CHISLEHURST ASSOCIATES
Phone contact: 0203 105 0525
associateschislehurst@italiaconti.co.uk
Italia Conti Chislehurst is the leading Performing Arts Academy in the area. Our huge selection of classes at weekends for children and young people, aged between 3 and 18+ years, are led by trained Industry professionals. Pupils may choose one or more of the following classes: Singing, Acting, Musical Theatre, LAMDA Examinations in Speech & Drama, ISTD Ballet, ISTD Modern and ISTD Tap, Technical Jazz, Contemporary, Street, Acro, Film & Television and Dance on Film. Whilst many dance schools have set packages available, with us pupils may take as many or as few subjects as they wish.
In addition to having the opportunity to appear in various shows and events all produced exclusively for Italia Conti Chislehurst Students.
We also offer fun-filled workshops that take place during school holidays, and many attend our excellent Summer School weeks held each year where we produce a full 2 hour performance in just 5 days.
We are pleased to be able to offer selected pupils the opportunity to audition for representation by the prestigious Italia Conti Agency. Whilst most attend to enjoy the experience of high quality training for recreational purposes, some pupils may be designated ‘Professional Students’. These pupils attend all day and achieve very high standards in the expectation that they will eventually enter full-time training for a career in the entertainment media.
ENROL NOW
Darren has been a #ContiKid for over 25 years now!
He started his performance training in 1995 at Italia Conti Chislehurst, before being offered the opportunity to train full time at the Italia Conti Academy in London.
Over the last twenty years he has had the great pleasure of being able to pass on the wonderful training he received to the next generation of Italia Conti Chislehurst pupils, and is thrilled to count a whole host of West End, Film, Television and Pop Stars as previous students.
Darren has Choreographed and Directed dozens of shows across the country including: Guys and Dolls (LMA Stratford), Little Shop of Horrors (The Oaks Theatre), The Addams Family (The Oaks Theatre), Legally Blonde (The Bob Hope Theatre), The Wind In The Willows (Coopers Theatre), Fame (The Broadway Theatre, Catford), Oliver (The Bob Hope Theatre), Annie (The Bob Hope Theatre), Beauty & The Beast, Peter Pan (Princes Theatre, Clacton & The Broadway Theatre, Barking), Cinderella (Thameside Theatre, Grays & Theatre Royal, Margate), Dick Whittington (Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury) and many more.
Aside from his vast teaching and directing experience, Darren has had an illustrious performing career with professional credits including: Super Swing (Cover Trigger, Mickey P & Mike the Barman) in Only Fools and Horses the Musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End), Harper / 1st Cover Stoner in the UK Tour of the Rod Stewart Musical Tonight’s The Night, Zeke in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Phil D’Armano in the UK Premiere of The Wild Party, Banquo in Macbeth (UK Tour), and has played a host of leading Villain and Comic roles in pantomimes across the country.
Darren also won a Best Actor Award for his leading role in the film Goodbye to Yesterday, and has made various other television and film appearances including Sebastian in Lee Nelson’s Well Funny People, Freddie in The Book, Dr Kaplowitz in Dark Matters: Twisted But True, Ross in Marilyn & Me, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Young Jeffery in The Growth and Decline of Jeffery Mullet, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Shy Guy in Sky One’s Brainiac: Science Abuse, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Simon in the feature film Keep Yourself Alive.
His voice recording credits include The Battle Of Britain for the BBC, various voices for Nickelodeon’s hit TV show Genie in the House, and Roger Walter’s (of Pink Floyd) concept album Ça Ira.
Darren can be contacted by email
Our Acro classes are fun sessions where gymnastic techniques and dance are combined to give our students the tricks they need to really shine during performances.
Whether you are new to gymnastics or a trained club competitor our Acro classes will help you strengthen, stretch, and feel confident to try out new skills with our team of fully trained staff on hand to support you all the way.
Our Acting classes cover variety of dramatic techniques and disciplines including: improvisation, scripted texts, mime, character development, studying practitioners, play writes and performances.
Our younger age groups will start their Drama journey by learning through play. Our trained tutors will guide them through a series of confidence building techniques and drama games to introduce them to the world of stage acting, public speaking and physical theatre.
As students progress into our older sessions the focus will begin to shift toward scripted work and learning how to develop a character within a scene. They will learn to devise, develop and direct their own work under the guidance of our highly experienced team. They will also be given lots of opportunities to showcase their skills in a variety of performances, showcases and events throughout the year.
Many of our young students have had great success in gaining professional work on TV and Film productions, as well as West End Musicals and Plays. With a large number of our “”Professional Students”” gaining places at full-time performing arts colleges.
Our Ballet classes are the foundation of any good dance training. Most forms of dance will find their roots in the techniques developed through ballet, and those students wishing to take on a career in dance or musical theat