Artistic Director  - Helen Ainsworth 

Helen Ainsworth began dancing at the age of three in Ipswich UK, and fell in love with ballet. After performing in festivals, competitions, National Youth Ballet, and being awarded many scholarships she won a place at Rambert school of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and graduated in 2004. 

Helen then went on to join Mathew Bourne’s New Adventures in 2005 where she danced in Swan Lake and Nutcracker on world tours, dancing in many different roles. She appeared in TV commercials and was a founding member of Two’s company. She has worked with many choreographers including Cathy Marston, Christopher Hampton, Wayne Sleep, and Mark Baldwin.

Helen achieved the Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma with the Royal Academy of Dance, and a passion for teaching and choreography was born. Helen has been teaching classical ballet and contemporary in Dubai since 2009 and founded The National Ballet Studio in 2013, and is so proud of how the school has grown. She also enjoys making costumes and props for productions as it expands her love of all things creative. She encourages students to get involved with these aspects too and develop new skills.

Helen’s three children all dance at The National Ballet Studio and share the love of performing on stage and making friends with their fellow dancers.

Helen choreographs professional productions as well as productions for the school.  

company Director – Marie Braeken-Sudan 

Marie is a Swiss national, living in Dubai since 2009 and the mother of 3 children. Marie graduated from L’Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne and spent the first part of her career in management roles in the hospitality sector in London, San Francisco, Singapore and Shanghai.

It is through the passion of her children that Marie connected with the world of ballet. In 2021 she became a partner at TNBS where her main focus is on managing the studios administrative, financial back-office , marketing and parent relations.

Beyond ballet, her passions include travel, skiing and reading.

BALlET and Modern TEACHER - Misha jade Goddard

Misha is a UK trained performer and educator, who has called the UAE home for as long as she can remember. Her early dance and musical theatre training began at a very young age, and she performed as a child in productions such as A Midsummer Nights Dream, Swan Lake, FIFA World Cup and various flashmobs / brand campaigns across the UAE & UK. Her professional training continued in the UK at The Northern Ballet School, and then The Urdang Academy, where she graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Musical Theatre and Professional Dance.
Her career has since been very diverse, ranging from performing in London in musicals, dance tours, and commercials to joining contemporary dance company Sima Dance Company here in Dubai, and Dance Captain at a show in Expo2020. Misha is passionate about teaching and places a strong focus on technique and self-expression, fostering a supportive environment for all students to reach their full potential.
She is a registered teacher with the RAD, ISTD and LAMDA, certified in Progressing Ballet Technique, Acrobatic Arts, STOTT Pilates, and Personal Training, and holds a Diploma in Dance Education. Misha is also trained in the Estill Voice Technique to help singers master vocal control and unlock their endless possibilities for artistry and performance magic! She is proud of her choreography's winning gold at international dance competitions GDO and GPAA, and achieving excellent results from her students in their exams.
She is particularly looking forward to starting her Master of Arts in Education from the Royal Academy of Dance in August 2025, to continue growing as an educator of the performing arts.

When she's not coaching, choreographing or dancing, you can find her hiking and exploring with her German Shepherd, Marley.

BALLET TEacher - nicola TROTTER

Nicola completed the Royal Academy of Dance Examinations to Solo Seal level in Australia and was awarded the title of Associate (ARAD). She continued her professional dance training, obtaining a Diploma in Performing Arts.

Following a performing career, with The South Australian Ballet Co, and realising that her heart lay with Dance Education, she returned to the University of Queensland to complete a Bachelor of Science - Human Movement Studies, majoring in Anatomy, Child Growth and Development, and Educational Dance, as well as designing dance music programmes for children with special needs. 

Establishing her own ballet schools, both in Australia and Dubai UAE, she has nurtured many students from their first steps to advanced level. Past students have continued to study dance around the world or moved into associated fields. 

With over 40 years of experience across many dance styles, including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Scottish, Nicola has been employed in various private ballet and theatre schools, government educational institutions at both secondary and tertiary level, and has been invited to guest teach internationally and adjudicate for dance competitions. 

Nicola was the recipient of “Outstanding Teacher Mentor” at the 2020 RAD Centenary Dance Teacher Awards, honouring the excellence of RAD Registered Teachers from around the world. 

She has been awarded the title of “RAD Life Registered Teacher.”