Katharine Mantle RAD RTS ARAD

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

After studying all facets of dance from leading teachers at a young age, Katharine received full teaching qualifications from The Royal Academy Of Dance.

Katharine’s focus to provide the best possible training has led her to visit and attend course run by leading international teachers and training institutions.

In 2016 she attended teacher training at The Paris Opera Ballet Schools and subsequently was invited back twice more in 2017 to learn more in depth about the French training style from the school’s prestigious teachers.

Recently in 2018 she completed all 6 modules of The Royal Ballet Schools inspire teacher training course.

Students Katharine has trained have gone on to be accepted into – The Australian Ballet School, The Hamburg Ballet School, The English National Ballet School, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Balletschule Theater Basel, The New Zealand School of Dance, WAAPA and Sydney Dance Company PPY along with many more. Graduated students have also secured professional contracts with Royal Caribbean Cruises and junior company positions with Mystic Ballet Company USA.

Past and present students have attained outstanding examination, scholarship and eisteddfod results. They have also been finalist or prize winners prestigious competitions both nationally and internationally.

Katharine has a keen interest in choreography and her greatest joy is seeing her students reach their full potential.

ELENA MARCON ARAD

HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Elena began her classical studies at age three under Adrienne Eastoe. At fourteen she was the winner of the Joan Stacey RAD Scholarship, the Gay Cruikshank Scholarship, the CSTD State Classical Scholarship the RAD Advanced 1 State Bursary. At fifteen she continued her studies under Marie Walton-Mahon in Newcastle, NSW. Later that year she was offered several pre-professional placements around the world. She took a scholarship to Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan under Anna Maria Prina and Frederic Olivieri. At seventeen she completed her studies at the school of the Hamburg Ballett under John Neumeier, where she also danced with the Hamburg Ballett. Her repertoire includes The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet and The Rite of Spring. 

Throughout her years at Katharine Mantle Performing Arts Academy & Perth Classical and Contemporary Coaching Elena has coached both full-time and part-time students to an elite level in classical ballet. Her students have enjoyed extensive successes including many YAGP international winners and many placements at the world’s leading professional institutions -  The Royal Ballet School, Princess Grace Academy, John Cranko Schule, San Fransisco Ballet School, The European School of Ballet, The Australian Ballet School, among many more. Her alumni are currently dancing professionally around the world. 

In 2018 she completed the Royal Ballet School’s teacher training course in Hong Kong to further her expertise in elite classical training, in 2022 she collaborated with Progressing Ballet Technique as an ambassador to promote their training system, and in 2023 she worked with YAGP to promote their International World Ballet Day event with the world’s leading classical institutions. 

Elena has held the position of Head of Senior School for seven years, coaching both recreational and vocational students in classical excellence. 

CARIS SPILLANE RAD RTS ARAD

HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Caris completed her ballet training with June Stevens in Perth, Western Australia, achieving distinctions in all exams up to Advanced 2. Whilst completing her Royal Academy of Dance training she performed several seasons with the Perth City Ballet. Caris received her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies from the Royal Academy of Dance in 2007 and a Bachelor of Science (Majoring in Human Movement and Psychology) from The University of Western Australia in 2010.

Caris has taught ballet to students in various countries, including Australia, Belgium and the United Kingdom. In Perth, Caris taught at Academie Etoiles whilst also serving as the Specialist Ballet Teacher at Penrhos College’s Junior School. In 2012 Caris moved to Brussels, Belgium where she taught at Danz Royal Ballet School. During this time she assisted in the organisation of RAD events such as the Genee Dance Challenge. Caris was also involved with the Genee in Antwerp, 2014. In 2015 Caris moved to Birmingham, United Kingdom where she commenced teaching with Point the Way Ballet School before returning to Perth in 2016.

As well as many years of high RAD exam results, Caris’ has had students accepted into the Australian Ballet School Interstate Junior Programme, Elmhurst Ballet School Associates Programme, The Birmingham Royal Ballet Associates Programme, The Royal Ballet Summer School and the Royal Academy of Dance’s Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies program.

REBECCA DEWAR RAD RTS

Jazz, Contemporary, Acrobatics, Classical Ballet

Diploma in Dance and fully qualified RAD teacher Rebecca’s dance career began at Katharine Mantle Performing Arts Academy studying, ballet, contemporary, jazz and hip hop. She also attended John Curtin College of the Arts where she studied both dance and drama. Her skills and hard work being recognized when invited to perform in ‘Perspectives’ in 2011. Rebecca continued her dance studies in Newcastle at the renowned ‘National College of Dance’ where she gained her ‘Diploma in Elite Performance’ in Contemporary and ballet as well as having the opportunity to work with a range of key international choreographers; increasing her knowledge and technique in a number of different dance styles. While in Newcastle, Rebecca danced in a number of performances including ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Klash’ by Brett Morgan. Since returning to Perth Rebecca has been in high demand teaching across a number of studios. She has won awards for both solo and troupe choreography in a range of ages and genres. Rebecca has recently completed her CBTS – RAD teaching qualification, as well as enjoying practising Yoga in her (little) spare time which she also plans to study formally at a future date.

liam White

Pas De Deux, Classical Ballet

Liam began his training in Coffs Harbour. At the age of 15, he decided to pursue ballet as a career so he began full-time study at Tanya Pearsons Classical Coaching Academy in Sydney. Liam then went on to study in Germany at Tanz Akademie Mannheim. He finished his training at the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin before doing an apprenticeship with Badisches Staats theater Karlsruhe. He was then offered a place with Ballett Magdeburg where he danced various Soloist and group roles in both ballets and musicals including including Raymonda, Le Corsaire, Nutcracker, Coppelia, West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Wizard of Oz, as well as many other productions.

Claire Voss

Classical Ballet, Repertoire, Pilates

Claire Voss was born and trained in France. At the age of 14 she left her hometown, Metz, to start her training in professional ballet schools, such as the "Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris" in Paris and later on at the "Pôle National Supérieur de Danse Rosella Hightower" in Mougins. After graduating, she decided to join  "Ballet Central" in London, pre-professional touring company, part of the "Central School Ballet", where she graduated a year later with a "Bachelors of Arts with Honours in Professional Dance with first class honours".

From there, her professional ballet career took off and she danced full-time  with "Dortmund Ballet" (Germany), "Zurich Ballet" (Switzerland), where she got promoted as a demi-soloist, "Finnish National Ballet" (Finland) and finally "West Australian Ballet", where she has been performing roles such as "The sugar Plum Fairy" (The Nutcracker), Myrtha (Giselle), Gamzatti (La Bayadere), Mercedes (Don Quichotte) and The Sylph (La Sylphide), since 2016. Throughout her career, she got the opportunity to perform work from world renowed choreographers such as William Forsyth, Johan Inger, George Balanchine, Nils Christe, Hans Van Manen, and many more.

Evgenia Plotkin Mikhailov

Contemporary

Evgenia is an Israeli choreographer and a contemporary dance teacher. She was born in Minsk, Belarus. In 1991, Evgenia moved to Israel with her family and continued her training through primary and high school, after which, she completed the dance-training programme in Kibbutz Ga’aton to later join the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company 2 (KCDC2) and later the Vertigo Dance Company. She has collaborated and worked with choreographers Odelia Kuperberg (Israel); Elad Schechter (Israel); Rina Wertheim (Israel) Gil Carlos Harush (Spain); Nimrod Freed (Israel); and more. Evgenia graduated from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance with a bachelor’s degree in dance and education. Taught Masterclasses, performed and choreographed in Israel, USA, Russia, Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand. Now resident in Perth, WA. Evgenia continues to pursue a diverse dance and movement practice. Delivered in her welcoming and inclusive way, Evgenia’s movement language is focused on exploring the world of flow and softness combined with strength and self-expression.

Marhys foster Arad

Classical Ballet

Marhys began dancing at the early age of 2, in Canberra, where she completed all her dance training. Marhys completed all her Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams including Advanced 2, and multiple CSTD jazz exams.

Marhys went on to teach in Canberra for the next 5 years, with her former students receiving many successes with placements in prestigious schools through Australia and New Zealand such as; The Australian Ballet School, Victorian Secondary School of the Arts, Queensland College of Dance, New Zealand School of Dance and more. In 2019, she coached 3 junior students for their variation and open classes for the Alana Haines Australasian Awards. In a pool of over 160 dancers, 1 student made it to the Quarter Finals and another to the top 8, receiving a scholarship to Mcdonald College.

Emma Olivier

Classical Ballet

Emma began training at age three at Academy Etoiles in Perth with Samantha Leeman and Caris Spillane.

After moving to Annette Roselli Dance Academy in Brisbane, she completed all her RAD exams with distinction and completed a CERT 3 in Dance/Dance teaching. She was accepted into the Australian Ballet School Interstate Training Program, the Trainee Program, and the Queensland Ballet After School Program. At age 15, she began pre-professional training with the Dutch National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam and then the European School of Ballet with Jean-Yves Esquerre. At age 18, she joined Canada’s National Ballet School Company Life Program in Toronto and went on to dance professionally with the National Ballet of Canada. In late 2022, Emma returned to Perth to commence her studies with a double degree in Bachelor of Science/Chiropractic. Emma also works as a Pilates and fitness instructor. Emma is passionate about the correct physical development and injury prevention in young dancers.

TAYLAH CAROZZA ARAD

Contemporary & Lyrical

Taylah has trained at Katharine Mantle Performing Arts Academy in Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical and Jazz. Since the age of 6, she has competed in both state and national competitions, as well as having completed up to Advanced 2 in RAD Ballet examinations. Taylah was accepted into WAAPA’s Bachelor of Dance course for 2019 and also Sydney Dance Companies’ pre-professional program for this same year. However, she has decided to study an undergrad in Biomedical science and postgrad in a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Western Australia. Taylah was chosen to perform their own choreography piece in 2019’s WA Performing Arts Perspectives and has been selected to perform in RAD’s Gala Night for 4 years running since 2015.

SHARI KIDD RAD RTS, PBT CERTIFIED

Classical Ballet, Progressing Ballet Technique

Born in New Zealand, Shari studied classical and contemporary styles undertaking the RAD graded and major (now vocational) exams. She completed the RAD Teacher’s Certificate in 2001 whilst concurrently obtaining a Bachelor of Nursing.

Shari has a keen interest in dancer well-being and strives to maximise a dancer’s potential in a safe environment. She has taught all ages from pre-schoolers to vocational students and adults, entering students for exams in the RAD syllabus both in New Zealand and Western Australia. Past students have been accepted into the NZSD Associate Programme, NZ Unitec Dance Programme and the NZ Dance Company. Shari especially loves working with the most junior of dancers where her classes incorporate imaginative themes to inspire creativity and freedom of expression with careful attention to laying the foundations of classical technique.