About Don Rae Academy of Movement & Arts
Inspiring Confidence, Creativity and Opportunity Through Performing Arts
At Don Rae Academy of Movement & Arts, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to discover their unique talents, build confidence and express themselves through the power of performing arts. For many years, we have been providing high-quality dance and drama programmes for children, schools and families across Putney, Surbiton, Battersea, Wandsworth and the surrounding South West London communities.
Our mission is simple: to create a supportive, inclusive and inspiring environment where children can develop essential life skills while enjoying the excitement of dance, drama and performance.
Whether a child dreams of performing on stage, appearing on screen, or simply gaining confidence and making new friends, our experienced team is committed to helping them achieve their full potential.
Our Story
Don Rae Academy was founded with a passion for helping young people grow through creativity, movement and performance. We recognised that performing arts offer far more than entertainment; they help children develop confidence, communication skills, resilience, teamwork and self-belief that can benefit them throughout their lives.
Over the years, we have worked with hundreds of children from diverse backgrounds, supporting their personal development through engaging classes, school workshops, after-school clubs, holiday programmes and performance opportunities.
Today, we are proud to be a trusted performing arts provider for families and schools throughout South West London, delivering programmes that combine professional expertise with a genuine commitment to every child's success.
What We Do
At Don Rae Academy, we offer a wide range of performing arts programmes designed to meet the needs of children of different ages, abilities and interests.
Our services include:
Dance and drama classes for kids
Children's drama academy programmes
Dance classes for children
Street dance classes for kids
Breakdance classes for children
Teen drama classes
Drama workshops for schools
Dance workshops for schools
Panto workshops for schools
After-school drama clubs
Children's acting agency opportunities
Drama parties for kids
Princess party entertainment
Every programme is carefully designed to be engaging, educational and enjoyable, helping children develop both performance skills and valuable life skills.
Our Approach
We understand that every child is unique. Some children arrive bursting with confidence, while others may feel nervous about stepping into a new environment. Our role is to create a welcoming space where every child feels valued, encouraged and supported.
Our teaching approach focuses on:
Confidence is at the heart of everything we do. Through performance, teamwork and creative expression, children learn to believe in themselves and their abilities.
Performing arts naturally help children improve speaking, listening and presentation skills that can support them both academically and socially.
Children learn best when they are engaged and enjoying themselves. Our sessions are energetic, interactive and designed to make learning exciting.
We inspire children to use their imagination, explore new ideas and develop their own creative voice through drama, storytelling and movement.
We celebrate diversity and strive to create an environment where every child feels accepted, respected and able to participate fully.
Experienced and Passionate Professionals
Our team consists of experienced performing arts practitioners, dancers, actors and educators who are passionate about working with children. We combine professional industry knowledge with a child-centred approach to ensure that every participant receives positive, age-appropriate guidance.
We are committed to maintaining high standards of professionalism, safeguarding and child welfare. Parents and schools can feel confident knowing that our programmes are delivered by dedicated professionals who genuinely care about helping children thrive.
Supporting Schools Across South West London
We are proud to partner with primary schools, secondary schools and educational organisations throughout Putney, Wandsworth, Battersea, Surbiton and neighbouring areas.
Our school workshops and after-school programmes are designed to complement educational objectives while encouraging creativity, confidence and participation. From curriculum-based drama workshops to dance enrichment programmes and panto experiences, we help bring learning to life through the performing arts.
Many schools choose Don Rae Academy as a trusted partner because of our professional delivery, flexible programme options and commitment to providing positive experiences for pupils.
Creating Opportunities Beyond the Classroom
For children who wish to take their performing arts journey further, we provide additional opportunities through performances, showcases and our children's acting agency.
These experiences allow young performers to gain valuable industry insight, develop professional skills and build confidence in real-world performance settings. While not every child aspires to a career in the arts, many benefit enormously from the personal growth and self-belief that performance opportunities can provide.
Our focus is always on nurturing talent while ensuring children enjoy the experience and feel supported every step of the way.
Why Families Choose Don Rae Academy
Families across Putney, Surbiton, Battersea and Wandsworth continue to choose Don Rae Academy because we offer:
A welcoming and inclusive environment
Experienced performing arts professionals
Engaging and age-appropriate programmes
A strong focus on confidence and personal development
Opportunities for creative expression and performance
School and community partnerships
Safe and supportive learning experiences
Programmes suitable for all abilities
We are proud of the positive impact our classes and workshops have on the children and families we serve, and we remain committed to helping every child discover their potential.
Our Vision
Our vision is to inspire the next generation through creativity, movement and performance. We believe that the confidence gained through dance and drama can empower children not only on stage but throughout their education, future careers and everyday lives.
As we continue to grow, our goal remains unchanged: to provide exceptional performing arts experiences that help children develop confidence, creativity, resilience and a lifelong love of learning.
Join the Don Rae Academy Family
Whether you are looking for weekly dance and drama classes, school workshops, after-school clubs, performance opportunities or children's party entertainment, Don Rae Academy is here to support your child's creative journey.
We look forward to welcoming children and families from Putney, Surbiton, Battersea, Wandsworth and across South West London into our vibrant performing arts community.
Discover the difference that confidence, creativity and expert guidance can make at Don Rae Academy of Movement & Arts