Meet The Principal

 

Melissa began her dance training under the direction of Lynette Gay from Queensland Ballet Company & Phillip Gould from ‘Young Talent Time’ 

She commenced her secondary education at The McDonald College in Sydney, studying Classical Ballet, Modern/Contemporary, Jazz, Character, Pointe, Pas de Deux, Repertoire, Spanish Dance, Anatomy & History of Dance.

 

She went on to study full-time Ballet at McDonald College performing with The Premier State Ballet Company.

After completing her RAD Vocational Exams to Advanced 1, she toured Europe & was accepted into the prestigious ‘Academie de Danse, Princess Grace’ in Monaco, where she trained with world renowned teacher Marika Bessobrasova, in a syllabus based on the Russian Vaganova method of ballet.

 

Upon returning to Australia Melissa danced with The National Theatre Ballet, in Melbourne, under the direction of Gailene Stock from the Royal Ballet School & Australian Ballet Company.

 

In 1990 Melissa began her teaching career & commenced  teacher training with the Royal Academy of Dance, receiving her RAD Teaching Certificate & becoming a qualified, registered teacher with the RAD in 1996. In 2018 Melissa also became an affiliate teacher with the ATOD (Australian Teachers Of Dance)

 

Melissa has 28 years experience teaching at several well known dance studios, in the Blue Mountains, Penrith & Wollongong area, as well as Sydney based ballet studios including ‘Alegria’ under the direction of Hilary Kaplan & Archibald Mackenzie.

 

In Mid 2014 Melissa opened Gerringong Ballet & Dance. The studio has continued to grow and provide quality dance training for Children & Teens in the local community and surrounding areas.

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