TEACHING FACULTY
The Ballet Class, Rose Bay prides itself on hiring only the best professionals to uphold its ethics and care of every student.
Christine Atkinson
Principal & Founder
Christine originates from Cardiff, South Wales, UK. And relocated to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1992.
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At the age of 10 she joined The Welsh National Ballet School, then run by the late Joyce Marriot (Espinosa School). At the age of 16 Christine became a full time student of The Rambert School of Ballet, Mercury Theatre, London under the guidance of Dame Marie Rambert.
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On completing her training Christine went on to dance professionally and then to teach for The Welsh Arts Council and Ogwr Borough Council, was voted onto The Executive Committee of The Dance Council for Wales and The Royal Academy of Dancing’s South Wales Committee, U.K. Christine was privileged to be coached by Mrs. Peggy Olden A.R.A.D. and completed both the R.A.D. Teaching Diploma and Teaching Certificate with Distinction.
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Christine is an Examiner, Registered Teacher, Freelance Faculty Tutor, CBTS Mentor and CPD Tutor for the Royal Academy of Dance and is Principal of and teaches regularly at The Ballet Class, Rose Bay, Sydney as well as privately tutoring in Australia and overseas.
Shelley Bainton-Sinclair
Classical & Modern
Trained at Elmhurst Ballet School, London. Attained Advanced Level I.S.T.D. Tap and Modern, R.A.D. Ballet, experience in Classical Spanish. Shelley gained her Teaching Examination for the R.A.D. in 1996. Awarded both the Teachers Certificate and the Teaching Diploma with the R.A.D.
Philip Brock Atkinson
Classical
Trained at the Australian Ballet School and then at the Royal Ballet School. He graduated with a Diploma in Dance from The Royal Ballet School. He achieved Distinction in all RAD examinations including Advanced 2, he was the Genee Silver Medalist 2002 and former dancer with The Royal Ballet Covent Garden London, Birmingham Royal Ballet, The English National Ballet Company, Melbourne Ballet and The Western Australian Ballet Company. He has also performed with Opera Australia and an extra on Dance Academy. Completed the RAD CBTS 2009 and achieved professional teaching status, teaching R.A.D. and choreography for eisteddfod solo's and groups. He has staged the famous ballets, such as Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland for The Ballet Class Junior Concerts.
Julia Barry
Classical
Has taught all levels of dance for the past 38 years. She is a graduate of the Royal Ballet School Teachers' Training Diploma Course and holds a R.A.D. Advanced Teaching Diploma. She holds Associate Teaching Qualifications in the National Dance, Modern Theatre, Imperial Ballet and Cecchetti Ballet Branches of the I.S.T.D. and a Teaching Diploma in Benesh Dance Notation. Master of Creative Industries (Dance Teaching) with High Distinction and Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (Teaching and Learning). In 2015 Julia became an examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance and commenced candidature for a Doctor of Creative Industries (Research), researching adolescent dance student wellness, achievement and future career pathways.
Melisa Ribola (Gowen)
Contemporary & Classical
Gained a Bachelor of Dance from Victorian College of the Arts in 2002 and Honours in dance research and performance in 2003. A.R.A.D and R.A.D Teachers Certificate (Distinction). She is a professional contemporary dancer in works by Annalouise Paul, Carol Dilley, Micheal Whaites and Anton. Melisa was a founding member of DirtyFeet, Sydney and a recipient of the Keys Arenas Trust choreographic scholarship in 2011.
Penny Martin
Musical Theatre
Performer and Choreographer with extensive work in theatre,
film, television and fashion in Australia and Internationally for over 30 years. Toured from a young age with Australian Youth Ballet and has continuously worked with Australia's leading choreographers. Played the role of Marjorie Houseman in the Australian National tour of Dirty Dancing. Other musical theatre credits include Anything Goes, West Side Story, Crazy For You, Footloose, The Wizard of Oz, The Hunting of The Snark, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Easter Parade. Also appeared in Barry Humphries - Tears Before Bedtime and choreographed his Look At Me When I'm Talking To You tour.
Kim Traynor
Classical
Trained at the Royal Ballet School, London, and is a former dancer with The Australian Company. A Lecturer of Classical Dance at The Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne and is a freelance coach and adjudicator.
Wanda Wojtulewicz-Levine
Character
A Character and Folkloric dance specialist with broad knowledge of dance including classical ballet. Qualifications and experience includes B Sc Arch (Hons), B Arch (Hons), Cert. Adv Teaching A.V Lunacharsky, numerous periods in Moscow with GITIS, University of N. Nesterova and The Moiseyev School, and the Artistic Directorship of the Festival of Cultures (formerly the National Folkloric Festival) at the Sydney Opera House. Has taught extensively in ballet schools, tertiary institutions and community dance groups.
Grace Hardman
Classical
Trained at The Ballet Class from the age of 3 in Classical Ballet, Contemporary and Character. Grace has completed all R.A.D. Ballet Examinations, including Advanced 2 and the higher grades, to a high level and competed in numerous Eisteddfods representing The Ballet Class across Sydney. She has been teaching students of all levels since 2018.
Nicole Guy
Contemporary & Lyrical
Trained at The Rambert School of Dance, UK. Danced professionally with The Rambert Contemporary Company UK and The Urban Contemporary Company, UK.
Kristina Wallbank-Hutton
Classical, Jazz, Tap & Hip Hop
Royal Academy of Dance qualified teacher and professional ballet and contemporary dancer with over 10 years’ experience. Experienced project manager for large scale theatre productions in Europe. Mentor & coach for pre-professional dance students in national and world competitions in Europe. 2017 Swiss Champion, Professional Division in Jazz/Modern Dance. Inspired to share her passion of dance through teaching and the passing on of knowledge to the next generation.
Bonnie Hall
Classical
Trained at The McDonald College from the age of 4, completing all RAD Examinations up to Advanced 2. In 2022, she attended DanceWorks Sydney where she is completing a Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance) in Classical Ballet.
Holly Bowes
Classical & Contemporary
Holly has been dancing with The Ballet Class since the age of 4 and has completed all R.A.D exams from Pre-Primary to Advanced 2 with distinction. Holly successfully auditioned for the Australian Ballet School’s interstate training program and trained with the ABS from age 9-13. She has represented The Ballet Class in both classical and contemporary groups, and in a variety of solos in eisteddfods both locally and internationally. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of dance with younger students.
Ashleigh Ovens
Classical, Jazz, Tap & Hip Hop
Trained at Italia Conti Arts Centre, London, on the Musical Theatre & Teacher Training course.
Gained a Professional Certificate in Education (PCE), LAMDA teaching award and Tap Diploma in Dance Instruction (DDI)
Worked as a dancer, singer and dance captain in Spain for 2 years.