Thatcham dance teacher Sonia Brown wins People's Choice award at national ceremony

A Thatcham dance teacher has received her first ever national award win.

Dance instructor Sonia Brown has received One Dance UK’s People’s Choice Award at a ceremony hosted at the Birmingham Hippodrome on Friday (January 25).

Her independent dance school Dance with Sonia Brown offers jazz, tap and ballet classes for adults, specialising in over-50s, in Thatcham, Newbury and Reading.

“We’re still in a state of shock,” said Ms Brown, who lives in Thatcham. “This is our first ever award and we’re not sure we can go any bigger.

“Receiving this award means so much more than an acknowledgment of our hard work over the past six years.”

Ms Brown was put forward by her dancers, setting her against other industry heavyweights.

“I was up against dance studios, professional performing companies, choreographers casting directors, people who do research. It literally is open to anyone from the sector,” she continued.

“This would not have been possible without my fantastic and fabulous dancers. We are one big family.”

But thanks to further lobbying from family and friends, she made it to the final three and was invited to the ceremony – where she says never expected to win.

“I made the final for the same award for People’s Choice in 2022,” she added.

“I sat the entire way through the [2025] awards going ‘well, it was nice coming up but didn’t think I’d win again’. So, I was very shocked when my name got called up.”

Ms Brown founded her school in 2019. But she has been dancing since she was two-years-old and started teaching at17.

She currently gives classes at Newbury Rugby Club and twice a week at Thatcham Parish Hall, with some her pupils attending for up to five years.

The One Dance UK Awards is the most prestigious national awards event for the dance sector.

The People’s Choice Award is granted based on the highest number of public votes.