All of the Academy's teachers are highly qualified for the areas in which they teach. And our philosophy is simple - you learn best when you enjoy what you do. This philosophy carries through from pre-schoolers through to the Academy's most advanced students,  creating a unique and friendly atmosphere of which we are proud.

DANIELLE HINCKS
RAD Teaching Certificate - Royal Academy of Dance
Ex-Ballet Omaha USA
Teaches classical ballet, modern-contemporary, and jazz.

Learning ballet from a young age under the guidance of her mother, Danielle took up a scholarship with the Victorian College of the Arts in her early teens, and then trained full-time at Halliday Dance Centre where she leant from  numerous international guest teachers. After further intensive solo training with Brett Morgan (rehearsal director with Sydney Dance Company) she was offered a contract with Ballet Omaha in the USA aged just 16.

Whilst overseas, in addition to dancing with Ballet Omaha,  Danielle continued to further her training at the Winnipeg Royal Ballet School (where she learnt from teachers from the Bolshoi) and then took up a scholarship to attend the Joffrey Ballet School, then based in New York City. During this time, Danielle was honoured to receive an offer to train at the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, and then received an award for 'Outstanding Achievement in the Arts' in the National Young  Achiever of the Year awards.

In 1993, after two years overseas, Danielle experienced the magnetic pull of Australia and returned home to Camden to begin teaching at the Academy, passing on the benefits of her international experience & love of the performing arts. 

It was here that the dream to build a performing arts centre founded on ENJOYMENT AND EXCELLENCE was born - a place which combined a friendly atmosphere with first-rate facilities and teaching.

With innovative new programs including 'Boys Only' and 'Tiny Tots' classes (likely the first of their kind anywhere in Australia), the Academy quickly outgrew it's Camden studios, moving into the current purpose-built premises in Narellan in 1998.

Under her guidance, the Academy has since developed into one of the top performing arts schools in Sydney, catering for pre-schoolers right through to professional level in dance, singing and theatre.

As testament to the emphasis placed on students at the Academy developing a love and appreciation for the arts, former students are now working professionally throughout the world in all areas of the performing arts - as performers, in administration, and in teaching. 

Danielle continues to teach a lot of classes at the Academy, with many students reaching the highest levels in all areas of the performing arts... always with an emphasis that enjoyment should be the basis of every student's learning.

Jess trained for a number of years at The Academy where in 2006 she completed a Pre-Professional year of study, and in 2006 was awarded the MJS Senior Scholarship to continue professional training as "The Most Outstanding Student".

In 2007, still aged just 16, she began full time study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with Honours, taking her well deserved place on the Deans Honour Roll at Edith Cowan University of Perth. Included in her studies were an extensive list of University courses including Anatomy and Kinesiology, Nutrition and Performance Health, Legal Studies, Dance Teaching Methods, Dance History and Appreciation, Choreography and Aerial Arts (just to name a few). At WAAPA she worked with several high profile choreographers such as Nanette Hassal, Sue Peacock, Anton and Lucy Guerrin. Whilst studying in Perth she completed secondments with Carte Blanche in Bergen, Norway, and Sydney Dance Company.

Jessica obtained a Professional Performance contract with Sydney Dance Company in March 2010 for the company’s New Creations Season, her first contract in professional dance. In 2011, Jess was awarded a contract with MOD Dance Company for their national tour of Graeme Murphy’s ‘Suite Synergy’.

Jessica hopes to bring her professional performance experience and education to the students of the Academy. She holds emphasis on dancer body maintenance and awareness, increased strength and technique, whilst enabling an excelled level of ballet and contemporary dance training.

Johanna (Miss Jo) holds her RAD Teaching Certificate and has guided many students through their RAD Classical Ballet exams with excellent results including high distinctions

Miss Jo has also completed a tertiary degree in Ballet Teaching Studies through the Royal Academy of Dance (University of Durham) which includes Safe Dance Practices, The Healthy Dancer & Business Management, as well as all aspects of the teaching of classical ballet. 

She has extensive experience and is an accomplished teacher & choreographer, and has  taught Ballet, Jazz Hip- Hop and Stretch at several venues throughout Sydney.

ELOISE EVANS
Teaches Singing and Musical Theatre

Eloise Evans is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She is an accomplished opera singer, recitalist, session singer, voice over artist and a highly recommended singing and piano teacher.

For ten years Eloise has taught piano and coached talented young singers in both classical and contemporary styles for auditions, concerts and AMEB examinations. She currently holds principal voice and piano tutoring positions in several performing arts academies and secondary schools in Sydney.

Many of her voice students have auditioned successfully for the Newtown Performing Arts School, The Australian International Conservatorium of Music and Performing Arts High School; are prize winners in singing competitions; and perform in professional musical theatre productions including Billy Elliot, The Lion King and Opera Australia’s productions of La Boheme, The Magic Flute, Carmen and Billy Bud.

She successfully auditioned for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music after completing her HSC, where she studied Classical Voice and Opera under the expert guidance of Australia’s most celebrated vocal coaches and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2005.

Eloise has performed a number of principal and chorus roles in opera and musical theatre. In July 2006 she was invited to Italy to perform the title role in the Rome Operaestate’s summer production of Puccini’s Suor Angelica, under the baton of Maestro Francesco Carotenuto and directed by Dr Judith Auer.

Other production performances include; Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, State Theatre Sydney. Bizet’s Carmen, the Sydney Theatre Company (role of ‘Mercedes’ and ‘Carmen’ understudy; directed by Nigel Jamieson). ‘Sister Marthe’ in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites. ‘Lisa’ in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades, ‘Third Lady’ in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, ‘Bloody Mary’ in Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Sondheim and Bernstein’s West Side Story and Schwartz’s Godspell.

Currently, Eloise performs in concert both here in Australia and abroad. Her performances encompass a large array of vocal repertoire ranging from opera, classical song, musical theatre, popular music and jazz. She has twice been a quarter finalist in the prestigious McDonald’s Aria Award and in 2006 Eloise was the recipient of the Australian Opera Auditions Committee’s ‘Sheila Prior Memorial Study Grant’ and the winner of the ‘Grace Johnston Operatic Aria Award’. 

Robert began training at the Academy in 2003 and since then has studied Tap, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop, been a member of the studio's performance groups,  and has undertaken teaching practice in 2009. 

Beyond his training at the Academy, Robert has workshopped with numerous choreographers including Nacho Pop, Arch Rival, Travers Ross, B Shaw, Versa Style and Tabitha and Napoleon D’Umo from SYTYCD America. This wealth of experience has is shown in the style and enthusiasm he brings to numerous hip hop classes.

Also, Robert is a seasoned theatrical performer, appearing in Pirates of Penzance, Oklahoma, South Pacific as minor lead roles, South Pacific as Captain Brackett, Annie Get Your Gun as Charlie Davenport, A midsummer Night’s Dream as Demetrius and most recently in the lead adult role of Fagin in Oliver.

In addition to all this, Robert's academic studies obviously didn't suffer too badly, as he is also studying Medicine at UWS... so perhaps one day the Academy might have a qualified doctor teaching hip hop!

Robert is also currently one of the Academy’s office staff and is always happy to assist you with any enquiries you may have.

STEVEN BARNARD

With dance training spanning ballroom and latin american, ballet and jazz, contemporary and hip hop, acrobatics and breaking, Steve's movement has broad influence but a home in the contemporary dance expression.

Singing his way into Sarah Boulter and Lisa Bowmans contemporary school Ev&Bow Steve performed for Sarah Boulter in several pieces and was a choreographic assistant on a piece for SYTYCD UK.  Taking company classes with companies such as DV8, Hofesh Shechter and ADT and working with and training under the likes of Renauld Wiser (Rembrant), Anton, Dean Walsh, Stephen Tannos, and Marco Panzic.

A key member and choreography contributor of the hip hop crew Phly Crew who won Australias Best Dance Crew at Looze Control 2010 and represented Australia at the 2011 International Hip Hop Championships as well as supporting Quest Crew and Periotix from USA.

Being an eclectic dancer is not Steven’s only creative craft.  He is also a song writer, vocalist and guitarist in arbori, a folk jazz band.

BRITTANY McCROARY
Royal Academy of Dance - Advanced I

A student at the Academy since she was a pre-schooler,  Brittany completed two years of teacher training at the Academy under the mentoring and supervision of registered teachers of the Royal Academy of Dance. 

In addition to being a talented and popular teacher, Brittany has continued her dance training obtaining distinctions for many of her Royal Academy of Dance Classical Ballet exams. She has also placed highly at numerous solo ballet competitions including the Sydney Eisteddfod and City of Wollongong Eisteddfod. 

In 2009 she auditioned for the TV series Dance Academy reaching the final three for the lead role. In addition to training with teachers at the Academy, Brittany has also learnt from a multitude of teachers including dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Ballet, Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company.

Cody is highly trained in Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Tap. She has completed her RAD level examinations to Intermediate level, ISTD Jazz and Modern to Advanced 1 and Gold level, and has reached the Advanced 2 qualification in ISTD Tap. With such fine training behind her, Cody truly excels in teaching tap with all her students receiving fantastic results in every exam session.

Cody’s teaching expertise is of the highest quality, having worked at several schools on placements as part of her Degree in Dance Teaching.

In addition to her studies, Cody has been part of the prestigious productions at Carmichaels in England, Annual Paul Holman Pantomime works and a variety of other theatre productions within England and Australia, including performing with The Wiggles.

Jess began training at the Academy at age 11 studying classical ballet, jazz and modern. Jess obtained distinctions in many of her RAD ballet exams as well as Honours in her BAL jazz exams. In addition, she placed highly in many solo and group performance eisteddfods across Sydney. Jess completed two years of teacher training at the Academy under the mentoring of registered teachers of the Royal Academy of Dance.

After successfully auditioning for Newtown High School of the Performing Arts where she was a member of their prestigious ensemble, Jess received outstanding HSC results in 2 unit Dance, Classical Ballet and Drama.

In 2000, Jess was part of a small group of Australian dancers selected to compete in the Prague Dance Festival. After returning from dancing in Europe, she was accepted into various full time dance courses but decided to focus on teaching, gaining experience at various studios around Sydney. Jess also acquired a management role with Bloch for Dancers for a number of years.

Jess returned to the Academy in 2011 to share her teaching expertise and love of the arts with a new generation of students.