Meet our Faculty
From the very first Ti a Fi class to our senior performance groups, every Flame class is led by a teacher who genuinely cares - about dance, and about your child. Every one of our teachers brings something unique to Flame, but what we all share is a love of teaching, a commitment to child-first learning, and a genuine care for the children we work with.
Studio Director
Eleri Jones BA Hons, PGCE with QTS, AISTD (DDE)
The studio's director and principal, Eleri has been involved in many different aspects of teaching, coaching, and education in the community in South Wales. Eleri has gained 100% pass rate in I.S.T.D (The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) examinations from pre-primary to Advanced 2. As a registered member of the ISTD and holding a Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education, Eleri is deeply committed to fostering excellence in her students.
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With over 16 years of teaching experience, including in SEN units, and qualifications in Secondary Education and Dance Education Eleri is highly qualified.
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Eleri is the heart behind Flame. She founded the school with a passion for creating a safe, joyful space where every child can grow. As Director, she teaches across all levels and styles but also leads and supports the full teaching team, and deals with all the behind-the-scenes admin, planning, and emails. She works closely with each genre lead to develop lesson plans that align with the Flame values and support real progress, ensuring every class is imaginative, well-structured, and child-centred. With a background in education, SEN, sports and dance, Eleri brings warmth, playfulness, and purpose to everything she does. From writing Ti a Fi stories and shaping the curriculum, to planning shows, supporting parents, and mentoring staff. Her creativity and care run through every part of the studio.
Ballet Director and Teacher
Layla Richardson
Layla has been dancing since the age of two and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her ballet classes. Currently working towards her Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education (DDE), Layla has achieved the top marks of distinction in all of her ballet exams, including on pointe, and has performed with the English Youth Ballet and at prestigious venues like St David’s Hall and Wales Millennium Centre.
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Known for her patient and progressive teaching style, Layla helps children master the fundamentals of ballet while keeping class light, fun, and full of imagination. She teaches technique with depth, but never with sternness. She's not your typical old-school ballet teacher; she brings warmth, creativity, and a sense of joy to everything she does. Layla also choreographs all of our ballet show routines and teaches lower grade Modern & Tap classes, making her a key part of our younger dancers’ journey across styles.
Early Years Specialist and all Styles Teacher
Ffion Roberts
Ffion has been teaching children in various sports and dance disciplines for over 10 years, and she’s well on her way to completing her Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education (DDE), having already passed multiple modules. Her impressive record includes a 100% pass rate in I.S.T.D exams up to Advance 1 and performances at national competitions and Disneyland Paris.
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Ffion creates a welcoming and structured environment that young dancers thrive in. She is particularly brilliant with our younger students, combining care and fun to foster a love of dance. Tap is her forte and her classes are known for helping students gain confidence in this intricate style. Parents appreciate Ffion’s ability to balance joy with focus, ensuring each child’s progress while making dance a fun, engaging experience. She builds strong relationships with the children, and the children love attending her classes.
Commercial Teacher
Caitlin Taylor
Caitlin brings incredible energy and expertise to class. She’s a World, British, and Welsh Champion in Commercial Hip Hop, and her passion for the style runs deep. She embeds foundational Hip Hop and Street techniques into all her classes and has helped develop our in-house commercial curriculum. With a background in training and performing in these styles, Caitlin has brought fresh life into our commercial choreography and raised the bar for our dancers. She leads choreography for all our older commercial routines and continues to train herself with a Cardiff-based company, as well as heading her own senior commercial training programme — keeping her ideas current and her teaching cutting-edge.
Assistant
Megan Roberts
Megan is a vital part of our team, offering calm, consistent support to both students and teachers. With years of experience assisting and teaching young children, she brings confidence and care into every class she’s in. As a qualified osteopath, Megan has a brilliant understanding of physical development and injuries, helping our team make informed choices when adapting lessons for children who need a little extra support. While in class, whether it’s offering an extra hand or cuddle for nervous little ones or helping a student master a step their struggling with, she plays a huge part in supporting children’s wellbeing and helping each class run smoothly.
General Teacher
Sophie Davies
Sophie is an enthusiastic, adaptable teacher with a strong foundation in performing arts and a real passion for helping children grow in confidence. A graduate of Stella Mann College, she has trained extensively in Ballet, Modern, Tap, and Jazz through the ISTD syllabus and has years of performance experience. Sophie brings a calm, upbeat energy to class and a thoughtful, inclusive teaching style that helps every dancer feel seen and supported. She teaches across all levels and styles at Flame, but takes the lead on our older Modern classes, where her strength in technique and choreography really shines. With a background in both dance and jujitsu, Sophie has a great instinct for different learning styles and brings both skill and care to everything she does.