Claire Slater

Born in the South of England, Claire began dancing at the age of two. Her early training was undertaken at Barling Magna Studios in Essex under the mentorship of Patricia Prime, former senior examiner and chairlady of the Imperial Classical Ballet. During this time, she was also selected as an Associate of the Royal Ballet School in London, further enriching her classical ballet foundation.

At the age of 16, following a family relocation to the North of England, she continued her professional development at the Northern Ballet School in Manchester. There, she gained a Diploma in Professional Dance and achieved teaching qualifications with both the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD).

In 1990, Claire founded East Lancs School of Dancing, offering ISTD graded and vocational training in Ballet, Modern, and Tap, alongside RAD vocational ballet. While running the school, she continued her own progression as a ballet educator, achieving both Licentiate and Fellowship status in Imperial Classical Ballet with the ISTD.

Over the past decade, she has expanded her role as a teacher and mentor, becoming an Imperial Classical Ballet examiner and Lecturer. In this capacity, she proudly represents the ISTD across the UK and internationally, supporting the training and assessment of dancers at all levels. In addition to examining, she also serves on the faculty at Preston College Dance, delivering modules on both the Professional Dancers Course and the BA (Hons) in Teaching, Performance and Choreography. Her teaching focuses on developing the next generation of dancers and educators, helping them to achieve the high standards required for professional careers in the industry.

Claire is passionate about the lifelong impact of dance and is thrilled to be developing CDArts as a new and inspirational venue to nurture the next generation of dancers in the Preston area. She believes that, whether pursued as a hobby or a profession, dance develops discipline, resilience, creativity, and self-expression — qualities that shape confident, capable individuals both on and off the stage. Her greatest reward comes from watching her students grow, thrive, and find joy in their dance journey.

Outside of the studio, Claire enjoys life as a mum to two children and their beloved dog, Wilson. She finds joy in walking, gardening, baking, music, reading, and being outdoors.