Kirsty Marshall opened her dance school, Kirsty Marshall’s Academy of Dance (KMAD), in 2013. The dance school teaches ballroom, latin, modern, and classical sequence to a wide range of age groups. Some individuals just attend classes, while others dance in competitions throughout the year.

​Marshall decided to open her own dance school, after teaching for several years at another dance company. A studio space became available closer to home in Calderdale, and Marshall felt as though she was ready for her next challenge, which is when KMAD was formed. 

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KMAD originally started with 20 pupils, but the school has now grown to over 100 pupils, with many following Marshall from the previous school. Marshall’s favourite part of being a dance teacher is, “seeing personalities develop over the years.” Whether her pupils are dancing or not, she loves to watch them grow, form friendships with other students, and achieve their own personal goals. Marshall’s pupils don’t place in every competition, but she enjoys watching them come back with more drive and determination to do better the next time around. She gets to follow their journey right from the start and, for her, it is a privilege.

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“Feeling the disappointment and the losses seems to be part of the job role”

​Hours are spent in the dance studios, teaching and practicing dance routines so when results aren’t achieved it affects Marshall too, “feeling the disappointment and the losses seems to be part of the job role.” The flip side of this is that she can take pride when her pupils do well. This happened at the nationwide finals in April of this year with KMAD taking home nine first-place trophies and four runners-up trophies. On top of this, the school had 30 finalists across the weekend, making the weekend a huge success for the dance school.  

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​KMAD is known for being a “big family” and Marshall puts this down to a zero-tolerance policy for anyone displaying bad team ethics. Marshall works hard on the development of friendships throughout the school, creating a safe place for both dancers and family members involved, making KMAD a place that’s known for its kindness throughout the dance world community.