[Mrluvaluva]

A former contestant on reality television show Big Brother is to start a performing arts academy in Plymouth.

Grace Adams-Short, who grew up in the city, is returning to start the academy in September.

Miss Adams-Short, 22, who appeared on Big Brother two years ago, is herself a trained dancer and will be teaching children from as young as three.



"I will be teaching the classes myself," she said, adding: "It's something I've wanted to do for ages and now, finally, the timing is right."

The Grace Academy of Performing Arts is already taking bookings for classes. The teaching will be held at the former St Dunstan's School, at Plymouth's Millfields - Miss Adams-Short's former school - every Saturday.

In the morning, half-hour classes for children aged three to five will be held and in the afternoon, there will be three one-hour classes for six- to 17-year-olds.

Miss Adams-Short said the classes would include dance, drama and singing. Two other teachers will take the drama and singing classes.

She added: "I will be teaching lots of jazz and modern street jazz - that is what all the big stage schools in London expect students to have. But I am also classically trained so I can do some ballet if there's the demand for it, as well as contemporary dance."

Currently, Miss Adams-Short is touring with a theatre company performing Doctor in the House. She has also signed up for two further theatre productions next year. Despite her busy schedule, the 22-year-old said that, by maintaining her stage career, she will be able to offer the students the best advice and techniques, since she has her "finger on the pulse" of the performance industry.

Miss Adams-Short, who has houses in London and Liverpool, where her fianc?? lives, said she would be staying with her mother at her childhood home in Wembury, near Plymouth, when she returns every weekend to teach.

She added: "I decided to set the academy up in Plymouth because I think the city has got a lot to offer. Everything is getting bigger and better in Plymouth - it's the 15th largest growing city in the country. And I love Plymouth, it's where I grew up."For more information, call 07519 019027 or e-mail a href="mailto:thegraceacademy@yahoo.com" class="lblue" thegraceacademy@yahoo.com /a



Prices vary depending on the classes, with scholarships offered to several young performers.


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