Kindy Dance Time® takes great pride in our carefully selected teachers, who are not only highly experienced, but also possess a more important quality – the unconditional love of children.  Our teachers regularly attend Professional Development workshops in the areas of Creative Dance, Music, Drama, Teaching Methodology and Early Childhood Development to update their knowledge and to provide the best tuition for your child.

Lara began her dance training with her mother, Terri Charlesworth OAM, CitWA, and from a young age she travelled extensively studying at many major dance institutions throughout the world. In 1981 Lara successfully auditioned for the Victorian College of the Arts, where she trained for two years. Later at age 15 she was accepted into the Australian Ballet School where she once again trained under Terri. In 1985 she was awarded a scholarship to attend L’Academie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo, studying under Marika Besobrasova and many other world-renowned dance teachers.

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Nel Williams – Manager

Nel began her dance training at a young age studying Classical Ballet, Tap and Modern techniques and continued through her university years in the UK. During this time she performed in many dance productions and was the recipient of several dance awards, including the Bishop Prize for Dance at the University of Bath. Nel also studied piano and violin, undertaking Royal Academy of Music performance and theory exams, orchestral percussion, and has been involved in various choirs and choral societies as a soloist and group singer.

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Lauren Kelly – Teacher

Lauren has had a passion for dance since she was very young and at age six began her dance training with Brian Hewitt, ARAD. M.B.B.O. Adv. Dip PDTC. She then continued her ballet classes with Kim Baker at the Terri Charlesworth School of Ballet.

Being exceptionally talented she was accepted into the elite full-time programme of the Graduate College of Dance at Swanbourne SHS at 12 years of age. Under the Direction of Terri Charlesworth, OAM. CitWA, Lauren was taught by Lara Gandini, Beth James, Joan Pope OAM, Luba Nikonorenko from the Kirov ballet and many other leading dance tutors. Her studies encompassed many styles including Classical Ballet, Character Dance, Contemporary and many theoretical dance subjects.

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Rachel Grainger – Teacher

Our gorgeous Miss Rachel commenced dancing at a young age and it has been a major part of her life ever since. She trained in Jazz, Tap & Classical ballet in the RAD and CSTD Syllabus achieving high grades in her examinations.

Rachel competed in dance competitions in her teenage years receiving many awards. She also completed and passed her student teacher’s exam.

After completing Year 12, Rachel attended a short course with the Victorian Theatre Company. She then travelled extensively, obtaining many international dancing contracts throughout the world.

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Kellie Beswick – Teacher
Kellie began her dance training at a young age, attending the Vivienne Academy of Dance in Noble Park (Melbourne) and completing all the Cecchetti Syllabus examinations up to and including her teacher’s exam. She went on to attending the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts and the Australian Ballet School, graduating with a Diploma in Dance and Performing Arts. Kellie also obtained a Certificate 3 in Dance at Bertuccio’s in Melbourne where she majored in Contemporary, Jazz and Musical Theatre.
Working with children has always been one of Kellie’s major passions. Her first job was at Macdonald’s running their children’s parties and she then progressed to running childcare rooms at various centres while she completed her Diploma in Children’s Services.
Kellie taught at a number of ballet schools over the years and eventually opened her own ballet school on the Mornington Peninsula – Kellie Academy of Dance. Feeling the need for a programme for littler ones, she combined her dance training and childcare knowledge to create a Creative Music and Dance programme for children aged 18mths-5yrs, which she ran very successfully for the past 20 years. We are thrilled that Kellie has now joined the Kindy Dance Time team, bringing her wealth of experience and knowledge in the field of child development. It is her goal to make each class a fun and memorable one. She certainly achieves that week in, week out, has established herself as a firm favourite with our families!
Kobi Thompson – Teacher

Kobi has been actively involved in dance and fitness from a young age. She trained in Jazz, Tap and Classical Ballet, completing exams in the CSTD syllabus with high grades. She has performed in many concerts and competitions, receiving places for her Modern Dance and Tap solos. Kobi has also performed at a number of Perth’s corporate, fashion and sporting events including Wildcats and Glory.

Kobi completed her Certificates 3 and 4 in Health and Fitness to pursue a career in fitness industry, successfully building a personal training and group fitness following, teaching a variety of fitness classes including Les Mills, Freestyle Aerobics, Konga Dance Fitness and Xtend barre. Kobi then gained international experience working with the Royal Carribean cruise liners as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor.

Becoming a mum of two has inspired Kobi to share her love of dance with children to help them learn, play and, most importantly, have fun! We are thrilled to have her on our team – she has established herself as a firm favourite with our dancing families!

Brooke Casella – Teacher

Brooke started her dance training with Ballet at a young age in Sydney. Once she moved to Perth at age 8 she began training in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Singing, Drama and Acrobatics.  Her passion for sharing her love of dance started early and Brooke was an assistant teacher at her dance school from the ages of 16 – 25.

Throughout her years of dancing, she competed in a variety of competitions, winning many awards, and successfully passed various examinations.

In high school, Brooke performed in many musical theatre productions and dance performances, after which she went to America for 3 months to teach dancing and drama to young children through the Camp America program.

Her love of dance and performing led to her being cast in many productions and events locally, including the Perth Cup and Telethon. She now has three beautiful daughters who love to dance just like their mum, and she looks forward to sharing her love of dance with her Kindy Dance Time families. We are thrilled to have her on our team, so that her infectious passion and love for performing can spread to our little groovers!

Alyx O’Neil – Teacher

Alyx’s love of dance began at an early age when she joined her first tap class, swiftly followed by her first ballet class at the age of 5 when she began her long ballet career with the Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre in WA. After several years of dedicated training, Alyx was accepted into the junior pre-professional full-time programme with Charlesworth Ballet College. She attended that programme for five years, receiving specialist training in Classical Ballet, Contemporary and Spanish dance, while also completing her formal education in dance gaining her Certificates I-IV in Dance. During her time with CBC, Alyx was fortunate to be taught by such world-renowned specialists as Terri Charlesworth OAM, CitWA, Yuri Vasilkov and Tatiana Pevneva. Graduating in 2010, Alyx was selected for the European Audition Tour which saw her accepted into several schools and companies in Europe.

Alyx has always maintained a connection with the dance world and now, as a parent of two beautiful children herself, she is delighted to have the opportunity to share her knowledge and passion for the art form with the future generation of dancers. We are so happy to have Alyx on our team and know that she will inspire our little dancers to start their own wonderful journey into the world of dance!

Jess Todevski – Teacher

Jess’s journey in dance and the arts commenced at a young age, ignited by a love for movement and creativity. She started with the rhythms of Macedonian folk dance, expanding into diverse styles, including Hip Hop, Ballroom Dance, awarded best dancer in the latter, and drama at high school. Her passion for the arts evolved further as she embarked on modelling, taking the stage at photo shoots and runway concerts. With a blend of music, creative expression, and early experiences in guiding young models, Jess emerged as a passionate instructor where she was responsible for instructing and guiding individuals of various age groups helping them develop confidence and self expression.

From early on, fitness played a significant role in Jess’s life. She achieved notable milestones, earning a spot in the Wanneroo district netball team and clinching the title of Champion Girl in school athletics multiple times. Her leadership qualities were also evident as she held the prestigious position of Head Girl at School, where she engaged in public speaking, addressing assemblies to present merit awards. Jess completed her Certificate ll in Sports Coaching and enjoyed coaching various netball teams gaining valuable coaching techniques and developing an understanding of how to maximise players’ potential.

Jess’s journey in dance now includes attending adult ballet and jazz classes, a passion she holds dear. Her love for music and dance is a constant source of inspiration and she delights in sharing this passion with others. As a parent of two wonderful children, Jess derives immense joy from working with children and witnessing the wonder that learning brings to their young lives. Entering a child’s world with their bright imagination is an experience she cherishes. Her bubbly personality and sense of humour shine through in all her endeavours, creating an atmosphere of joy and positivity. We’re thrilled to have Jess on our team and we know how popular she will be with our little dancers!

 

Jovita Beckitt – Teacher

Jovita started ballet at a young age and added a variety of other dance styles to her repertoire during her high school years in the Dance Program at John Curtin College of the Arts. Continuing with her dance study through to her late teens, Jovita realised that her passion lay in teaching. Having been trained by Beth James in RAD and Cecchetti methods, Jovita was lucky enough to be given the role of student teacher from an early age. She was guided and mentored by Beth, inspiring her to complete her RAD teacher qualifications. Jovita went on to teach ballet at the WA Conservatoire of Classical Ballet for several years until the birth of her first daughter. Since starting a family, Jovita has been blessed with 3 daughters and her career journey has been varied. Aside from her early career as a ballet teacher, she became a hairdresser and has also worked in education as an education assistant, enabling her to continue working in a field that expressed her passion for working with children. Joining the Kindy Dance Time teaching team has once again given Jovita the opportunity to combine her love of dance with her passion and enthusiasm for engaging with young children, and we are thrilled to have her dancing with us!