28 July 2026
Evonnee is a graduate of Bird College with a First Class BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre, Evonnee's credits include Ain't Too Proud, Elf The Musical, Burlesque The Musical, Bridgerton and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
She is currently appearing in The Devil Wears Prada at London's Dominion Theatre, she works as a swing, covering all 12 female ensemble tracks in the production. Throughout her career, she has remained passionate about the ISTD training and qualifications that helped shape her journey.
Building strong foundations
For Evonnee, ISTD training provided far more than technical skills.
"I see exams and training as helping me learn the foundations of dance, but also how to approach learning dance," she says. "It taught me discipline. Having to go home every week, practise what I'd learned and come back prepared, was a really beneficial skill as a young person."
She also credits ISTD classes with helping her develop confidence, communication skills and friendships that continue to influence her professional life.
"Training with other children and young people brought camaraderie and strong communication skills. That transfers directly into being a good company member in the West End – supporting others and feeling supported yourself."
Perhaps most importantly, ISTD training helped her realise dance could become a career.
"Doing the exams and training as a child made me think, 'Actually, I could do this in the future.' Seeing my teacher loving their job made me think, 'Maybe this is something I could do too.'"
Learning to thrive under pressure
Performing in the West End means dealing with constant pressure, something Evonnee believes ISTD exams prepared her for from an early age.
"The number one thing ISTD exams helped me with was being able to work under pressure," she says. "Exams can feel daunting and nerve-racking, but doing them multiple times taught me that I actually can do it and get through it. I took that experience into auditions as an adult."
She also highlights the stamina developed through progressing through the graded syllabus.
"As you move through the grades, the exams get longer and you learn how to pace yourself. That stamina becomes invaluable later in your career."
Another benefit is the opportunity to perform independently.
"When you're a professional, it's actually quite rare to dance solo. ISTD exams give students the chance to perform on their own and really commit to their performance."
The lasting impact of the ISTD DDE
Alongside her performing career, Evonnee completed the ISTD Diploma in Dance Education (DDE), which enhanced both her teaching and performance work.
One of the most valuable lessons was communication.
"I've learned that if a student is struggling to understand something, it's not their fault. It's because I haven't found the clearest way to communicate it yet."
The qualification also strengthened the information-management skills she now uses as a swing.
"During my DDE training I had to learn multiple grades from Primary through to Intermediate and be able to pull out specific exercises whenever I needed them. That's a skill I still use in my performing career today."
Supporting the next generation
As Senior Class Teacher at this year's Janet Cram Awards, Evonnee relished the opportunity to work with talented young dancers.
"Representation in both the dance and teaching industries is really important," she says. "It's lovely to show young people that someone who looks like me or dances like me can be in this position."
She also values seeing students grow in confidence.
"It's always lovely to see students blossom. Whether it's understanding a step by the end of a class or becoming more confident over a term, that growth is really special to watch."
Stepping Up to Success
When asked to summarise the value of ISTD exams in a single sentence, Evonnee's answer captures the qualities that have carried her from student, to teacher, to West End performer:
"ISTD exams help students step up when they're under pressure. Whatever they're feeling, they learn resilience, strength and how to perform their heart out."
For Evonnee Bentley-Holder, those lessons have become the foundation of a successful career and are now the same lessons she is passing on to the next generation of dancers.
