About UDA

UDA provide an afterschool program which supports families and schools with the development of emotional resilience in young people using fitness related activities; centred around dance, gymnastics and fencing paired with mind-set coaching.

UDA believe with the right mind-set you can do anything, like the saying goes, “have a strong mind, lead a strong life”.  We want to provide young people with the tools to cope with stress positively, so they can see the lesson in every situation and the build the resilience to get through life’s setbacks.

Hence why we are called UDA because we help young people to develop a mind-set that allows them to be Unique, Dream big and stay Ambitious.

Our Story

Katrina Thomas, founder and hands on director of UDA has been dancing since age 7. Her passion led her to become the first university qualified person within her family and have a successful career choreographing dance in the entertainment industry. When Katrina became a mother to a son with ADHD she knew she had to change her career to accommodate her number one priority while continuing her passion for dance.

UDA was born when Katrina realised her son was struggling with anxiety and depression at school due to his ADHD and forming a bad relationship between these feelings and his school work. She used ball games, dancing and calisthenics paired with homework to reprogramme the way her son learns and reset his relationship with education.

While working with her son at home, Katrina was coaching dance and sports both in schools and in after school classes. Over the years she slowly introduced the methods she was using at home with other children and has seen overall amazing results in the emotional well being of the children she comes into contact with. Physical well being is strongly linked with confidence and resilience and it’s been proven that a healthy body and a healthy mind go hand in hand.

UDA has slowly moulded into a company which improves mental and emotional health through physical fitness, trying to counter the increasing rate of anxiety and depression in young people. All of our services; after school clubs, community sessions and teacher training are centred around giving our young people a place where their individual personalities can thrive with the best support while having a great time!