KATHY PETRATOS

Principal and Owner

Kathy is a professional businesswoman and a devoted mother of three who has successfully combined the two great passions in her life- the admiration and love of children with the appreciation and love of dance. “It’s the perfect combination to stimulate the senses and enrich the soul”. With her deep appreciation of the performing arts and as a child of dance herself Kathy recognises that movement to music has the potential to unlock the dreams and aspiration of all young artists. Through the knowledge and performance of dance Kathy aims to provide a nurturing and encouraging environment for all her students to thrive both physically and spiritually.

“Dance has a language of its own and has the power to communicate to each of us without the necessity of speech. It has a depth to deliver pleasures, with an intensity and responsiveness to provoke various emotions with its greatness. It becomes even more commanding when the language of dance and music is being channelled through a child!”

Over the last three years, through her business, Kathy has produced 3 full scale end of year productions and provided her students the opportunity to enjoy and participate in performances at local fairs and festivals, competing in eisteddfods, participating in RAD ballet examinations, attending Master classes and partaking in The Australian Ballet School Auditions. She is a strong advocate in taking the teachings of dance from the studio to the public arena and heavily promotes her students through the various opportunities available.

 

KYLIE ALIFERIS

Classical Ballet RAD- Primary to Advanced levels, Progressing Ballet Technique, Pointe Work, ISTD Tap, Solo Eisteddfods

Kylie Ann Aliferis has had a passion and enthusiasm for the performing arts from a very young age. Kylie Ann was a permanent character on the 80′s sitcom ‘The Young Doctors’ as Jessica Steele, and appeared in numerous TV commercials and Promos throughout her childhood.

Having studied under the direction of Bernadette Langshaw-Clark at The Langshaw Studio, Kylie Ann has had the opportunity to perform both overseas and in Sydney.

Kylie Ann travelled to the ISTD HQ in London at the age of 17 to attain her Modern Associate while also completing the ISTD Summer School in Chichester. Kylie Ann has attained the Associate Diploma in TAP and MODERN Theatre Dance Branch with the ISTD.

All the while studying dance expanding 30 years, she is now continuing a teaching career, as a qualified and registered teacher, with the RAD and ISTD.

KATRINA LASZLO

Classical Ballet RAD- Pre- Primary to Advanced levels, Progressing Ballet Technique, Private lesson tuition

Katrina Laszlo is a fully registered RAD Ballet teacher with extensive teaching, not only having taught and owned her own ballet studio in her homeland of the UK but she has also travelled the world teaching RAD in Australia, Dubai, Italy and Wales.

Katrina has extensive professional performing experience dancing at Graham English Enterprises Japan, in Hong Kong. Katrina is a strong choreographer with modern and classical influences. She is dedicated & committed to teaching students of all ages and abilities preparing students for their RAD examinations and teaching them to love the art of dance.

ELLIE SHEA

Classical Ballet- Vocational levels

Ellie began her teaching 5 years ago, where she taught pre-school dance classes, in the Ready Set Dance Program, for 2-5 year old children, as well as being an assistant teacher for the RAD syllabus classes in Wellington, New Zealand.

Ellie has also completed her RAD ballet examinations to Advanced 1 level. Having recently completed her Ettingshausens PRO certificate IV in dance, Ellie has furthered her knowledge in both the performing arts and physical conditioning/physiology.

 ZOE PETRATOS

Classical Ballet RAD- Pre-Primary to Grade 3, Jazz, Private lesson tuition

Zoe began her ballet training at the age of 4 years and began competing in her first Ballet Eisteddfod Solo at the age of 7. Zoe has been recognised for many student awards at 2 different Ballet Schools on the North Shore and has completed all her ballet examinations from Pre- Primary to Advanced 2 levels. Her dedication and love of ballet has manifested in her receiving Distinction level with her examinations.

Zoe has gone on to win 1^st place in various Sydney based eisteddfods in Ballet and Lyrical. Whilst she enjoys all forms of dance from Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern Expressive, it is ballet which is her first love!

Zoe is a recognised Member of the Royal Academy of Dance, London. Zoe has attended The Australian Ballet school programmes and auditions and believes in taking part in every opportunity ballet has to offer. She has enjoyed teaching pre-primary to grade 3 and conducts private lessons for ballet examination students. Zoe aspires to one day further her ballet studies by achieving her RAD teacher’s status and university degree in dance to pass on her love, knowledge, discipline and enjoyment of this inspiring dance form. Zoe is curently studying HSC dance in her final year of schooling.

TIARNA MAR

Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-hop, Musical Theatre, Turns Leaps + Jumps, eisteddfod solos/eisteddfod troupe

Tiarna’s love of dance began at the age of five years old, with a strong focus on jazz and ballet; completing her ballet examinations to Advanced 2 level, with distinctions. At the young age of 12 Tiarna performed with the Australian Youth Ballet in “Mary Poppins” whilst receiving a number of NSW Jazz and Ballet titles throughout her youth. After finishing high school Tiarna began working with “The Wiggles” and toured Australia on their travelling shows, featuring in a number of Wiggles DVD’s and television series.

Tiarna was then accepted to train at the prestigious Broadway Dance Centre in the Professional International Program in the US, where her love of the performing arts was cemented. Tiarna was awarded “Most Outstanding Student” and throughout her time in New York worked in a number of performances including “Midnight at The Tank” (Times Square), (Good Morning America), “Lumipad” at Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre and performed with companies such as Gotham Dance Theatre. Tiarna worked and was mentored by choreographers such as Shirlene Quigley, Nijawon Matthews and ViveforLove.

Not only has Tiarna had success in her performing career but her teaching career also. Tiarna has been teaching since the age of 15 and has had a number of her performance groups reaching national and international levels. Tiarna is a versatile dancer and has worked in nearly every genre of dance. She is incredibly grateful to be able to combine her passion for children with her love of dance.

GUEST TEACHERS

EMMA- JANE MORTON

Classical Ballet, Contemporary, Limber/Stretch & Conditioning, Pointe Work Teacher

Emma-Jane Morton started her training with Janice Graham and Tanya Pearson in Sydney and completed her Full-Time studies with Marie Walton-Mahon Dance Academy in Newcastle. After receiving her RAD Advanced with honours she then gained her Solo Seal in 1989, and her RAD Teachers Certificate in 2009.

Her professional career started with the London City Ballet, before moving to Germany in 1992 where she joined the Komische Oper Berlin being promoted to Soloist after 3 years. In 1998 she then joined Anhaltisches Theatre as Principal Artist, before moving to the State Theatre in Hanover in 2004, during this time she worked with numerous European Choreographers of note Nacho Duato, William Forsythe, Mauro Bigonzetti, Nils Christie and her last Artistic Director of 10 years Jörg Mannes.

Guest appearances took her to International Galas in Cuba, Italy, Spain, Norway, Israel, Denmark and throughout Germany. After 22 years of performing she retired in June 2012 and took up the position of Company teacher and Productions Assistant in Hanover, throughout this period she also taught RAD and Open Classes, Workshops and Premiere Classes throughout the region of Hanover. At the 2013 City of Sydney Eisteddfod Emma-Jane adjudicated several senior classical sections.

Emma-Jane has recently relocated back to her hometown of Sydney in December 2014. Emma-Jane wishes to pass on her love and experienced understanding of Ballet to students in an informative, supportive, and creative way. In her free time Emma-Jane loves cooking and spending time in the great outdoors.

 

CHARLOTTE ATKINS

Classical Ballet, Contemporary, Limber/Stretch & Conditioning, Pointe Work Teacher

Charlotte grew up in the United Kingdom and was originally based in Manchester were she trained at Francine Garton School of Dance. Francine moved to the USA to open a leading dance school called The Royal Dance Academy, Charlotte was then trained under Rachel Ann Walker at Rachel Ann Walkers School of Dance. In 2002 Charlotte then moved from Manchester to Newcastle, she continued her training with Prima Academy, Claire Robson the principle of the school developed and encouraged Charlotte to become a professional dancer. Charlotte was an Assistant teacher for Prima at the age of 13 and attended RAD master classes. She completed RAD grade 6 and RAD intermediate as well as IDTA tap and modern exams.

In 2008 Charlotte started full time training. She was accepted into 3 colleges. Ballet West offered Charlotte a full scholarship, but Charlotte chose to attend Northern Ballet School, one of the UK’s top ballet schools. Charlotte attended a 3 year course studying Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Drama, Modern, Double work, Acrobatics, Singing, Pilates, JFH and Tap. Charlotte was trained by world class teachers such as Shannon Parker Former principal “San Francisco Ballet”, “Northern Ballet Theatre” and “Ballet du Rhin” as well as Peter Parker, Simon Gray and the principle Patricia McDonald Fellow of The Royal Academy of Dance, for which she was a vocational examiner for over 20 years.

In her second year, Charlotte chose to study Jazz as her primary focus.  Charlotte trained under Eric Carpenter former Lido Principle dancer and Vegas show dancer. He also choreographs for Peel Entertainment, Benidorm Palace and Carnival Cruises. Charlotte also completed ISTD Intermediate modern in July 2009, ISTD Intermediate Tap and trained to Advanced 1 RAD before injury pulled her from the exam. Charlotte left Northern Ballet School with a National Diploma in Professional Dance, validated by Trinity College London. An NVQ Level 6, this qualification is the vocational equivalent of a first degree from university. She then went to perform in multiple shows “Showcase of Dance Jazz Galore”, “Variety Club Music Hall Review” and multiple charity events. In her spare time she would teach dancing as a supply teacher or guest teacher. Charlotte joined with Sara Lumley performing and choreographing specially events until 2011 when Charlotte was offered to join Disneyland Paris as a character and parade perform portraying the character of Jasmine.  After finishing her first contract Charlotte decided to venture to Australia to be with her family and continue her career.

Charlotte has now dedicated her time to study and teach children dance. Charlotte has been accepted to study to be a certified teacher for the RAD (CBTS 2015). Charlotte continues to invest her time in growing all of her skills and all of her dance abilities. Her passion is for the children she teaches “I want to pass the knowledge I have gained from all my fantastic teachers and pass them on to the next generation. “I love teaching. Every child has the ability and every child should have the opportunity to be the best”. Charlotte loves to be with her family and friends and loves finding new avenues of dance.