Lynette Wills

Published in Print July 2025 order now!
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By Danielle Brown

Stepping into the role of Head of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS), Lynette Wills brings with her not only decades of professional experience in both performance and pedagogy, but a fresh, human-centred vision for what it means to train young dancers in today’s world.

After 17 years with The Australian Ballet Company and 15 years as a celebrated educator at The Australian Ballet School, Wills is no stranger to rigour. But what she champions now goes well beyond perfecting technique. “Change is good,” she says, reflecting on her new role. “It’s shaken me up and made me look at dance and education in a fresh way. Not totally new, just in a fresh, current, ‘what is it like here? What does VCASS and these dancers need?’”

What VCASS provides, and what Wills is determined to preserve and evolve, is a program that honours both technical excellence and the development of the whole person.

At the core of the VCASS dance program is daily ballet training. “Ballet is the one class we do every day because it’s the core foundational dissection of technique,” Wills explains. “You understand so much about what your body is able to do, and the rest can flow from there.” Senior students also receive pas de deux, solo and pointe work, providing sufficient classical grounding for those pursuing ballet professionally.

But she is quick to emphasise that classical technique isn’t a destination — it’s a launchpad. It’s what gives students the vocabulary to branch into contemporary, musical theatre, or commercial dance. 

VCASS is deeply committed to the wellbeing of its dancers. The school day, running from 8:30am to 5:30pm (4pm for younger grades), is full and focused, but the philosophy underpinning it is one of balance. “They go home for dinner, homework, and most importantly, rest and recovery,” Wills says. “The balance of being a whole person and being a healthy person is is critical as they train towards such a competitive and hard profession.”

She’s also candid about the need to shift outdated mindsets around pain and injury. “We strongly encourage people to say when something hurts and to modify immediately,” she explains. “If you modify the first ache, it might be just for a day or three, and then you’re back. But if you ignore that ache, push throwing through and ignoring pain, then it could possibly result in months. It’s a necessary skill to learn before moving into the profession.”

It’s not just bodies that are being protected — minds and spirits are nurtured, too. Wills and her team use deliberate, considered language in the studio. “It’s easy to be a lazy, bossy teacher… but it won’t build their confidence, it won’t build their trust. We’re holding them with support. We’ve got you, so take a risk.”

Under Wills’ leadership, VCASS is a space where curiosity is encouraged and artistic voices are cultivated. Students choreograph, costume, and cast their own performances in Years 10 and 11. They are exposed to professional companies like Sydney Dance Company and Chunky Move, and they hear firsthand from alumni navigating diverse career paths. “We try to give as much guidance and freedom as possible to support them to find their creative voice,” she says. “We’re not going to tell them ‘choreograph a piece that looks and sounds like this.’ It’s ‘choreograph a work that you connect too’. Off you go.’

This approach counters the growing pressure for students to specialise too young — a trend Wills finds troubling. “You certainly do not need to be pulling a child out of school at twelve,” she says, pushing back against the idea that a professional career demands early withdrawal from mainstream education. “There are many places that can offer training and education at the same time. It’s not one or the other.”

Indeed, VCASS provides a full ATAR alongside elite dance training. “They get to study for their VCE as well as their training because they work from 8:30 to five. VCASS provides a unique opportunity to be able to support education and specialist training to such a high standard under the one roof.”

One of Wills’ greatest strengths is her ability to nurture performance quality — not just steps, but soul. A renowned performer known for fully embodying her characters, she now models that depth for her students. “It’s so fun to step outside of who you are and explore more variety,” she says. “We try to create a safe space… once we enter this room, we’re allowed to be many things.”

But she’s also unafraid of hard truths. “Everyone has a story from the teacher that said something that stayed with them for the rest of their life. That bit stays with you much longer than the ‘well done’ because it cuts deep.” Instead, she discusses with her team how to reframe challenges positively. “What if we did this there? How would that change it?” she offers as an example. “It provokes curiosity rather than fear.”

Though new to the role, Wills already sees how her team and the school culture will shape the future of dance. “There are many wonderful experts here,” she says warmly. “I’m watching and learning and listening to them all. As a team we are keen to evolve.”

Her experience as a dancer, educator, mother, and mentor converge to create a leadership style that is quietly revolutionary. Her reflections are deeply personal and disarmingly honest. “You get to stop being all about you being the best you can be. It’s so self-focused. It needs to be — but it’s so nice to stop and analyse something else. Like having children. It opens up space to become a better artist.”

As Wills settles into this new chapter, her joy is palpable. “I am tired, my brain is full, but I’m fulfilled,” she laughs. “Change has been good.”