Michelle Huxley

Welcome to DANZA & Performing Arts! My name is Michele Huxley and I am the Director and Principal Teacher.

I started teaching over 15 years ago throughout the Sydney region. I became a qualified ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance) teacher in modern, jazz and tap in 1996 and a qualified RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) teacher in 1997. I obtained my Diploma in 1998 majoring in child psychology and human anatomy.

The students whom I have taught in the past have received a 100% pass rate in both RAD and ISTD exams, with an average of 80% (Highly Commended). I have also entered children into Eisteddfods and Talent Quests.

I began dancing at 11 years of age with the Johnny Young Talent School where I studied drama, singing, jazz & tap and as a result of this I performed throughout Sydney and Wollongong at shopping centers, private functions and on Win Television. My first tour, at 12 years of age, was to Japan where I performed at Tokyo Disneyland & World Expo as well many other private functions.

At 14 years of age, I decided that my passion was to teach dancing, so I moved to a private dance school where I could be trained to become a teacher. Over the next four years I proceeded to complete grade exams in ballet, tap, modern and jazz, and assisted my teacher in teaching younger classes. I obtained my first assistant teaching roll at age 16. During my seventeenth year I completed my Higher School Certificate via correspondence whilst I continued my fulltime dance studies.

In 1996, I passed my ISTD teacher’s exam as well as auditioning for a dancing contract, which I successfully obtained and as a consequence I spent the next four months dancing overseas.

In March 1998, after completing my RAD Diploma, I moved to Europe to travel and continue dancing professionally. In 1999, I returned home to take over a dance school of 100 students whilst the owner was on maternity leave. On her return I remained as a teacher at this school.

In February 2005 I opened my first DANZA & Performing Arts studio in Allambie Heights. The following year a second studio was opened at Naremburn.

I hope that your children enjoy their time at DANZA and I aim to make it as enjoyable as possible.

Thank you for enrolling at Danza & Performing Arts. I look forward to the years of dancing ahead.

Michelle Huxley
Director/ Principal
DANZA & Performing Arts

Elise Osborne

My passion for dance started years ago at the age of three when I was enrolled in a dance school on the Northern Beaches. For the next 12 years I studied a variety of styles such as Ballet (RAD), Modern, Jazz, Tap, Character, Contemporary & Hip Hop. Whilst studying these styles I undertook numerous exams, successfully passing all. I was also a member of the schools performance group which performed in Eisteddfods, at Private Functions and toured NSW as Sydney Festival Ballet.

Dance also played a very important part within my schooling. I attended Brigidine College and they offered Dance as a Co-curricular activity. I represent the school in Jazz, modern, contemporary and lyrical dance. I also took Dance as one of my Higher School Certificate subjects majoring in choreographic skills, performance and safe dance practice. I achieved excellent results. In my final school year I was asked to be Dance Captain, where I was required to choreograph dance pieces and teach fellow students. This experience assisted in my decision to become a Dance Teacher.

After Achieving my HSC I studied costume design, taking courses at Tafe and NIDA. I have been teaching at numerous Dance School on the Northern Beaches as well as working as a sales assistant at Bloch. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Arts and Education at the University of NSW majoring in Dance.

I look forward to meeting you all and hope the passion I bring to my classes, leaves exceptional results.

Elise Osborne
Dance Teacher
DANZA & Performing Arts

Hi, I’m Lauren and I’ve been studying dance since the age of four.
Throughout my life I have enjoyed studying styles include Contemporary, Lyrical, Ballet (I have completed all my RAD exams successfully including Advanced 2) and have also studied in Musical Theatre, Jazz, Character, Hip Hop and Singing. I attended Brigidine College St Ives and during my last year I was elected the Dance Club Captain which was a great honor.

Since completing my HSC I have completed a Full-time Ballet/Contemporary Course at "Ev and Bow Full-time Training Centre" in the Sutherland Shire, run by "So You Think You Can Dance's" Sarah Boulter and many other industry professionals. This year I have been accepted into the Australian College of Physical Education and I will be studying a Bachelor of Dance Education which will be complete in 2014.

I started teaching 5 years ago and have worked with numerous dance schools across the Northern Beaches and North Shore teaching many of the styles I have studied. My aim is to make teaching a large part of my life whilst intertwined with my Dancing Career.

I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Lauren Thompson
Dance Teacher
DANZA & Performing Arts

Lisa Van der Veer
 

Lisa van der Veer has been associated with DANZA and Performing Arts as a drama consultant for the past 4 years, shaping the drama content of our annual shows.

Having worked as a film publicist, then Marketing Manager for Fox Columbia Film Distributors in the 80s and 90s, Lisa spent a lot of time organising tours for many Hollywood stars and producers. On the other side of the camera, Lisa has appeared as an actress in many fringe and professional stage musicals and plays including; "Oklahoma", "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Mack and Mabel", "Guys and Dolls", "The Real Inspector Hound", Woody Allen’s "God a Play" and Stephen Sondheim's "Company" to name a few. Her Television roles have included "Water Rats", "Always Greener", "Home and Away" and a featured role in the telemovie of Bryce Courtney's "The Potato Factory” and well over 30 TV commercials and training video productions.

Lisa's love of working with children has seen her work as a tennis coach for six years and drama teacher for several organisations. Currently, Lisa is employed by the NSW Department of Education, working as a Teacher’s Aide at Allambie Heights Public School (AHPS), where her particular interest and training, specialises in working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Lisa has also written and now teaches her own "Social Skills Program" at AHPS, aimed at providing children with the skills and confidence to deal with Conflict Resolution, Self Control and Social Interaction.

Enhancing the 'Performing Arts' area of DANZA, we are happy to announce that we have now employed Lisa as our permanent Drama Teacher, on a Wednesday evening, rounding out our students overall performance skills.

Lisa Van der Veer
Drama Teacher
DANZA & Performing Arts

Shannon Riley

I began dancing at the age of 7 at a local Northern Beaches Performing Arts Studio and have been trained in Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern Expressive, Song & Dance, Musical Theatre and Ballet. Since completing my HSC I have been attending Brent Street Studios and am currently completing my Certificate 1V in Performing Arts.
I have performed all around Sydney in multiple shows such as "Balmoral Burns", "Cure Our Kids", "At Da House", "Blaze Aid Benefit" and has featured in ABC's "Dance, Dance, Dance" DVD and a Tap dance episode of "Sarvo" on Nickelodeon. I have also competed in a range of eisteddfods such as Northern Beaches, Extreme and City of Sydney achieving placing’s at all.

I have been teaching throughout the Northern Beaches for the past 3 years assisting students to building strength, stamina, flexibility and execute choreography using a high standard of performance quality.

I love teaching and look forward to passing on my energy, experience and technical methods to the students of DANZA.

Shannon Riley
Dance Teacher
DANZA & Performing Arts