At Mentors in Ballet Education (MIBE), all training is led by experienced professionals with long-standing careers in ballet who now share their expertise through teaching and mentorship. Our faculty includes former dancers, choreographers, and examiners, each with years of stage experience, teacher training, and strong industry connections.
Our Directors
MIBE is led by Simon and Lynsey Kidd, who trained at The Royal Ballet School and Central School of Ballet before performing with companies including Northern Ballet, English National Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures. Between them, they have danced leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire and worked with many of today’s most respected choreographers. Since retiring from the stage, both have become established teachers, training and mentoring dancers at vocational and professional levels.
The Faculty
Our faculty also includes graduates and specialists such as Niamh Alvey, who performed internationally with Balletto Nazionale Italiano before returning to MIBE as a qualified teacher, and Gillian Hurst, who leads our teacher training programmes. Gillian is a Fellow and Lead Examiner with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), holds the Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma, and has trained generations of dancers and teachers in the UK and abroad.
Our Patron
MIBE’s professional network extends through our patron, Kenneth Tindall, internationally recognised choreographer and Resident Choreographer at Northern Ballet. His creative perspective continues to influence the training ethos at MIBE.
Beyond the Core Team
Students also benefit from workshops and masterclasses with guest tutors and artists, ensuring exposure to current practices and professional expectations. This helps students develop technical skill, confidence, and their own artistic voice.
When you train at MIBE, you work directly with professionals who understand the realities of the ballet world and are committed to preparing you for a sustainable and successful career in dance.
