Our History

Dedicated to their Students

The academy was first established in April 2005 with Red Shoes Academy for cheerleading and tumbling who entered their 1st competition in November 2005 where each team returned with a trophy for there routine, since this time the team has gone from strength to strength achieving even more and more trophies and winning national competitions and titles along the way.

Once off to this flying start in 2006 Hayley-anna Dancy Principal of the academy took over a small dance school in Lytham St Annes called Clifton Arts Theatre School (CATS), not wanting to leave the original name behind the two were combined hence the creation of today’s academy ‘Cats with Red Shoes’.

September 2008 Cats with Red Shoes opened their own purpose built fully mirrored Studio’s/gym and shop on Rear Highfield road and have now gradually build up all their equipment to include fully matted gymnastic floor used for both gym and cheer, Beam, Vault, A-bars, tumble track, ballet bars, rhythmic equipment and not forgetting smaller items such as dance ribbons, tambourines and maracas, etc for smaller ones.

In 2013 the students had began to learn advanced skills and the academy had built up a large show team and gymnastics squad which out grew the studio, there fore we applied for an extension, which at first was refused but then in June finally got passed, so come August the build of the new waiting area began, then Hayley and Sandy started to knock down the inside walls and remove the toilets etc, with not much time the studio re-opened after the summer holidays and success was made, the students and there families loved the new space.

In the academy we pride ourselves on our friendly atmosphere and love to welcome in new members, also consistency of teachers who are highly qualified with the Royal Academy of Dance, ISTD, UKA, British Gymnastics, BCA also linked with UKCA and LAMDA.

This all helps the students to progress faster. As the academy offers many styles of Dance, Gymnastics, Cheer and Drama, we can give every member the very best start in life wether they want to pursue a career on stage/TV or just grow in confidence and make friends while keeping fit.

Here at Cats with Red Shoes our members always attain great examination results and we have a 100% pass rate in all styles including Ballet, Tap, Musical Theatre, Cheerleading, Freestyle Disco and the latest edition Drama where all members came out from their first grade with the highest level possible (Distinction).

The academy also have an elite and junior show/competition team who regulary perform at the Blackpool Opera House and many other beautiful theatre’s around the country, Disney Land Paris, Albert Hall, Blackpool Tower, Lowry Theatre, Viva, Empress Ballroom, Grand Theatre, Charter Theatre, Southport Theatre, plus many more.

In October 2015 our elite show team were invented to perform a 30 minute show inside Disney land Paris and received high complements from both Disney land backstage crew and members of the public.

We have already been invited to return and do hope to do so  again in the future along with any other exciting opportunities that arise. Not forgetting our new up and coming junior team which are proving to be following the elites footsteps and already winning national competitions as do the Elite team.

Along side our multi-award winning cheerleading squad (who’s many trophies are on display in the academies waiting room) we also have our own medal winning artistic and rhythmic gymnast’s and all round champions, who also train very hard as do our title winning Theatre Performers of the Year for ballet, tap and modern with the academy’s trophy winning freestyle disco dancers.

Cats with Red Shoes are proud to say we have had many members go onto full time professional dance academies and theatre schools such as Royal Ballet, London Russian Ballet School, Preston Dance College, Bird, Moorland International Ballet Academy, Studio 76, Hammond and Tring Park even gaining fully paid scholarships, along with universities.

We are also thrilled to say our members both past and present are now performing in west end theatres and traveling the world dancing on cruise ships, along with featuring on CBBC, both in TV programs, modelling contracts and adverts.

As you can see the academy has more than just classes to offer, so why not come and join us in our homely surroundings and waiting room!
Hope to meet you soon.
Bye for now