My Journey
Summer Hughes is 20 years old, originally from Southampton however moved to Guildford to continue her studies in musical theatre.
She has always loved dance and was sent to her first baby ballet class at the age of 3, and her passion for the arts has been ever growing since. She grew up dancing most nights at her local dance schools however at the age of 18 decided to take it a step further and leave her home town to study at Performance Preparation Academy (PPA) on their 3 year BA Honors Musical Theatre Course. Now she is coming to the end of her training she is excited to see where her career leads her next.
In terms of her Choreographer Journey, she has been a dance teacher since the age of 16, assisting at her local Stagecoach, and from there on she grew to become a performing arts teacher of children aged 4 - 6 and is now the dance teacher of her local stagecoach. Whilst also covering dance lessons at other schools as and when she is needed.
In April 2024, she was presented with an amazing opportunity to choreograph a bigger scale production of American Idiot at her childhood theatre group, Centrestage Productions Youth Theatre (CPYT) and since then has become the resident choreographer and has created shows such as Kinky Boots, Wind and the Willows, Sister Act, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Hadestown and many more.
About SJH Choreography
SJH Choreography was created from a desire to create something more accessible, supportive and inspiring for dancers at all stages of their journey. Wanting to offer training, including 1-1 sessions and open classes for those who need more flexibility in their training schedules, whilst building a strong sense of community where people can come together through a shared love of movement.
As a performer herself, Summer knows how essential it is to keep up your training but working with an inconsistent schedule meant more often than not long and frequent travel to London to attend open classes at well established dance studios. She wanted to change that by creating a more accessible yet still high quality training opportunities within the Hampshire area, supporting dancers who share that same drive but need something closer to home.
At the same time, SJH Choreography is about growing Summer's voice within the industry, establishing a name, expanding creatively and opening doors to new and exciting opportunities. SJH Choreography is not only a place to help others to grow but a space where passion, ambition and community can come together.