Our Teachers
EKB Performing Arts pride themselves in providing top quality teachers who are professionals in their field. Please see teachers below and which schools you can find them at!
Emily Bucknall - Principal
EKB Performing Arts is run by Emily Bucknall who has been a professional performer and teacher for the past 8 years.
Emily attended Bird College, one of the top conservatoires for dance & musical theatre in the country and upon graduating, has performed as a professional dancer across the UK & Europe.
Emily has had some wonderful performance opportunities across TV, Film and Theatre and can be seen in Call The Midwife, Made in Chelsea and as a dancer for Brooks&Baker.
Having performed at some of the greatest venues in London, Germany, Norway and Sweden, Emily has a wealth of experiences to share with the children.
Originally from East Yorkshire, Emily grew up competing in bi-annual dance competitions and performing in yearly shows. Emily gained lots of performance experience, at the 2015 BBC Dance Proms at The Royal Albert Hall, Robin Hood Pantomime at The Barbican Theatre York, Sleeping Beauty Pantomime at Hull New Theatre, Take Flight Performance for The Royal Ballet School and Move It! and CYD? Dance conventions.
Alongside performing, Emily created EKB Performing Arts with the vision of inspiring and nurturing children that have an interest in the arts to pursue their dreams and work on their talents.
Whilst teaching, Emily has entered numerous students for their RAD Ballet exams (100% pass rate and 90% distinction rate) and choreographed and directed musicals across the UK, Germany and Sweden to large scale and small scale audiences.
Emily teaches all styles of dance, having trained and passed exams in all styles up to Advanced 1 level.
With plenty to offer and lots of experience and knowledge to share, Emily’s main passion is providing a fun, safe environment for children to learn and achieve within their classes and find progression in their chosen style.
EKB Teachers
Behind every service we provide is a dedicated team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise and enthusiasm to our business.
Lottie Snowden
Lottie teaches Acro Gymnastics every Friday at Manor Community Primary School.
Lottie is a graduate from Performers College, where she gained her degree in Musical Theatre and Dance. Since the age of 4, she has always enjoyed dancing and performing, and her passion continues to grow as she develops her professional career as a performer. She has performed for pop star Becky Hill at the UEFA Women’s Final in 2022, and has been dance captain and assistant choreographer for 3 consecutive years at the Parkwood Theatre Pantomime’s.
Lottie loves to teach and work with children. She strives to create a space where children can express themselves, build confidence and discover their own hidden talents. She has taught an array of classes, such as ballet, musical theatre, acro/gymnastics, and even adult Zumba!
Lottie can’t wait to meet all the lovely students at EKB Performing Arts!
Leila Hudaverdi
Leila teaches Acro Gymnastics & Street Dance every Thursday at Cecil Road Primary & Nursery School and Acro Gymnastics every Friday at Ebbsfleet Green Primary School.
I am a current 3rd year Degree student at The Urdang in London and previously trained at The Miskin Theatre in Dartford for 2 years gaining a Level 3 Extended Diploma.
I have been dancing for 18 years in styles ranging from jazz, contemporary, tap, ballet, commercial and acro and have had a love and passion for all things performance and theatre since starting dance at 2 years old!
Aswell as being a student, I also dance for many corporate entertainment agencies taking part in flash mobs, music festivals and providing shows for high profile company events.
Alongside my own performing career, I am super excited to teach at EKB and pass on valuable knowledge and skills from my 5 years of professional training in dance and musical theatre, onto the next generation of young performers.
Izzy O'Connelly
Izzy teaches Drama every Wednesday at Wentworth Primary school and Musical Theatre every Monday at Cecil Road Primary & Nursery School.
I’m a versatile performer and storyteller from Hartlepool but lived in London for 4 years with a BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre from Bird College.
As an autistic artist, I’m passionate about bringing authenticity, creativity, and connection to everything I do. My recent work includes playing Erin in I’m Autistic (workshop) and performing in SYNERGY (R&D and Birmingham Weekender).
I love exploring new ways to tell stories through dance, music, and theatre — celebrating individuality and emotion in every performance.
Kirsty Maguire
Kirsty teaches Musical Theatre every Tuesday at Bligh Primary School.
Kirsty began dancing and training in gymnastics from the age of 3, before moving to London at 18 to train professionally at London Studio Centre. In 2017 Kirsty graduated with a First Class BA Honours Degree in Theatre Dance and was awarded the Gillian Lynne Achievement Award for excellence in her year.
Professional credits after graduating include: The London Musical Theatre Orchestras’ Mack and Mabel (Hackney Empire, London); Into The Groove (UK Theatre Tour); Typically Tina (UK and European Tour);
Under The Sea Christmas Spectacular (Watford); Believe in Cher (UK Tour); 2 years performing onboard Costa Pacifica, Costa Luminosa & Costa Favolosa (Cruise ships all with Afro Arimba); Connie Boyd’s The Beauty of Magic (Dancer & Magician’s Assistant); various work with The Vegas Showgirls (UK and Europe); as well as various TV (BBC, Channel 4) performances as a company dancer for Sapnay Productions.
As a teacher Kirsty began assisting at the age of thirteen, before taking her first qualifications at 16. Since then she has continued to build up her teaching portfolio having taught for several dance and gymnastics schools across the country, as well as delivering educational dance workshops in Primary and Secondary schools. Kirsty teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Street dance, Pointe, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre & Acro Gymnastics; as well as offering world dance workshops and a professional insight into the dance industry. Kirsty now holds an associate teaching qualification with the IDTA as well as the AcroTrix Level 1 qualification.
Mariafrida Bonsignori
Mariafrida teaches Acro Gymnastics at Cherry Orchard every Friday and is our Saturday morning ballet & acro teacher.
Mariafrida began her ballet training at the age of six and has been dedicated to the discipline ever since. After years of intensive study, she earned her Ballet Professional and Choreographer Certification in Italy, grounding her practice in strong classical technique, musicality, and a deep understanding of movement.
Alongside her teaching, she has built a professional career as both a dancer and actress, performing in a variety of productions that strengthened her stage presence, versatility, and artistry.
With over 15 years of experience, she blends her technical knowledge with her performance background to create classes that are both precise and inspiring. She is passionate about helping young dancers develop clean technique, body awareness, and expressive confidence — skills that translate beautifully onto the stage and into everyday life.
Teaching children is one of her greatest joys. She aims to build a supportive, encouraging environment where students feel safe to explore, improve, and discover what they are capable of. Whether guiding beginners through their first positions or supporting more experienced students in refining their artistry, she is committed to nurturing each child’s growth with patience and enthusiasm.
Looking forward to joining EKB Performing Arts, Mariafrida is excited to support students on their dance journey, contribute to a vibrant and creative community, and share her passion for ballet with dancers eager to learn, grow, and shine.