Kate Reilly - Principal & Classical Ballet Teacher

Graduate Diploma in Classical Ballet Teaching

University of Melbourne- Faculty: Victorian College of the Arts

Bachelor of Dance

University of Melbourne- Faculty: Victorian College of the Arts

State-Examined Classical Dancer

John Cranko School, Stuttgart, Germany- Division: State Ballet Academy

Professional Dance Engagements: 

• Vienna State Opera Ballet (Andre Rieu Australian Tour)

• Out There - The Australian Ballet in Schools

• The Stuttgart Ballet & The Stuttgart Opera

• The Rostock Ballet

• The Meiningen Ballet

• Malaika Kusumi Ballet

• Ballet Compagnie Deutchland

Background

Originally from Newcastle NSW, Kate completed her professional dance education State-Examined Classical Dancer from ages 16 to 18 at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany. Her teacher Ute Mitreuter-Russo studied at the famous Vaganova Ballet Academy in St Petersburg and this has strongly influenced Kate's own teaching style which also follows the Russian method. The Russian (Vaganova) method of ballet training is widely regarded as the best training system in the world.

After dancing in several German ballet companies, Kate returned to Australia to pursue teaching studies. She furthermore moved to Melbourne in order to study the pure Vaganova teaching method under Robert Ray and Janne Blanche at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Following teaching studies, Kate spent a year exploring contemporary dance in the VCA's Bachelor of Dance.

Upon graduation Kate was contracted in the role of Dance Presenter by Out There- The Australian Ballet in Schools to teach and present dance in primary schools throughout Victoria. In 2008 she continued to dance professionally, travelling to Vienna to rehearse with the Vienna State Opera Ballet for Andre Rieu's World Stadium Tour.  

Kate opened Melbourne School of Classical Dance in 2008 in order to offer every child access to a professional dance education in after-school hours.  Kate also thoroughly enjoys teaching our adult students, many of whom are learning ballet for the first time.

Kalman Warhaft - Classical Ballet Teacher

Born in Melbourne, at the age of six Kalman began studying at Camberwell District Ballet. He went on to study at The Australian Ballet School and graduated with an Advanced Diploma of Dance.

As a young dancer, Kalman appeared in Coppélia with The Australian Ballet; English National Ballet’s Swan Lake Arena production, and The Dancers’ Company’s consecutive tours of The Nutcracker as the Mouse King and many other characters.

Kalman joined Sydney Dance Company under the directorship of Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon and toured extensively across Australia as well as to China for the Shanghai International Festival, to 9 cities across the United States and to Christchurch International Festival. During Kalman’s four years at Sydney Dance Company his repertoire included Graeme Murphy’s Short stories, Berlin, The Director’s Cut and Grand, Stephen Petronio’s Underland, Meryl Tankard’s INUK2, Rafael Bonachela’s 360˚ and we unfold, Aszure Barton’s Sid’s Waltzing Masquerade and Kenneth Kvarnström’s Mercury.

After leaving Sydney Dance Company Kalman got great pleasure out of working with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland and Victorian Opera on numerous projects. He was a founding dancer of Mod Dance Company, for its production Suite Synergy. Kalman also worked with The Australian Ballet on their latest production Graeme Murphy’s Romeo and Juliet.

Luanne Hyson - Classical Ballet Teacher

Luanne completed her professional dance training at the National Ballet Academy in the Netherlands, where she studied the Vaganova and Martha Graham techniques. Following this she studied at the School of American Ballet (Balanchine technique).

Luanne has performed both internationally and locally, with many companies including The National Ballet (Netherlands), San Francisco Ballet, Florence Dance Company, Melbourne Dance Theatre and many more.  She completed her teaching training at the Victorian College of the Arts under Robert. Ray (Postgraduate Diploma of Classical Ballet Teaching). Most recently Luanne has been employed as the classical ballet teacher for artistic gymnasts at Methodist Ladies College in Kew. Luanne joins Melbourne School of Classical Dance in 2012. 

Anne Butler - Classical Ballet Teacher (Adults)

Commencing classical theatrical dance studies with Athol Willoughby OAM and contemporary dance with Jeanette Liddell, Anne has had a very broad and enriched dance career to date.

In 1978 she spent twelve months in the USA dancing with the Joan Wolfe Ballet Company, NJ and studying at many notable dance institutions in New York.

On her return she received Associate status and established studios in Gisborne, Sunbury and Essendon, as well as co-ordinating concerts at the Faculty of Music, The University of Melbourne

 In 1984 she moved to Queensland where she was Artistic Director of Gold Coast Ballet. As well as teaching, Anne was heavily involved with organizational work for the QLD Ballet Teachers Assoc, Gold Coast Combined Dance Teachers Association etc., and was also the QLD Representative on the National Council for the Cecchetti Society of Australia.

 As choreographer she staged numerous works for Spotlight Theatre Co., Gold Coast Light Opera Co., Gold Coast Little Theatre, Gold Coast Combined Dance Teachers Inc., and was Rehearsal Director for the junior dancers for the Royal NZ Ballet Company's 1989 tour of "Coppelia".

Further dance studies took Anne to England where she attained Fellowship teaching status in London.

Returning to Melbourne in 1990, Anne continued teaching on a freelance basis working for many dance studios in Victoria as well as guest coaching, adjudicating and choreographic engagements throughout Australia.

Anne was awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Classical Ballet Teaching at the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne in 2006. Studies included the Vaganova system under the tutelage of Robert Ray and the children’s training program developed by Laurel Martyn – under the tutelage of Janne Blanche – all subjects for completion of the Diploma receiving first class honours.

 In 2007 she travelled to New York as a selected presenter for the Congress on Research in Dance 40^th Anniversary Conference entitled “Choreographies of Migration – Patterns of Global Mobility.” She was also guest teacher at Arts in Motion Inc. New Jersey, USA.

Elected Victorian Organiser for Cecchetti Ballet Australia 2005-2007, Anne’s major contribution was the staging of a conference entitled  “Dame Peggy van Praagh – A Woman of Vision” with great success in 2008.  In the same year she was elected as one of the Victorian representatives on their National Council and also the second Australian Representative for Cecchetti Ballet International. Currently she embarks on her second elected term on Council (2011-2013). As an appointed Examiner she has worked throughout Australia and Malaysia.

 During 2007-2008 she was employed on a contract basis with the VCA dance department of The University of Melbourne teaching classical ballet, assessing and presenting  “Dance making for Children” for the Postgraduate Classical Ballet Teachers course.

Renee Piccirillo - Classical Ballet Teacher (Early Childhood)

Renee Piccirillo, a native of America, began her study of Classical Ballet at the age of 3.  She was a student at the Academy of Dance Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina until her acceptance into the North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied until the age of 15 when a foot injury ended any chance of a professional dancing career. With the ending of her ballet training Renee began a modeling career with the Belk Department Store which lasted until she was 22 years old.  During her free time she volunteered at local hospitals and Ronald McDonald House, tutoring children of all ages who were unable to attend school. At 18 Renee entered Kenyon College in Ohio where she studied Art History. Upon graduation Renee became a docent at the Philadephia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania teaching children ages 5 to 18 and then went on to be a docent at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina as well as a kinder teacher of children age 3 to 5. In 2008 she and her husband Richard together with their four children moved from their home in Philadelphia to Melbourne. Renee is also a published author of the children's book Big Mister, Little Mister, Baby Sister.

Tess Henning

Tess has trained in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance since childhood. In 2005 she graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in creative writing and philosophy. In 2008 she studied dance full time at the City Dance Centre’s Extension Program in Armadale. Since then she has danced in various productions including Kaguya directed by Masami Sato (2008), Petrouchka’s Nightmare by Adrian Dimitrivich (2009) and in Melbourne Dance Theatre’s production of Swan Lake (2010). She has also performed at various events around Melbourne with Lyrebird Dance Theatre (2011). 

Tess has taught dance at many schools and has worked as assistant teacher with both Viktoria Titova and Alida Segal. She aims to create a safe and nurturing environment in the studio where the students are able to express their creativity and also develop their skills and technique in dance.