What Cascade Dance does

Cascade Dance LLP is a Kent-based dance education company founded in 2007 by Middlesex University graduates Ricia Taylor and Sam Blackden, operating as a private Limited Liability Partnership headquartered in Tunbridge Wells. The company delivers in-person dance classes, workshops, performance programs, and graded examinations across Kent and the South East of England for students aged 3 to 85+. Its portfolio spans children's classes (Creative Dance, Ballet, Contemporary, Street Dance, Acro), secondary-school youth companies and a Competition Team, adult Contemporary/Street/Jazz classes including a dedicated Contemporary 60+ program, holiday workshops featuring aerial and circus disciplines, annual theatrical productions at The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks, and the THRIVE Dance Platform adult performance showcase at Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells. The company is also an accredited provider for NATD Contemporary and Ballet grades, Arts Award, and Dance Leadership qualifications.

Name

Cascade Dance

Legal name

Cascade Dance LLP

Website

https://cascadedance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Dance education services
• Children's dance classes
• Community dance programs
• School workshop delivery
• Dance performance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Tunbridge Wells

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Dance Classes and Workshops: Primary revenue stream from weekly dance classes for children, youth, and adults across multiple locations in Kent. Classes are offered in various styles including Contemporary, Ballet, Street Dance, Acro, and Jazz. Revenue generated through termly invoicing and block bookings.
2. Holiday Workshops: Specialized workshops during school holidays offering intensive dance training in multiple styles. Priced per day with early bird discounts available. Includes aerial and acro workshops, dance intensives, and multi-style programs.
3. Competition Team Fees: Annual commitment-based training program with fees per session plus additional charges for competition entries, costumes, and private lessons. Dancers must commit to minimum one year (three terms) participation.
4. Annual Productions: Revenue generated through annual dance productions featuring students in professional theatre settings. Includes ticket sales and merchandise (photos, videos).
5. Accreditation Programs: Fees charged for dance examinations through NATD (Contemporary and Ballet grades), Arts Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold), and Dance Leadership awards. Admin fees apply on top of examination board charges.
6. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, and dance shorts sold to students and families. Ordered through the company and distributed during class time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cascade Dance is a Kent-based dance education company that delivers in-person dance classes, workshops, and performances across multiple venues in Kent and the South East of England. The company serves students aged 3 to 85+ through weekly classes in Contemporary, Ballet, Street Dance, Acro, and Jazz, alongside youth performance companies, a competition team, adult programs, school partnerships, holiday workshops, and annual theatrical productions. Class registration is handled through the MemberMeister and BookWhen booking platforms.

Product overview

Cascade Dance is a Kent-based dance education company founded in 2007, offering a comprehensive portfolio of in-person dance education services rather than a software product. The core offering includes children's dance classes (Creative Dance, Ballet, Contemporary, Street Dance, Acro), youth performance companies and competition teams, adult dance programs including specialized Contemporary 60+, school workshops and curriculum support, holiday workshops, and annual theatrical productions. The company also offers dance accreditation programs including NATD Contemporary grades, Dance Leadership Awards, and Arts Awards. All services are delivered through physical venues across Kent and the South East, with class booking handled through third-party platforms MemberMeister and BookWhen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Children's Dance Classes Weekly dance classes for children aged 3+ including Creative Dance, Ballet, Contemporary, Street Dance, Acro, and Primary School Clubs delivered at multiple venues across Kent. Termly booking model with drop-in rates of £7 per class and termly rates of £6 per class for Early Years.
• Youth Dance Companies Performance-based youth dance companies for dancers aged 7-18, including Cascade Youth Dance Company (Tunbridge Wells), Dartford Youth Dance Co., Lenham Youth Dance Co., and Canterbury Cascade. Dancers rehearse weekly and perform at theatres, competitions, and school productions.
• Competition Team Training Commitment-based competition training program for dancers aged 8+ with weekly sessions at £12.00 per session (paid termly), covering Ballet, Contemporary, and Acro. Teams meet Wednesdays in Sevenoaks with additional fees for private lessons, competition entries, and costumes.
• Adult Dance Classes Adult dance education including Contemporary (Beginner/Improver and Open Level), Street Dance, Jazz, and Performance Collective for adults aged 18+, plus a specialized Contemporary Dance 60+ program. Classes run in Tunbridge Wells on Monday evenings with subscription and PAYG pricing.
• School Workshops and Education Programs Dance workshops and curriculum support for Primary and Secondary schools across Kent, including GCSE/A-Level support, teacher CPD training, after-school clubs, and partnership dance academies. Delivered directly within partner schools.
• Holiday Workshops Inclusive holiday dance workshops for ages 5-19 offering various styles including KPOP, Street, Acro, Musical Theatre Jazz, Contemporary, and Circus/Aerial skills. Summer workshops in Sevenoaks with early bird rates at £35/day and standard rates at £42/day.
• Annual Dance Production Large-scale annual dance productions at professional theatres (The Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks) featuring dancers aged 3-19 from community classes, companies, and affiliated schools. Previous productions include OZ (2025), Poppins (2025), and Nutcracker (2024). Includes ticket sales and merchandise.
• THRIVE Dance Platform Annual performance platform for adult dancers aged 18-86 showcasing diverse dance styles at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells. Celebrates adult dancers of all styles and experience levels as part of the Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival.
• NATD Dance Examination Grades National Association for Teachers of Dancing examination board grades 1 to Intermediate in Contemporary Dance and Ballet for students aged 6-19. Exams scheduled annually or bi-annually with admin fees on top of examination board charges.
• Arts Award Accreditation Bronze, Silver, and Gold Arts Awards for young people aged 7-19, run through Cascade sessions, specific projects, or 1-2-1 sessions, with additional fees applying for accreditation.
• Dance Merchandise Branded merchandise including Cascade Kids T-shirts (£16), Kids Hoodies (£25), Youth T-shirts (£20), Youth Hoodies (£35.50), and Black Dance Shorts (£12.50), ordered through the company and distributed during class time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% pass rate for NATD Contemporary Dance exams since 2013 with 95% achieving Merit to Distinction grades
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• NATD (National Association for Teachers of Dancing)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Cascade offers NATD Contemporary graded syllabus (Grades 1 to Intermediate) and Ballet syllabus for students aged 6-19. Since 2013, maintained 100% pass rate with 95% Merit-Distinction grades. Exams scheduled annually or bi-annually.
• Knole AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Cascade has supported the Dance Department at Knole Academy since 2010, delivering Contemporary and Street Dance provision. Audition-only companies rehearse weekly and perform at theatres, competitions, and school productions. Cascade delivers high standard of provision with creative, fresh, and appealing choreographic work.
• The Canterbury AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Cascade Youth Canterbury founded 2010 at The Canterbury Academy. Youth company offers contemporary training for young people aged 11-16 years. Free classes for Canterbury Academy students due to school funding and partnership arrangement.
• Dartford Grammar School for GirlscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Dartford Youth Dance Company established 2009, one of the longest-running companies. Complements the dance department at Dartford Grammar School for Girls, offering additional training and performance opportunities for dedicated young dancers aged 11-18.
• The Lenham SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Lenham Youth Dance founded 2009 at The Lenham School situated between Maidstone and Ashford. Company offers weekly dance classes, creative work with professionals, and regular performances across Kent. Partnership with school dance department offering high quality training.
• Mica Bradbury (Royal Ballet Soloist)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Ballet Soloist Mica Bradbury partners with Cascade Dance Director Sam Blackden to deliver the Dance Academy at St Gregory's School. The Academy offers expert tuition, broad exploration of dance genres, and exclusive insight into the professional world of ballet and performance. Entry is by audition only.
• St Gregory's SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance Academy extra-curricular program and weekly dance club for KS3 and KS4 students. Partnership with Cascade Dance and Royal Ballet Soloist. Entry into Academy through audition only. Also includes dance club for broader student participation.
• Trinity TheatreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHRIVE Dance Platform hosted at Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells. Annual event celebrating adult dancers of all styles and experience levels. Raised the profile of dance in Tunbridge Wells and wider community with professional theatre venue.
• Tunbridge Wells Fringe FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual participation in Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival. Family Creative Dance Workshops and THRIVE Dance Platform performances as part of the fringe. Community engagement through festival participation.
• The Stag TheatreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for annual productions including 20th Anniversary Show scheduled for May 2027. Previous productions: Poppins (2025), Nutcracker (2024). Professional theatre venue for student performances.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance: Major UK conservatoire offering degree-level dance training and community/short courses. Comparable to Cascade's contemporary dance focus and ties to Tunbridge Wells via Trinity Theatre, but at a much larger institutional scale.
• Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance: Established UK dance training institution offering full-time professional dance education, comparable to Cascade's serious contemporary dance training ethos and NATD-style graded progression. Higher-tier provider with broader curriculum than Cascade.

Direct peers

• Jayne Coleman Dance Academy: Kent-based dance school offering classes for children and adults across multiple styles with annual shows and graded examinations. Strong geographic overlap with Cascade Dance and similar subscription + workshop + production revenue model.
• South East Dance: Regional dance development organization supporting contemporary dance across the South East of England. Comparable to Cascade's geographic focus and contemporary dance specialty, with similar community/youth performance programming.
• Jill Clewes Academy of Dance: Regional UK dance school offering weekly classes in multiple styles with performance and examination pathways for children and adults. Comparable to Cascade as a community-rooted, multi-venue dance school with exam-board affiliation.

Others

• National Association of Teachers of Dancing (NATD): UK dance examination board offering graded syllabi in multiple dance styles. Comparable because Cascade delivers NATD Contemporary and Ballet exams with 100% pass rate, making NATD a foundational partner and shared framework.
• Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD): Leading UK dance examination and teacher training body. Comparable to NATD as a parallel accreditation and standards framework for dance schools like Cascade that offer graded examinations.
• One Dance UK: UK umbrella body for dance supporting teachers, schools, and the dance sector. Comparable to Cascade as an enabler of community dance education and a potential advocacy/standards partner for the company.

Emerging players

• ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company: UK dance company producing contemporary and hip-hop productions with strong community education and youth outreach arms. Comparable to Cascade's contemporary/street-youth blend and event-based performance programming.

Regional players

• National Dance Company Wales (NDCW): Regional dance organization producing performances and running education and outreach programs. Comparable to Cascade's mix of performance production and community education, but at a larger scale and different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CascadeDance
• Instagraminstagram.com/cascadedance
• Xx.com/cascadedance
• Facebookfacebook.com/cascadedance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cascade-dance-llp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cascade Dance