Miss Athena

 Athena Holds the following prestigious memberships and qualifications. 

Member of SET (Society of Education & Training)  

Qualified Teacher Licentiate (LIDTA) (IDTA)  

Qualified Teacher Status (ISTD) 

Teacher of the Arts & Member (LAMDA)  

Qualified Teacher Acro Dance Teachers Association (ADTA)

Level 6 Diploma in Dance Pedagogy (DDP) (ISTD)

Level 7 - MA Professional Dance Practice - Inclusive Practice 

Licentiate ISTD Modern 

Licentiate ISTD Classical Ballet 

Advanced 2 Modern ISTD

Advanced 2 Classical Ballet ISTD

Athena Burns has had a full career on and off the stage, including working in TV, modelling, and representing her country under seven different titles between 2008 and 2020. She has appeared in over thirty-two stage productions, including London’s West End Touring Musicals, her favourites: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Dorcas), West Side Story (dance captain), Grease (Rizzo), Fame (dance captain), and High School Musical (lead Gabrielle). Athena was also part of the Moulin Rouge, her favourite of all roles. 

Athena attended the Liverpool Theatre School and College (LTSC), receiving her dance, drama, and singing qualifications and a scholarship to study professional musical theatre. During this time, she won Student of the Year for North West Students of Dance and obtained the highest classical grade winning Classical Ballerina of the Year in 2010 - with a 98% in intermediate ballet. The same year, she was also selected for the Gladys Thorpe Memorial Award from the International Dance Teachers’ Association, competing against over 3000 hopefuls across Europe. 

 After graduating from LTSC, Athena attended the Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre where she studied all aspects of dance, drama, and musical theatre. There, she became qualified with the International Dance Teachers’ Association, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, a Diploma in Dance Instruction (DDI) in all core subjects with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance.
Athena holds an HND psychology and HND in Mental Health Studies from the University of Essex and has numerous projects on the go, which includes taking her fellowship examinations in all core subjects to enable her to be an examiner. 

'There is a very large gap between dance and disability and more needs to be done to close this she feels and to better support the teachers of arts' 

Athena has created schools across the world to benefit the local communities and the British Army families service children. 

'I was told to lower my standards for these children, that it was just fun and they wouldn't take it seriously, I can now look back and laugh as a lot moved into professional dance, gained scholarships, and even are now professionals in their own right, I won't lower my standards I will only ever support and inspire and I live by the school motto, Aim High In All Things'

 After moving to Canada Athena took a role as a dance teacher at the Medicine Hat Conservatory of Music & Dance within 3 months she became to Interim Programme Manager of the dance department 'I introduced new things to Alberta Canada, I impacted the competitions system introducing live vocals, character heels and stage management, dance history and anatomy, and physiology study to classes'. 

 In 2017 Athena left the college and moved into her own developed studio. 'It was a very scary move, we put everything into having our own venue and it was a big gamble' It was a smash hit registering over 150 students within the first month. She introduced a new method of teaching dance and even the first school in Canada to bring LAMDA exams in. 'we went everywhere, we did everything and made a huge impact, taking students to Lake Louise, sending students off to audition and work with Paul Becker several times, they worked with Jordan Sparks twice and auditioned for Once upon a time on Netflix, We flew to Vegas and auditioned for Bill Bohol and Hollywood Dance Convention, they smashed the competition. We flew to London for two weeks with student scholarship winners who spent a week full time at LAINE, we spent time at the Hammond in Chester for auditions. Four students from ABPA Canada auditioned successfully for many colleges in the UK and moved to London in 2019, another has gained entry to a top Ontario college'.  

 Athena was accepted in 2017 as a full member of the Imperial Society of Teacher of Dance (ISTD)   Continued Professional Development is incredibly important to Athena. Within just one year alone she has undertaken an MA and professional research inquiry with the University of Middlesex, Completed my (DET) Diploma In Education & Training Level 5, Embarked on my QTLS Course, Began and was awarded a 2000.00 education scholarship with the ISTD - Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance to complete a Level 6 Dance Pedagogy (DDP).  Athena is working on her own professional dance Practice and Teaching and is excited to further her education and head into a Ph.D. in 2021 which she will be dedicating her studies to developing her program for children with mental health and disabilities as a way of therapy. She is passionate about the inclusive practice and is developing a course for dance teachers to aid their practice of inclusivity with children with Sensory needs and disabilities.  

This international dancer has five daughters, and two Siberian Huskies and that only encourages her to work harder. Athena is passionate about dance and enjoys both performing and teaching. Athena's Schools are renowned for the happy and enthusiastic atmosphere they create; Athena is a very driven and hard-working individual but puts a spin on the hard work that is needed within this industry with her upbeat and kind nature towards her students and team. Athena Theatre Works & Productions will have Athena's full attention now and her ambition to create a college program for those wanting to receive professional qualifications and teacher training within all aspects of the arts in the beautiful South Coast of England.  

Athena is currently completing her Fellowship qualifications in Classical Ballet & Modern with the ISTD along with preparing herself to become a future examiner of the South Coast