STEPHANIE MEHRTENS A.R.A.D.
CLASSICAL BALLET TEACHER
Stephanie was a student at Dance Venture from the age of 7 and started as a teacher’s assistant when she was 15. In 2004 she graduated as a Specialist Ballet Student at John Curtin College of the Arts and continued to the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) graduating with an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts ( Dance ) in 2004 . Her greatest passion is our littlest students and after she completed her RAD Advanced 2 exam, in 2012, she commenced study to be a ballet teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. Stephanie has been working as a qualified teacher since 2014. In 2021 she took her teaching knowledge in a new direction and completed a Certificate IV in Pilates Matwork and Reformer and enjoys using what she has learnt with our senior students.
BRONWYN MATTOCK
CLASSICAL BALLET AND RAD TEACHER
Bronwyn commenced ballet studies at the age of 5 studying the British Ballet Organization Syllabus. Her love for ballet only grew from there and she moved onto studying the Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) syllabus. She continued her studies under the tutelage of June Stevens and Diana De Vos until the age of 15 when she started with the Perth City Ballet and Diana Waldron. At the age of 16 Bronwyn undertook full-time ballet studies with the Perth City Ballet and performed in many productions across the state. Over the years her passion for, and appreciation of the technique and craft of ballet has only strengthened. Now it gives her great pleasure to work with students and assist in developing their technique and love of an incredible art form.
AFRODITI EPIFANIOU
SENIOR BLLET TEACHER (RAD) & CONTEMPORARY TEACHER
Afroditi completed her BA (Hons) in Dance and Choreography. She has been teaching ballet and contemporary dance since 2020 and has completed the RAD syllabus.
AMY PETERS
SENIOR BALLET TEACHER
Amy has been dancing at Dance Venture Ballet School since she was 3 years old, training in classical, contemporary and jazz styles of dance. During this time, she completed her graded and vocational levels in RAD exams receiving distinctions up to Advanced levels, along with graduating with her ATAR in Dance. In 2015, Amy performed in WA Ballet’s production of Coppélia as a child role. Amy began assistant teaching at Dance Venture in 2017 and has been teaching junior and senior students since 2019.
MEAGAN BONIFACE
CLASSICAL BROADWAY JAZZ TEACHER
Meagan Boniface is a certified dancer, choreographer, life coach and co-owner of “Loose Minds Productions”.
Meagan has recently returned from the USA where she trained under Renee Ritchie and AAFTA for “Dance International LA” to further her professional development. Meagan continues to spread her passion and creativity for dance in multiple dance studios around Perth, Australia which she has been doing for over a decade. Her diverse training includes Kalamunda Performers, ATOD, Steps Youth Dance Company, Co:3 Australia, Vanguard Performing Arts and APAN Academy where she graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts majoring in Commercial Dance.
Meagan has many highlights of her creative career so far including hosting open classes and workshops around Perth, producing concept videos and photo shoots and is one of WAs most sought out musical theatre choreographers who was recently working on HAMA productions “XANADU”. Her performing credits include, modelling, musicals, music videos and a multitude of gigs on the corporate circuit
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CATLYN WALKER
JUNIOR TEACHER
Has been a student at Dance Venture since she was 5 years old in 2010. She also studied in Broome for 4 years at Pearl Bay Dance Academy & Sun Studios before returning to Dance Venture in 2016. In 2020 she started assisting Stephanie to teach the younger students on Saturday mornings. Caitlyn has a Certificate II in Dance and attends classes in Ballet & Contemporary.
JADE WHEELER
JUNIOR TEACHER
Jade started dancing at Dance Venture at the age of three and a half. She has continued to do ballet, completing all her RAD exams to Advanced 2 level. Jade has also been a strong contemporary dancer and has been an assistant Junior teacher to our ‘Twinkle Toes’ for the last 3 years. Jade has performed for Perth City Ballet in their corps de ballet in 'Red Shoes' and 'Picnic at Hanging Rock.' She has excellent experience in performing and has danced in many competitions placing well in ballet, demi-character, and contemporary solos, and has danced in many concerts gaining her great stage and choreography experience.
ELLA MATTERS
SENIOR TEACHER
Ella trained at the Studio of Classical and Contemporary Dance in Bunbury since the age of 2, she started training under Dance Venture in addition to her Bunbury training and completed her RAD examinations to Advanced 2 level with Distinction.
She went on to complete a year of the Pre-Professional Training Programme at The Perth School of Ballet where she trained in Ballet, Contemporary, Pas de Deux, Character and Modern. In 2023 she will commence her RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies alongside a Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Science at Curtin University.
ALEXANDRA LILLEY
JUNIOR TEACHER
11.5 years studying ballet. Alex's first year and a half was spent studying the Borovansky ballet syllabus in Melbourne and then moved to Perth where she joined Dance Venture at age 7.
Alex has completed RAD exams up to Advanced 1 and preparing to complete Advance 2 level in 2023. Alex has assisted teaching ballet club classes at Dance Venture for the past 3 years and is continuing teaching with taking the junior conditioning class.
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KAYLA SANTOSO
ASSISTANT TEACHER
Hey! My name is Kayla and I am very grateful to be assisting the Twinkle Toes with Miss Steph this year! I love dancing and can’t wait to see what this year brings with new opportunities and experiences such as being an assistant teacher.