Every month I get to meet a broad selection of exceptional Cheshire people. Some are successful and entrepreneurial business owners; some possess strong personal skills that enable them to excel in their chosen professions and some are highly adept at passing on their skills and enthusiasm to others.
Recently, I met up with a multi-talented, determined and ambitious young woman who encapsulates all those attributes, and more, writes Peter Pickering.
Victoria Thomas will be instantly recognisable to many through her on-going national TV commercial work.
She is often referred to as ‘the face’ of sofa company SCS, a role she has been fulfilling for a number of years “I was initially offered a short-term contract but this was extended and I have been fronting the SCS commercials for almost three years now.”
When you consider that few of the ‘A’ and ‘B’ list celebrities who have dabble in, what for them, can be the lucrative world of TV commercials, are retained by the companies whose products or services they are being paid handsomely to promote, the very fact that preliminary discussions are already under way to further extend her contract suggests to me that Victoria’s on-screen appeal is having the desired affect for SCS sofa sales. “We start filming a new series of commercials in August.”
But her personal skills extend far beyond the world of TV commercials.
During an era when, every year, thousands of relatively untalented people flock to audition for reality TV shows in search of instant ‘fame & fortune’, Victoria followed a more traditional apprenticeship-type route to hone her performing arts skills, seeking out the very best teachers.
“I lived in London for a number of years and trained at the famous Pineapple Dance Studios. I have danced with famous music artists including Kanye West and I also danced at The Brit Awards.”
Victoria’s acting skills have also been rewarded with appearances in popular TV series such as Emmerdale, Doctors and Life on Mars.
Alongside furthering her own professional career, this petite young woman owns and manages two thriving businesses and, such is Victoria’s enthusiasm for her profession, it will come as no surprise to learn that both are performing arts-related.
Through the auspices of Rokit Performing Arts Limited, Victoria and her hand picked team of specialist teachers have been providing four to eighteen year olds, in and around Knutsford, with professional training in singing, dancing, acting and presenting for more than two years now.
“I thoroughly enjoy helping others along the way to realising their dreams, but for many of the young people we work with it is more to do with having fun, developing their personal skills and boosting their self-confidence.
We also offer Rokit Pop and Rokit Theatre training sessions focusing on pop songs, acting for television and dancing in addition to musical theatre and technical training. Soon we will be launching Mini Rokit which is structured to enable youngsters from the age of two to three to benefit from our professional training.”
So where did the name ‘Rokit’ come from? I asked. “I named the business after my little dog who I adore.” came the reply.
Such is the rapidly growing reputation of the Rokit programme that Victoria is already expanding into other areas “We regularly receive enquiries from the Alderley Edge and Wilmslow areas, so we are opening our Rokit performing arts academy in Wilmslow, at the Methodist Church in Water Lane, on Wednesday September 10. And the same specialist team of teachers will be working with me.”
Red Ice Promotions Limited, Victoria’s second business venture, provides professional dancers, choreographers and promotional personnel for fashion shows, wedding shows, music videos, TV commercials and product launches. The company’s impressive client list includes household names such as New Look, Umbro, Vodafone and Sony.
You can find out more about Victoria’s businesses by visiting www.rokitperformingarts.co.uk and www.red-ice.co.uk
You might think running two businesses; one of which is in the process of expanding into new territory, alongside fulfilling your own professional career commitments, would be demanding enough for anyone.
However, Victoria has no intention of maintaining the status quo, either in her professional life or in her private life. “I am keen to become a TV show presenter and I am working with a second agent who has the contacts, and the experience, to take this further with me.”
On August 15 of this year Victoria will be taking a well-deserved break from her professional commitments to marry her fiancé, Adam, who works for holiday company Natural Retreats.
Knowing the enthusiasm and passion this young lady brings to everything she does, I am sure their wedding day will be one they will share happy memories of throughout the rest of their lives together.
One thing is for sure, the bride and groom’s first dance together at the reception will be one of the highlights of the day.
INCheshire magazine & Prestbury Living magazine reach a diverse range of professionals throughout Cheshire’s renown ‘Golden Triangle’, including broadcasters. We know this to be the case as, from time to time, we are contacted by researchers from TV and radio companies asking for contact details for some of the people we have mentioned or featured.
With that in mind, and if any of those senior media executives are reading this, I strongly recommend they get in touch with Victoria to find out for themselves what this ultimate professional has to offer.
