DEC - Key Persons

My name is Aleisha and I have been dancing for 27 years and teaching dance for over 15 years. Having completed my teaching exams, I have taught classes, choreographed and staged productions in my home town Nelson. I have settled in Tauranga with my partner and young daughter and have become involved with the Dance Education Centre. I have always loved dancing and especially classical ballet. I really enjoy inspiring and passing on my love of dance to the next generations of dancers. Over the years I have been lucky enough to guide many dancers through their training and to pass on knowledge from the teachers that have taught me. One of the things I love the most about teaching is watching pupils progress into confident, hard-working dancers who can do anything they put their minds to. When teaching I always make sure that every dancer has the opportunity to grow and learn something new in each class, but most importantly that they have fun. As a dance teacher I aim to foster the love of dance and enjoyment for the arts.

My name is Janelle and I danced at the Dance Education Centre, having moved from Matamata with my family when I was about ten years old, and have trained in Classical Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary. Both myself and my sister Mylinda competed for many years around New Zealand and enjoyed the full range of study offered at Dance Education Centre. I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Education at Queensland University of Technology. A highlight was working with several well-known contemporary choreographers in Brisbane during my tertiary study. Following this time of study and performance, I have worked in several secondary schools in Queensland and New Zealand, and currently I am teaching Dance and Drama at Papamoa College. I have two daughters, both learning dance at DEC and enjoying taking advantage of the range of dance styles DEC offers. It is exciting to be on the teaching staff from 2020 with particular interest in teaching contemporary, and I look forward to working with the DEC program to foster excellent dancers continuing the high standard of contemporary technique and developing creativity.