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Calling All High and Secondary Dance Teachers from Government/Private Schools/Colleges

Lesson Plans and Professional Development Material

Our platform provides a wealth of Lesson Plans and Professional Development materials, serving as a resource hub for subscribers. Our extensive collection of Health Care materials has been curated over the past decade, specifically tailored for dance students. Teachers utilize these resources in diverse ways, including supporting injured students, assisting substitute teachers, and enriching their own class materials. Each edition of dancetrain contains numerous articles customized for academic dance students, with a strong focus on promoting safe dance practices. An example of material available can be found here.
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Lesson Plans examples

Academic Schools Guide for Dance

The Academic Schools Guide for Dance is a comprehensive resource tailored for student dancers and their families seeking Secondary/High School/College options offering Academic Dance programs. dancetrain actively encourages student dancers to pursue Dance as a subject at school. Many students who have pursued dance from a young age find immense enjoyment in continuing their dance education at school. Both parents and students are often pleasantly surprised to discover that their love and extensive knowledge of Dance make them a perfect fit for this subject. With Dance contributing to their ATAR, they enjoy the benefits of their extensive knowledge in dance.
contact us to have your Secondary/High School/College listed



The Composition Conversation
Teachers read The Composition Conversation SCHOOLIES article on p70-71 of MarApr 2022 issue of Dancetrain. They then conduct a data analysis of past composition projects students have completed, looking at relationship patterns between stimulus/intent, process & final result.
Dancetrain Teacher Professional Learning Activity Composition Conversation MarApr2022 p70-71.pdf
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Spinal Alignment
Students observe their own spinal/lower back alignment and also answer a series of questions to support their analysis of their own alignment. They then read the BODYWISE article, “Spinal Asymmetries and Forcing Turnout” on p62,63 of MarApr 2022 issue of Dancetrain. They use the knowledge they have gained to develop a list of targeted strength and flexibility exercises to support their pelvic stability.
Spinal Alignment Dancetrain Lesson Plan MarApr2022 p62-63.pdf
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What is Contemporary Dance?
Students read the What is Contemporary Dance? SCHOOLIES article on p72,73 of MarApr 2022 issue of Dancetrain. Students then conduct research on various past Modern, Post Modern & Contemporary dance arts, pay particular attention to their approach to the creative process. Students compare how choreographers of the past and present work with their performers to create work in the style of their era.
What is Contemporary Dance Dancetrain Lesson Plan MarApr2022 p7273.pdf
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Adjudication
Teachers read interview with Adjudicator Christina Di Giuseppe on p33-34 of JanFeb 2022 issue of Dancetrain. They consider the Eisteddfods/competitions they plan to enter their students in and take on board the reflections made by regular adjudicators.
Dancetrain Teacher Professional Learning Activity Adjudication JanFeb2022 p33-34.pdf
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Cross Training
This task is designed with students in mind who are going into Year 11 or 12 in 2022. Students read the BODYWISE article, “The Cross Training Puzzle” on p56,57 of JanFeb 2022 issue of Dancetrain. They use the tasks and tips in this article to create a targeted plan to achieve the goals they have in 2022. This may be technique or even in relation to composition or appreciation.
Cross Training Dancetrain Lesson Plan JanFeb2022 p5657.pdf
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Post Lockdown Injuries Literacy Task
Students read the Post Lockdown Injuries BODYWISE articles: Bone Stress on p52-53 of JanFeb 2022 issue of Dancetrain. Teacher conduct a literacy task based around predicting answers to the questions in the text, while students learn about the impact of Dancing from Home.

Post Lockdown injuries Literacy Task Dancetrain Lesson Plan JanFeb2022 p5253.pdf
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Teaching Inclusion
Teachers read “Teaching Inclusion” article on p34-35 of NovDec 2021 issue of Dancetrain. They use this as model of how teachers are considering inclusive practices in their dance schools and classrooms. Teachers review their current students and context, then plan and record what adjustments can be made in their classroom practices and environment to improve inclusivity and accessibility to their classes, both for current and potential future students.

Dancetrain Teacher Professional Learning Activity Teaching Inclusion NovDec2021 p34-35.pdf
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Post COVID Holiday Break Plan
This task is designed with students in mind who are going into Year 11 or 12 in 2022. Students read the BODYWISE article, “What Rest is Best?” on p44-45, as well as “Reasons to keep dancing online” on p52-53 of the NovDec 2021 Dancetrain issue. They use information in these articles plan how they will utilise the summer holiday break, maintain fitness and transition into their senior study in 2022, while taking advantage of online resources or lessons that supported them through lockdown.

Stage 5-6 Post COVID Holiday Break Plan Dancetrain Lesson Plan NovDec2021 p4445.pdf
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Reviewing Reviews
Students read the recent reviews sent exclusively to our Education Subscribers (sent via email) on “TWO” by Raghav Handa and “Firebird” by Fineline Dance. Teacher use these reviews in two different ways. One, using the descriptive language as a stimulus for composition, and the second task will review the structure, writing techniques and language used from an appreciation perspective. The two tasks will come full circle as students are asked to apply the writing techniques used to describe the improvisation demonstrated by their peers.

Reviewing Reviews Dancetrain Lesson Plan NovDec2021 Reviews avail. to Ed Subscribers.pdf
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Returning to the studio
Teachers read “Training Load in Dance” article on p68-69 of SepOct 2021 issue of Dancetrain in preparation for their return to face-to-face learning. They have the opportunity to gather data on the typical training loads of students while learning from home and consider this when returning to dance training in the classroom to safely build students’ fitness.

Dancetrain Teacher Professional Learning Activity Returning to the Studio SepOct2021 p68-69.pdf
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Learning from Home Posture
Students read the BODYWISE article, “Spinal Extension” on p60-61 of the SepOct 2021 Dancetrain issue. Students review their own posture while learning from home and the demands of their training. Students design ways of integrating core strengthening exercises throughout their learning from home schedule to improve posture and reduce excess strain on their spine.

Stage 5-6 Learning From Home Posture Dancetrain Lesson Plan SepOct2021 p6061.pdf
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Indian Classical Arts
Students read the BODYWISE article “Indian Classical Arts” on p62 & 63 of SepOct 2021 Dancetrain issue. Students do some preliminary research into Bharatanatyam and design a warm up and training exercises that will support the performance of the technical aspects of Bharatanatyam.

Stage 4-5 Indian Classical Arts Dancetrain Lesson Plan SepOct2021 p62-63.pdf
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Positive Reinforcement
Teachers read “Positive Reinforcement” Article on p54-55 of JulAug 2021 issue of Dancetrain in preparation of a lesson observation activity. Teachers set key areas to gain feedback on, in particular their style of positive and negative reinforcement. Teacher then debriefs with their colleague to identify successful feedback strategies in their classroom.

Positive Reinforcement JulAug2021 p54-55.pdf
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Scratching
Students read the Oceans & Canoes SCHOOLIES article on p62-63 of the JulAug 2021 Dancetrain issue. Students work through suggested stimulus ideas and experiment/research small ideas which could can begin to assist them in generating movement.

A Choreographic Plan Dancetrain Lesson Plan JulAug2021-p6263.pdf
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Your Warm Up
Students read the BODYWISE article “Warm Up in Winter” on p52 & 53 of JulAug 2021Dancetrain issue. Students use this to identify factors that will impact their warm up prior to class, specific to their circumstances and dance environment. Students develop their own individual plan to make the most of the pre class warm up and safely prepare their body, especially in winter

Your Warm Up Dancetrain Lesson Plan JulAug 2021-p52 53.pdf
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Studio Syllabus Research part 2
Teachers read “Cry for Help” Article on p56-57 of MayJun2021 issue of Dancetrain. Teachers have to opportunity to create a guide for beginning and practicum teachers to assist them in managing “at risk” wellbeing behaviours safely and appropriately, to ensure staff feel confident in dealing with wellbeing issues within a dance class context.

Teacher Professional Learning Activity Dance Wellbeing Handbook MayJun2021 p56-57.pdf
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Glutes and Turn-out
Students read the BODYWISE Glutes and Turn-out article on p54-55 of the MayJun2021 Dancetrain issue. Students experience the series of stretches demonstrated in the article and discuss their strengths and weaknesses in turn-out. They then perform a turn-out sequence and then modify it to parallel alignment and discuss the effect of changing between turn-out and parallel movement has on balance, control, momentum and safe dance practice.

Glutes and Turn out Dancetrain Lesson Plan MayJun 2021 p5455.pdf
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Safe Extension of the Spine
Students read the BODYWISE article “Extending beyond what the spine can bare” MayJun2021Dancetrain issue and discuss the concepts in the article. They look at a range of social media images which demonstrate spinal extension. After a safe warm up, students explore movement sequences that feature spinal extension and through teacher lead discussion, students develop their own potential social media post which advocates for safe dance practice in extension of the spine.

Safe Extension of the Spine Dancetrain Lesson Plan MayJun 2021 p5859.pdf
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Studio Syllabus Research
Teachers read and the Meet the examiners 2021interviews on p10-20 of MarApr2021 issue of Dancetrain. They also develop and conduct a survey of their students’ experiences with various studio dance syllabi. They use the information gathered to review and refine their programs and assessment strategies to cater to their students’ prior knowledge as well as training and stylistic experience.
Dancetrain Teacher Professional Learning Activity Assessing MarApr2021 p10 20.pdf
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Knee Alignment
Students read the BODYWISE Knee Pain article on p54-55 of the MarApr2021 Dancetrain issue. With the knowledge learned they compare various knee types and analyse the safe dance considerations required for each, and how they impact the safe execution of movement phrases and body skills.
Stage 5 and 6 Knee Alignment Dancetrain Lesson Plan MarArp 2021 p5455.pdf
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Shape as a stimulus
After revising concepts of Shape and Stimulus, students use images from the MarApr2021 Dancetrain issue cut in half along various planes as a stimulus for a guided improvisation task. Students build a phrase of movement from their improvisations.

Stage 4 Dancetrain Lesson Plan MarApr2021 Images on Various pages.pdf
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Reboot Motivation for 2021
Teachers read and utilise the REBOOT MOTIVATION FOR 2021 on p52-53 of JanFeb2021 issue of Dancetrain as a starting point to analyse their current and past approached to student motivation. They use the information in the article to develop a student survey and guide discussions with colleagues around effective motivational strategies for their students. Once students complete the survey, teachers can implement appropriate motivational tools to reinvigorate student motivation for the coming year, within COVID safe guidelines relevant to their educational settings.
Reboot Motivation for 2021– Teacher Identified PL JanFeb2021.pdf
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Writing a Review
Students use the LIVE ACTION REPLAY review on p58-59 of the JanFeb2021 Dancetrain issue, as well as other reviews to identify different features of analysis types. Students then plan and develop their own review of a work they are familiar with, using different types of information and review examples to scaffold their review.
Writing a Review Dancetrain Lesson Plan JanFeb2021.pdf
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Line, Shape & Performance Quality
After revising concepts of Line, Shape and performance quality, students select and analyse various dance images from the JanFeb2021Dancetrain issue. Students identify what technical skills are required to execute these shapes and lines and how they contribute to an interpretation. Students then refine their own shapes and lines from known choreography using camera tools.
Line, Shape & Performance Quality Dancetrain Lesson Plan JanFeb2021.pdf
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How to teach empathy through Dance
Teachers use the task suggested in the EMPATHY THROUGH DANCE p60-61 of NovDec2020 issue of Dancetrain as a starting point to analyse their programs and identify opportunities to include more explicit kinaesthetic teaching of empathy. Teachers engage in discussions with teachers of various subjects, to discuss their approaches to teaching. Teachers can take the opportunity to team teach or observe other lessons in which empathy is being explicitly taught.
Teacher Professional Learning Activity Teaching Empathy NovDec2020 p6061.pdf
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Allegro
Students analysis their own Allegro Technique using Slow Motion Video tools. They will use the NovDec2020 Dancetrain issue – MR JEREMY article, “Improving Grand Allegro” article on p4 and set achievable goals for themselves based on the tips for Mr Jeremy and strengthening exercises in collaboration with their teacher.
Stage 4,5,6 Allegro Dancetrain Lesson Plan NovDec 2020 p4.pdf
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Musical Theatre
Students use the Musical Theatre article in SCHOOLIES section on p62-63 of the NovDec2020 Dancetrain issue as a guide to analyse a musical theatre item and identify the key features used by the choreographer to communicate ideas in the musical. Students then have the opportunity to choreograph their own sequence of a musical theatre piece using a scaffold. They then introduce this and teach it to their peers.
Stage-5 Musical Theatre Dancetrain Lesson Plan NovDec 2020 p6263.pdf
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Review of Dance Teachers’ Practice
Teachers will read and reflect on the interviews with exemplary dance teachers – Paul Boyd p18-20, Brett Morgan p22&23 & Gillian Revie p32 of SepOct 2020 issue of Dancetrain. Teachers develop a review of their educational values and how these translate to the teaching standards. They conclude by developing their own mission statement that summarises their teaching practice.
Dancetrain-Teacher-Professional-Learning-Activity-Dance-Teacher-perspectives-SepOct2020-p182232.pdf
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Seminal Artist Study
Using interviews with Akram Khan & Meryl Tankard in the SCHOOLIES section on p56-64 of the SepOct2020 Dancetrain issue, students are guided to develop paragraphs that link examples and features of the artists’ work with the statements made in their interview. These can then be used to develop an essay response or report on their chosen choreographer.
Stage 6 – Seminal Artist study Dancetrain Lesson Plan SepOct 2020 p56-64.pdf
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Alignment
Students will revise alignment and create their own fact sheet about alignment in relation to specific movements or positions in their class dance. They will use the SepOct2020 Dancetrain issueBODYWISE “Alignment” article on P50-51 as an example and consider the safe dance implications of poor alignment and training to correct alignment in their fact sheet.
Stage-5-Alignment-Dancetrain-Lesson-Plan-SepOct-2020-p50-51.pdf
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Ankle Sprain
Teachers will read and reflect on the BODYWISE – Ankle Sprains p48,49 article in JulAug 2020 issue of Dancetrain. Teachers develop a survey and analyse the data gathered to identify strategies needed to support students experiencing ankle injuries. Teachers are guided to contact local Physiotherapists to develop ankle exercises and appropriate equipment for student.
Ankle Sprain.pdf
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Australian Choreographers in the Pandemic
Using information in the NOW article on p34-37 of the JulAug2020 Dancetrain issue, Students research and build a choreographer/company profile of current Australian Dance artists. They analyse samples of the work they have developed during the pandemic and present this to their peers.
Australian Choreographers in the Pandemic.pdf
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What is a Phrase?
Students will identify the structure of a phrase within choreography they have previously learned. They compare a phrase to the structure of a sentence. Teachers develop key notes for students to use from the JulAug2020 Dancetrain issue – Schoolies Article on p58 & 59 “The Art of Choreography” to assist students in developing their own phrases.
What is a Phrase?.pdf
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Teaching @home
Teachers will read and reflect on the BODYWISE – Safe @home p46,47 & Taking Your Course Online p64,65 articles in MayJun 2020 issue of Dancetrain. Teachers develop and review a survey to assist in improving engagement and learning experience of the students and parents.
Teaching @home.pdf
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Dance as an Artform
Students read and reflect on the “Thinking Big” article on p2&3 of the MayJun2020 issue of Dancetrain. Students discuss the purpose of art in contemporary society. Students articulate and discuss their perspectives on this topic in and extended response. This is Suitable for Stage 6 students.
Dance as an Artform.pdf
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Foot & Ankle
Students investigate the anatomy of the Foot and ankle using the Bodywise article on p42,43 of the MayJun 2020 issue of Dancetrain. They record and review video footage of the moving foot and ankle in various alignments and identify goals to improve their technique. This is Suitable for Stage 5 students.
Foot & Ankle.pdf
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Personal Space
Students will explore, improvise and respond to a stimulus, generating movement within their own personal space – The Kinesphere. Students look at various images in the MayJun2020 issue of Dancetrain and identify various shapes that work within the kinesphere to express movement. This is Suitable for Stage 3 & 4 students.
Personal Space.pdf
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Dance Fitness Blog
Students explore and review a variety of Dance Blogs. They are given a selection of Dance Fitness and training concepts and develop their own blogs based on their chosen concepts. Students also review the sources of their information. This task includes a marking guideline. This is Suitable for Stage 5 students.
Dance Fitness Blog.pdf
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Learning from Home and Video Conferencing
Teachers will engage in discussion about Learning from Home Scenarios with colleagues on digital professional networks. Teachers will develop their own guidelines for themselves and students to adhere to provide safe and ethical use of ITC while learning from home.
Learning from Home and Video Conferencing.pdf
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Dance Museum or Festival
Students have the opportunity to curate their own Museum for dance or Dance Festival in a digital presentation. They select a theme and build a collection of images, videos or websites, recording their own responses to them and crediting the arts who created the work/photos. Students share their work with their peers and comment on each other’s work. This is suitable for Stage 3, 4 & 5 students.
Dance Museum or Festival.pdf
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Dance Professional Learning Plan Teacher Identified Professional Learning
Teacher reads the Professional Learning article in Dancetrain (Mar/Apr 2020). Teacher will then complete a series of analysis and goal setting tasks for the year ahead. They then backwards map a sequence of milestones to reach their identified professional learning goals.
Dance Professional Learning Plan – Teacher Professional Learning Activity.pdf

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Connecting with your Concept/Intent
This lesson aims to improve student’s ability to refine their Concept/Intent for either their Major Study Performance, Core Composition or Major Study Composition or Film & Technology. It also helps students articulate their interpretation of the concept/intent for the audience. Students use the Dancetrain Schoolies article (Mar/Apr 2020) as a foundation for this lesson
Stage 6 Connecting with your Concept/Intent Plan.pdf

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Style Ideas
This lesson gives students the opportunity to identify different styles and compose a sequence of movement using various images in the Mar/Apr 2020 issue of Dancetrain. Students build a work bank and share their work with their peers.
Stage 2 Style Ideas Lesson Plan.pdf

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Engaging Boys in Dance Teacher Identified PL
Teacher reads the Facilitating Dance in a Boys School Article (Jan/Feb 2020). Teacher will then complete a series of reflection tasks on their resources, programs and study other teacher strategies to engage boys in dance Education. Other academic readings have been suggested to support this task.
Engaging Boys in Dance Teacher PL Activity

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Describing Dance – Secondary
This lesson gives students the opportunity to develop their writing on set Dance works. Using The Art of Describing Dance article (Jan/Feb 2020), student are guided through a series of tasks to review writing work samples and build their use of metaphors and similes to enhance their dance writing and become more efficient dance essay writers.
Stage 6 Describing Dance

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Describing Dance – Primary
This lesson gives students the opportunity to develop their vocabulary for describing dance. Using The Art of Describing Dance article (Jan/Feb 2020) as a teacher reference, student are guided through a series of tasks to build their use of verbs and adjectives to describe and interpret meaning in Contemporary Dance.
Stage 3 Describing Dance

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Layering Teacher Identified PL
Teacher reads the Layering Article in Dancetrain (Nov/Dec 2019). Teacher will then complete a series of assessment/reflection tasks on their students dance technique skills. They then backwards map a sequence of learning to prepare them for complex movement skills. This is aimed at meeting students’ need and also as a model of safe dance training for students.
Layering Professional Learning Activity

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Stage 5 Relationships
This lesson aims to improve students’ knowledge and understanding of the relationships on stage, specifically spatial and timing relationships. After reading the about various choreographic relationships in Dancetrain Relationships article (Nov/Dec 2019), students experiment with various combinations of relationships using known choreography as a base.
Stage 5 Relationships Lesson Plan

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Stage 3 Spatial Relationship
This lesson gives students the opportunity to compose movement using various spatial relationships. Using the Relationships article in Dancetrain (Nov/Dec 2019) as a teacher reference, students are guided through improvisation based on spatial relationships and building their understanding of Dance terminology. Students share their work and evaluate analyse the work of their peers.
Stage 3 Spatial Relationship Lesson Plan

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Sarabande – Jiri Kylian
This lesson aims to develop students’ knowledge of Kylian’s influences and choreographic style, via the Sarabande – Jiri Kylian Dancetrain article. It also allows students to improve their movement descriptions and link their interpretations to Kylian’s stated intentions and comments on his own work & practice.
Stage 6 Jiri Kylian Dancetrain Lesson Plan

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Fine Line – Sue Healey
This lesson is a good introduction to Dance Film for students considering Major Study Film & Technology or for students to conduct a dance analysis in their Preliminary HSC Studies. Students use the Sue Healey Fine Line Dancetrain article to gain insight into Healey’s practice as a dance artist in the film medium. They also find examples of symbols and metaphors seen in the work from issues that Healey experiences an artist. Students are then asked to consider how they might represent these themes in their own way.
Stage 6 Fine Line Sue Healey Dancetrain Lesson Plan

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Terrain – Frances Rings
This lesson aims to develop students’ knowledge of Frances Rings’ cultural influences that are seen in Terrain. Students use the Frances Rings Dancetrain article to gain insight into Rings’ inspiration and choreographic influences. Students develop an extended response to a question regarding indigenous people’s connection to country and how this is seen in the work Terrain.
Stage 6 Frances Rings – Terrain Dancetrain Lesson Plan

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Choreographic Toolkit Teacher Identified PL
Teacher reads the Choreographic Toolkit Article in Dancetrain and the accompanying lesson plan relevant to their students’ stage. – Stage 3 Space Composition Dancetrain Lesson or Stage 6 Choreographic Toolkit Dancetrain Lesson Plan (Issue Sep/Oct 2019). Teacher will then complete a series of reflection tasks on their own choreographic practice and use these to refine their practice to meet their students’ need and also as a model of reflective practice for students.
Choreographic Toolkit Professional Learning Activity

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Space Composition
This lesson gives students the opportunity to compose movement based on a stimulus. Using the Choreographic Toolkit article (Sep/Oct 2019) as a teacher reference, student are guided through improvisation based on elements of dance that are derived from the solar system. This lesson can then be built on, where the teacher structures movements sequences created by students to compose a small class dance work.
Stage 3 Space Composition

 

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Balances
This lesson is aimed at improving students dance technique, safe dance practice and performance quality, utilising the Dynamic Alignment article in Dancetrain (Issue Jul/Aug 2019) as a resource for teachers and students. It also looks at how different styles of dance utilise balances to communicate meaning to an audience.
Stage 3 Dance Balances Dancetrain Lesson Plan

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Dynamic Alignment
This lesson aims to improve students understanding of the complex nature of alignment in frequent shifts of weight. After reviewing the Dynamic Alignment Article in Dancetrain (Issue Jul/Aug 2019), students identify common alignment faults in their anatomical structure and practice unpacking alignment through practical and verbal descriptions.
Stage 6 Dynamic Alignment Dancetrain Lesson Plan

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Dynamic Alignment Teacher Identified PL
Teacher read the Dynamic Alignment Article in Dancetrain and the accompanying lesson plan relevant to their students’ stage. – Stage 3 Dance Balances Dancetrain or Stage 6 Dynamic Alignment Dancetrain Lesson Plan (Issue Jul/Aug 2019). Teacher is then able to set specific plans for individual students in regards to training, and goals to improve their dance technique.
Dynamic Alignment Teacher PL Activity

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Choreographic Toolkit
This lesson aims to improve students’ knowledge and understanding of the choreographic process, its challenges and the importance of planning, reflecting and recording their creative process. After reading the about various choreographic tools in the Dancetrain Choreographic Toolkit article (Sep/Oct 2019), students reflect on their experience with the various choreographers and create a time sensitive plan for their choreographic projects.
Stage 5 Choreographic Toolkit Lesson Plan

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Here at dancetrain we are strong believers that no student should forgo their childhood or their education in the pursuit of becoming a professional dancer.

The industry needs well-educated, experienced humans who have a strong sense of their own identity outside of the studio. Engaging our children in a variety of interests and keeping them amongst their peers who come from rich and varied economic and cultural backgrounds is key in cultivating these attributes. These artists have longevity in the world of dance and easily transfer their skills across a broad variety of job applications. Well-educated dancers who experience a childhood rich with many experiences are highly employable, versatile, and smart and have a great knowledge of how to use, protect and understand their bodies.

The teenage psyche can sometimes be hard to rationalise with, that extra two years at school can be beyond impossible for them to imagine, but it is our job, as educators, as parents, as leaders in the industry to help them stay the course. To remind them that a sacrifice in time now will lengthen their careers as well as provide them with many more options, should they change their career trajectory or suffer a major injury.

Across these pages you will find a list of fantastic options to keep your child engaged in their academic studies and stay the course to becoming a professional dancer.


NEW SOUTH WALES
Sydney – Lower North
Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy
Sydney – Upper North
Ku-ring-gai High School
Loreto Normanhurst
Sydney – East
Reddam House, Sydney
Sydney – Inner West
The McDonald College
Southern Cross Catholic College
Sydney – Inner South
Village Nation
Sydney – South West
East Hills Technology High School
St. Patrick’s College
Sydney – Outer West
Bossley Park High School
Jamison High School
Nepean Creative & Performing Arts High School
Central Coast
MacKillop Catholic College Warnervale
Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College
Newcastle
Hunter School of Performing Arts
Wollongong
Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts (WHSPA)
Regional NSW
Coffs Harbour
Bishop Druitt College
Cowra
Cowra High School
Lithgow
Lithgow High School
Port Macquarie
Mackillop College Port Macquarie
Tamworth
Oxley High School
Tamworth High School




QUEENSLAND
Brisbane – Central
Queensland Ballet Academy
Brisbane – North
QLD National Ballet
Brisbane – South East
John Paul College

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide
Turning Point Dance

TASMANIA
Launceston
St Patrick’s College




VICTORIA
Melbourne
The Australian Ballet School
Melbourne – North
Transit High School Academy
Ministry of Performing Arts College
Northern College of the Arts & Technology (NCAT)
Melbourne – South/East
Berwick College
Sandringham College

DISTANCE EDUCATION
NSW
Southern Cross School of Distance Education


Distance Education




Southern Cross School of Distance Education

Based in Ballina, NSW
Contact: Belinda Toth:02 6681 0452 General enquiries:02 6681 0300

Practical dance classes per week
Potential students are required to attend private dance studio technique classes at their dance studio. We offer Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 Dance. All students have access to video conference lessons once a week with their Distance Education teacher/s to check in and complete practical tasks. Year 12 students learn their HSC choreography through video conference lessons. Students also have access to teacher visits to their school/studio and mini schools (both online and face to face).

Teachers
Belinda Toth
Belinda Toth lives and breathes dance; she is the perfect fusion of technical excellence, non-egotistical creative collaboration, and syllabus perfect processes. Belinda knows where and how to get results and her track record is evidence to this.
Belinda has a double degree: Bachelor of Applied Arts (Dance) Bachelor of Education from the University of NSW. She has 24 years experience teaching Dance in Public schools with 18 years experience teaching HSC Dance. Southern Cross School of Distance Education students have gained Band 5 and 6 results for many years in the HSC Dance exam with numerous Callback nominations over the past 10+ years. Belinda is passionate about teaching Dance and providing the best possible service to students to allow them to reach their full potential. With students based all over the state (from the Tweed to Broken Hill areas) Belinda is committed to providing all students with equity across the state.

Felicity Murphy
Felicity has always had a spark. She completed formal ATOD and RAD ballet dance training from ages 6 to 17, and concurrently excelled in other genres; Contemporary, Jazz, Character and especially Tap.
Known for her dance performance quality, Felicity was accepted in N.I.D.A to participate in on-screen and theatre training workshops. She later completed a Bachelor of Education, majoring in Creative and Performing Arts, and was allocated a Targeted Graduate position in Manly, Sydney.
Felicity is new to teaching Southern Cross School of Distance Education HSC students, but is fresh, and confident that she can utilise her fine eye for detail to pursue technical excellence in her dancers. Simultaneously, Felicity ensures her students Dance Appreciation written work receives the structural guidance it requires to achieve success in their theoretical component. Providing a well rounded, warm, inclusive program for growth and success.

Facilities
Southern Cross School of Distance Education has state of the art facilities on site. These include a fully equipped Dance studio with mirrors, 98” TV, camera and sound system (complete with mixer and head set microphones) allowing the students to access video conference lessons in their own tudios/schools which provides them with instantaneous feedback, access to their teachers and the ability to be involved in sychronistic lessons with the rest of their cohort.

Performance opportunities
Students have the opportunity to be involved as part of the Southern Cross School of Distance Education Dance Ensemble which performs at the Far North Coast Dance Festival each year.application across performance, composition, appreciation and dance and technology. Her focus is facilitating her students in acquiring deep knowledge and skills of the Dance curriculum, which can be applied not only practically, but also in written and oral form. This has assisted many students in achieving notable HSC results, Callback nominations and the uptake of tertiary dance pathways. She has worked alongside many mentors and as an HSC marker to develop her professional competence with a wide range of proficiencies and experiences. Eleisha is driven by developing her students’ skills and abilities consistently, across all facets of Dance, to achieve at a high level.


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New South Wales

Sydney – Lower North Shore




Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy

Co-education Independent Pre-School – Year 12
272 Military Rd, Cremorne NSW 2090
02 9909 3133
redlands.nsw.edu.au/performingarts/home/ballet-dance-academy

The unique Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy, established in 1998, is a nurturing and challenging environment that supports students’ passion for dance by combining academic study with a full ballet and dance program. The Academy has a holistic approach to both dance training and school life to ensure each student maintains a healthy balance. Over 250 students from Preschool to Year 12 participate in the various programs, developing confidence, mental alertness, commitment and exceptional strength of character.

In the Senior Ballet program, students can study daily at a vocational level, and have the choice of undertaking Dance as a subject from Year 8 to Year 10 and then either HSC Dance or IB Dance in Years 11 and 12. The Cocurricular programs offers classes in Jazz, Contemporary, Tap and Hip Hop.

The Academy has provided an important stepping stone for students to gain places in overseas Ballet Schools such as The Royal Ballet School in London, the National Ballet School of Canada, the School of American Ballet, as well as our own Australian Ballet School; followed by places international Dance companies and The Australian Ballet Company.

Practical Dance Classes per week
The Dance program is structured to provide all students the opportunity to tailor their training to fit their needs and students in Years 7-12 can choose from approximately 20 classes per week. RAD exams and holiday programs are also held at the Academy.

RAD Classes
Primary to Advanced 2; students attend 2-3 classes per week.

Ballet Program for Vocational Students:
Vaganova, Open Class, Pointe, Repertoire, Solos, National Character, Private Lessons and Pilates.

Other Dance Classes
Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Broadway Jazz, Hip Hop, Pointe Preparation and Body Conditioning.

Performance Groups
There are performance groups for Seniors (Years 7-12) in Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz and Juniors (Years 5-6) in Ballet.

Curriculum Dance
Stage 4 (Year 8): 6 x 55 min Dance lessons a fortnight
Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10): 6 x 55min Dance lessons a fortnight
Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12): 8 x 55min Dance lessons a fortnight
IB Diploma Dance (Years 11 and 12): 8 x 55min Dance lessons a fortnight

Facilities
The School has five Dance studios, all with sprung floors. Four studios are located in the Parkes Building on the Redlands Junior Campus in Murdoch St Cremorne and one is located in the Adams Centre, opposite the Redlands Senior Campus, on Military Rd, Cremorne.

Performance Opportunities
The Performance Groups participate in a range of external Eisteddfods and competitions each year.
Performance opportunities for the Redlands Community include the Annual Ballet and Dance Concert, Gala Arts and the Redlands Musical (all staged at The Concourse, Chatswood) and Speech Night (at The Big Top, Luna Park).

Performance opportunities on the School Campus include Open Days, Spring Fair, Harmony Day, Red Factor and the Annual Dance Awards

Teachers
Gilly Revie
DIP RBS (PDTC)
Head of Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy
Gilly Revie joined Redlands as Head of Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy in January 2022. She attended The Royal Ballet School in London from the age of eleven and joined The Royal Ballet in 1987, immediately after graduating. While there, she progressed through the ranks, performing a vast repertoire of soloist and principal roles.

After completing The Royal Ballet School Teacher Training Course for Professional Dancers in 2007, Gilly continued as Guest Principal Character Artist and joined the English National Ballet School as Tutor, Artistic Coordinator and Rehearsal Director.

In 2010, she established her own business in Sydney, Classical Ballet 121, which developed into a successful full-time ballet school, preparing students for elite ballet programs and companies worldwide.

Gilly enjoys performing for The Australian Ballet Company as a guest. She is Patron of the BBO dance Australia, a mentor and coach for the Pre-Professional Year at Sydney Dance Company and is a consultant guest teacher at The Royal Ballet School’s International Intensive Programs.

Samantha Simpson
ARAD Solo Seal, RAD RTS
A graduate of The Australian Ballet School, Samantha was awarded her RAD Solo Seal, was a finalist in both the City of Sydney Ballet Scholarship and RAD National Bursary, and a finalist in the Isobel Anderson Awards three years running.

Samantha performed with the Premier State Ballet Sydney, toured with The Australian Ballet Dancers Company and performed with various companies in London.

As a Ballet teacher, Samantha has been the Principal of two prominent performing arts schools in Sydney with many of her Classical Ballet students gaining accepted into prestigious schools, including The Australian Ballet School, Queensland Ballet School, Rambert Arts, Princess Grace Ballet School and the Houston Ballet Academy. Samantha is currently undergoing the RAD examiners training program whilst continuing to mentor students at Redlands.

Kim Traynor
RAD Solo Seal
Ms Traynor trained at the Scully Borovansky School in Sydney attaining her RAD Solo Seal. After completing her studies at the Royal Ballet School in London she joined Deutsche Opera am Rhein Company in Dusseldorf, Germany. She was then invited to join the Australian Ballet where she toured extensively to China, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Together with Mr Kelvin Coe OBE, Ms Traynor founded the NSW College of Dance. She has been a lecturer in Classical Ballet at the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne University as well as guest teaching extensively throughout Australia. She has also adjudicated the McDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge and events in New Zealand, Newcastle and Victoria.

Ms Traynor is a highly respected teacher and has taught at Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy for over 20 years. Her experience, achievements and wealth of knowledge have greatly inspired and benefited our many Ballet students.

Yulia Furnas
MA, MAMgt
Yulia graduated with distinction as a National Character dancer from the State Choreography Academy in Voronezh. After graduation, Yulia joined the Russian Seasons Moscow State Dance Company whilst also being admitted to the Balletmaster Department of Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) where she graduated with a Distinction, receiving an MA as Director-Choreographer.

Yulia was Principal dancer with the Russian Seasons for 12 years travelling the world performing the dances of more than 20 different nationalities from technical Russian Ballet to the passionate flamenco of Spain and the tangoes of Argentina.

Yulia began teaching Ballet and Dance classes at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. She continued to travel giving master classes and teaching Ballet and National Character Dance at Ballet academies around the world. Having settled in Sydney, she continues to teach extensively and since 2016, Yulia has happily been sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience with the Ballet students of the Redlands Ballet and Dance Academy.

Texas Nixon Kain – Contemporary
Texas has a Bachelor degree in Contemporary Dance from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. She participated in the Tate Exchange program, which included a self-choreographed performance at the Tate Modern. She was part of a series of contemporary pop-up dance performances at the Our City Dances Festival in Brighton, England and also worked within COLAB, Trinity Laban’s two week festival of creativity and innovation, where she was involved in a collaborative project with both dancers and musicians working together to culminate in a live performance of dance and film.

Upon her return to Australia, she graduated from Sydney Dance Company’s pre-professional year. During the past year, Texas has performed a series of improvisational works in relation to Lindy Lee’s artwork at Art Month and the Sydney Opera House. Texas has most recently performed in a season at Carriageworks, in three new debut works by Gabrielle Nankivell, Omer Backley-Astrachan and James Vu Anh Pham.

Katharine Boase – Curriculum Dance
BA(Dance), BEd
Subject Coordinator of Curriculum Dance
Katharine graduated from the University of NSW, with a double degree of a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Dance and Bachelor of Education. She has been teaching Dance as an elective subject, including both the HSC Curriculum and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for the past 12 years at Redlands.

Recognised as an experienced educator, Katharine has been selected as a HSC Dance Marker and IB Diploma Dance Examiner. Her students have gone on to achieve successes in HSC and IB Dance, receiving Callback nominations and consistent outstanding results, with nearly all students achieving an HSC Band 6 or IB Grade 7. A passionate advocate for Dance in Education, Katharine wants to encourage every student’s love and appreciation of Dance as an art form.

Ashleigh Moore – Curriculum Dance
BA(Dance), BEd


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Sydney – Upper North

Ku-ring-gai High School

Loreto Normanhurst




Ku-ring-gai High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
Bobbin Head Rd, North Turramurra
02 9144 3477
kuringgai-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes
Northern Academy of the Arts – 2 hour (Stage 4 audition based enrichment program, dance tutoring and collaborative project based learning)
Talent Enrichment Program – 2 hour (Ensemble groups are formed dependant on numbers – Company audition based)
9-10 Elective Dance – 2.5 hours
11-12 Elective Dance – 3.5 hours
Entertainment Industry VET course is also available in Yr 11 & 12 to compliment Dance studies.

Teachers
Rachel Dunn
Bachelor of Health and Physical Education – Approval to teach Dance (UOW)
Certificate IV in Live Production and Technical Services (NIDA)
Rachel has extensive training in RAD Ballet, Glen Wood Tap, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Lyrical and JFH and was a freelance performer and studio teacher. She previously toured Australia teaching Dance to remote communities for Vibe Australia.

Rachel began her career in 2005 and was appointed at KHS in 2008. She has choreographed award winning eisteddfod pieces, musicals and is an experienced HSC Practical Dance Marker. Her students have gone on to achieve their own success in Dance, receiving outstanding results, HSC Callback nominations and careers in the dance industry.

Catherine Reid
Catherine has a BA Dance (Drama)/B Education and has been working in the NSW Education System for 17 years and is an experienced Dance & Drama Teacher, Head Teacher Creative and Performing Arts and HSC Dance Marker. Also Dancetrain’s Education Developer, she has a passion for providing professional development opportunities and building supportive networks for dance teachers. She has also choreographed for numerous dance festivals, musicals and eisteddfods She has taught students from a range of backgrounds, abilities and experience, and inspiring ALL students to succeed in Dance.

Facilities
Newly purpose-built Performing Arts Studios x2 including barre, mirrors, curtains, changerooms, new School Hall with HSC performance size stage, stage lighting, tech room and projectors. Harlequin Tarkett, large portable classroom computer to integrate technology into the dance class.

Performance and touring opportunities
Performance opportunities – Sydney Eisteddfod, Ryde Eisteddfod, Hills Spectacular. North Sydney Dance Festival, State Dance camps, Schools Spectacular


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Loreto Normanhurst

Independent, Catholic, day and boarding school for girls in Years 5-12
91-93 Pennant Hills Rd, Normanhurst NSW 2076
02 9473 7300
loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Practical dance classes/week
Stage 5 (Year 9 and 10): 6 x 55min dance lessons a fortnight
Stage 6 (Year 11 and 12): 8 x 55min dance lessons a fortnight
Extra-curricular Dance (Years 7-12): 2 x 1-hour lessons per week

Teachers
Ms Marie Bugge
Bachelor of Exercise Science – Australian Catholic University
Graduate Diploma in Education (secondary) – Australian Catholic University
Australian Teachers of Dancing Registered Teacher – Jazz, Tap and Ballet
Marie began dancing at age 5 and studied a range of styles including RAD Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Tap for 18 years. She commenced tertiary studies to pursue a career in Physiotherapy with a particular interest in the management and treatment of dance injuries. Marie diverted her studies to Education after developing a passion for teaching, having now taught PDHPE and Dance in secondary schools for 13 years. She worked as a freelance dancer and choreographer, performing with various artists across Australia. In 2011/2012. Marie was appointed the Sydney Catholic Schools – South West Region, CaSPA Festival Choreographic Director. In 2020, Marie led the implementation of Loreto Normanhurst’s first HSC Dance Course.

Ms Lauren Barrett
Teacher PDHPE/ DANCE
Diploma of Dance – Ev and Bow
Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) – University of Wollongong
Lauren began dancing at the age of 3. She is trained in Jazz, Tap , R.A.D Ballet and Contemporary. After graduating high school Lauren was accepted into Ev and Bow’s fulltime course. Here she studied under the guidance of Sarah Boulter, Lisa Bowmer and many other reputable names in the entertainment industry. Lauren has professional performance experience including two national tours, television appearances and live performance events. Lauren has a passion for sharing her knowledge of dance and completed her education degree at the University of Wollongong

Facilities
Newly built, fully equipped dance studio with Tarkett floors, mirrored walls, projector, sound system, birds-eye-view recording camera and fixed ballet barre. Additionally, School Gymnasium with wooden flooring and a sprung floor stage (also equipped with mirrors and fixed ballet barre).

Performance and touring opportunities
Independent Schools Dance festival, various eisteddfods, annual ‘Music Festival’ – a whole-school event celebrating music, dance and performing arts.


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Sydney – Eastern Suburbs



Reddam House, Sydney

Co-educational, non-denominational Independent K-12
Edgecliff Rd, Woollahra
02 9369 4096
reddamhouse.com.au

Practical dance classes per week
Dance can be studied from Kindy-Yr 6, Ballet instead of Sport – 2 periods of Ballet a week.
Yr 7 – Yr 9 Ballet/Dance can also be taken for 2 periods a week instead of Sport. In addition to this, Dance can be taken as an elective subject from Yr 8 – HSC level.
Yr 7 – 2 periods a week (Dance instead of Sport option)
Yr 8 – 2-3 periods a week (+ 2 periods if Ballet instead of Sport option is taken)
Yr 9 – 2-3 periods a week (+ 2 periods if Ballet instead of Sport option is taken)
Yr 10 – 3 periods a week
Yr 11 – 4 periods a week
Yr 12 – 4-5 periods a week
Extra curricula Dance Companies (Primary and High School) – audition

Teachers
Liz Collier-Walsh
Head of Dance
Bachelor of Arts (Dance)/Bachelor of Education (UNSW)
HSC Dance marker
Senior Marker for HSC Dance Practical examinations
After learning from and working with prominent Australian Dance artists at UNSW, Liz began her career as a Dance teacher at Reddam House in 2006 and took over the role as Head of Dance in 2010. Since then, she has developed a successful Dance Department that produces outstanding productions and showcases each year as well as achieving excellent HSC results. Most recently her students received both 1st and 2nd ranking in the State for HSC Dance. Liz teaches and coordinates the Dance curriculum from Year 8-12 at Reddam House and choreographs full scale musicals for both the Primary and High School each year. She is passionate about the artform of Dance and the power it has to communicate stories, encourage collaboration and creativity, whilst also providing young artists with an important outlet for expression and discovery of self.

Delia Harrington
Head of Ballet
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and counselling, specialising in performance) at The Australian College of Applied Psychology
Delia is a retired professional Ballerina, renowned for performing principal and soloist roles in the most prestigious companies around the world including The Royal Ballet Company, The Stuttgart Ballet Company, The Pacific Northwest Ballet Company and The Australian Ballet Company. After retiring from her career onstage, Delia became committed to training the next generation of dancers, she teaches students from Kindy – Year 9 and each year she produces and choreographs a whole school Ballet production performed at Parade Theatre, NIDA. She has particular expertise in developing and strengthening classical ballet technique in young dancers and coaching/mentoring elite dancers.

Emily Knight
Dance Teacher
Bachelor of Dance and PDHPE Education (ACPE)
Emily began dancing at the age of five at the Valerie Smith Stage School on the Northern Beaches. She began training in the styles of Jazz and Tap and later added Contemporary and Ballet into her repertoire. Emily began teaching Jazz, Contemporary and Tap at Valerie Smith Stage School and after completing her HSC at Brigidine College, she enrolled in the Bachelor of Dance and PDHPE Education degree at the Australian College of Physical Education. Emily now teaches Years 7-10 Dance as well as the extra curricular Dance and the Dance Companies for both Primary and High School.

Facilities
A designated Primary Ballet studio and High School Dance studio is situated at the Woollahra campus. Both studios have tarkett floors, mirrored walls, television and portable Ballet Barres. The Primary Ballet studio also has a live piano accompanist play during lessons from time to time. Performances of productions take place at Parade Theatre and Playhouse at NIDA and the Seymour Centre.

Performance & touring opportunities
Three school musicals per year (K-Year 2, Year 3-6 and Year 7-11). These are performed at NIDA and the Seymour Centre.
Biannual Ballet production for Kindy to Yr 11, performed at NIDA.
Two award winning Dance Companies (Primary and High School) compete in eisteddfods all over Sydney and perform in school showcases, open days and the annual Independent Schools Dance Festival.
Two annual Dance showcases include: Senior Dance Night, which showcases the classwork of our Senior students with a particular focus on the HSC curriculum, and the end of year High School Dance Showcase at Playhouse, NIDA. This show provides all elective Dance students (Yr 7-12) with the opportunity to perform onstage and put the skills they have learnt throughout the year as part of units of work studied within the curriculum into practice.


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Sydney – Inner West

The McDonald College

Southern Cross Catholic College




The McDonald College

Independent, non-denominational, co-educational K – 12 school
17 George St, North Strathfield 
02 9752 0500
mcdonald.nsw.edu.au

Dance genres
Dance genres include Classical Ballet, Commercial Dance, and Contemporary Dance. The Senior Contemporary Dance program (Years 10 – 11) partners with Sydney Dance Company.
Students receive up to two hours of dance training daily. This is integrated into the course of a normal academic day.
Ballet students in years 7 – 12 perform a full-length ballet every year.
Additional after-school classes, extension classes and private lessons are available.
In addition to Classical Ballet, Contemporary Dance and Commercial Dance – The McDonald College also offers Acting, Music, Musical Theatre, Technical Production, Elite Tennis and Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Academic HSC Dance
Year 11 and 12 (Preliminary HSC and HSC Levels)
Year 11 – seven periods a fortnight
Year 12 – eight periods a fortnight

Teachers
Jane Kesby
Head of Classical Ballet
Jane began her ballet training at The McDonald College, followed by the Australian Ballet School and began her career with the West Australian Ballet Company. She then relocated to Europe, where she danced professionally for ten years as a soloist with the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Zurich Ballet. Before returning to Australia, she completed her Royal Academy of Dance Professional Dancer’s Teaching Diploma in London with Distinction.

Lindsay Ellman-Brown
Lindsay trained at the Royal Academy of Dance, London, achieving a Licentiate and Diploma​ in Dance Teaching. She performed with the National Ballet of Zimbabwe and directed her own school for over ten years. Lindsay choreographed and produced several classical full-length ballets for the National Ballet of Zimbabwe before immigrating to Australia in 2003, where she completed a Masters in Dance Teaching through QUT. She is a teaching supervisor for students on the Royal Academy of Dance Diploma course and an Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Vicki Attard
Vicki trained with the Australian Ballet School before joining the Australian Ballet, where she performed all principal roles and many leading roles during her 15-year career. Afterwards, Vicki earned a Graduate Diploma in Dance Instruction. She has assisted in the staging and re-staging Madame Butterfly with The National Ballet of Canada, Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and The Australian Ballet. In addition, Vicki was appointed Interim Director of the Houston Ballet Academy and co-managed the second company HBII.

Nicky Gattorna
Nicky commenced as a junior associate with The Royal Ballet School (White Lodge) at age seven. Subsequently, she secured a position with The Royal Ballet Company. She progressed to the position of Soloist, performing her First Soloist and Principal roles. She later earned a Dance and Sports Psychology degree and completed the Professional Dancer’s Teaching Diploma at the RAD. Nicky is a qualified Pilates instructor and a Franklin Method Level 1 teacher.

Jane Beckett
Head of Dance
Jane began dancing at age five and was accepted into the Royal Ballet School (White Lodge) at eight. After moving to Australia, Jane continued her ballet studies at the National Ballet School, followed by the Australian Ballet School. Jane began teaching and choreographing in the 80s. Later, she worked in Principal positions at Dynamite Dance and Brent Street Studios.

Norman Hall
Head of HSC Dance
Norman began his career as a dancer and choreographer with Australian Dance Theatre and Queensland Ballet. Later, with his group Busybodies: A Theatre of Dance, based at the Seymour Centre, he experimented with cross-artform, hybrid creative work through dance, theatre, arts, text, and new music. The NSW Board of Studies selected his production (Four Generations) as a prescribed work for the HSC Dance Appreciation syllabus.

Facilities
Nine fully equipped dance studios with air conditioning. Performances are held at the College’s multi-purpose Conference Centre and venues such as the Parade Theatre NIDA, and the Seymour Centre.

Performance opportunities
4 x Eisteddfod Groups
5 x Choreographic Showcases
1 x High Performance Season
6 x HSC Showcases
2 x Evenings of Classical Ballet
7 x special events


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Southern Cross Catholic College

Performing Arts Sub-School
Catholic Co-education Senior College 9-12
17 Comer Street Burwood NSW 2134
02 8372 4400
sccvc.syd.catholic.edu.au

Practical Performing Arts classes per week Stage 5 Dance, Drama and Music
Offered in Year 9 and 10. All courses are 100 hour courses and run for one year.

Students who complete a Stage 5 course in Year 9 will have the choice in Year 10 to complete an additional Stage 5 course or undertake early commencement Stage 6 (Certificate II or III).

Stag 6 HSC Dance, Drama and Music
Offered in Year 11 and 12 (Preliminary HSC and HSC Levels)

3hr block delivery face to face and 1 hr online learning

Performing Arts: Dance Stream
Dance streams include Classical Ballet, Dance (Commercial) and Dance (Contemporary).

Performing Arts: Music Stream
Music – Instrumental (Classical or Contemporary), Music – Voice (Classical or Contemporary), Music Theatre – Singing, Dancing and Acting

HSC Masterclasses and additional rehearsal hours for showcases are required outside of school hours throughout the year.

Teachers
Luke Collins
Head: Performing Arts and Creative Industries Sub-School Teacher: Drama, Entertainment Industry
With over 20 years of experience teaching performing arts and creative industry courses in both privately owned and secondary school contexts Luke is committed and passionate about educating young people to reach their desires to be the professional performer or technician that they have the natural talent to become.
Luke worked with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) Corporate Theatre Department regularly as a performer and trainer for various corporate performances and workshops, including tutoring presentation skills and working with the camera for media.
Extensive industry experience and love of this discipline will provide his students valuable insights and solid practice in building rich acting, performance and critical analysis skills.

Vita Greene
Music
Vita is a clarinettist who holds a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education from The University of New South Wales. She is an experienced and passionate music teacher who has taught in Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) for the last 15 years. Vita has taught Music 1, Music 2 and Extension, with many HSC students being nominated for Encore. Vita is also a HSC practical and written music marker.
Vita has directed many Music ensembles including string, vocal and woodwind groups. She has also assisted with the musical direction of Musical Theatre Productions; Oklahoma, High School Musical and Popstars.

Melanie Fayd’herbe de Maudauve
Drama, Dance, Music Theatre
Melanie is a Sydney-based freelance Contemporary dancer/performer, Secondary Dance teacher and Yoga facilitator. She has been teaching Dance in Secondary schools for over a decade specialising in Stage 6 Dance. Melanie is also a qualified Drama teacher and an experienced HSC Dance Practical marker for NESA.

Melanie is a founding member of Dance Makers Collective and recent projects include Home, a dance film in collaboration with Marnie Palomares for Blacktown Arts Centre, Kristina Chan’s Mountain, Brach Nebula’s Beneath the Noise – a duet with Marnie Palomares and Noisician Artist Hirofumi Uchino, and Dance Makers Collective’s The Rivoli, for Sydney Festival 2020.

Annalise Thomas
Dance, Musical Theatre
Annalise holds a Bachelor of Dance Education from the Australian College of Physical Education, and qualifications in RAD Ballet.
Annalise is a qualified Dance teacher and Choreographer, with a specialty in Musical Theatre Jazz. Her teaching experience ranges from elective and HSC Dance in schools, through to Dance Studio teaching from toddlers to adults in all ranges of styles.
Lucy Eaton Teacher: Dance
Lucy is currently studying a Master of Arts in Education (Dance Teaching) through the Royal Academy of Dance and is the Student Ambassador and Mentor for the RAD Faculty of Education. Lucy is an experienced Stage 5 and 6 Dance teacher and HSC practical marker.
Lucy has accumulated a unique collection of education and industry-based experiences. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Dance Education from ACPE, she has worked as a travelling HSC Dance Teacher for the Karabar Distance Education Centre, as a Specialist Dance Teacher for the Parramatta Diocese and most recently as the Stage 5 and 6 Dance Teacher and Acting Performing Arts Coordinator at Bethany College. Lucy currently teaches Contemporary dance at McDonald College and Pymble Ladies’ College and owns pre-professional Contemporary dance company, Dance Dr., founded in 2013.

Daniel Walsh
Music Industry / Music Tutor: Guitar
Daniel has been teaching guitar for 15 years in a broad range of styles, alongside playing professionally as a touring and studio guitarist. Performing with artists such as Ruel, Casey Donovan, Samantha Jade, Delta Goodrem, Christine Anu and David Campbell.

He began studying music at an early age and has completed a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education at UNSW. Daniel is an inspiring and versatile teacher who has a deep understanding of the guitar and music theory, as well as many years of valuable experience in the music industry.

Facilities
Purpose built Recording Studio and control room. Dance and Drama studios with sprung floors, ballet barres, mirrored walls, pianos and sound systems. Music and Piano practice rooms. Performances are held at the multi-purpose O’Grady Centre auditorium, in addition to general public venues including Qudos Arena.

Performance & touring opportunities
Sydney Catholic Schools Arts HQ Events Eisteddfod Groups
School of Rock Performances
Open Day
Assemblies
Dance, Music and Drama Showcases Performing Arts Cabaret Performance HSC Performing Arts Showcase Special Events


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Sydney – Outer West

Bossley Park High School

Jamison High School

Nepean Creative & Performing Arts High School


Bossley Park High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
36-44 Prairie Vale Rd, Bossley Park
02 9823 1033
bossleypk-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
Year 7 Dance: 2 X 80mins per fortnight
Year 8 Dance: 3 X 80mins per fortnight
Year 9 Dance: 4 X 80mins per fortnight
Year 10 Dance: 5 X 80mins per fortnight
Year 11 Dance: 6 X 80mins per fortnight
Year 12 Dance: 6 X 80mins per fortnight

Bossley Park High School Dance Ensemble: By Audition ONLY 2 Hours per week outside the curriculum.

Teachers
Melissa Lopez
Head Teacher Performing Arts
Dance Teacher
Bachelor of Arts Dance – University of Western Sydney
Master in Secondary Education – University of Western Sydney
Certificate of Gifted and Talented Education – University of NSW
Melissa Lopez started dancing at a very young age and studied a range of dance styles including RAD Ballet, Cecchetti Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary Dance, Flamenco and South American Folk Dance. She went on to study Dance at Western Sydney University and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She worked as a freelance dancer performing with various artists in Australia and in Europe. When returning to Australia, she completed her Masters of Secondary Education at Western Sydney University and started teaching Dance at Bossley Park High School in 2007 and became Head Teacher of the Performing Arts Faculty in 2019.

Sarah Wais
Dance/Drama Teacher
Bachelor of Arts Dance
Master in Secondary Education
Sarah Wais has trained in many styles of dance including RAD Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Tap and Russian Dance. She has been teaching Dance and Drama at Bossley Park High School for the past 11 years. Her dancing career has allowed her to work and perform with various artists and choreographers from around the world. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Dance and Masters of Education (Secondary Dance/Drama) at Western Sydney University. These experiences have helped shape and inspire her teaching.

Ebony Ulbrand
Dance Teacher Bossley Park High School
Bachelor of Dance Education
Ebony Ulbrand began dancing at the age of four, and studied RAD Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Contemporary Dance and Hip-Hop. Her true passion is passing on her love and knowledge to students. This was ignited though the Talented Sports Program for Dance at the High School she attended. Ebony obtained a Bachelor of Dance Education and has been teaching at Bossley Park High School for the past five years. Drawing on her own dance experience from working with various choreographers and artists she is able to enrich her teaching and inspire the dancers of today.

Facilities
Dance Studio with sprung floors, ceiling to floor mirrors and surround sound.

Performance & touring opportunities
Regional Dance Festival
Annual Showcase at Bossley Park High School
State Dance Festival
USA Tour – Interstate or overseas tour
Students are provided numerous opportunities to audition for State Dance Ensembles, DET Dance workshops and School Spectacular


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Jamison High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
222 Evan St, South Penrith
02 4731 6150
jamison-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
We offer Dance as a subject from Year 8 to Year 12. The school operates on a fortnightly timetable and offers students to study Dance from 5 to 7 periods a fortnight.
Extra curricular dance with 2 groups rehearsing twice a week. We have Dance Ensemble for Years 7 to 9 and Dance Company for Years 10 to 12.

Teachers
Emma Lamont
Bachelor of Arts Dance and a Bachelor of Teaching Secondary
HSC Practical Dance Marker.
Emma is also a RAD classically trained in all Grades up to Elementary. She has been a Dance and PDHPE teacher at Jamison High School for 14 years. Emma continues to perform with the Blue Mountains Musical Society, where she has successfully auditioned for several productions.
She is thrilled to have the opportunity to provide young people with moments of glory that feed their creativity and desire for performance and composition based learning.

Monica Mitchell
Dance and PD/H/PE teacher
Bachelor of Dance Education at ACPE, majoring in Dance and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
Monica is well versed in many genres of dance having trained from a very young age through to joining Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in her teenage years. Her achievements include passing all Grades in Cecchetti Ballet including Advanced 1 & 2, with Distinction and High Distinction. In addition to ballet, her specialty includes jazz and contemporary. Monica was selected to perform in the NSW State Dance Senior Ensemble. She continues to teach jazz and contemporary dance after school at a studio in the Blue Mountains and spends tireless hours choreographing dances for her students to perform at local events, performances and concerts.

Facilities
Dance Studio, equipped with Tarkett flooring, mirrors and ballet barre. The space is also equipped with a Smart Board, Television and is air-conditioned. The Performance space at Jamison High School offers a proscenium arch stage with 3 wings on each side of stage.

Performance & touring opportunities
Dance Ensemble and Dance Company regularly participate in 3 local Dance Festivals around the Penrith district. They have competed at the Hawkesbury Eisteddfod, Penrith Eisteddfod and the City of Sydney Dance Eisteddfod. There are numerous Performance Nights and Showcase events where students are given the opportunity to perform.


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Nepean Creative & Performing Arts High School

115-119 Great Western Hwy, Emu Plains
02 4728 7200
nepean-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

The Performing Arts faculty offers students learning and experiences in Circus Arts, Dance, Drama and Music. These experiences can be accessed via curricular and extra-curricular activities. In Year 7 students undertake 5 hours a fortnight of their elected auditioned subject. From Year 8 through to Year 10 students can audition for two (Year 8) and three (Year 9 and 10) auditioned Performing Arts subjects which could lead to around 15 hours of learning in their auditioned subject areas.

Practical dance classes per week
Stage 4 & 5 (Year 7-10)
Dance (NESA course)
5 hours per fortnight
This course provides students with opportunities to experience and enjoy dance as an artform as they perform, compose and appreciate dance. As an integrated study of the practices of performance, composition and appreciation, students develop both physical skill, aesthetic, artistic and cultural understandings. This course is compulsory for all auditioned dance students.

Circus Arts (Year 7-8 School Developed Course – Year 9-10 Board Endorsed Course)
This course allows students to experience, understand and value Circus as an artform through the interrelated study of skill acquisition, act creation and appreciation of circus history and analysis of circus works of art. Circus students learn circus technique and performance skills in all genres of circus arts, including aerials, manipulation equilibristics, acrobatics and tumbling. They learn about anatomy, safe training practices, act creation and performance skills.

Stage 5 (Year 9-10)
Extension Dance (School Developed Course)
5 hours per fortnight
This course focuses on developing dancers practical skills. Drawing from classical ballet conditioning, yoga, and Pilates, this course helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses and aids them to find the KEY to unlocking their potential. This course incorporates various equipment to enhance the training experience. This course develops students acrobatic ability as well as their chorographic skills, developing them as a diverse performing artist.

Stage 6 (Year 11 & 12)
Preliminary & HSC Dance
7 hours per fortnight
Students study Dance as an art form, through the components of Performance, Composition and Appreciation. Physical training and preparation of the body is fundamental and of paramount importance to the course and informs all three components of the course. This is a 2 unit Board Developed course.

VET Assistant Dance Teaching (Board Endorsed Course)
7 hours per fortnight
Students who successfully complete this course gain the nationally recognised qualification CUA30313 Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching. Students are to complete a mandatory 70 hours of work placement, in which students gain practical skills in assistant dance teaching. Some examples of content covered in this course includes: Contributing to health and safety of self and others, teaching basic dance technique & planning a career in the creative arts industry.

Circus Arts (School Developed Board Endorsed) (Year 12 only in 2022)
The Circus course aims to provide a dynamic, alternative kinaesthetic approach to physical learning utilising the concepts associated with physical literacy, combined with the acquisition of intelligent physical circus arts skills (aerial, manipulation, equilbrilistics and acrobatics) through the constructive use of structured problem solving tasks, derived from and tailored to an individual’s physical capabilities.

Co-curricular program
To complement and extend our gifted and talented students in the Performing Arts we also run extra-curricular ensembles and companies before, during and after school. Students taking part in ensembles and companies have access to professional tutors and between one to three hours of dedicated rehearsal time per ensemble/company. Ensembles/companies are offered in the following styles/genres:
– Contemporary
– Jazz
– Lyrical
– Musical Theatre
– Tap
– Classical Ballet
– Hip Hop
– Aerial Circus
– Hand Balancing

Teachers

Lucia Parkhill – Dance, VET Assistant Dance Teaching, Drama and Music Teacher, HSC Practical and Written Marker
Lucia completed a double degree in Bachelor of Performance Theory and Practice (Dance Studies) and Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) from The University of Western Sydney. She is trained in various styles of dance including RAD Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, Commercial Jazz and Tap. Lucia is also trained in Drama and experienced in teaching flute, guitar, voice and drums. She is incredibly driven and passionate about delivering quality teaching and creative learning programs to all her students. Lucia is a committee member for The Blue Mountains Nepean Dance Festival where she co-ordinates Primary Teacher and student Dance workshops. She is also the Dance Coordinator for PULSE Junior Dance Ensemble, which aims to foster the development of talented male and female dance students providing performance opportunities that showcase excellence in this art form.

Jamie Austin
Dance, Tumbling & PDHPE Teacher. Jamie graduated from the Australian College of Physical Education in 2020 receiving a Bachelor of Education (Dance and PDHPE). She has been a part of the Nepean CAPA High School community since 2019. Jamie works alongside the Performing Arts faculty to coordinate Nepean’s comprehensive co-curricular program. She is trained in various styles of dance including Commercial Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Acrobatics and Cheerleading. Passionate about dance education, Jamie prides herself on delivering and facilitating diverse dance programs; providing opportunities for young dancers to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of dance in a variety of contexts.

Allie Gunton
Dance & Circus Arts Teacher at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School
Allie graduated from the Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) in 2008 with a Bachelor of Dance Education. She has been teaching at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School since 2012 and was the Student Dance Development and Delivery Officer for The Arts Unit from 2016-2019. She has choreographed for a vast array of events including Schools Spectacular, Southern Stars, Pulse, State Dance Festival, Youth Olympics Opening Ceremony, Australia’s Got Talent and various corporate events. In her role at The Arts Unit she facilitated the delivery of the statewide Years 2-12 Dance Workshops and Masterclass program, The Australian Ballet Repertoire Workshops, A O Lang Pho – Circus Masterclass and Primary and Secondary Teacher Choreographic Workshops. In addition she was part of creative teams for State Dance Festival, Callback and Schools Spectacular. She established the Circus Arts program at Nepean in 2012 and wrote Circus Arts curriculum for Years 7-12. Her students have been inspired to pursue a career in Dance and Circus Arts as performers, choreographers, filmmakers or educators in Australia and overseas.

Elizabeth Castro
Dance, History and Language Teacher at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School.
Elizabeth is a graduate of Brent Street Academy where she studied full time in all styles of dance and attained a Certificate IV in Performing Arts. She then completed a double degree in Bachelor of Arts (Dance) and Bachelor of Education (Secondary) at the University of New South Wales. She has taught year 7-12 Dance at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School over the past 6 years. Elizabeth is committee member of Synergy Dance Festival and currently coordinates the PULSE regional Primary Dance Ensemble in which they have been successful in performing their works at State Dance Festival and were selected to perform in Schools Spectacular. With her extensive industry knowledge paired with qualifications in delivering NESA curriculum, she is dedicated to educating the younger generation and inspiring them to reach their full potential in the field of dance.

Facilities
Nepean has 3 specialised studios equipped with dance floors, mirrors, barres and sound equipment. Our onsite performance venue known as the Nepean Arts Centre seats up to 210 people for performance and has the capacity to become a large movement student due to the retractable seating.

Performance opportunities
Our students are involved in various performance opportunities throughout the year including but not limited to Dance Showcase evenings, regional and state dance festivals, Schools Spectacular and various competition events such as DanceLife Unite and Resonate as part of the Australian Dance Festival.


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Sydney – Inner South

Village Nation

Village Nation
Once a Street, Then a Village, Now a NATION
villagenation.com.au | info@villagenation.com.au | 02 9043 04338
70 O’Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015

Accredited

Village Nation is committed to providing the best teachers and trainers alongside emotional and spiritual support to allow students to reach their fullest potential both on and off the stage. Village Nation currently operates from a state of the art studio located at 32 Bowden St Alexandria. All 7 studios are custom-built with sprung Harlequin floors, mirrors, sound systems, and audio/visual equipment. The campus is well serviced by public transport, bus and train services, with Green Square station only an 8 minute walk. Students are eligible to apply for Concession Opal Cards. Students in the course full-time may apply for Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy.

RTO- 31624

-Fulltime Cert IV in Dance CUA40113

-Fulltime Diploma of Musical Theatre CUA50213

-Fulltime Diploma in Dance CUA50213

-Fulltime Cert IV in Dance Teaching Management CUA40313

-Village Nation College

Time: 1 year

Aims: To provide students with the best all rounded education to prepare them fully for a professional career in the performing arts industry.

Subjects: Partnering, Jazz, Street Dance, Dance Performance, Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Choreography, Performance Skills, Musical Theatre, Physical Conditioning, Hip hop, Lyrical.

Performance opportunities: Corporate Events working with industry professionals; Television appearances and Commercial opportunities; Australian Dance Festival; Graduation Performance; Prepared for Professional Auditions.


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Sydney – South West

East Hills Technology High School

St. Patrick’s College






East Hills Technology High School

Government High School for Girls Yrs 6-12
Lucas Rd, Panania 
02 9773 9160
easthillsg-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
Project High School
Year 6 students are given the opportunity to come to East Hills and participate in a range of Creative and Performing Arts subjects. Students spend 2 hours a week studying Dance and have the opportunity to perform at Virtuoso (annual Performing Arts showcase) and for their own primary school.

Junior Dance Company
Auditioned company offered to Years 7 and 8
Students are entered into In The Spotlight Dance Festival, various school eisteddfods, and Bankstown Dance Festival. Students also perform at Virtuoso (annual Performing Arts showcase).
Rehearsals are one hour a week.

Junior Dance Ensemble
Offered to Years 7 and 8
Students perform at Virtuoso and Bankstown Dance Festival.
Rehearsals are 30 minutes a week.

Senior Dance Company
Auditioned company offered to Years 7 – 11
Students involved are given workshop opportunities with industry professionals such as Lauren Kate Seymour, Pete Evans and Sarah Boulter.
Students are entered into In The Spotlight Dance Festival, School Spectacular, various school eisteddfods, and Bankstown Dance Festival. Students also perform at Virtuoso (annual Performing Arts showcase).
Rehearsals are one hour a week.

Year 9 and 10 Elective Dance
5 hours of class a fortnight
Dance excursion once a year to see a live work and dance incursion focusing on compositional skills with youth dance companies such as Austinmer Dance Theatre and Wild Hearts Creative Company.
Students learn contemporary, Hip hop, Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Dance Film
Students are entered into various school eisteddfods, and Bankstown Dance Festival and Virtuoso.
Students are encouraged to audition and participate in State Dance.

Year 11 and 12 Elective Dance
7 hours of class a fortnight
Dance excursion once a year to see a live work and dance incursion focusing on compositional skills with youth dance companies such as Austinmer Dance Theatre and Wild Hearts Creative Company.
Students perform their Core Performance, Core Composition and major works at Virtuoso and the HSC Dance Showcase.
Students are encouraged to audition and participate in State Dance through The Arts Unit.

Teachers
Amelia Morello
Amelia is the sole dance teacher at East Hills Girls Technology High School. She studied a Bachelor of Arts (Dance)/ Bachelor of Education at The University of New South Wales, graduating in 2014. She has taught Dance at the Independent, Catholic and Public sectors.
Since graduating with a double degree, Amelia has taught Dance as an elective subject, including at a HSC level, for over the past 7 years. Her students have gone on to achieve their own successes in HSC Dance, receiving numerous Callback nominations and pleasing results. Notably in 2019, EHGTHS top student received a mark of 98 and was ranked 5th in the state. . Amelia is an experienced HSC marker for written and practical components of the course and is the Secretary for the Dance Educators Professional Association of New South Wales (DEPA). Amelia also works as a professional dancer, bringing industry knowledge and experience to her students.

Facilities
The school has a specialised studio space that includes mirrors, ballet barres and wooden flooring. The studio also has a change room and attached breakout classrooms for learning. It is equipped with sound and lighting production.

Performance or touring opportunities
In The Spotlight Dance Festival, Creative and Performing Arts Showcase ‘Virtuoso,’ State Dance Festival, School Spectacular, Eisteddfods, Flames Dance Spectacular, Bankstown Dance Festival.


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St. Patrick’s College

Catholic Secondary School Years 7-12
551 President Ave, Sutherland NSW
02 9542 9000
spcsutherland.catholic.edu.au/

Dance Classes
Dance Ensemble
Offered to students in year 7 & 8, runs during lunch times once a week for 40 minutes.
Students perform at the Dance showcase evenings.

Dance Company
Auditioned company offered to Year 7 – 12 students. Company runs for 1 hour before school.
Students perform at Eisteddfods and school events throughout the year and Dance showcase evenings.

9 & 10 Elective Dance
Students engage practically and theoretically in a range of dance styles including, Contemporary, Ballet, Hip hop, Musical Theatre and Jazz.
Students participate in 5 hours of class in a fortnight.
Dance excursion occurs once a year to view a live performance
Students perform at eisteddfods and school events throughout the year.

11 & 12 Elective Dance
Students participate in 7 hours of class a fortnight
One live performance and one incursion per year to develop composition skills
Opportunities to perform their HSC works for a live audience throughout the year as well as the HSC showcase evening.

Dance for Sport
St Patricks offers Dance during the allocated sport time which runs for two hours once a week. Students participate in learning a range of skills and develop performances throughout the year as well as participate in the School sport competition.

Teacher
Elyse Annesley
Elyse graduated from UNSW in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts (Dance)/Bachelor of Education. Elyse is an enthusiastic and motivated educator with both educational and industry experience. Prior to completing her degree, Elyse completed a full time performing arts course at Ev&Bow in 2008 and went on to pursue her dream of performing internationally. Elyse has choreographed winning performances for both Catholic and State School competitions and demonstrates her love for dance through providing a range of opportunities including extra curricular dance ensembles and companies. Through her passion and experience, Elyse continues to nurture young dancers developing their skills both practically and theoretically ensuring they achieve at a high level.

Facilities
St Patrick’s College has a specific dance space with tarkett flooring, mirrors and ballet bars. There are also two performance spaces that are used on showcase evenings and school performances.

Performance and touring opportunities
St Patrick’s perform at a range of eisteddfods throughout the year, Dance showcase evenings, school assembly performances and many other SCS initiatives.


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Central Coast

MacKillop Catholic College Warnervale

Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College


MacKillop Catholic College Warnervale

Catholic College
91 Sparks Road, Warnervale NSW 2259
02 4392 9399
mccwdbb.catholic.edu.au

Practical dance classes per week
5 classes a fortnight for Year 9 and 10 and 8 a fortnight for Preliminary and HSC classes.

Facilities
Mackillop has both a dedicated Dance and Drama studio, as well as a large theatre space.

Performance Opportunities
In addition to school based performances at assembly, awards nights and open days, Mackillop proudly has several dance troupes which compete in eisteddfods. We also participate in the Junior Theatre Festival (Both in Newcastle and every few years in Sacramento USA). School musicals are also done bi-annually in 2024 this will be Frozen Jnr the musical.

Teacher
Mrs Rochelle Calder has been teaching Dance for 12 years and has a passion for developing on the students own individual capabilities as well as their theoretical knowledge of the Dance syllabus to create well rounded dance students. She has experience as a HSC teacher, with several past students receiving Callback nominations for outstanding HSC examination performances. Mrs Calder has choreographed for several eisteddfods, as well as choreographing large scale items for Southern Stars and the Illawarra South East Region (ISER) Dance Ensemble.



Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College

Government High School Yrs 7-12
3 campuses:
The Entrance Rd
02 4332 2944
thentrance-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
150 Bellevue Rd
02 4385 6802
tumbiumbi-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
5-25 Berkeley Rd
02 4388 1899
berkeleyva-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
Years 7-12
4 times a week in syllabus-based work focused on growing students’ talents within their performance, composition and appreciation skills.

Elite dance company for years 7-12 (audition)

Within the junior campuses, sport time dance opportunities are provided through the form of Wakakirri at Tumbi Umbi Campus and the exploration of different dance styles through classes at Berkeley Vale Campus.

Beyond the classroom, our students also get the opportunity to work collaboratively through intensive workshop days, with their teachers and students from different schools within the college, to create a number of contemporary based works each year.

Teachers
Emily Williams
Dance Teacher
Bachelor of Arts (Dance)/Bachelor of Education (UNSW)
Emily and Eleisha both graduated from UNSW with a BArts (Dance)/ BEducation where they learnt from influential Australian choreographers such as Sue Healey, Veronica Beattie and Gilli O’Connell.

Emily, as College Dance Coordinator has built and grown the dance department providing in school and post school pathways for students, as they develop and excel as individuals within the artform of Dance. She coordinates and focuses on the Stage 5 Dance curriculum, developing skills and preparing students for senior schooling. Emily is passionate about creating a supportive and collaborative learning environment, where each individual is encouraged to continue to develop and extend their skills and personal movement vocabulary and style. Emily specialises in creating strong and meaningful partnerships between community stakeholders and targeted talent identified students. She ensures that students’ academic and creative aspirations are supported, by creating extracurricular opportunities and establishing valued connections between students, parents, schools and the local community.

Eleisha Taylor
Dance Teacher
Bachelor of Arts (Dance)/Bachelor of Education (UNSW)
Eleisha resides at The Entrance Senior Campus where the focus is achieving through the HSC Dance course. She has 10 Years experience teaching Dance for students in Years 9-12, with application across performance, composition, appreciation and dance and technology. Her focus is facilitating her students in acquiring deep knowledge and skills of the Dance curriculum, which can be applied not only practically, but also in written and oral form. This has assisted many students in achieving notable HSC results, Callback nominations and the uptake of tertiary dance pathways. She has worked alongside many mentors and as a HSC marker to develop her professional competence with a wide range of proficiencies and experiences. Eleisha is driven by developing her students skills and abilities consistently, across all facets of Dance, to achieve at a high level.

Both Emily and Eleisha are heavily involved in the Central Coast Dance Festival with both individuals taking on roles as regional choreographers and artistic directors.

Facilities
Each campus within the college has a specific dance space. These spaces are all purpose-built dance rooms and theatrettes with appropriate flooring, mirrors, ballet barres and sound systems. We also have stages and auditoriums for the use of performance evenings and dance opportunities.

Performance & touring opportunities
Talent Development students have a multitude of diverse dance experiences from Regional Dance Festivals and ensembles, eisteddfods, workshops, Australian Dance Festival, State Dance Festival, Schools Spectacular and student choreography projects.


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Newcastle

Hunter School of Performing Arts

The Hunter School of the Performing Arts is a government-funded co-educational fully selective and specialist primary and secondary day school which offers a comprehensive curriculum with a performing arts specialty.
Lambton Rd, Broadmeadow
02 4952 3355
huntperfor-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes/week
Year 3 – 4 hours a fortnight
Year 4 – 4 hours a fortnight
Year 5 – 4 hours a fortnight
Year 6 – 4 hours a fortnight
Year 7 – 6 hours a fortnight
Year 8 – 6 hours a fortnight
Year 9 – 7 hours a fortnight
Year 10 – 7 hours a fortnight
Year 11 – 8 hours a fortnight
Year 12 – 8 Hours a fortnight

Certificate III Assistant Dance Teaching – 8 Hours a Fortnight

Year 8 Production classes – 3 hours a fortnight
9 Production
10 Production
Classical Ballet
Yr9/10 Future Focused Dance – 3 hours a fortnight

As a Dance Faculty we encourage and enable all students to enjoy learning, and to be self-motivated, reflective and competent learners. HSPA provides dance students with opportunities to express themselves through dance. At HSPA students develop their skills, knowledge and understanding of dance as an artform. By providing diverse programs and courses, students explore different pathways in dance.
Dance Courses
Stage 4
Y7 Dance: Performing Arts Line
Y8 Dance: Performing Arts Line
Y8 Dance Production Elective PBL
Stage 5
Y9 Performing Arts Line 200 hrs
Y9 Dance Production Elective PBL 100 hrs
Y9 Classical Ballet 200 hrs
Y10 Performing Arts Line 200 hrs
Y10 Dance Production Elective PBL
Y10 Classical Ballet 200 hrs
Y10 Acceleration
Y9/Y10 Future Focussed Learning – Part Time Program
Stage 6
Y11 Dance 2 Unit
Y11 Certificate 3 Assistant Dance Teaching
Y12 Dance 2 Unit
Y12 Certificate 3 Assistant Dance Teaching

Dance Company and Ensemble Opportunities
Companies and Ensembles participate in workshops and rehearsals each morning before school commencing at 8am. A variety of styles are offered to cater for all our students needs. Students need to audition to be apart of one or more of the groups.
Primary Dance Ensembles
Y7 Company
Junior Company Y8 & Y9
Intermediate Company Y9 & Y10
Senior Company Y10 & Y11
Pre-Professional Company
Aboriginal Ensemble
Classical Ballet Ensemble
Jazz Ensemble
Tap Ensemble
Boys Ensemble

Teachers
Hayley Vimpani HEAD TEACHER
With over 20 years of experience in the industry and education system, Hayley is a committed and enthusiastic educator teaching Performing Arts as well as VET qualifications. Success in teaching strongly relies on the willingness to reflect and improve on developed established practices. With a Diploma of Secondary Education, Bachelor of Arts (Dance) and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Hayley has been at the Hunter School of Performing Arts since 2002 teaching Stage 4, 5 & 6 Dance. Hayley is the VET coordinator for Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching, HSC Practical Dance Marker, Hunter Region Dance Festival Coordinator, Star Struck Regional Dance Director, and Choreographer. Hayley has trained in varies styles including contemporary, Jazz and RAD Classical Ballet.

Vanessa Ambrose
Whilst attending the University of New South Wales Vanessa studied a Bachelor of Arts (Dance)/Bachelor of Education qualifying her to teach Stage 4, 5 & 6 Dance. This included 4 years of study in such styles as contemporary, jazz, classical ballet, Horton Technique, Graham Technique and composition working with such choreographers as Sue Healey. On top of her education in varying techniques and styles she also completed units in lighting and sound production as well as anatomy and dance analysis. After completing her degree, Vanessa began teaching at the Hunter School of Performing Arts. During her time teaching at HSPA she has been involved in elite featured ensembles, with inclusion into regional and state dance festivals. She has also been involved in the initial set up and co-wrote the Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching course now being taught across the state. Since completing her qualifications and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, HSPA has seen the numbers for the ADT VET course sore in the last 10 years of teaching. Working alongside many talented and experienced staff has allowed for wonderful learning opportunities including assisting at School Spectacular and numerous other performance opportunities from flash mobs to community concerts and school musicals. She has also been a choreographer, segment director and now Assistant Dance Director for Star Struck working with over 99 schools across the Hunter Region to bring a live arena show to life.

Jo-Anne Thorn
Jo has more than 25 years’ experience teaching dance from Kinder to Year 12 at HSPA. She enjoys teaching all styles of dance but her passion is for contemporary dance and developing compositional skills. She trained at Bodenweiser with Margaret Chapple and later with John Mullins at UNSW. As a choreographer, Jo has created works for many shows such as Schools Spectacular, Youth Olympics, Star Struck, Southern Stars, State and Regional Dance Festivals. She is currently working with the pre-professional and future focussed students as well as teaching classes. Jo is an experienced HSC Marker in both practical and written components and was awarded the Minister’s Award for Excellence her contribution to Dance Education. ​

Martinique Foley
Martinique has completed a Bachelor of Music (Musical Theatre) from the Australian Institute of Music and a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) from the University of Notre Dame. Martinique is also a qualified RAD Ballet Teacher and Pilates and Fitness Instructor. Martinique has taught Dance and Music in high school, has many year’s experience as a freelance dance and vocal teacher, and worked as an Academic Tutor of Creative Arts with CQ University.

Penny Fleming
Penelope has a passion for Classical Ballet and is an experienced secondary educator with over 25 years in the educational field. She has contributed as a leader, choreographer and director in a variety of performances. She has owned her own Ballet school, is a member of the Royal Academy of Dance and studied at the Royal Academy in London. Penny has Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education in English, French, German, Drama and Dance.
Primary Dance Teaching Staff
Lisa Bone, Cassie O’Brien, Rachel Wilson and Jade Webber

Facilities
Our School is equipped with multiple state of the art Dance and Drama studios, computer labs, band centre, darkroom, music centre, tutor rooms, sound recording and audio-visual recording studios and specialist rooms for all core curriculum subjects. The school has a 380-seat, fully equipped state-of-the-art theatre performance facility. This centre has a full auditorium, fly tower, recording studio and associated rehearsal rooms. In addition, the school has a new performing arts precinct with the ability to live stream all events.

Performance and touring opportunities
New York Dance Tour – Bi-annual tour to New York and Los Angeles. Students have the opportunity to develop and enrich their knowledge and skills about dance as an artform through dance classes. Students will have the opportunity to develop deeper understanding of dance appreciation and be able to apply their knowledge drawn from their experiences viewing and experiencing dance with a different cultural context. Students Participate in over 13 Workshops from Alvin Ailey, Steps on Broadway, Edge-Pac, Millennium, Broadway Dance Centre, as will as view a range of shows and performances
School Musicals – Bi-Annual School musicals in both the Primary school and Secondary school
Star Struck – is an NSW Department of Education annual performing arts event for Newcastle, the Hunter and Central Coast. It is a showcase of dance, drama and music performed by students from Kindergarten to Year 12 from a vast network of NSW public schools. Star Struck provides performance and learning opportunities for 3500 students in the arts and fosters an appreciation of the performing arts. ts
Hunter Dance Festival – Hunter Schools Dance Festival is a celebration of dance by NSW public schools from the Hunter.
State Dance Festival – NSW Public Schools State Dance Festival showcases students in 6 diverse performance programs throughout a week-long festival. The program highlights a range of styles explored through the study of dance in NSW public schools.
Each performance reveals the determination of students and teachers to explore the art of dance and to achieve performances of the highest quality. These performances are underpinned by technical training, stamina, creativity, confidence, cooperation and respect for one another fostered by their dedicated and talented teachers
Lighthouse Dance Project – Lighthouse Dance Project involves students from NSW’s performing arts high schools and representative from various national and international tertiary institutions. The main aim of this festival is to educate secondary dance students on post school opportunities that are available to them, so they can make informed choices about where to continue their dance training. The two-day festival involves auditions, workshops and information sessions, led by representatives from the tertiary dance institutions providing invaluable experiences that will create new links with institutions, highlighting career path options to secondary dancers.
Short Sharp Dance Festival – Sharp Short Dance unearths the finest young dance artists from Sydney and beyond. The festival provides a rare opportunity for aspiring choreographers and dancers, film makers and music creators to display their talents in a supportive environment. HSPA have had students win *Best choreography, *Best Group and *Most outstanding Performer at this event.
Sydney School Spectacular – The NSW Schools Spectacular is an Australian variety show featuring more than 5,500 students from public schools across New South Wales. HSPA have been apart of this production in a variety of ways, from choreographers, production crew, students’ performers and featured artists.


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Wollongong


Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts (WHSPA)

Government High School Yrs 7-12
Lysaght St, Fairy Meadow
02 4229 6844
wollongong-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Practical dance classes per week
Students audition to enter the school for a position in the WHSPA Performing Arts program.
Year 7 – 2 x 1 hour and 20 min Auditioned Dance stream in Performance, Composition and/or Appreciation class, 1 x 2 hour strength, conditioning and technique class, Company rehearsal of two hours in the timetable
Year 8 – 2 x 1 hour and 20 min Auditioned Dance stream in Performance, Composition and/or Appreciation class, 1 x 2 hour strength, conditioning and technique class, Company rehearsal of two hours outside of curriculum
Year 9 – 2 x 1 hour and 20 min Auditioned Dance stream in Performance, Composition and/or Appreciation class, 2 x 1 hour and 20 min Dance Extension technique and choreographic practice class, Company rehearsal of two hours in the timetable
Year 10– 2 x 1 hour and 20 min Auditioned Dance stream in Performance, Composition and/or Appreciation class, 2 x 1 hour and 20 min Dance Extension technique and choreographic practice class, Company rehearsal of two hours in the timetable
Year 11 – 3 x 1 hour and 20 min Auditioned Dance stream in Performance, Composition and/or Appreciation class, Company rehearsal of two hours outside of curriculum
Year 12 – 3 x 1 hour and 20 min Auditioned Dance stream in Performance, Composition and/or Appreciation class, Company rehearsal of two hours outside of curriculum

Dancer Wellness Program
WHSPA provides a compulsory wellness program to cater for all 7-12 Dance students’ physical and emotional health. We understand that dancing is unique and has a different set of physical demands to other sports and our goal is to ensure dancers stay healthy and strong and can dance at their best throughout the entire year. As part of our wellness program, students receive 2 dance biomechanical screenings throughout the year. The purpose of these screenings is to highlight any areas of the dancer’s body that are at risk of injury as well as any performance limiting factors. Each student will receive written advice in a report and provided with corrective exercises based off their individual screen findings and will have an opportunity during dance classes to do these corrective exercises under the supervision of the trained WHSPA dance staff.

Dance Elite Program
WHSPA has designed this program to ensure Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts supports Dance students who are eligible and have been selected to participate in Elite Arts Programs. This program must satisfy the DoE requirements of an Elite Arts Program. That being, for an exemption to be granted it must be an opportunity for a student to participate in an event or program that is beyond the gifted and talented opportunities that DoE offers. (DoE revised Attendance Policy 2015). This has been designed to ensure students wellbeing is at the forefront of any decision and accounts for their age appropriate ability to balance school studies with their outside Elite Arts Program commitments. i.e. Australian Ballet

Double Major
Enrolled Performing Arts (PA) students in Years 8-10 can seek approval to undertake a double major in a secondary PA subject i.e. Dance or Drama or Music

Teachers
Chris Richards
Head Teacher Performing Arts
Chris is a recognised and respected leader by colleagues, students, parents/carers and the wider arts community for exemplary educational leadership spanning 20 years. As an experienced teacher, director of school, regional and state events and choreographer, Chris has written and taught school and NSW Departmental programs and support material to meet the differentiated needs of students and teaching professional learning. An experienced HSC Dance teacher and NESA HSC Supervisor of Marking along with professional experiences as the DET Curriculum Advisor.

Nadina Zappia
Dance Teacher
Nadina graduated from the University of NSW in 2001 receiving a double degree of a Bachelor of Education/ Bachelor of Arts (Dance). She has been teaching at WHSPA since 2006. She has taught at a number of choreographic workshops and choreographed for a vast range of events, including Regional and Stage Dance Festivals, Southern Stars, School’s Spectacular, dance works/ projects, plus a variety of Musicals and showcase events. As an educator, Nadina received the prestigious Ministers Award for Excellence in Teaching, has worked as a HSC Dance Marker for the past 17 years. Nadina currently trains and teaches BJP Physical culture for the highly successful Mt Ousley Club, and has herself received several National Championships as a competitor, as well as achieving and winning the highest title ‘Grand Champion Girl’ twice. Nadina also performs extensively as a singer/ dancer/ actor in various Musicals, Opera’s and corporate/ cabaret work, and has played a number of lead roles in musicals.

Emily Ireland
Dance Teacher
Emily Ireland is an experienced teacher of Dance and Head Teacher Secondary Studies at WHSPA. One of her proudest accomplishments is the creation of the WHSPA Pre-Professional Dance Company where she takes great pride in the talent development WHSPA’s senior students. Emily has choreographed several works for the NSW Public Schools State Dance Ensembles and for the Schools Spectacular. She is currently a Senior Examiner for HSC Dance and has tutored at HSC Callback, State Dance Festival Choreographic Workshops and the D.E.P.A conferences 2017/2018. Teaching and choreography are two of Emily’s greatest passions and she delights in the opportunity to share these with students and teachers alike.​

Facilities
The school has 4 specialised studios equipped with dance floors, mirrors, barres with sound and lighting capacity large enough for classes of 25 students. The school has a 210 seat performance theatre that dually acts as another teaching space. It is equipped with full sound and lighting production capacity equivalent to any large community or privately owned theatre.

Performance & touring opportunities
The school runs comprehensive co-curricular Company, workshop and excursion programs for gifted and talented Dance students. The emphasis of the program is to provide access to a variety of visiting choreographers, current practicing artists, tutors, industry professionals, universities and school, regional, state and international performance events to build upon and supplement the skills learnt in class. The focus is on the development of a strong technique and performance skills in weekly timetabled co-curricular company programs conducted before, during and after school. As a result WHSPA continues to enjoy a local, state, national and international reputation for excellence in Dance

WHSPA operates an annual performance program with 16 co-curricular Dance Companies.

Example 1 of one of these is our Pre-Professional Dance Company (PPDC) which provides links to the professional industry for senior students

This Company works with practicing industry professionals and is designed to give students exposure to the choreographic style and methods of the tutors they work with. The company aims to extend and develop dancers through elite classical and contemporary training. This company is targeted to those who may have an ambition to seek a professional career in Dance. An industry professional makes a contemporary work specifically for this group and they will perform at the Lighthouse Dance Festival and the WHSPA PPDC Showcase program . An experience in the WHSPA Pre-Professional Dance Company provides an excellent opportunity to develop the skills and training for these auditions, as well as a strong foundation for post school dance opportunities.

Example 2 Lighthouse Project

The main aim of this project is to work with the leading Performing Arts schools with the Tertiary dance institutions throughout Australia and overseas to educate secondary dance students on the opportunities that are available to them post the Higher School Certificate along with provide an invaluable technique/style specific workshops, audition and performance experience. This will enable them to make informed choices about whether to continue their dance career.

The Lighthouse Dance Project is two days of sharing, workshopping, taking masterclasses, performing and auditioning with colleagues from across the nation and abroad.

Tertiary dance courses represented at Lighthouse Dance project are:
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
Victorian College of the Arts (VCA)
Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year program
New Zealand School of Dance
Point Park University Pittsburg, USA
Joffrey Ballet
AMDA 


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Coffs Harbour

Bishop Druitt College

Private Primary and Secondary School
111 N Boambee Rd, COFFS HARBOUR NSW
02 6651 5644
bdc.nsw.edu.au

Practical dance classes/week
Primary School- 2 hours per fortnight for specialist dance and creative movement classes
Primary Dance Club- 2 hours per fortnight
Primary Dance Academy- 4 hours per fortnight
Kaizen Dance Program (Years 5-8)- 3 hours per fortnight.
World Options Dance Program- 6 hours per fortnight.
Secondary Dance Academy- 4 hours per fortnight.
Stage 6 (Year 11 and 12 Dance): 8 x 50min lessons per fortnight.

Teachers
Hannah Johnson
Primary, Secondary and HSC Dance
Bachelor of Creative Industries in Dance/Drama
Bachelor of Education
Hannah began as a rhythmic gymnast competing at state level. After transitioning to dance at age 12 she went on to complete her education at Newtown Performing Arts before completing Degrees in Dance and Education through Queensland University of Technology. Hannah has also worked as a video editor and has particular interest in Dance Film. She is passionate about extending students’ creativity, improvisation skills and facilitating experiences for young dancers to explore their potential through movement.

Facilities
A brand new purpose built dance studio. Sprung floor with Tarkett. Barres, mirrors and curtains. Wide screen TV, specialised sound system and air conditioning.

Performance & touring opportunities
Dance showcases, various eisteddfods and bi annual school musicals.


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Cowra

Cowra High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
Dowell St, Cowra
02 6342 1766
cowra-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
Dance is offered as an educational subject for years 9 – 12
Stage 6 (year 11 and 12) 7 hours per fortnight
Stage 5 ( year 9 and 10) 5 hours per fortnight
Additionally Cowra High School runs a dance company (CHS Dance Team) as an extra curricula to increase technique, strength and condition and the creation of Dance works.
Synchronicity – showcase of Dance at Cowra High School

Teachers
Alison Buckley
Bachelor of Arts majoring in Dance/ PD/H/PE
Graduate Diploma in Education
After performing professionally in various styles of dance Alison started her teaching career at Westfields Sports High School mentored and guided by Michelle Holden. Continuing in both professional performances and assisting in the development of the elite dance program at WSHS Alison achieved great success at State Dance level and HSC Callback nominations for her choreographic skills. Moving to Cowra, Alison has utilised her performing, teaching and creative work skills to create various public performances and engage the youth of Cowra and its surrounds. Alison is also Artistic Director of United Fusion, and through Arts grants produces multifaceted workshops. Alison developed and implemented Dance to Cowra High School and the primary schools in Cowra. These programs over the past 5 years have successfully been selected into the State Dance Festival in Sydney where the state showcases the top dance works in NSW schools. Cowra High School has also achieved outstanding results at HSC level with consistent band 6 and Callback nominations by the Cowra High School Dance students. Alison is the 2019 of The Ministers Award for excellence in teaching.

Performance & touring opportunities
Ex-students return to inspire and share knowledge with current CHS dance team members.
Angela French worked hand in hand with Alison Buckley and the students to create a unique contemporary dance piece responding to the environment at the time highlighting the impact of the Drought. This work performed at the Cowra and Bathurst eisteddfods winning first place and was selected as a special guest performance at the Dance Force graduation showcase at the Orange Civic Theatre.
CHS Dance Team participate in the Western Region Dance festival, State Dance Festivals and offer the students the opportunity to increase their dance skills through the program to be able to audition for the State Dance Ensemble, Schools Spectacular Featured Dancers and Schools Spectacular Combined Dance Team.


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Lithgow

Lithgow High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
1A Pau St, Lithgow
02 6352 1422
lithgow-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
Year 8 – 3 x 50 minute classes per week for one semester
Year 9 & 10 – 3 x 50 minute classes per week for the whole year
Year 11 & 12 – 7 x 50 minute classes and 1 x 100 minute class per fortnight for the whole year
Junior and Senior Dance Ensembles (audition)

Teachers
Deb Farebrother
Deb owned a private Dance School for 16 years (1977- 1993) teaching RAD Classical Ballet and then the Australian Dance Assessment Program. She has taught Dance in Public High Schools since its inception into the Curriculum in the early 1980’s being on the panel to select the first cohort of Dance students to attend Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. She was the Movement Director for the Schools Spectacular from 1985-1994. Deb has had ensembles involved in Schools Spectacular, State Dance Festival, Sydney Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Rugby World Cup, Pacific Schools Games and numerous regional dance festivals and camps.

Facilities
Air-conditioned dance studio with mirrors and portable barres. digital projector and Bluetooth sound system with Lighting bar and lighting desk.
Stage with digital lighting and sound desks, full blackout curtains, large front apron, curtains and wings and backstage dressing rooms

Performance & touring opportunities
There is a School Musical each year. Indigenous students can participate in Aboriginal Dance workshops. Students also have the opportunity to attend a three day Dance Camp organised by the Western NSW Dance coordinator. Junior and Senior Dance Ensembles have the opportunity to perform at Western NSW Dance Festival, Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre and Schools Spectacular.
Individual students can audition for State Dance Ensemble who then perform at State Dance Festival and Schools Spectacular.


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Port Macquarie

Mackillop College Port Macquarie

Catholic School Years 7-12
Ocean Drive Port Macquarie NSW 2444
pmaclism.catholic.edu.au
02 6583 2632

Practical Dance Classes Per Week
Curricular Dance Elective (Stage 4, 5 & 6)

Dance is an elective subject for Years 8-12. The elective course requires no dance training prerequisite. It caters for students with little to no dance training through to students that may have experience in dance. The course focuses on teaching technical skills from beginners to advanced dancers with the primary focus on the study of dance as an art form. Students study a variety of genres:

Co-Curricular Dance Program
Years 7-12 is open to any student interested dance and dance performance
This program encourages students to be creative and experience new things while developing a wide range of dance skills and techniques. The ensembles are open to students from Year 7-12 and cater for beginners through to advanced dancers.

Teacher
Jamanda Eggert
Bachelor of Arts (Dance), Graduate Diploma Secondary Education. Over 20 years teaching experience in NSW and QLD schools. RAD trained

Facilities
Fully equipped dance studio with fully sprung tarquette, ballet barres and a mirrored wall. Students also have opportunity to perform in a seated theatre performance venue.

Performance and touring opportunities
Students are given many opportunities to showcase their work to the wider school community such as at the following events:
Year 10 Creative Arts Extravaganza
Year 11 Night of Stars
Year 12 Creative Arts Festival
Local Eisteddfods
Music & Dance Co-Curricular Showcase (matinee & evening)
Other informal events

Since the HSC Dance course started four years ago, Mackillop College has received 14 Nominations for Callback.


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Tamworth

Oxley High School

Tamworth High School


Oxley High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
Piper St, North Tamworth NSW 2340
02 6766 1677
oxley-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes
At Oxley High School we offer both extra curricula dance and elective dance. Junior Electives have 5 hours a cycle, Senior Electives have 8 lessons within a 2 Week Cycle. We have extra Curricula open to all students which make up Jnr Ensemble, which is two hours a cycle Senior Company – 2 hours a cycle. Students have the opportunity to partake in dance for sport for 2 hours a week which also includes collaborations with local studios as an extension to their learning.

Teachers
Breanna McFadyen
Bachelor’s Degree in Dance and PDHPE Education completed at the Australian College of Physical Education, as well as a Certificate III in Dance (Ballet and Jazz) through Australian Dance Vision.​ ​

• Supported student success in auditions for the NSW Public Schools Dance Ensemble, State Dance Festival, and the Schools Spectacular as featured artists, in Combined dance segments and Aboriginal Dance Ensembles and Company
• Tutored and facilitated DoE Regional Dance Camps
• Coordinated inaugural North West Regional HSC Senior Dance Workshop
• Choreographed for Regional, Featured Artist and Stage Massed Dances for CAPERS, local eisteddfods and CaPA nights
• Coordinated collaborations with partner primary schools for dance immersion days and dance programs
• Managed the 2019 NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company in collaboration with the Arts Unit

Facilities
The schools facilities – including theatres and dance class rooms
The performing arts centre is a large air-conditioned/ heated space , windowed space with barres and mirrors, wooden floorboards and a Harlequin Tarkett in the middle in the dimensions of he HSC performance space.

Performance or touring opportunities
Students in years 7-12 have the following performance opportunities:
– Schools Spectacular and NSW State Dance Festival (if successful in application)
– New England Dance Festival
– Regional Dance Eisteddfods
– School Musical
– CaPA and Dance Spectacular Nights
– Regional ”Schools Spec” CAPERS
– Jnr students also have the opportunity to perform SNR HSC works



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Tamworth High School

Government High School Yrs 7-12
Willis St, South Tamworth
02 6765 7888
tamworth-h.schools.nsw.gov.au

Practical dance classes per week
Yr8 Elective Cheerleading – 3hrs per fortnight
Yr9/10 Electives – 5hrs per fortnight
Yr11/12 Dance – 7hrs per fortnight.
We have extra-curricular groups open to all students which make up Jnr Ensemble, Intermediate Ensemble both 45 Minutes a week , and Senior Company – 1 Hour a week.

Teachers
Sascha Jones
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)/ Masters of Education – Queensland University of Technology
Sascha is the sole Dance teacher at THS. She has contributed as a choreographer in a variety of performances, organised dance events such as Lighthouse Community of Schools Concert and has revamped the Aboriginal Dance program. She specialises in jazz, hip hop, ballet and contemporary dance.

Facilities
The Dance Studio/Classroom is a large air-conditioned/ heated space, with a multi-purpose floor and Harlequin Tarkett in the middle, in the dimensions of the HSC performance space. The space includes full-length mirrors on one wall and a ballet barre along the other.

Performance or touring opportunities
Schools Spectacular and NSW State Dance Festival (if successful in application), New England Dance Festival, Regional Dance Eisteddfods, School Musical, CaPA and Dance Spectacular Nights
Regional ” schools spec” CAPERS  and Jnr students also have the opportunity to perform Senior HSC works.


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Queensland

Brisbane – Central

Queensland Ballet Academy

A department of Queensland Ballet operating in collaboration with Kelvin Grove State College

Gate 1, 101 L’Estrange Terrace, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059
07 3036 6665
queenslandballet.com.au/academy

Practical dance classes per week

Foundation Program
Level 9 (Age 8 – 9): 2.25 – 6.75 hours per week
Level 8 (Age 9 – 10): 2.25 – 6.75 hours per week
Level 7 (Age 10 – 11): 5 – 10 hours per week

Guest Academy Program
Level 6 (Year 7): 14 hours per week across 5 days per school term
Level 5 (Year 8): 15.5 hours per week across 5 days per school term
Level 4 (Year 9): 17 hours per week across 5 days per school term

Academy Program
Level 6 (Year 7): 14 hours per week over 5 days
Level 5 (Year 8): 15.5 hours per week over 5 days
Level 4 (Year 9): 17 hours per week over 5 days
Level 3 (Year 10): 21.5 hours per week over 6 days
Level 2 & 1 (Years 11 & 12): 23 – 25 hours per week over 6 days
Level 1 Transitional Course (Years 11 & 12): 23 – 25 hours per week over 6 days

Pre-Professional Program
Post-school: Full-time hours over 6 days
 
Teachers
Under the supervision of Artistic Director, Li Cunxin AO and Academy Director, Christian Tátchev, Queensland Ballet Academy’s acclaimed faculty fosters technical and artistic excellence, while providing unique professional performance opportunities alongside the company. With backgrounds as professional dancers, choreographers and trainers in companies across the globe, Queensland Ballet Academy teachers are amongst the best in the world. A comprehensive business and medical team support the delivery of world-class, well-being focussed professional training programs.
 
Facilities
Located at Kelvin Grove State College, Queensland Ballet Academy’s new fit-for-purpose building offers a world-class training experience boasting:
Six spacious studios
A wellness suite encompassing a gym, Pilates and physiotherapy facilities
Learning and development spaces
Student dressing and green room areas

Performance & touring opportunities
Each year Academy Program students are involved in mid-year demonstrations and showcase performances, Queensland Ballet Academy Gala and Queensland Ballet Academy’s Summer Soiree. From time to time, students may also be approached to represent Queensland Ballet Academy in events and competitions. Queensland Ballet will also engage Queensland Ballet Academy students for company performances when young performers are required.

In addition to the Academy Gala, Summer Soiree and a stand-alone season, Pre-Professional Program (PPP) dancers have the opportunity to perform at various prestigious events throughout the year. Opportunities often arise for our PPP’s to perform in Company productions as well.


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Brisbane – North

QLD National Ballet

Private Dance Studio in conjunction with Cairns School of Distance Education and local Brisbane high schools (private and public). 
81 Newmarket Rd, Windsor
0417 861 850
qldnationalballet.com.au

Practical dance classes per week
Qld National Ballet School- Government Accredited Courses- RTO 31713- 
Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance) CUA60120 (15yrs +) 
Certificate IV in Dance CUA40113 (12yrs to 15yrs) 
Full-time 3 to 5 days per week- academic schooling through Cairns School of Distance Education.

Part-time 1 to 3 days per week in affiliation with cooperating local Brisbane Academic schools (Private and Public). Giving the student and parents the ability to choose their preferred high school and still attend full-time dance training.

Teachers
Martyn Fleming– Artistic Director- Former Principal English National Ballet/ Bejart Ballet Lausanne.
Tracey Fleming– Principal Director- Queensland National Ballet School.
Maina Gielgud– Patron- Former Artistic Director Australian Ballet Company/Royal Danish Ballet.
Karen Donovan– Ballet/Repertoire/Coaching- Former Principal dancer- Birmingham Royal Ballet and former teacher/coach- Royal Ballet School-London.
Wim Broeckx– Ballet/Pas de deux/Boys Coaching- Former Artistic Director- Dutch National Ballet Company
Marie-Claire d’lyse– Former Artist- San Francisco Ballet and Vienna State Opera Ballet
Clare Morehen‐ Ballet/Coaching/Repertoire‐ Former Principal Queensland Ballet Company
Justine Summers– Ballet/Repertoire/Coaching – Former Principal Australian Ballet
Francois Klaus– Former Artistic Director Qld Ballet Company and Principal Hamburg Ballet Company
Robyn White– Former Associate Director Qld Ballet Company
Yue Shi (Tony)– Classical/Pas de Deux/Boys Coaching – Former Artist- Royal New Zealand Ballet Company, Qld Ballet Company and Singapore Dance Theatre.

Facilities
5 large studios with specialised ballet flooring (sprung with Tarkett), a classroom, gym, fully equipped kitchen, bathrooms (showers and toilets), large warm up area, lockers, reception, free student wifi, parents pick up room, offices, wardrobe, plenty of car spaces, drop off zone and uniform shop. Close to Brisbane CBD and all public transport.
 

Performance & touring opportunities
Annual Full-length ballet production 
Performance opportunities through group and solo eisteddfods. 


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Brisbane – South East

John Paul College

Co-educational, Independent K-12
John Paul Drive, Daisy Hill
07 3826 3333
jpc.qld.edu.au

Practical dance classes per week
Dance can be taken as an elective subject from Years Seven to Twelve
Year 7 Dance: 2 X 60mins per week
Year 8 Dance: 3 X 60mins per week
Year 9 Dance: 3 X 60mins per week
Year 10 Dance: 4 X 60mins per week
Year 11 Dance: 4X 60mins per week
Year 12 Dance: 4 X 60mins per week

Primary School Co-Curricular Dance Teams
Year 2 – Sprinkles Dance Team
Years 3 – Cosmic Dance Team
Years 3 to 4 – Lunar Dance Team
Years 5 to 6 – Aurora Dance Team
Years 4 to 6 – Force Premier Primary Dance Team: by audition ONLY

Senior School Co-Curricular Dance Teams
Years 7 to 8 – Fusion Dance Team
Years 7 to 8 – Jets Dance Team
Years 7 to 12 – Stellar Dance Team
Years 7 to 12 – Eclipse Premiere Dance Ensemble: By workshop and audition ONLY
Years 7 to 12 – Hip Hop Crew
Years 7 to 12 – Musical Dance Team (every 2nd year) by audition

The High-Performance Academy nurtures the growth of elite dancers through a holistic and individualised approach to development. The program is based on functional movement, technical and personal development, strength and conditioning growth, and sports medicine support. Our focus is to develop dancers capable of executing exercises and training routines of increased complexity as their training age/level increases. Further to this, dancers in the program receive priority access to specialist training facilities, equipment and mentoring from current and former elite athletes including high profile College Alumni. Students in the High-Performance Academy have taken part in a new unique training program with Queensland Ballet called FleX. The six-week program called FleX sees high performance athletes between the ages of 13-17 take part in hybrid ballet classes. Queensland Ballet Education Teaching Artists lead students through a combination of foundational ballet steps and strength building fitness exercises, both challenging and inspiring to the students.

Teachers
Amanda Waddell
Head of Faculty the Arts
Dance/Drama Teacher
Bachelor of Arts Drama – Queensland University of Technology
Bachelor of Education Dance and Drama – Queensland University of Technology
Amanda Waddell began her dance career at a young age, performing across Australia. Her experiences led her to study a range of dance styles including RAD Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Contemporary Dance. She went on to study Dance at QUT and completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education in Dance and Drama. Amanda’s passion for teaching dance has seen her teach across Brisbane and in London, where she has experienced a range of teaching opportunities. She is the Head of Faculty for the Arts at John Paul College. The College was awarded Performing Arts School of the Year by the Australian Performing Arts Teachers Association (APATA) and in 2022 Amanda was awarded The Performing Arts Teacher of the Year by APATA.

Maddy Garner
Dance Co-ordinator
Bachelor of Behavioural Science – Queensland University of Technology
Currently studying a Master of Counselling – Queensland University of Technology
Bachelor of Behavioural Science – Queensland University of Technology
Currently studying a Master of Counselling – Queensland University of Technology
Maddy Garner is a JPC Alumni who participated in the Dance Program as a student and had the role of Dance Captain in Year Twelve. After graduating in 2015 she began teaching dance at JPC and has continued to grow as a teacher and choreographer. In 2019, she had the exciting opportunity of taking the position of Dance Co-ordinator. Maddy brings over 19 years of experience as a dancer and performer including extensive competition experience. She has trained in a range of dance genres including RAD Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre and Hip Hop. Maddy has taught dance students from Year One through to Year Twelve including JPC’s elite senior team Eclipse. In 2022 Maddy took a step up to co-direct JPC’s 40th Anniversary show. While working at JPC Maddy completed a Bachelor of Behavioural Science at QUT in 2019 and is currently studying a Masters of Counselling.

Cianna Horne
Dance Teacher
Currently studying Bachelor of Nursing- University of Queensland
Cianna is a JPC Alumni who participated in the Dance Program as a student and later on graduated with the role of Dance Captain in 2020. Cianna brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in genres with over 10 years of experience as a competitive dancer and performer. She has trained extensively in styles such as Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Hip Hop and RAD Ballet.

Georgina Walsh
Dance Teacher
Recently graduated from Bond University with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science.
Georgina is a JPC Alumni who graduated in 2020 and has been working at JPC since 2021. She participated in the Dance Program as a student and was given the role of Dance Captain in 2019. Georgina has completed many RAD Ballet exams as well as ADA Jazz and Tap exams, she has also completed her Pre-Elementary Teachers Exam. She has trained in and has experience teaching Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop and Acro and has competed in studio eisteddfods for many years. She has also performed in many community theatre musicals over the past few years and is performing in her first professional musical this year.

Amelie Maheiux
Dance Teacher
Amelie is a JPC alumnus who participated in the dance program as a student and graduated with the role of dance captain. As a student, Amelie was involved in many school musicals and also had the role of musical captain in 2020. Amelie’s passion for dance is shown through the dedication she brings to her teaching since starting in 2022. As a competitive dancer from a young age, Amelie has trained in genres such as jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop and musical theatre.

Anna Holmes
Dance Teacher
After graduating in 2024 with both a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Fine Arts, Anna’s dream job is being an educator in the arts. She has been working in both the Dance and Speech and Drama programs at JPC since 2022, in which she advocates for youth-led performance opportunities. As an ex-competitive dancer, Anna specialises in Ballroom and Latin styles but has been educated as a part of the WA Youth Ballet. Anna now continues to grow her performance skills in other areas like fire twirling and stilt walking. She hopes to create opportunities for transdisciplinary learning in her future art education practices.

Daisy Lumley
Dance Teacher
Daisy is a JPC Alumni who participated in the Dance Program as a student and graduated with the role of Dance Captain in 2022. Daisy is an excited and eager new member of the performing arts team being offered the opportunity to come back and teach this year. Daisy’s specialty is Hip Hop choreography.

Tammin Henshaw
Dance Teacher
Tammin is currently studying a Bachelor of Business Management and Tourism Management at The University Of Queensland. Tammin is a JPC Alumni who participated in the Dance Progam and was given the role of dance Captain in 2022. Tammin has completed many RAD Ballet and CSTD Jazz exams over her 13 years of dancing outside of school. Tammin has also trained in the styles of musical theatre, hip-hop, lyrical and contemporary. Tammin has a specialty in performing and choreographing technical styles like lyrical.

Janice Heale
Private Dance/Ballet Teacher
Fellow of Cecchetti Classical Ballet
Enrico Cecchetti Diploma
Senior Examiner
RAD T.Cert
Janice Heale brings a wealth of knowledge and experience having trained in South Africa, Australia and America. Many of her students have gone onto a professional career in dance accepting positions in the Royal New Zealand Ballet School, Australian Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet, Queensland Ballet, QUT, WAPA, VCA, ADT, Dance North and other professional dance institutions. Janice’s dedication has seen her accompany students to intensive Summer Schools in New York, Los Angeles and Australia. She has trained many students who have also won prestigious international dance competitions such as the 2016 Genee Award, Valrene Tweedie Scholarship, and finalists in the Prix De Lausanne. As an examiner Janice has taught and examined throughout Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia.

Facilities
Dance Studio – professional Tarkett flooring, mirrored walls, Ballet Barres, air conditioning, projector, and Smartboard.
Blue Square (outdoor dance studio) – Tarkett flooring.
Stephen Bean Theatre – Tarkett flooring with curtains, lighting, sound, and projector.

Performance, workshops & touring opportunities
Our Dance Ensembles compete in eisteddfods all over Brisbane and perform in school performance evenings and annual Dance Night. Tours to Sydney and Melbourne have been a highlight, with students competing in competitions, participating in workshops with professional dance companies as well as nights out to the theatre to experience professional dance works.

Our premiere Dance Ensemble, Eclipse, performs at QPAC every year for the annual JPC Speech Night.

Dance Night, a major college event, showcases the classwork of our Senior students, this show provides all elective Dance students with the opportunity to perform onstage and put the skills they have learnt throughout the year into practice. This showcase also allows our co-curricular dance teams an opportunity to perform their competition routines for their family, friends and the College community. This night centres heavily on student choreographers and allows for the opportunity for students to experience their dance works in a performance setting.
The Musical Dance Team performs in the College Musical every 2ndyear.
Workshops with professional artists are a regular occurrence throughout the dance year.


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South Australia

Adelaide

Turning Point Dance

Private Dance Studio
Cnr Winwood and Holland St, Thebarton
0413 113 950
tpdance.com.au

Practical dance classes per week
VOCATIONAL FULL-TRAINING (audition)
We offer full-time vocational training with tailored year 10, 11 and 12 studies for those who wish to complete their SACE with a dance focus. The Vocational School is equivalent to a school day plus extra practical contact hours and at least two half-days reserved for classroom work at Thebarton Senior College campus. On average, a full-time vocational school student can expect to be training or studying from 8.45am to 7 pm for 5.5 days out of the week.

We cover classes in Classical Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Flamenco, Pas De Deux, Repertoire, and Composition as well as conditioning classes such as Pilates and Limber. During practical training, our students will master the concepts of anatomy and kinesiology, safe dance practices, stage-craft and design, stage make-up and costume design, dance analysis and criticism and career skills. Students are trained, mentored and supported by fully qualified and experienced teachers with opportunities provided to work with guest tutors and artists. We encourage all students to see professional work often and strive to provide ticketing information and special offers to students where possible.

EXTENSION PROGRAM (audition)
Held on two afternoons per week, highly motivated and passionate students seeking additional training to prepare for a future in dance can attend extension classes with an emphasis on technique, body conditioning and performance. Limited to small class sizes to offer the best possible training for students aged 10 years and above. 

Facilities
Conveniently located amidst Thebarton mere minutes from public transport, all practical dance classes take place in beautifully appointed premises featuring three studios complete with sprung wooden and tarkett covered flooring, mirrors and barres.. Other facilities include a Green Room complete with lockers and a kitchen area, toilet and shower facilities, wireless internet, access to Pilates studio and other training equipment and a dedicated study room for SACE and other theory subjects.

Performance & touring opportunities
Students are involved in two school performances per year, a mid-year SACE Performance as well as annual performance. Other performance opportunities may arise throughout the year.


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Tasmania

Launceston

St Patrick’s College
Co-education Catholic School Years 7-12
282 Westbury Rd, Prospect Vale TAS 7250
(03) 6341 9988
stpatricks.tas.edu.au

St Patrick’s College is a Catholic co-educational secondary college, located in Launceston, Tasmania, giving an education to over 1500 students. We are committed to a holistic, inclusive and Christ-centred education that provides opportunity for each student to learn the skills, knowledge and values in order to thrive in a changing world. Students with a passion for Dance have a wide range of opportunities offered to them. St Patrick’s College values both academic and cultural achievements, giving all students excellent opportunities to succeed. Students studying Dance are learning a wide range of exceptional skills, such as confidence building, commitment and dedication to refining technical skills, creating connections between their peers, and establishing their personality.

Practical Dance Classes per week
Dance is offered in Years 8 – 12 and covers a wide range of styles and opportunities to choreograph and perform. Students also have the chance to participate in co-curricular dance activities, such as the School Musical and the Dance Performance Project. They are also offered an external Dance Performance evening at each year level.

Curriculum Dance
Year 8: 4 x 50 min Dance lessons a fortnight
Years 9: 5 x 50 min Dance lessons a fortnight
Year 10: 4 x 50 min Dance lessons a fortnight
Years 11 and 12: 12 x 50 min Dance lessons a fortnight

Facilities
The School has five Dance spaces in total, two of these with specific dance flooring. Two smaller studios, set up like a black box theatre, are located side by side, with the main theatre, the Guildford Theatre, across the hallway. These three spaces are located in the Guilford Arts Centre. Another two dance spaces are located in a separate building, which includes space storage for costumes.

Performance Opportunities
The students participate in a range of external Eisteddfods each year, including the Launceston Competitions, held at The Princess Theatre. Further performance opportunities include the School Musical and the Dance Performance Project, and on campus performance evenings The PARTS Festival and Open Windows.

Teachers
Caitlin Siejka
M.Teach, B.Cont.Art(Hons)
Caitlin studied at the School of Visual and Performing Arts (SVPA) through the University of Tasmania, majoring in performance and graduating with Honors. She began her teaching career at St Patrick’s College in 2013-2014. She then moved to teach the Arts on the Gold Coast for five years, running the Dance Excellence Program at Aquinas College and teaching year 8-12 Dance and Drama through the QCAA curriculum. Through this, Caitlin gained a deeper knowledge of all dance styles, majoring in contemporary dance. Caitlin returned to St Patrick’s College in 2020, where she again teaches Years 8-12 Dance, and has choreographed the 2021 School Musical and the past two Dance Performance Projects.

Brianna Gartside
M.Teach, B.Art
Brianna has been involved in dancing from the age of 3, and has focused on a variety of disciplines, including ballet, contemporary, jazz and tap. This led to her developing a passion for ballet, and she trained at the Tasmanian Academy of Dance, completing her RAD Advanced Two in 2011. Ballet training instilled in Brianna a technique-focused approach to dance, but also gave her the opportunity to deepen her knowledge of contemporary styles through experience in local competitions. Brianna studied a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Teaching at the University of Tasmania, and commenced her teaching career at St Patrick’s College in 2017.


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Victoria

Melbourne

The Australian Ballet School

A Registered Training Organisation that offers an eight-level training programme with accredited courses. Full-time study is offered from Level 4. Level 6 students graduate with a Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance). Level 7 students graduate with their VCE (achieved in partnership with VCASS) and an Advanced Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance).
Level 8 students graduate with a Graduate Diploma of Classical Ballet.
2 Kavanagh Street, Southbank
03 9669 2807
australianballetschool.com.au

Practical dance classes per week
Level 4
Students aged approximately 13-14 years
Average hours of dance per day: 2.5
Average hours of academic classes per day: 4
Level 5
Students aged approximately 14-15 years
Average hours of dance per day: 3
Average hours of academic classes per day: 4
Level 6
Students aged approximately 15-16 years
Average hours of dance per day: 4.5
Average hours of academic classes per day: 2
Level 7
Students aged approximately 16-17 years
Average hours of dance per day: 5
Average hours of academic classes per day: 2
Level 8
Students aged approximately 17-18 years
Average hours of dance per day: 6
Average hours of academic classes per day: 1

Teachers
Lisa Pavane
Director
Lisa Pavane was a Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet and the English National Ballet, and appeared internationally as a guest artist with the Boston, Kirov and Birmingham Royal ballet companies. Lisa holds a Vocational Graduate Certificate in Elite Ballet Instruction from The Australian Ballet School. In 2012 Lisa was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and gained her Graduate Certificate in Professional Education and Training. In 2012 Lisa became Head of Student Training, was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and gained her Graduate Certificate in Professional Education and Training. Lisa commenced her tenure as Director of The Australian Ballet School in 2015.

Joanne Michel
Ballet Mistress Dip. ABS, VGCEBI +
Joanne Michel was a Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. She has worked with choreographers and producers such as Glen Tetley, Alicia Markova, Irena Baronova, Choo San Goh, Erik Bruhn, Graeme Murphy, Jiři Kylián, Serge Lifar, Claire Motte and many more.

Andrew Murphy
Ballet Master
Andrew was a Senior Soloist with The Australian Ballet, and Principal Artist with Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Houston Ballet. Andrew was the Principal Instructor and Boys Program Coordinator at the Houston Ballet Academy. He participated in the collaboration between Houston Ballet Second Company and San Francisco Trainee Performances. He has guest taught with Houston Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Studio Wayne Macgregor, Colorado Ballet, Colorado Ballet School and the University of Hawaii.

Simon Dow
Classical Teacher and Resident Choreographer Dip. ABS
Simon has performed with Stuttgart Ballet, The Australian Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Boston Ballet as well as a guest artist internationally. Simon is an internationally
recognised Master Teacher. He has choreographed over 40 original works including five full-evening narratives that have been performed on four continents. Simon has been the Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Associate Artistic Director with The Washington Ballet.

Jiayin Du
Classical Teacher Dip. ABS
Jiayin’s was an artist of The Australian Ballet under the directorship of Ross Stretton and then David McAllister AM. Jiayin performed many soloist and leading roles in major classical ballets such as Don Quixote, Coppelia, La Bayadere, La Sylphide, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty. Jiayin performed as Principal Guest Artist for The Australian Ballet’s Dancer’s Company, Liaoning Ballet of China Gala Performance and The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet.

Lucas Jervies
Contemporary Teacher
Lucas Jervies is an Australian choreographer and director who works across ballet, contemporary dance, cabaret, opera and theatre. He is a graduate of The Australian Ballet School and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (in Directing). As a dancer, Lucas performed both classical and contemporary repertoire with The Australian Ballet, Dance Works Rotterdam and Scapino Ballet Rotterdam. As a choreographer, Lucas has created dance for companies worldwide, including The Australian Ballet (Spartacus), Sydney Dance Company, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Louisville Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Milwaukee Ballet, Korzo Theatre Den Haag, Noverre Society Stuttgart Ballet and CoDarts Rotterdam University for the Arts.

Irina Konstantinova
Classical Teacher BA Classical Ballet (USSR)
Irina performed with the USSR State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre and Kirov Ballet (later Mariinsky Theatre). She is a qualified vocational teacher in all disciplines of the Vaganova method obtained through The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. In 2012 Ms Konstantinova was granted a scholarship from the Betty Amsden fund to return to the Vaganova Ballet Academy to review training methods.

Sergey Konstantinov
Classical Teacher BA Classical Ballet (USSR)
Sergey performed with the Ashgabat Opera and Ballet Theatre, and Kirov Ballet (later The Mariinsky Theatre). Throughout his eleven years with The Mariinsky, Mr Konstantinov performed many soloist roles including Swan Lake, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadère, Manon, Petrushka, Scheherazade and many other modern and classical works. During this time, he worked with choreographers such as Jacobson, Ratmansky and Neumeier and toured all of Europe, America and Asia.

Sabrina Lenzi
Classical Teacher
Sabrina performed with Stuttgart Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet. She completed the Pilates Teacher Training Program with Alan Herdman in London, focusing on anatomy and injury prevention. Sabrina was the Ballet Mistress and Principal of the Upper School at Houston Ballet II. She has taught, coached and rehearsed Houston Ballet Company, Joffrey Ballet Company, Colorado Ballet Company and Academy, Arizona Ballet Academy, Southland Ballet Academy, KKBallet and Architanz in Tokyo.

Lynette Wills
Classical Teacher Dip. ABS, VGCEDI +
Lynette was a Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet. Throughout her 17-year career Lynette danced principal roles in many of the classics with career highlights being Onegin, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Merry Widow, La Bayadere, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Stepping Stones, Forgotten Land, Gemini, Voluntaries and Serenade to name a few. Lynette holds a Vocational Graduate Certificate in Elite Classical Dance through The Australian Ballet School.

Facilities
The School shares purpose-built facilities with The Australian Ballet, eight spacious studios, gymnasium, Pilates studio, library, classrooms, dressing rooms with laundry facilities, and the Dancers’ Lounge. The Centre also houses medical and physiotherapy facilities, a student common room with internet access. The school also has a boarding programme.

Performance Opportunities
Arts Centre Melbourne’s Annual Morning Melodies season.
The Australian Ballet School’s Annual Showcase, in Melbourne and one other city.
The Australian Ballet School’s Annual Summer Season
Level 8 students join The Australian Ballet company’s annual regional tour, performing nationally over multiple weeks.
Students occasionally perform the child roles for The Australian Ballet company’s main stage productions.


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Melbourne – North

Transit High School Academy

Ministry of Performing Arts College

Northern College of the Arts & Technology (NCAT)


Transit High School Academy

High School made for dancers
64 Dawson Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
03 9376 0516
transitdance.net/academy

Transit High School Academy is a high school alternative designed to cater for exceptional young dance artists who are at Year 9 to 12 secondary school education level.

Specialising in professional development for Contemporary Dance and the Performing Arts; Transit High School Academy is a high school alternative that guides students successfully through their crucial years of secondary education with professional-level dance training.

Practical dance classes/week

Dancers train across Classical Ballet, Contemporary Dance and the Performing arts, with a strong focus on versatility and industry insight.

Dancers work for 3.5 hours in the studio each day and 3 hours in the classroom on their Academic work.

Teachers

Course Director: Jayden Hicks
Jayden is a Green Room and Australian Dance Award Nominated contemporary dancer and creator. His dance company credits, in various positions include Opera Australia, Storyboard Entertainment, Project Animo, Melbourne Ballet Company, Quirky Productions, RickStix productions, Collaboration The Project and Vertical Shadows. Jayden was a principal artist for Transit Dance Company under the direction of Paul Malek, and featured in the critically acclaimed BOYZ and Yours Truly.

Jayden was Artistic Director of Origins Dance Company (2016 – 2021) Producer of popular Melbourne dance events Dance Architect and UNDRGRND Melbourne.

Head of Academics: Carly Doctor
Carly Doctor is a VIT registered High School teacher that specialises in English, Dance, VCE Drama and Theatre Studies. Carly worked for 12 years at the prestigious McKinnon Secondary College before commencing her current role as Head of Academics at Transit Dance in 2019.

Carly has a background in the Performing Arts and has completed extensive education including full time training at Danceworld 301, a Diploma of Dance Teaching & Management, a Bachelor of Performing Arts and a DIploma of Education both at Monash University. Carly has always had a passion for choreography and was the first recipient of the Laurel Martyn Scholarship for Excellence in Choreography. Her interest in directing and choreographing led her to staging musicals such as the Hot Mikado, The Wiz, Zombie Prom, Little Shop of Horrors, The Addams Family and many more.

Carly continues her passions through teaching and mentoring of the Transit High School Academy, guiding them through their integral years of education with care, love and deep respect for their mutual creativity.

Facilities
Transit Dance is a custom designed 4000 sqm dance centre, located in the heart of Brunswick’s education & design district. It features eight large rehearsal studios, two storey office complex, open plan gymnasium, classrooms, photography studio, expansive foyer/exhibition space, aerial rig and its very own 180 seat black box theatre.

Performance and touring opportunities
Transit High School Academy has 2 performance opportunities throughout the year. A mid Year showcase and 2 full length works across Performing Arts and Contemporary for their graduation season.


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Ministry of Performing Arts College

Embrace Your Individuality
Level 1, 64 Sutton St, North Melbourne, VIC 3051
03 9329 6770
theministryofdance.com.au

Years
7-12

Dance
To train young performers in all genres of dance creating athleticism and artistry. Establishing and enhancing safe dance techniques that promote longevity in dance. To nurture and inspire the creativity of the individual as a performer and choreographer. To work and perform with depth, quality and conviction.

Vocal Studies
To educate students in the use of the voice as an instrument for effective, musical communication through performance. Students will develop technical and foundational aspects of the voice including function/production and appropriate techniques for singing, whilst enhancing individuality through appropriate repertoire.

Acting
To express and explore personal, cultural and social circumstances through role and situation. Students actively use body, gesture, movement, voice and language, taking on roles to explore and depict real and imagined worlds. They create, rehearse, perform and respond using the elements and conventions of drama and existing technologies available to them.

Media
To establish a strong understanding of Media; how it is produced, who owns it, and how to create it across multiple platforms including Film, Television, advertising, print, photography and social media. Students will learn how to evaluate and dissect media in a deep and critical way.

Performance Studies
To engage with a wide range of performance platforms whilst experiencing a combination of both practice-based and concept-driven learning. To develop and
incorporate performance skills into solo and ensemble work focusing on authentic storytelling.

Teachers
Kenneth Radley, Daniel Puckey, Diana Ricks, Jack Egan, Adrian Ricks

Facilities
Amazing world class facilities in the heart of Melbourne Australia, boasting 15 incredible dance and vocal studios, a professional photographic studio and black box theatre. Ministry is accessible via public transport. Street parking and shopping precincts are within walking distance.


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Northern College of the Arts & Technology (NCAT)

Government High School Yrs 10-12
62 Murray Rd, Preston
03 9478 1333
ncat.vic.edu.au

Practical dance classes per week
Year 10 = 7 hours and 40 minutes 
Year 11 = 7 hours and 40 minutes
Year 12 = 5 hours 

Teachers
Lee-Anne Di Stefano – Dance Co-ordinator
Trained at Marie Walton- Mahon Dance Academy; accepted into VCA at 16 years of age; graduated with a BA Dance, employed in Singapore as a Professional dancer/choreographer/teacher 2000-2001. Completed a BA Teaching (Secondary)/BA Arts (Dance & English) double degree from Deakin University. Dance Co-ordinator at NCAT since 2003. Founder of Detour Dance Company with students and graduates of the college including representing Australia at Battlegrounds and touring nationally. More recently choreographed winning routine at DanceLife Unite 2019 ‘Jazz School’s Section’. In 2020 the students were awarded National Finalists in the Wakakirri Dance Competition. In 2021, 12 solo’s from the VCE and VET Dance subjects were invited to Top Class Dance a concert of the top performing students from the 2021 VCE Performance exmas, for scoring A+ and A in their solo VCE and VET exams.

Melissa Pham – Contemporary Specialist
Melissa trained at Melbourne City Ballet and studied fulltime dance at Brent Street in Sydney. She is a member of Scimm Dance Company and recently worked with Chunky Move in a short development of a new work. Of recent, Melissa will be touring with Stephanie Lake Dance Company for ‘Manifesto’. Melissa has been featured in several music videos for artists such as George Alice, Tash Sultana, George Maple, Kite String Tangle, Isaiah Firebrace and more.

Jack Rowen – Jazz & Contemporary Specialist
Jack trained at the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and Ministry of Dance. Jack is a member of Scimm Dance Company and has toured with Step One Dance Company in New York City last year. Jack recently signed contracts as a dancer for Phantom of the Opera and the Wedding Singing.

Kym Smith – Latin/Ballroom Specialist
Kym Smith is one of the most experienced Dancesport Coaches in Australia and is the Principal of Dance Worx in Essendon, a full time competitive based dance school where she has been responsible for training some of Australia’s best Dancesport competitors for many years. She spent time overseas developing her own dancing career and represented Australia on multiple occasions with a career highlight of being a Grand Finalist in the World 10 Dance event! Her success in Australia resulted in her winning, with her partner Shane Hocking, three Australian Professional Championship titles and multiple State Championships.

Lochlan Erard – Jazz/Musical Theatre Specialist
Lochlan studied Musical Theatre and Dance Teaching and Management at Kelly Aykers Full Time Dance. He also trained with Marko Panzic in The Dream Dance Company’s Show Business. Lochlan performed across the world with Celebrity Cruise Lines as a Production Cast Dancer. Lochlan has choreographed a variety of musical and dance related productions in Melbourne and is a teacher at various studios.

Patti Chibi – Commercial Specialist
NCAT Specialist commercial teacher. Patti has gained her training from a range of international and local choreographers/teachers. She is a commercial and heels teacher at O2 and Passion Dance studios as well as a leading commercial choreographer in Melbourne.
 

Facilities
Two brand new full equipped dance studio’s, with ballet barres, mirrors, sprung floors, dressing rooms, costume cupboards, student pigeon holes, sets and props including a $25,000 catwalk or platform and stairs used for various productions.
Dance rooms measure: 
Dance room A- 13metres x 12 metres
Dance room B-  9 meters x 8.5 metres.
Fully equipped state of the art theatre to the value of $4.5 million, including lighting and sound bio box, seating capacity of 340, backstage dressing and make-up rooms and toilet facilities.


Performance & touring opportunities
We film our works throughout the year for our Instagram as well as regular photoshoots. Students perform in house performances in the school theatre and studio showings showcasing group and solo works. Please view our Instagram: @ncatdance


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Melbourne – South/East

Berwick College

Sandringham College


Berwick College

Co-educational, public school for years 7 to 12
Manuka Rd, Berwick
03 8768 1000
berwickcollege.vic.edu.au
facebook.com/BCDanceA

Practical dance classes per week
3 hours of practical dance classes per week, with an additional 45 minutes a week on dance theory & history. This increases to 3 hours of practical class in Unit 3/4 subjects, with 1.5 hours a week on dance theory & history. The Berwick College Dance Academy (BCDA) is aimed at providing an integrated academic pathway driven by young students’ dance and performing arts aspirations. This elite program allows young students to enhance and develop their dancing talent while concurrently receiving their secondary education. It is crucial to the BCDA that students’ academic pursuits are of the highest priority and that each student’s interest and aspiration in dance assists them in achieving high results both academically and within dance. Our program is audition entry, and runs during scheduled classes within the school timetable.

Teachers
Melissa Quenette
Bachelor of Business and Commerce; Diploma of Education – Drama and Business; Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Over many years Melissa has built a strong background in dance, specialising in Musical Theatre, completing her dance exams to top levels in Tap, Jazz and Classical Ballet. She has performed many roles throughout Melbourne’s Amateur Theatre circuit and has choreographed productions for numerous secondary schools. Melissa commenced the BCDA in 2015 as she believes in creating multiple career pathways for her students in a safe and encouraging environment.

Amy Pyke
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) – Dance; Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
After completing her VCE with high scores in VCE Dance, Amy completed 2 years of full-time dance training at Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance. She danced as a professional cheerleader for the Melbourne Tigers/Melbourne United basketball team and now spends her time competing in All Star Dance, having recently placed second at the Cheerleading Worlds in America. She is a strong believer in building dance technique as a foundation for all movement and pushes students to build their performance skills within class.

Julie Wotherspoon
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) – Dance
Julie has a strong background in dance completing exams to top levels in Cecchetti Classical Ballet, Tap and Jazz. She has taught VCE Dance for 20 years and has many students selected for Top Class for their outstanding dance performance pieces. Julie believes in a holistic approach to dance education and strives to build an environment within the BCDA that students feel comfortable to take risks with their choreography and try new things.

Annalise Occhietti
Bachelor of Creative Arts (Dance); Masters in Teaching (Secondary) and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Annalise has engaged in many performance opportunities throughout Melbourne in both commercial and contemporary areas, most recently collaborating and performing with Broadway Dance Centre in New York City. She prides herself on helping students find their own individual movement qualities through exposure to style and technique.

Facilities
Berwick College has 2 dance spaces available to students. Our performing arts centre has a sprung Tarkett dance floor installed and can be used as both a performance space and dance studio. The Dance Studio is an open area measuring 6m x 16m with full length mirrors on one wall. Portable barres can be used in either space.

Performance and touring opportunities
Every year students compete in a Schools only dance competition, with our troupes regularly qualifying for the national competition held in Sydney during the Term 3 holidays. Students have multiple performance opportunities, including a choreography competition, assessment nights and production seasons. Throughout the year various industry experts teach guest workshops within the Academy. Every second year (with exceptions due to the Covid-19 Pandemic) the students can participate in our BCDA Study Tour where students travel to New York and Los Angeles. On the study tour students take part in multiple workshops with professionals in the dance industry in America, as well as viewing performances on Broadway and learning about the history of dance in America.


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Sandringham College

Government School Yrs 7-12
2 campuses: yrs 7-9 Bluff Rd, yrs 10-12 11 Holloway Rd, Sandringham 
03 8599 0500
sandringhamsc.vic.edu.au/teaching-and-learning/academy-of-performing-arts-dance

The Sandringham College Dance Academy aims to support, develop and nurture dedicated dance students who are hardworking, self-aware, confident and creative.
Students in Years 7 to 9 will be able to participate in a specialised dance training program that includes classical ballet, contemporary, jazz and strength and conditioning classes. Students are taught by teachers and ex-professional dancers who have the expertise, knowledge, and skills to train highly skilled, technically proficient, artistic and versatile dancers as they prepare for a career within the creative arts industry.

Dance Academy is run during school hours, as well as offering before and after school classes which accommodate the academic schedules of our students.
The Dance Academy program is designed to lead into VCE Dance and VCE/VET Dance. Year 10 Dance Academy students begin studying Unit 1 and 2 VET Dance alongside having the opportunity to continue Academy technique classes after school.

Teachers
Kristina Hardner
Jessica Mortlock
Matt Mitchell
Georgia Tuckett

Performance & touring opportunities
As well as classes with Guest teachers with professional performing and teaching experience, students perform in 2 showcases a year at the school’s own onsite theatre. Students also attend excursions to live performances and workshops.


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