About Us

Belle Etoile Academy of Dance launched in 2016 to provide fun and friendly dance classes to children and young people in Bedford. We are committed to providing a safe and positive environment for young dancers to grow in confidence, develop strong technique and find their way to shine!

Meet The Team

Our team of teachers and assistant teachers have been carefully chosen for their love of dance, outstanding training and experience, and their love of working with children. All teachers are DBS checked and fully insured (certificates can be provided on request). In every class we hold, there will always be at least one teacher who is a fully trained Paediatric First Aider. We hope you enjoy finding out more about the team...

Meet Your Principal — Carly Jones

Principal & Founder of Belle Étoile Academy of Dance
Royal Ballet School Affiliate Teacher

Carly began dancing at just two and a half years old with the wonderful Sylvia Bebb, and from a young age she knew that dance was much more than a hobby, she dreamed of becoming a professional dancer.

During her training with Miss Sylvia, Carly studied RAD Ballet, ISTD Modern, Tap, Jazz and National Dance, achieving Advanced level qualifications. She competed, performed regularly and was fortunate enough to perform at Sadler’s Wells as part of the All England Dance Finals.

At 16, Carly successfully auditioned for the prestigious Northern Ballet School in Manchester, where she was awarded a scholarship to train for a Diploma in Professional Dance. Her training at NBS developed the technique, discipline, strength and stamina required for a career in the performing arts. She was privileged to train with world-renowned teachers and choreographers including Patricia MacDonald, David Needham and Eric Carpenter.

Following graduation, Carly embarked on a professional career which has seen her perform, teach and choreograph throughout the UK and internationally. Her performance credits include work with Costa Cruises, Compagnie du Ponant with Dancers International, as well as cabaret and production work across Europe.

In 2016, Carly founded Belle Etoile Academy of Dance, with the vision of creating a school where children and young people could develop not only their dancing, but also their confidence, discipline, creativity and love of performing. Over the past decade, Carly has taught hundreds of dancers across Bedfordshire and has continued to develop her own knowledge and expertise as a dance educator.

In 2024 Carly successfully completed the rigorous application and intensive training process with The Royal Ballet School to become a Royal Ballet School Affiliate Teacher. This is a role she is incredibly proud of and reflects her commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ballet training and continuing professional development.

Carly is an experienced and knowledgeable teacher, teaching students through to Advanced level in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical and Tap, and has a particular passion for supporting dancers who aspire to further their training within the vocational dance industry. Over the years, Carly has supported and prepared students for successful auditions and places with Royal Ballet School Junior Associates, Tring Park Classical Ballet Associates, Ballet Boost Associates, Bloom Buds, TS Academies and Stage Box Management, as well as helping students successfully audition for professional pantomime opportunities.

For Carly, one of the most rewarding parts of being a teacher is watching a dancer discover what they are capable of and helping them find the right pathway to achieve their goals, whether that is simply dancing for enjoyment and confidence, performing on stage, competing, or pursuing a future career in the performing arts.

“I believe every dancer deserves to be encouraged to dream big, while being given the training, knowledge and support they need to make those dreams a reality.”

Carly is incredibly proud of everything Belle Étoile has achieved over the past 10 years and looks forward to continuing to inspire the next generation of dancers. ✨

Alumni Staff

Miss Ellie - Assistant Teacher

Ellie attended the professional dance school Stella Mann College of Performing Arts. She has previously taught at Juliet Ratnage School of Performing Arts and Dancebox, has also performed with the English Youth Ballet, and undertaken many vocational dance exams including the Royal Academy of Dance Intermediate Ballet exam with Distinction. Ellie is now a professional dancer at Disneyland Paris and performs as characters including Tinkerbell and Wendy, we wish her the best of luck with this venture. We hope Ellie will work with us again and visit in future!

Miss Astrid - Assistant Teacher

Astrid has trained at dance schools including Italia Conti, Rambert and Stella Mann College of Performing Arts - where she is currently completing her Level Six Diploma in Dance with a Dance and Drama Award. She studies singing, acting, ballet, jazz, contemporary, commercial/street, musical theatre and tap. Astrid is a qualified teacher with BBO (British Ballet Organisation). We look forward to seeing Astrid pursue her career as a professional dancer, and hope she will come back and visit and work with us again!

Miss Chloë, BA (Hons)

Chloë started dancing at a very young age with Sylvia Bebb in Bedford and continued when she moved to France at the age of 4 with dance school ACDAC. As a child, Chloë pursued many hobbies with dance being the most prominent, she trained in a variety of dance styles including jazz, ballet and contemporary.

When she moved back to England at the age of 16, Chloë joined the contemporary company Initiate YDC and performed at multiple events in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas. She also found a passion for musical theatre when she started to perform with RARE Productions.

While studying for her International Business BA (Hons) degree, Chloë has found time to continue performing. During her first year in Brighton she joined The Waves, a cheerleading dance squad, and competed at two events including the ICC British Open Cheerleading Championships where her team came in 1st place for jazz and pom in their division. Whilst studying for her degree, Chloë joined the Bedford University dance team. Chloë graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in International Business.

Chloë is now working full time, but we look forward to her joining us to teach and assist classes again soon!

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