Meet Our Faculty

Sara-Maria Barton is an internationally acclaimed ballet artist, educator, choreographer, academic, and creative director whose influence on the dance profession spans more than three decades. Recognised for her exceptional contribution to performance, dance education, artistic leadership, and talent development, she has established a distinguished reputation as one of Scotland’s most respected figures in classical ballet training and professional practice. 

Her performing career encompasses more than twenty-five years at the highest levels of the profession, including engagements with internationally renowned companies such as The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, California Ballet and London City Ballet. As a sought-after Principal Guest Artist, she performed extensively throughout Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania, bringing her artistry to audiences across the United States, Mexico, China, New Zealand, Malta, England, and Scotland. Throughout her performing career, she was entrusted with creating principal roles in original works by leading choreographers including Frank Freeman, Terence Etheridge, and Daniel Job, demonstrating both artistic versatility and creative excellence. 

Beyond the stage, Sara-Maria has contributed to a diverse range of theatre, film, television, and media productions. Her performance credits extend beyond ballet to include theatrical appearances as Mustardseed Fairy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Iris in the musical Fame, demonstrating her versatility across multiple performing arts disciplines. Her screen appearances include roles in the feature films Rob Royand Mrs Brown, alongside numerous television appearances, including multiple features on Blue Peter and STV productions. She also appeared in a commissioned MTV production for the T in the Park music festival and the innovative short film The Last of the Last, which was selected for screening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, London Film Festival, and Cork Film Festival. Her artistic career has attracted recognition from major cultural and media organisations, with features in Vanity Fair, Hello Magazine, The Herald, and inclusion within the collections and archives of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. 

Sara-Maria’s exceptional talent was recognised early in her career through a series of prestigious achievements. In 1997, she became the first Scottish female medallist at the internationally renowned Genée International Ballet Competition in London, a landmark accomplishment within the UK dance sector. She had previously qualified for and participated in the esteemed Phyllis Bedells Bursary and won the Sindy Scholarship. She was awarded the coveted Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal, one of the highest distinctions available to ballet students. Her artistic development was further enhanced through intensive private coaching with an international team of master teachers from the United States, France, Spain, Japan, Belgium, South Africa, Russia, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In recognition of her outstanding potential, Dame Merle Park invited her to join The Royal Ballet Upper School in London, further cementing her status as a dancer of exceptional promise. 

Alongside her performance achievements, Sara-Maria has devoted more than thirty years to the advancement of dance education. Her work has influenced generations of dancers, many of whom have progressed into prestigious vocational schools, higher education, and professional performing and teaching careers. Renowned for combining artistic excellence with evidence-informed pedagogical practice, Sara-Maria is a Registered Teacher with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), a 

Certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) Teacher and holds a Diploma in Dance and Teaching. Her specialist expertise has established her as a respected authority in ballet training, dancer development, and vocational education. 

Widely recognised for her ability to nurture technical excellence while fostering artistic individuality, she has become a highly respected mentor, coach, and advocate for emerging talent, guiding dancers at every stage of their development from foundation training through to professional careers. 

Her contribution to higher education has been equally significant. Since 2006, she has held senior academic and leadership positions within vocational and degree-level dance programs, serving as Head of Ballet, Lecturer, Module Leader, and Classical Ballet Tutor. Her teaching and curriculum leadership have supported programs accredited through partnerships with the University of the 

Highlands and Islands, Northumbria University, Bath Spa University, the Open University, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, and the Quality Assurance Agency. In recognition of her commitment to teaching excellence and scholarly practice, she was awarded Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA). 

An internationally respected faculty member, Sara-Maria has delivered masterclasses, professional coaching, and specialist training programs across the United States, the Middle East, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Her guest teaching appointments have included leading institutions and organisations in Hawaii, Texas, Chicago, Dubai, Gibraltar, Northern Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and throughout the UK. Her expertise has also led to invitations as a panellist, adjudicator, mentor, and masterclass teacher for major festivals, conventions, and international dance events. 

As a choreographer and artistic leader, Sara-Maria has created works for professional companies, youth ensembles, festivals, elite level competitions, and educational institutions internationally and across the UK. Her choreographic portfolio includes productions of Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Paquita, Sleeping Beautyand Giselle, alongside commissioned works for the Royal Academy of Dance, Youth America Grand Prix, Global Dance Open, Belfast International Ballet Festival, and numerous elite training organisations. Her creative vision extends beyond choreography into artistic direction, production development, costume and set design, photography, videography, and digital engagement. 

Sara-Maria is the Founder and Artistic Director of S-MB Company, an organisation dedicated to excellence in dance training, performance, and artistic development. An award-winning educator and artistic leader, she has dedicated her career to developing pathways for aspiring dancers while championing the highest standards of classical ballet training. Under her leadership, S-MB Company has gained international recognition, receiving the Outstanding School Award at Dance Open America in 2023. In 2024, Sara-Maria herself was honoured with the Outstanding Instructor Award, recognising her exceptional impact as an educator, mentor, and advocate for dancer development on the international stage. 

Her professional affiliations include Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (ARAD), Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), member of the British Ballet Organisation, and longstanding memberships with American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dance. These affiliations reflect her enduring commitment to professional excellence, educational advancement, and the preservation and evolution of classical ballet training. 

Throughout her career, Sara-Maria Barton has exemplified the highest standards of artistic achievement, educational leadership, and professional integrity. Her enduring contribution to dance continues to influence the next generation of performers, teachers, choreographers, and creative leaders, making her a highly regarded voice within the international dance community and an inspiring ambassador for the art form worldwide. 

 Daniella Brown – Assistant Director  

Daniella Brown is an accomplished dance educator, choreographer, and professional ballet dancer, whose experience, expertise, and leadership make her an invaluable member of the senior management team.

Having successfully completed the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Major Examinations, Daniella achieved Distinction in Advanced 2, earning her a place at the prestigious 2015 Genée International Ballet Competition in London. Her exceptional talent and artistry were recognised with the esteemed Dame Margot Fonteyn Scholarship Award.

Throughout her professional career, Daniella has performed an extensive repertoire of both classical and contemporary ballet works. Her stage experience includes acclaimed productions such as Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker, and Cinderella, alongside collaborations with leading choreographers in a variety of neo-classical and contemporary creations.

Alongside her success as a performer, Daniella has always been passionate about teaching, mentoring, and choreography. Following a successful professional contract in Malaysia, she returned to Glasgow and became an integral member of S-MB Company. Her award winning, innovative neo-classical choreography has received widespread recognition, reflecting her creativity, artistic vision, and commitment to developing young dancers.

Dedicated to the highest standards of dance education, Daniella has continued to expand her professional qualifications. She is a qualified BBO teacher, a certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor, and a qualified Pilates instructor, bringing a comprehensive and holistic approach to dancer training and development.

As Assistant Director, Daniella plays a pivotal role in the artistic and educational development of the program. Combining extensive professional experience with a passion for teaching and mentorship, she is committed to nurturing emerging talent, supporting each dancer’s individual journey, and helping to shape the continued growth, excellence, and success of S-MB Company.

Originally from Barcelona, Jordi Guitart moved to England in 1990 to pursue his professional dance training at Bodywork and The Urdang Academy. Since then, he has enjoyed an extensive international career as both a dancer and choreographer, performing and creating work across the globe.

Throughout his career, Jordi has appeared in a wide variety of productions, including cabaret shows, cruise productions, fashion and trade shows, music videos, film, and television. His West End credits include Saturday Night Fever (Jorge/Cesar) and La Cava (Ensemble/Tariq). In 1999, he performed in one of the largest productions of Fame ever staged, playing to audiences of over 8,000 people nightly at Oslo Spektrum in Norway (Ensemble/Joe Vegas). Additional theatre credits include touring productions of West Side Story as Bernardo and Jesus Christ Superstar as Judas, alongside numerous other musical theatre productions.

As a director and choreographer, Jordi has been heavily involved in the development of new musical theatre works, contributing to workshops for productions such as Hell Sing, Stars Falling, The Golden Voice, and Best of Friends. He choreographed the European premiere of Happy Ending at London’s Arcola Theatre and the world premiere of Reeds Sway at Water’s Edge.

Jordi has also directed and choreographed UK tours for emerging pop artists and has created productions for prestigious venues including Her Majesty’s Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, The O2, and the Royal Albert Hall, as well as revue productions in Paris.

A highly respected educator, Jordi has taught and choreographed at many of the UK’s leading dance and performing arts colleges, as well as internationally. He currently serves as Head of Dance at EPA and continues to inspire performers through his extensive teaching and creative work.

Alongside his professional theatre and teaching career, Jordi co-runs The Guitart School of Performing Arts in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, with his wife. Passionate about nurturing the next generation of performers, he is known for sharing his extensive industry knowledge with enthusiasm, dedication, and care. Students who experience a Jordi dance class can expect to be inspired, challenged, supported, and encouraged to achieve their very best.

Jordi has been a proud member of the S-MB faculty since 2019 and is delighted to continue sharing his expertise and passion with its students and community.

We are honoured to have Rana O’Brien on our faculty, bringing with her an exceptional career in classical ballet, distinguished teaching expertise, and a lifelong commitment to artistic excellence.

Rana began her professional journey as a ballerina with the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, following her training at the renowned Yildiz Alpar Emiroğlu Ballet School. She subsequently advanced her studies through the Royal Academy of Dance, enhancing both her artistic practice and teaching methodology while developing the exceptional standards that continue to define her work today.

Since becoming a registered RAD teacher in 1999, Rana has established an outstanding reputation as both an educator and advocate for ballet training of the highest standard. Her influence within the dance community extends far beyond the studio, having dedicated her career to creating exceptional opportunities for the next generation of dancers.

As the founder of High Points Youth Ballet, Rana has transformed the landscape of youth ballet in Ireland, providing aspiring dancers with access to elite training, professional performance experiences, and world-class artistic development. Her vision has inspired countless young performers to pursue excellence and realise their potential.

Rana is also the founder of Rana’s School of Ballet and serves as Managing Director of the Belfast International Ballet Festival, a prestigious platform that celebrates excellence in ballet while connecting dancers, teachers, and audiences from across the international dance community.

With a career defined by artistry, leadership, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence, Rana brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge and experience to her role as Head of Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus Training, inspiring dancers to achieve the highest standards of technical and artistic accomplishment.

 Isaac began his training at the Centre for Advanced Training at The Lowry Theatre.  Isaac achieved distinction in his Advanced 2 Classical Ballet RAD Exam in Scotland,  finishing his classical training at Elmhurst Ballet school,  where he was awarded the Male prize winner for the Birmingham Royal Ballet solo competition and  the Sir Peter Wright award from the London Ballet Circle. Isaac also reached the semi finals at the 2014  Genée International Ballet Competition in Antwerp.

Isaac made his professional debut performing the Title role of Romeo for Ballet Theatre UK's world premiere of ‘Romeo & Juliet’. He remained as principal, performing in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Giselle’.  Isaac then joined Birmingham Royal Ballet as a Dance Artist, and as an Outreach Artist, delivering ballet masterclasses and workshops to communities across the UK. Isaac  joined New Adventures in 2018  for the international tour of Matthew Bournes ‘Swan Lake’. Isaac has been Working with New Adventures ever since performing in ‘Nutcracker!' ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ & ‘The Car Man' as well as  ‘Doorstep Duets’. Isaac regularly leads company class for the professional company, and supports the next generation by leading Pro-classes, Masterclasses, Production Workshops and teaches at both Swan & Cygnet School.

Isaac has performed in a variety of  Pantos, music videos, corporate events and tours across the UK, and is a talented and creative choreographer.

New Jersey native Kayla Collymore  is an accomplished choreographer, director, filmmaker, teacher and dancer. She has performed with dance companies in New York, Texas and Beijing, as well as having toured internationally with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures in their productions of “Swan Lake”, “Nutcracker!”, “The Car Man” and “Sleeping Beauty”.

In 2017 Kayla was included in Dance Magazine’s Top 25 to Watch and was selected as Dancer of the Month for Dancing Times in June 2022. More recently she co-created and directed the immersive production LINEAR/FUNCTION, whose shows have been featured in Southwest Contemporary Magazine, Dance Magazine and Arts & Culture Texas. 

Kayla is currently studying for a master’s degree in psychology of mental health at the University of Edinburgh, where she intends to marry her background in movement with healing.  

Olivia trained at The Riley School of Dance, and then Rambert School  she was also a Northern Ballet Associate and a  Louise Brown York Scholar. She won awards such as Young Dancer of the Year at the All England Dance Finals, came runner up at Miss Dance of Great Britain and was a semi finalist on TV show ‘Got To Dance’.   Competing in the Genee International Ballet Competition in both New Zealand and Scotland, as well as being the only student to travel with the school to Japan, China and Vietnam on their audition tour.  

Since graduating with a First class honours degree, Olivia has worked as a freelance artist working on array of different projects from contemporary dance, to circus and cabaret.

She has worked with various artists and groups such as Katie Armstrong, Éowyn Emerald & Dancers, Bartek Woyzczsynski, Richard Chappell Dance, and Bassline Circus. She has also performed as a contortionist at cabarets and in music videos for Be Charlotte, Nathan Evans, and Bang Bang Romeo, as well as in promotional videos for Rolls Royce and Premier League Football.

As well as performing and creating, Olivia is a ballet/contemporary teacher to children and college students.  Olivia gained a ‘Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma’ from the Royal Academy of Dance in 2021 and works in various schools and institutions across Scotland, as well as having lead workshops across the UK and in Poland.  

Saskia obtained her BA (Hons) in Dance and Theatre Performance at Bird College. After graduating, Saskia moved to Japan and portrayed a range of characters during her contract at Tokyo Disney Resort. She then expanded her character repertoire with Disney Cruise Line and was cast as Lead Female Dancer in exclusive productions across venues in the fleet, including Tangled, Twice Charmed - A Cinderella Story, Once Upon a Song, and Dreams.

 Alongside performing, Saskia has always loved to share her passion for dance and has over ten years teaching experience across a variety of ages, style and abilities. She continues to choreograph and perform regularly in Edinburgh, passing on her knowledge and experience to her students to ensure they get the best start in their professional careers. 

Bethany Kingsley-Garner was born in Devon ,she joined the Royal Ballet School age 11 and completed the full eight years of training and graduated with Honours in 2007 after winning The Wyre Drawer Company Leavers Prize, The April Olrich Award for Most Dynamic Performer and First Commendation in Young Dancer of The Year. 

After being offered a place she joined Scottish Ballet in 2007 and was promoted to Soloist and then Principal Dancer having performed numerous roles. Bethany  was nominated by the Critics Circle for Outstanding Classical Performance, and is actively involved in Dance Education teaching and guest coaching at workshops and seminars across the world. Bethany was chosen to be  a Champion of Scotland to inspire, motivate and encourage young people. Bethany enjoy presenting to audiences and has appeared as a Ballet Mentor for the BBC Young Dancer. Bethany got awarded Ambassadorship of “Scotland is Now” and named The peoples Ballerina,  most recently created Be Inspired dance wear collection with Movedance, individually designed to inspire dancers and share positivity and encouragement.

Bethany has worked very closely with The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to create the unique link from company to school, being awarded Ambassador for the Morden Ballet course she will be present and coach the dancer of the next generation.

Keavie Holliday is an SMB Bespoke dancer from Glasgow. During her time with S-MB she has placed top 12 twice  at the prestigious YAGP competition in Barcelona and 3rd at the Dance Open America finals in Miami. She won  ‘Outstanding Contemporary Dancer’ at Dance Open America and was subsequently offered an ambassador role.  in 2023 she placed 1st  for both classical and contemporary in Dance Open America.  Keavie also won 1st place at the Ballet Grand Prix and the choreographic prize for her self choreographed contemporary solo. She performed at The Grad Pro finals in-front of an esteemed panel of judges, and won 'Outstanding Performance’ award at The performance Platform Competition in London.  Keavie's Impressive performances have seen her receive a number of scholarships, including a 100% scholarship for United Ballet Theatre summer intensive. She completed a weeks intensive training with YAGP’s International Contemporary Ensemble in New York and is performing with the ICE Ensemble at the Nervi Festival in Italy this summer. .Keavie has completed her Intermediate, Advanced 1 and Advanced 2 RAD exams receiving distinction for all. She has had  summer intensive offers from  Ailey, Rambert  and ABT Schools.

Keavie is a talented contemporary choreographer who has created many award winning pieces for herself and other dancers. Her work has received international recognition and success at prestigious competitions.