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 - ACADEMY DIRECTOR
RAD Teaching Certificate - Royal Academy of Dance
Ex- Ballet Omaha USA

Danielle is the Academy Director and teaches ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern, musical theatre and acrobatics.

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 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 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.

ELOISE EVANS
Teaches Singing and Musical Theatre

Eloïse is an opera singer, recitalist and voice teacher. Her love of classical music was first influenced by her training at a very early age in piano and violin at the Methodist Ladies College. In her final Higher School Certificate year at Kambala Church of England Girls School she was awarded colours for her services to music.

After finishing high school, Eloïse diverted from her musical path and went on to study a business degree. After working and traveling for several years Eloïse made the decision to return to music and pursue a career in opera. She successfully auditioned for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where she studied classical voice and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2005.

Eloïse has already performed a number of principal and chorus roles in opera and musical theatre. Some of these works include the recent Australian production of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, State Theatre Sydney; Bizet’s Carmen for the Sydney Theatre Company (role of Mercedes and Carmen understudy; directed by Nigel Jamieson), Puccini’s Suor Angelica (title role), Sister Marthe in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, Lisa in Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades, Third Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute, Bloody Mary in Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Sondheim and Bernstein’s West Side Story and Schwartz’s Godspell.

In July 2006 Eloïse 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. During her season in Italy Eloïse also presented a recital in the beautiful 15th Century courtyard of St Ivo alla Sapienza in the historical centre of Rome.

Eloïse was featured in the 2004 Sydney Festival performing the soprano solo in the world premiere of Stone Sleeper, composed by Mirsad Jeleskovic and sung by the cast in the original Bosnian language.

In 2002 Eloïse performed the soprano solo in the premiere of Rhonda Siu’s composition titled Alienée at the Sydney Opera House for the Encore Concert Series. Her oratorio performances have included Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Berlioz’s Childhood of Christ, Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Eloïse performs in concert regularly. Some previous highlights include; Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne for the Chiesa di S. Paolo 2006 Recital Series in Rome, the concert for 2006 and 2007 Italian National Day Celebrations, a recital given at the Bosnia and Herzegovina Embassy Canberra (recorded for ABC Classic FM); the Oxfam International Gala Fundraiser Ball 2004 and 2005; Songs of Martin Wesley-Smith (also recorded for ABC Classic FM); 2001 Darling Harbor Christmas Festival Concert from the floating pontoon; and 2000 Sydney Olympics War Memorial Concert (in association with the Australian Beethoven Society).

Eloïse’s performances encompass a large array of vocal repertoire ranging from opera, classical song, musical theatre, popular music and jazz. She has competed successfully in many singing competitions and eisteddfodau throughout Australia and New Zealand. In 2006 Eloïse was the recipient of the Sheila Prior Memorial Study Grant and the winner of the Grace Johnston Operatic Aria Award. She has also received scholarships from the Dame Joan Sutherland Society, the Sport and Tourism Youth Foundation, the Opera and Arts Support Group and the Opus 50 Trust.

Eloïse is an in demand voice teacher in several performing arts academies and secondary schools (private and public) throughout Sydney. For seven years she has coached talented young singers in both classical and contemporary styles for the Guild and AMEB examinations. Many of her students are prize winners in singing competitions and already performing in professional musical theatre productions.