Lafour History

Lafour was established in 1999 by Mandy Fouracre B.Phil (Hons), LRAD and Sue Lawrie AISTD, RSA.

Mandy Fouracre

From 1970 to 1973 Mandy trained at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Teacher Training College in London. After graduating Mandy taught RAD Grades and Majors and ISTD Tap/Modern at a London school before moving to Bracknell, Berkshire where she introduced the first RAD classes at South Hill Park Arts Centre. In 1978 Mandy lived in New Delhi where she started an RAD school at the British High Commission.

Between 1980 and 1986 Mandy was busy bringing up her own four children but continued teaching ballet, tap and modern to children and adults on a freelance basis. During this period she completed the City and Guilds 731 diploma entitled ‘Teaching the Handicapped in further education’. One of the modules necessitated designing a dance course specifically for use with mentally handicapped young adults. In 1986 Mandy established CVSD with Sue Lawrie in Crowthorne, Berkshire and was responsible for teaching children and adults, entering many for exams, festivals and shows.

Mandy moved to Ghana in 1994 where she established the first RAD Academy in West Africa named MFDA (Mandy Fouracre Dance Academy) at Pippa’s Health Club - a quality health and fitness centre in Accra - and organised /entered students for the first session of RAD exams to be held in Ghana. Mandy is still actively involved in teacher recruitment / technical advice and ongoing support for MFDA and visits Ghana once a year in a consultancy capacity.

In January 1999 Sue Lawrie and Mandy Fouracre joined forces once again and established Lafour Dance and Theatre Schools.

In 2001 Mandy completed the intensive 18 month course of study offered by the RAD (in affiliation with the University of Durham) in Ballet and Contextual studies and was awarded a B Phil (Hons) degree.

In July 2005 the Lafour Dance & Theatre schools business divided. Lafour Dance which runs syllabus classes in health & fitness is now run by Sue Lawrie.
Contact no 01252 878565.

Mandy Fouracre now runs the Lafour Theatre Schools(LTS) and is also developing amd marketing the prima dance syllabus. This is a 4 year progrssive programme of dance designed especially for younger children (3-7 years).
Lafour Prima Dance