Welcome to Avenue Dance Company
Avenue Dance Company has been inspiring young people through dance since 2017. From just three weekly classes, we have grown to deliver over 40 classes each week across Berkshire, Hampshire and London, including community classes, after-school clubs, nursery sessions and curriculum dance in schools. Our mission is to create a welcoming environment where every student can express themselves, build confidence and experience a real sense of achievement through dance.
Our Core Values
Fun
Dance should be something to look forward to. Our classes are energetic, welcoming and full of fun, giving the students the chance to learn new skills and make friends without the pressure of exams.
Passion
Our Team genuinely love what we do, and we want that passion to be infectious. We bring energy, experience and enthusiasm to every class, inspiring our students to develop their own love of Dance and Performing Arts.
Positivity
We create a positive and encouraging environment where every student feels welcome and supported. We celebrate progress, encourage one another and want our students to leave class feeling better than when they arrived.
Inspire
We want to inspire every student to believe in themselves and discover what they're capable of. Whether they're performing on stage, mastering a new skill or simply growing in confidence, we want every student to feel proud of their journey.
Confidence
With learning and practising new moves and dances, students will naturally become more confident in a new skill. We watch some students begin their first class completely shy and with encouragement and a “can do attitude” from our coaches, they soon blossom into confident young individuals!
Our Founder & Director
Lauren Jayne
Lauren has been dancing for as long as she can remember, beginning classes at just three years old and training in Ballet, Musical Theatre and later Street Dance. Over the years, she has performed across Berkshire and London, including at iconic venues such as The O2 Arena and Royal Albert Hall, before discovering that her real passion lay in teaching and creating opportunities for others.
In 2017, Lauren founded Avenue Dance Company with just three weekly classes and a simple vision: to create a dance school where students could receive high-quality training without losing the fun, confidence and sense of belonging that dance should bring.
Nine years later, Avenue has grown far beyond those first three classes, delivering dance across 40 community venues and schools and giving hundreds of young people opportunities to learn, perform and be part of something they can feel proud of.
For Lauren, Avenue has always been about much more than learning routines. She is passionate about creating a welcoming environment where every student has the opportunity to grow in confidence, express themselves and experience that feeling of achievement that comes from dance, whether they dream of performing or simply love coming to class each week.
Today, Lauren leads Avenue alongside an incredible team of teachers, while continuing to teach and remain closely involved with the students and families who make Avenue what it is.
The A Team
Nellie Baker
Nellie graduated from the University of East London in 2018 with a BA (Hons) in Urban Dance and has trained across a variety of styles including Street Dance, Hip-Hop, Popping, Locking, House, Ballet, Modern and Contemporary. Nellie joined Avenue as a Street Dance Teacher in 2019.Today, Nellie is Assistant Director of Avenue Dance Company and Lauren’s right-hand woman, working closely alongside Lauren on the day-to-day running of the company and helping to keep everything behind the scenes running smoothly. Nellie also oversees our Avenue Competition/Performance teams, coordinating and managing both teams and supporting our dancers throughout their training, performances and competitions.While Nellie has stepped away from regular weekly teaching, she is still very much a familiar face at Avenue! You’ll often find her at events, performances, camps and other special Avenue days, supporting our students and team. Outside of Avenue, she's also a busy Mum to two girls!
Lauryn Young
Lauryn’s love of dance began at just four years old, and she later went on to train and take exams in Street Dance and Freestyle. In 2015, she joined S2 Dance Academy, performing as part of a Street Dance crew across Berkshire. Lauryn’s journey with Avenue goes right back to the very beginning! She began dancing alongside Director Lauren Jayne when Avenue first launched and has been part of the Avenue family ever since, officially joining the teaching team in 2019.Now teaching our Windsor students, Lauryn loves creating fun, encouraging classes where children can build their confidence, develop their skills and, most importantly, enjoy dancing.More recently, Lauryn has taken on an exciting new role outside the studio too...becoming a mum! She brings the same warmth, patience and enthusiasm to her classes and is passionate about giving the next generation a positive place to learn, grow and express themselves.
Abigail Dwyer
Dance has been a huge part of Abby’s life from an early age, with her training eventually leading her to pursue dance professionally and complete her vocational training at Italia Conti. Over the years, Abby has developed a broad knowledge across a variety of dance disciplines, including Tap, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Street Dance and Acrobatics, alongside a wide range of other styles. She completed her vocational ISTD and RAD examinations and gained her Acrobatic Arts teaching qualification, allowing her to further develop her skills and expertise as a teacher. Abby has also completed teacher training with Urban Strides, expanding her knowledge of Street Dance and the many styles and techniques within it. With experience across such a diverse range of dance styles, Abby loves bringing different elements of her training into her classes. She is passionate about sharing her love of dance with her students and continuing to develop as a teacher, bringing enthusiasm, versatility and a wealth of knowledge to every class she teaches. Abby joined us in 2022, teaching our Hook & Basingstoke classes and only recently now coaches our Basingstoke Competition/Performance team!
Jaime Elizabeth Leishmann
Jaime trained professionally at Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts, following years of competing across the country in a variety of dance styles and winning numerous titles. Her professional training led to performance opportunities with companies including Vanquish Entertainment, BCDCY and Urban Strides, as well as appearances at theatres and events across the UK. Jaime joined Avenue in 2021 and now teaches our Jazz classes in Windsor, where she loves sharing her professional training and industry experience with the next generation. Her classes encourage students to develop their technique, performance skills and confidence, all while nurturing their individual love of dance.Outside of the studio, Jaime is a proud Mum to her little boy and is currently expecting another gorgeous addition to the family! She brings a wonderful warmth and energy to her teaching and is passionate about creating a positive environment where every dancer can grow and shine.
Alishia Stride
Alishia has been a dancer for over 19 years and is a graduate from the University of Roehampton, where she obtained a BA Honours in Dance. Alishia has trained in a multitude of styles since the age of 5, including Modern, Street, Commercial, Jazz and Contemporary. Throughout her dance career, she has accomplished a variety of different achievements including music videos, festival sets, performances at Move It, Raver Tots and even performed at Disney World Florida! A personal favourite was choreographing and directing an entire dance festival set alongside artists such as Fuse ODG.Alishia joined Avenue Dance Company in 2024 and has quickly become a valued member of our teaching team. She delivers our after-school Street Dance clubs as well as our Adult Commercial classes, bringing her wealth of performance experience, creativity and infectious energy to every class. Alishia is passionate about helping dancers build confidence, develop their individuality and, above all, enjoy dancing. You’ll also find Alishia at all of our Camps, Shows and events as she just loves being involved and part of the team!
Emily Hudson
Emily has been a dancer for over 12 years, bringing her extensive performance and choreographic experience into the studio to inspire the next generation of dancers. Emily’s training is rooted in Commercial, Jazz, Tap, and Ballet, with strong technical foundations and a specialisation in Contemporary Dance and Musical Theatre.She began her dance education at The BRIT School and further refined her craft at Roehampton University, where she earned a 2:1 degree in Dance, focusing on contemporary principles. Throughout her professional career, Emily has had the privilege of performing with global artists like Sam Smith and has worked as a backing dancer in commercial projects, including advertisements for Madame Tussaud’s. Her passion for choreography led her to direct and choreograph a production of Annie Jr., showcasing her creative vision.Emily joined Avenue Dance Company in September 2023, where she currently teaches Musical Theatre & Jazz classes. She is dedicated to sharing her love for Performing Arts and aims to create a joyful and enriching environment for every student, encouraging them to express themselves confidently and passionately through movement.
Lashon Carmichael-Richardson
Lashon "LCarrich" Carmichael-Richardson is an accomplished competitive Street Dancer and a member of the Swag Out Crew. He has competed successfully at multiple Street Dance competitions, achieving several wins in group & solo Open Over 18 categories. Lashon joined the team in 2022 and regularly teaches our after-school Street Dance clubs in Primary Schools across Reading & Windsor.
Lauren Walsh
Lauren began her dance and performing arts training at the age of four, studying a wide range of disciplines including Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Singing, and Musical Theatre.At the age of 18, she continued her professional training at Bird College, where she graduated in 2024 with a First Class Honours Degree in Dance and Musical Theatre. Alongside her degree, Lauren has continued to enhance her professional qualifications and is currently working towards her ISTD Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) in Modern Theatre.Since graduating, Lauren has developed a strong passion for teaching and is committed to providing the highest standard of training for her students. She continually invests in her own professional development to ensure her teaching remains current, inspiring, and of the highest quality.An accomplished choreographer, Lauren has created numerous successful competition routines, with students qualifying for prestigious events including All England Dance, British Arts, and the Dance World Cup. In 2025, her Musical Theatre Trio achieved First Place qualification for the Dance World Cup Finals in Burgos, Spain, an outstanding accomplishment that reflects both her creative vision and dedication to excellence.Lauren joined Avenue in 2025 and is delighted to be a part of the Avenue Dance Company team and she looks forward to inspiring the next generation of dancers.
Jerry Wan
Jerry, better known by her stage name Diva-J, is a professional dancer, teacher, and movement artist with over 20 years of experience in the dance industry. Her career has taken her across the globe through international battles, performances, film projects, and judging opportunities, establishing her as a respected figure within the street dance community. Specialising in Locking and Waacking, Diva-J has had the privilege of learning and training directly with pioneers of both dance styles, giving her a deep understanding of their history, culture, and foundations. Alongside this, she has extensive training in House and Popping, as well as classical dance disciplines including Ballet (RAD), Tap, and Modern (ISTD).
Known for her strong dedication to the art of dance and keen eye for detail, Diva-J is passionate about helping dancers develop both technically and creatively. She strives to inspire, challenge, and push boundaries in the world of movement while sharing her knowledge, expertise, and passion with aspiring dancers of all levels.
Her professional credits include the Barbie Movie, RedBull Dance Your Style UK, Audible by Amazon, Sky Portal and Netflix.
Jerry joined us in 2025 and teaches our Street Dance classes in Windsor, alongside our Windsor Competition/Performance Team.