The Angela Watson Story

Angela Watson was a professional dancer for 11 years before setting up the dance school in 2002. Angela trained in the Royal Academy of Dancing at some of the top dance schools in the UK including the Academy of Ballet in Edinburgh and the Stella Mann School, London. Angela then travelled the world performing ballet before settling down in her home town of Edinburgh to start teaching.

The Angela Watson School of Dance

The school has continued to grow in strength since the beginning and is now well established, earning a reputation for fun, stimulating classes with high standards throughout. Royal Academy of Dance exam results from the Angela Watson School of Dance are excellent, and the School shows are always a highlight for the parents and pupils alike.

“What an incredible journey it has been, growing as an integral part of the local communities in Edinburgh and extending our extraordinary dance family. Many students start at the age of three and go on until they are eighteen years old. It is such a privilege to teach young people throughout their formative years and get to know their families like our second family.

Having seen thousands of pupils come through our doors, some go off to dance as a profession, others go on to teach dance and most are the dance audiences of the future. We are so proud to have had such an impact on many young lives and to have given them a real love of dance. The school has gone from strength to strength, proving to have a fantastic reputation in Royal Academy of Dance Ballet and many other dance styles both in Scotland and beyond. We really hope you enjoy your time at the Angela Watson School of Dance.”

Angela x

Meet our teachers

  • Angela Watson Dance School owner

    Angela Watson - ARAD RAD RTS

    Angela’s training

    Angela began dancing at the age of seven at The Academy of Ballet in Edinburgh, under the watchful eyes of Joan Tucker and Jack Spurgeon. At the age of seventeen she studied full time at The Academy of Ballet and then at The Stella Mann School in London. Training in ballet, jazz, tap, choreography, character and notation.

    Her professional dance career spanned a fulfilling eleven years where she worked with ballet and modern companies, taking her to Scotland, London, Europe, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Asia and Dubai. Her commercial work involved two tours on board cruise ships, as well as various slots on television. Her last engagement as a professional dancer was in London dancing for Yehudi Menuhin.

    Angela’s teaching career

    After qualifying from The Royal Academy of Dance, Angela taught in many private ballet schools in Cape Town, here in Edinburgh at Dancebase and Telford College (now Edinburgh College). She then went on to set up the Angela Watson School of Dance in 2002.

    The school has only grown in strength since and is now very well established, earning a reputation for fun, stimulating classes with high standards throughout. Exam results from the Angela Watson School of Dance are excellent, and the bi-annual shows are always a huge hit with children and parents alike.

    Angela says, “Running the dance school and teaching young people to dance is extremely rewarding. I am so lucky to be doing the job I do and I love every moment of it.”

  • Hayley Hardie Ballet and Modern teacher

    Hayley Hardie - BA (Hons) Dance, HND Dance Artist, Royal Academy of Dance CBTS (RTS)

    Hayley started her professional dance training at The Dance School of Scotland from 2000 to 2006. During her time there she performed the role of Young Juliet in Scottish Ballet’s production of “Romeo & Juliet”, as well as performing in the Dance School’s annual showcase. She then went on to complete 3 years of professional dance training at Edinburgh’s Telford College, graduating with a BA (Hons) Dance Degree.

    Most recently, Hayley has gained her Classical Ballet Teaching Certificate with the Royal Academy of Dance. Her complete teaching experience includes the Angela Watson School of Dance (since 2010), McNally Dance Academy Kelso, Morningside Dance Academy, BA Taking Flight Tour workshops at Reid Kerr, Telford College, and a placement at Broughton High School. Hayley is our competition team and summer dance camp coach, she is a huge part of the dance school and loved by all.

    Hayley has been teaching at the Angela Watson School of Dance since 2010

  • Rebecca Everitt

    Rebecca grew up in Lancashire, where she began dancing at the age of 3. Having performed throughout her childhood with both her local school and English Youth Ballet, taken RAD and ISTD exams, she decided to pursue dance as a career. She gained a place at Northern Ballet School, Manchester, where she trained for 3 years and completed RAD ballet to Advanced 1, and ISTD tap and modern to Advanced 2. After graduating in 2020, she has completed a contract on a holiday resort and now dances professionally in and around Edinburgh.

    Rebecca moved to Scotland in 2021 and has been pursuing dance education ever since. In addition to teaching modern, ballet and the competition teams here at Angela Watson’s, she is a lecturer of Jazz and Tap at the Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and TV (formerly known as The MGA Academy).

    Rebecca has been teaching at the Angela Watson School of Dance since 2023.