Our expertise.
Qualifications.
Master of Occupational Therapy Practice
Grad. Cert. Classical Ballet Pedagogy
Grad. Dip. Classical Ballet Teaching
Bachelor of Dance
State-Examined Classical Dancer
Early training.
Australia.
Born in Newcastle, Kate took her first ballet class at age 6 in a church hall and immediately fell in love with classical music and the magical world of dance. After ten years of study locally, Kate gained acceptance at age 16 via video audition to five major international ballet academies. Under the guidance of her teacher Marie Walton-Mahon of the Marie Walton-Mahon Dance Academy, she accepted a place at the world-renowned John Cranko School.
Germany.
The John Cranko School involved intensive 6-day per week ballet training under a strict regime of Vaganova training in a class of students selected world-wide. All students were initially subject to a rigorous three-month probationary period, after which a panel of examiners decided who was allowed to continue with the 2-year course. Kate graduated from the academy in 2001 with the professional title “State-Certified Classical Dancer”.
Stage career.
Europe.
Upon graduating from the John Cranko-School, Kate auditioned throughout Europe, visiting many opera houses in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. She was selected from over 200 young dancers in cattle call auditions to the final rounds for Dresden, Dusseldorf, Salzburg and Cannes. Accepting an offer to train with The Stuttgart Ballet she soon proceeded to gain professional contracts in Berlin (Ballet Compagnie Deutschland), Frankfurt am Main (Malaika Kasumi Ballet Theatre), Meiningen (Das Meininger Theatre) and Rostock (Volkstheatre Rostock) where she danced alongside peers from around the world, yet always under the coaching of Russian ballet masters.
Australia.
Returning to Australia after six years abroad brought with it more exciting opportunities to perform. A career highlight was working with The Australian Ballet’s educational program, “Out There – The Australian Ballet in Schools”, introducing dance in primary schools around Victoria.
This was followed by a contract with Vienna State Opera Ballet, accompanying the famous violinist André Rieu for the Australian leg of his World Stadium Tour. A special opportunity first being flown to Vienna for rehearsal, then returning to travel Australia performing at sports stadiums filled with over 60,000 people.
Whilst juggling the above contracts Kate had already informally founded her school, Fitzroy Ballet School (later renamed the Melbourne School of Classical Dance). After her Vienna contract she decided to dedicate her energies to developing her students and her ballet school.
Teaching career.
After graduating from a year-long Vaganova ballet teaching diploma, Kate founded the Melbourne School of Classical Dance in 2008. The school grew rapidly in just a few years from two sisters to over 200 students and twelve staff. Kate had the honour of teaching many talented students who gained acceptance into elite international ballet academies around the world, as well as hundreds of adult ballet students dancing for health and enjoyment. She continues to mentor many of her former students today.
After twelve years teaching at MSCD, Kate eventually parted ways with the school during the COVID-19 pandemic, paving the way for a boutique private coaching studio, DDM. Kate continues to develop her coaching through the continued study of dance and health, having completed a Master of Occupational Therapy Practice and now working as paediatric occupational therapist in addition to coaching classical ballet.
Teaching method.
The Vaganova Method of ballet training is widely regarded as the best training system in the world.
Our classes are based on this method, yet adapted to Australian students. Kate trained in the Vaganova method from age 16 onwards, first at the John Cranko-School in Germany, and later in professional companies. In Melbourne, Kate studied the Vaganova pedagogical methods at the Victorian College of the Arts and subsequently studied under Nina Osipyan (Classical Ballet) and Alida Segal (International Character Dance), both of whom have been instrumental in her teaching development. In 2012, she travelled on a ballet study tour to Moscow and St Petersburg, and was awarded a certificate in ballet pedagogy from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. She is also qualified in teaching the International Character Dance Syllabus and the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet’s examination syllabus.