Our History

Kindy Dance Time first opened its doors in 2001 with a simple but powerful vision – to introduce young children to the joy of Dance in a way that was fun, nurturing and developmentally appropriate.

After many years of teaching Ballet at all levels – from primary-age children to elite Classical Ballet students – and managing the operations of the Terri Charlesworth Ballet School, Lara Gandini recognised a growing need for a different kind of dance program for younger children. Traditional methods were not suited to the developmental needs of preschoolers, and Lara saw an opportunity to create something truly special – a program that introduced Dance in a fun, imaginative and age-appropriate way.

Originally created as a feeder program for the Charlesworth Ballet School, Kindy Dance Time quickly took on a life of its own. Families loved the fun, relaxed environment and the gentle way it introduced little ones to the core foundations of Dance. Under Lara’s leadership as Director from 2004, the program grew rapidly. Within just 16 months, Kindy Dance Time was running at 16 locations across Western Australia with more than 600 children enrolled and over 200 on waitlists.

By 2009, the program had expanded to Melbourne and continued to grow nationwide. Since then, more than 45,000 toddlers and preschoolers across Australia have discovered the joy of movement through Kindy Dance Time.

Today’s Kindy Dance Time syllabus reflects Lara’s lifelong passion for early childhood Dance education – one that honours the philosophies she learned from her mother, Terri Charlesworth OAM, and other pioneers in the field such as Laurel Martyn OBE and Joan Pope OAM. With over 35 years of teaching experience, Lara continues to draw on her study of Laban movement analysis, contemporary dance theories and the latest early childhood research to ensure every class remains true to the original vision: to nurture happy, confident little dancers who fall in love with Dance for life.