How did I get here?
Meet Ellie Dracup, who has progressed from student through to work experience placement, teaching assistant and now teacher at Razzamataz Maidstone. Although Ellie is just 17 years old, she’s packed a lot in with an exciting future in front of her.
Early days
I joined Razzamataz Maidstone when I was eleven and went straight into the Seniors class. I left at the age of sixteen but in truth, I really wasn’t ready to leave but I struggled fitting in the long days at college with being fully committed to Razzamataz. I was absolutely delighted when my Principal Charlotte offered me a teaching assistant position for Minis as it meant I could stay connected to Razzamataz.
First steps
I’m currently studying performing arts and extended production and my dream is to work as a professional performer, potentially on a cruise ship so I can see the world. I’ve always taken performing arts seriously and Razzamataz helped me to turn my passion into a career path. I started out as a teaching assistant for the Minis class and worked with them for a year, even getting to be part of the show team, which was amazing, and they made me very proud. I was then offered a teaching assistant role for the Intro to Juniors and Juniors classes as well as taking on the singing teacher’s role.
Overcoming challenges
I was very nervous when I first started teaching but the support I’ve received from Charlotte and the rest of them team has been so encouraging. When I first started, I had a mentor so I could learn from them, and they encouraged me to push myself out of my comfort zone. I also had regular one to one meetings with Charlotte who set me targets and helped me find ways I could achieve them. During this time, I also learnt how to develop the relationships with the individual students too. I started to see which ones needed more support and which ones I could push to the next level. In December, I also started to teach drama as well as the Tots classes, which is another challenge because parents are in the class too. This allowed me to develop a rapport with the adults while really getting to know the individual children.
Memories made
There have been so many but what really stands out to me was when we had the incredible experience of performing at the 02 in London. This was my first taste of being on a professional stage and it was the moment that I realised that this was the career path that I wanted to follow. I also loved performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End. It was really special because I got to perform a solo and share the stage with my friends, many of whom share the same dreams and love of performing arts as I do.
Life skills gained
I was very shy when I first started out at Razzamataz Maidstone. But the way the teachers and all the students interacted, I immediately felt supported and that they were my second family. The bonds between the students and teachers inspire confidence and in terms of my performing, I was lucky enough to have one to one classes, which improved my technical performance skills and gave me the confidence and guidance to prepare for college auditions.
What do you love about being a Razzamataz teacher
As well as the students’ energy and enthusiasm, as a teacher you can see their journey from a shy, quiet child to them jumping up and down in lessons and chatting to you telling you all about their day or what’s happening at school. I love seeing them grow as individuals. Razzamataz Maidstone is also a lovely place to work. Every team member is so supportive and is committed to providing the absolute best for their students and ensuring each child gets their moment to shine.
Next ambitions with Razzamataz
I always said that I would love to able to run my own school or partner with someone to have a Razzamataz one day. In the immediate future, I’m aiming to teach the Senior students so I can share with them my experiences of college and the industry and be a support to them, the way I was supported by my Razzamataz teachers.
