Teaching Staff

TEACHING STAFF

At Dance On Pointe we pride ourselves on the young, vibrant teaching staff who combine their knowledge and skill to develop the skills of our students. Providing orginal and current choreography for our students, our performance routines are guarenteed to entertain crowds of all ages.

Mae Kirkpatrick

Studio Director

Beginning dance at the young age of three, I have always loved to perform.

Over the past twenty years I have been trained in various styles of dance including Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap, Aerial Circus, Cheerleading, Cabaret and Latin as well as having private vocal training with Anne Dargie. My technique and style has evolved from my fulltime training at Dargie Entertainment where I completed my Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance) in 2018 and was appointed Dance Captain of my graduating year.

In 2018 I was signed with Dargie Agency as a professional dancer & singer. I have worked professionally as part of the ‘Sleigh Belles’ cast at various locations including The Star Casino. I have also had the opportunity to perform at the ‘Bears of Hope’ Charity Gala and Sydney Latin Festival. I am also lucky enough to be on the books with Norwegian Cruise lines & Carnival Cruise Lines after successfully making it to the end of their 2018 auditions.

I have had the honour of dancing for prestigious acts such as Marina Prior, Kelly Clarkson and Eskimo Joe as well as being selected in 2015 for the Penrith Panthers Cheer Squad and performing with the infamous ‘Pantherettes’ for the duration of the season.

I was also given the privilege of studying HSC Dance at Blaxland High School where I received nominations for all three of my dance works to be showcased at the state’s annual ‘Call Back’ show.

In 2017 I became a certified Advanced Barre Attack Instructor under the training of Renne Scott. In this same year I also choreographed two routines for the Blue Mountains Nepean Dance Festival which were performed by my dance groups from Emu Plains Public School, where I have run both their selective dance groups since 2017. In 2018 I became a certified Aerial Circus instructor with Circus Training Australia in Melbourne.

I have had the privilege of sharing my knowledge and experience with children for the last six years. I began my teaching career at 18 and had opened my own studio at age 19. I have taught at various studios, schools and vacation care centres and have experience teaching all ages from 2 years-adults. In 2018 I was a finalist in the ‘Outstanding Young Entrepreneur’ at the Blue Mountains Business Awards.

Elise Wilson

Ballet | Lyrical | Technique | Aerial Circus | Contemporary | Acro Cheer | Barre Attack

Over the past 17 years Elise has been trained in several genres of dance including Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Cheerleading and Tap with experience in Musical Theatre, Hip Hop and Acrobatics.

Her first and only dance school, La Danse studios, helped to develop and improve technique through years of classically based training.

Elise has completed all of her RAD graded and major ballet exams up to Advanced 1 with high merit and distinction and has been accepted to complete her certificate of ballet teaching studies with the RAD in 2019.

Elise completed her Bachelor of Dance & PD/H/PE at ACPE in 2018, graduating with an Academic Excellence Award and has secured a teaching position at Winmalee High. During her time at ACPE, Elise competed in the Australian All Star Cheer Federation competitions with her cheer and pom teams where she received many 1st, 2ndand 3rdplaces.

In 2018 Elise became a qualified Barre Attack instructor, Acrobatic Arts Instructor and Aerial Circus Instructor.

During her time at La Danse, Elise was lucky enough to perform with Show troupes over seas at Disneyland in America and take several classes at prestigious dance schools such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Broadway Dance Centre.

2010-11, she successfully auditioned for the Western Sydney Regional Dance Ensemble who she continued to dance with until graduating school. During her HSC year, Elise received a band 6 and callback nomination for her dance unit.

Amber Hook

Acrobatics | Cheer | Aerial Circus | Jazz | Ballet

Amber has been trained in multiple genres of dance including Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre and Acrobatics. She has completed all of her RAD Ballet Exams up to Advanced 1.

In 2018 Amber became a qualified Acrobatic Arts and Aerial Circus Instructor.

Also in 2018 Amber was choreographer for Richmond Players Inc’s production of The Wizard of Oz. In this same year she also performed as a dancer in the Blue Mountains Musical Society’s production of ‘We Will Rock You’. Amber has been performing with the Blue Mountains Musical Society for the past five years and finds it to be such an enriching experience.

Amber was the 2016 Level 9 State Champion Gymnast, and has competed in level 10 at nationals which is the highest level of national competitive gymnastics. Amber represented the NSW Gymnastics Team for three consecutive years.

Amber has travelled all over the world, taking dance classes in America with studio La Danse as well as being fortunate enough to live in France in 2012 where she continued her ballet and lyrical training at the Conservatorire in Sain-Etienne and Gymnastics training at Independante Stephanoise.

Apart from all her dance and gymnastics achievements Amber also graduated from a university psychology degree.

Monique Haigh

Tap

Monique graduated from ACPE in 2018 with a Bachelor of Dance & PD/H/PE with a teaching position at Springwood High.

Monique has trained in various styles of dance including; Jazz, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, Modern, Ballet and Cheer. Before teaching at Dance On Pointe, Monique was teaching in her home town at Orange Dance Centre.

Chelsea Mitton

Barre Attack | Aerial Circus

Chelsea has been a huge contributor to the behind the scenes administration and event organisation at Dance On Pointe since 2016.

Chelsea began taking gymnastics lessons at age five and dance classes followed shortly after. Chelsea applied her acrobatic skills and flexibility from her gymnastics training to her dancing as she trained in Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Aerial Circus, Acrobatics and in later years, Pole Dancing. In 2018 Chelsea became a qualified Aerial Circus Instructor with Circus Training Australia.

During her schooling years Chelsea had many performance opportunities such as Schools Spectacular, Jekyll and Hyde the Musical, was a dancer for Jayne Denim’s ‘Renegade’ Album launch and PBR Finals as well as a dancer at the recent NRL Grand Final during Macklemore’s performance.

In 2017 Chelsea trained under Renee Scott at Balance Moves to attain her Foundations Barre Attack Certification as well as Advanced 1 Certification after falling in love with the program at Dance On Pointe.

Kylie Skinner

RAD Ballet

From a young age Kylie trained in many areas of Dance and Music, including RAD Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Musical theatre, Piano and Music Theory. After she completed her HSC, Kylie went on to do a BA in Dance and Diploma of Education –Secondary in Dance/Music at UWS. Here she had the opportunity to train with professional artists in Classical Ballet, Modern/contemporary and Yoga. She also studied Laban Notation, Dance Kinesiology and performed at many events and venues around Sydney.

From a young age, Kylie has performed and successfully achieved many awards at Eisteddfods, competitions, scholarships and functions in both Dance and Music. She has had the opportunity to perform at Disneyland USA and attend classes with professional Dancers/choreographers at The Edge studios in LA. She was successful in achieving her RAD Ballet exams from Primary to Advanced 1. She performed for many years in the “Memories of Roy Orbison” Cabaret show lead by Reg Denver and Anne Dargie –Dargie Entertainment and performed at Movie World, Dream World and in the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Kylie has taught many styles of Dance in private dance studios for over 27 years and was a full time High School Dance and Music teacher at Colo High school for 11 years where she had many wonderful successes with excellent HSC results from her students in both Music and Dance. In 2007, one of Kylie’s students achieved the top mark in the state for the HSC in Dance. Many of her students have been nominated or selected for Call Back HSC performance and her school dance ensembles were chosen on many occasions to perform at State Dance Festivals and Schools Spectacular. She has guided many students through HSC dance, mentored dance teachers, adjudicated at events and examined at many schools.

While raising a young family, Kylie taught and helped run a very successful Dance Studio. She sent students for RAD ballet exams to Advanced 2 level, taught performance troupes of all ages in Jazz, Musical Theatre, tap, Contemporary, Lyrical and Pointe work. She designed and ran a preschool program “Scalleywags” and taught many Pilates classes including a Mum’s and bub’s Pilates program. Her students were extremely successful in examinations, eisteddfods/competitions and overseas performances. Many of her students are now successful dance teachers, and/or have performed in the professional dance industry both in Australia and overseas.

Kylie is a registered RAD ballet teacher and a qualified Pilates Instructor, completing her Graduate certificate in Pilates Method at UTS Sydney and has been teaching Pilates for 15 years.

Currently Kylie is a freelance Dance/Pilates teacher and RAD Classical Ballet coach. She also works at many High schools both part-time teaching Dance and casual work. Kylie also teaches the Dance unit to PDHPE students at UWS-Nepean each year.

Kylie has a passion and love for the Performing Arts. A dedicated and committed teacher, who enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience of Dance to others, she feels that “Life wouldn’t be the same without Dance”.