REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR SEPTEMBER 2026/27 dance year YOU CAN REGISTER AT ANYTime
About Us
Welcome everyone
The main aim of the school is to provide personal, professional, friendly tuition in a safe environment and to give
the chance for everybody to learn and enjoy dance, no matter what their age, ability, shape or size.
The school prides itself on a non-competitive dance environment and the emphasis is on the student
and their ability to become a greater individual – they compete with themselves and not each other.
Class sizes are small as it is vital that every child in the class is watched, helped and noticed where and when
needed so that they receive the full focus and professional support and attention from the teacher.
This is so important and cannot be done in larger classes.
The Deborah Laxton School of Dance specializes in teaching ballet following The Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus.
Also Tap Dancing, Disco Divas, Jazz/Hip Hop/Disco, 'Glee' Song and Dance,
Parent & Toddlers Movement to Music, Pre-School Ballet for children from the age of 18 months,
Lyrical and also adult classes in various genres.
Children start from the age of 18 months with their parents in a Mums and Toddlers Movement to Music class.
From the age of 3 years old we encourage the split from the parents and the children start classes on their own!!
The school covers all ages from young to old.
For the adults we have Ballet, Tap and Body Conditioning Exercise Classes.
The adult classes are aimed at enjoyment and fun and it does not matter if you haven’t done
anything before – it’s a good chance to meet new people, exercise, unwind and have fun.
Dancing is first and foremost about enjoyment - once you have fun everything else will follow.
Whether you want to build confidence, make friends, develop a new skill
or just get a solid dance foundation The Deborah Laxton School of Dance covers it all.
TEACHER/PRINCIPAL WITH MANY YEARS EXPERIENCE BOTH IN THE UK & CANADA
Deborah Laxton, T.C.R.A.D, R.T.S., A.I.D.T.A., C.P.D.
Born and raised in Exeter, Devon, in the U.K. Deborah began her training from a very early age of 3 years old. She attended ballet classes from the age of 3 in her home town of Exeter & successfully passed all of her R.A.D. Examinations with the Royal Academy of Dancing. She also took classes in Jazz/Disco, Tap, Modern and Song and Dance and participated in many local Dance Festivals achieving numerous certificates and awards.
Deborah studied for 3 years on the teacher training course with the Royal Academy of Dancing, London and successfully passed to become a fully qualified registered dance teacher.
Deborah has taught in numerous private schools in the South West of England, including Sherborne Preparatory School, St Antonys-Leweston, Sherborne, Dorset, & Lympstone, Devon.
Deborah was also the owner/director and teacher of The Somerset School of Performing Arts and a Catwalk Modelling School in Somerset, UK. She holds a diploma in catwalk modelling and is a member of the I.D.T.A. (International Dance Teachers Award).
Deborah started her own dance school in Somerset in 1990 where she taught many genres of dance including ballet, pointe, jazz/disco, fun fitness classes for the non-dancer, Tap and Song & Dance. The ages of the students in the school ranged from between 18 months to 78 years old and student numbers reached over 500. Deborah not only owned the school but carried out all the administration, directorship and teaching herself. She has also choreographed, taught and produced many dance shows, professional pantomimes and festivals over the years in theatres, schools and local centres. During Lockdown due to the Pandemic Deborah was also an International Adjudicator.
The personal and caring touch is very important in this industry and Deborah has found that it is something that lacks in many schools today and that is why she is always 100% involved in her own school.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The Deborah Laxton School of Dance was founded in 1990 in the UK and built up over the years to approximately 500 pupils. Deborah moved to Calgary to live and has been teaching here now for some 14 years at the ROCKY RIDGE RANCH CENTRE, Rocky Ridge Blvd, Calgary.
In the UK The Deborah Laxton School of Dance prided itself on the friendliness of the pupils and staff that attended and it quickly became known as ‘one big happy family’ – all the children from all grades knew each other so well and it made for such a lovely, happy place to teach.
Deborah made it her personal goal to always get to know every single child throughout the school and now she is in Calgary she keeps it the same. Deborah believes greatly in focusing on quality training and personal attention and ensuring that the students – both young and old - enjoy their dance classes in a safe and welcoming environment. She has found that over the years many students just want to enjoy learning and dancing without the pressure of competitions
Royal Academy of Dance Examinations are a part of the schools’ curriculum when and if the student is ready.
Over the past 30 years of teaching The Deborah Laxton School of Dance has obtained and kept an outstanding 100% exam pass rate with the Royal Academy of Dancing. Many past students have gone on to dance with recognized Dance Companies and National Dance Schools in the United Kingdom and internationally and many have taken dance as a career path. Several pupils from the school have gone on to be accepted into the Alberta Ballet school, and pupils from Calgary have appeared in the Moscow State Ballet in the Nutcracker and Le Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society’s Production of the Nutcracker and also in a production of Newsies.
All the classes are well structured and aim to improve and develop such skills as co-ordination, technique, poise, rhythm and self-confidence.
A Year End Recital is held every year which allows ALL students to participate and dance altogether on a stage in costume. There is no pressure to participate if you prefer not to and it is entirely your decision and no expensive costume fees either!