Our exceptional faculty is dedicated to helping your child reach their full potential. Our instructors come from diverse backgrounds, bringing a wealth of qualifications, unique life experiences, specialized teaching styles, and certifications to provide a well-rounded and enriching dance education.
Principal/Director
Jessica has completed a Certificate IV of Performing Arts (Dance), Pre-Primary and Primary Teaching Certificates with the Royal Academy of Dance London, as well as RAD & ATOD jazz, tap and classical examinations. Following her vocational dance training in Melbourne, Jessica travelled to NYC to train at the world famous Broadway Dance Centre. Her extensive career as a performing artist, includes performances at the TV Week Logie Awards, countless productions held at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, performances with many children’s entertainment groups such as Humphrey B Bear, The Wiggles, Powerpuff Girls & Sesame Street shows, feature dancer in various Bollywood films, back up dancer with the Robbie Williams and Kiss tribute bands, as well as many major sporting events including AFL Grand Finals, Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Australian Open.
A versatile dancer trained in many styles of dance, Jessica specializes in teaching the theatrical styles of jazz and tap. Jessica also adores teaching ballet classes to the 2 to 7 year old age groups, as this is where the magical journey of dance so often begins and to witness and share in this is just so special.
Jessica is a proud member of Ausdance VIC, the government recognised peak body for dance and a branch of the national Ausdance organisation. It provides a platform for the dance sector’s needs to be heard, provides advice and leadership to all dance artists, companies and organisations and ensures a safe environment for dance to thrive and be celebrated.
Jessica has also owned and operated a talent agency providing models and dancers to clients such as Myer, David Jones, National Australia Bank, Loreal, Harris Scarf, Vodafone, and Australia Post, to name a few.
Jessica has been a staff member at the school for over 17 years and in 2015, Jessica was both delighted and humbled to become the principal of The Dance Studio. Jessica continually looks forward to providing a rich, stimulating, nurturing and progressive dance education for the students of The Dance Studio for many years to come.
Assistant Director, Classical Ballet (Dip NZSD, ARAD RTS, ATOD Affiliate)
A Registered Australian Teachers of Dance (ATOD) teacher, Kathryn is dedicated to delivering high-quality ballet training in a supportive and encouraging environment. She has completed the Ballet Conservatoire syllabus examination training under Christine Walsh (AM) of the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet. This training, based on the Russian (Vaganova) method, is an integral part of the Competition and Performance Troupe program at TDS.
Kathryn holds a Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies from The Royal Academy of Dance. She is also a Certified Progressing Ballet Technique teacher and conducts PBT classes, another great part of our ballet extension program at TDS.
Kathryn oversees all classical and contemporary dance classes taught at TDS and is a fantastic mentor for our new and junior faculty members.
Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Classical Ballet
Now both a teacher and part of the administration team, Marissa loves sharing her passion for dance with students while also assisting with various behind-the-scenes aspects of the studio. You’ll find her in the studio inspiring young dancers, as well as supporting the team in administrative roles. Having completed a Bachelor of Business/Arts at Deakin University, she is excited to continue being part of The Dance Studio team.
Acrobatics, Jazz, Tap, & Competition Troupe
Ashleigh has learnt from The Dance Studio’s leading teachers and choreographers and now leads the TDS Competition Troupe students across many genres of dance. Alongside teaching, Ashleigh holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Management and Marketing) from the University of Melbourne and works in Product Management Consulting.
Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap & Contemporary
Siana recently completed a Bachelor of Business and Arts at Monash University, where alongside her studies she was on the Monash University elite dance team competing at the state, national, and international level. Most recently Siana travelled to Croatia for the FISU World University Cheerleading Championships and placed first with her pom and jazz teams.
Siana loves being able to continue her passion for teaching alongside her career in Finance.
Baby Toes Ballet
Georgia has completed all Royal Academy of Dance Classical Ballet examinations from Primary to Intermediate level. She trained in a variety of styles over her 16 years as a student at TDS and has choreographed many award-winning pieces for competitions and charity events. Georgia started her relationship with The Dance Studio as a student in 2002 before becoming a member of staff in 2014. She has worked in a range of areas at TDS, from sitting at front reception to sewing costumes, managing the social media accounts to photographing rehearsal days – she’s done it all! With all this said, Georgia’s biggest passion is teaching our littlest dancers in our Baby Toes Ballet Program. An absolute delight with our tiniest of students she has also been very popular with our older ballet and contemporary dance students over the years.
At the end of 2017 she graduated from Swinburne University with a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations) and now works in Marketing and Communications.
Hip Hop
Baus Sabry is a professional Hip Hop/Bboy performer and teacher of over ten years. Originally from Borneo Malaysia, Baus currently performs with Australia’s leading hip hop dance crew, The SuperHoodz. Baus’ dance career has led him to many performance and teaching opportunities locally throughout Victoria and internationally namely Japan, Los Angeles Disneyland, Universal Studios, and Hollywood Boulevard. You will find Baus as one of the main rostered entertainers at NBL’s Melbourne United Basketball home games and has done so for nine seasons. Baus is an inspirational and energetic teacher and prides himself on his consistent delivery of engaging classes.
Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical, and Contemporary
Hip Hop, Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary
