawyer which she performed numerous times and Anytime Annie. She later went on to perform Peggy Sawyer on the first national tour and return season to the West End at the Dominion Theatre.

On television Joanne has appeared on the Royal Variety Performances of 1985 & 1986, A Royal Night of 100 Stars, Casualty, House of Elliott and Little Englanders to name a few. In film she has appeared in The Hawk and the James Bond movie Goldeneye.

Joanne's experience also encompasses choreography for pantomime & smaller revues and acting in corporate videos.

A scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dance led her into a teaching career and in 1995 she graduated with distinction from the Professional Dancers Teaching Course. Going on to teach at the Denise Windmill School of Dance, The London School of Mime, Diana Vere School of Dance, Corona Stage School, Centre Stage and Roehampton Institute.

Until recently she also taught at the RAD Dance School in London.Joanne also taught regular artistic enhancement classes alongside RAD Summer and Easter Schools both in England and abroad, Children’s Summer Classes, and numerous children’s workshops. She has also taught at MOVE IT for the RAD, Move 123 in Luxembourg and assisted Craig Bartley who choreographed the Finale for Dance Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.

She has had the pleasure of teaching the ballet classes for the IDTA Classical Performance Awards and at the IDTA London Seminar. Joanne has also had the honour of adjudicating the IDTA Classical Performance Awards.

Joanne was selected to complete training to enable her to teach Sir Frederick Ashton workshops both for The Dream and La Fille Mal Gardee for the RAD which she did at RAD HQ

She continues to run her own ballet school in Surrey, now in its eighteenth year. She is also a licenced Silver Swan teacher.

In October 2018 Joanne became the Principal of the RAD Dance School at the headquarters in London.