Our Tutors

Our tutors are all professionally trained in their craft, and have worked, or are still currently working, in the Performing Arts Industry. We also invite guest tutors to lead workshops and masterclasses in various fields. We pride ourselves on providing our students with the top standard of training.

Rebecca Thompson BA(Hons), PGCE

FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR / PRODUCER

Rebecca opened Encore PAA in September 2010, with the intention of providing many aspects of the Performing Arts under one roof, in professional, purpose-built studios. Offering courses in Musical Theatre, Acting, Singing and Instrument tuition, Encore quickly established itself as a front runner when providing excellent opportunities in Performing Arts for the youth in Donegal and Tyrone.

Rebecca relishes working with the children that come through the doors of Encore PAA each year - she loves to see the change in each child and the confidence they develop whilst attending Encore; even the change within a term can be evident. She is especially proud of the welcoming and warm environment each student experiences - the friendships made at Encore are indeed something special!

She is mummy to six boys and married to Ian, who she has roped in to designing and building the sets for Encore's yearly productions! As well as directing, producing and choreographing Encore's shows, Rebecca also enjoys choreographing shows for other local Musical Societies and schools, with recent productions including Jesus Christ Superstar and The Wizard of Oz.

As Artistic Director, Rebecca is continuously looking to develop the opportunities available at Encore, with new courses being developed each year, now also available for adults! She believes students should have many opportunities to perform throughout the year, and encourages her students to take part in exams, Féis competitions and shows.

Caroline Barker BA(Hons)

HEAD OF DANCE

Miss, Caroline is from Luton, Bedfordshire but has lived in Co. Tyrone since 2004. She trained from the age of 4 years at the prestigious Anne Gale School of Dance, studying and achieving her Advanced Examinations in RAD Classical Ballet, ISTD Ballet, Modern Jazz, Tap, Lyrical and National and IDTA Ballet. She went on to gain her qualifications as a Dance teacher/choreographer, and also gained a BA(Hons) Degree in Drama and Theatre Studies.

Working professionally as a dancer from the age of 8 years, Miss. Caroline has performed in Pantomimes and Shows in Luton, Borehamwood and London. She has also toured with Youth Theatre in England, France, Germany and Holland. However, her heart has always remained in choreography and teaching and she has won several awards for outstanding choreography both in England, and now in Ireland, and she has worked extensively as a professional choreographer.

Miss. Caroline is a member of the IDTA (The International Dance Teachers Association) and is fully qualified to teach all genres of theatre dance and enter her students for IDTA Dance Examinations, for which she has a 100% pass rate to a consistently high standard. Her Senior Students are offered the opportunity to be entered for the professional level IDTA Intermediate and Advanced Dance exams in Theatrecraft , Ballet and Tap.

Miss. Caroline and her Dancers have been awarded All Ireland Most Outstanding Dance School for two consecutive years and her dancers have won Bronze Medals for Tap at the Dance World Cup Championships. Most recently they have been awarded Overall Elite Championship Awards for Lyrical , Tap and Musical Theatre and her soloists have won titles at the National Solo Dance Championships for Modern Jazz and Tap.

Laura Douglas MA, BA(Hons), DipLCM

ACTING TUTOR

Laura has been part of Encore since 2012. She trained at Arts Educational Schools London, and recently became an accredited practitioner of The Gonsalves Method, a new method of acting rooted in Stanislavski and Meisner, that is currently rising through the industry.

Laura is incredibly passionate about coaching young performers who wish to move into the industry professionally, and her particular skills lie in helping actors connect authentically and truthfully within their performances.

As well as coaching, Laura is still a working professional herself within the industry, having recently originated a role in Jonathan Burgess' play 'World's Apart'. She does a lot of community theatre and street theatre, and will be appearing in 'The Black Hall' at Halloween, alongside some students from Encore!

As well as acting, writing and directing, Laura is also a Creative Consultant, running her own small business alongside her other work.