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Our Teachers

Our Team

Mrs Danielle Small
L.A.T.O.D, ARAD, 
Principal & Owner of Southern Star Academy of Dance

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Danielle is extremely passionate about providing a safe place for students to learn, love and grow within the art of dance. With over 30 years of dance experience, Danielle thrives on sharing her expertise with her students, nurturing their journey and providing a strong role model for them to look up to.

 

Danielle has been teaching dance for 22 years and celebrated Southern Star’s 15 year anniversary in 2022. Mrs Small is also an Australian Teachers of Dance examiner, Danielle is held in the up-most regard with in the dance industry. Danielle examines different dance schools throughout Australia and internationally, continually expanding on her knowledge and experience and bringing it back to our students here in Dalby.

Qualifications/Achievements:

Licentiate Teachers Diploma (ATOD)

Advanced Associate (RAD)

Grade 8 Musical Theatre (Trinity College)

Cert IV in Training and Assessments (TAFE)

Australian & International Dance Examiner (ATOD)

Module 1 (Acrobatic Arts)

Acrobatic Arts Examiner

Advanced Jazz (ATOD)

Advanced Ballet (ATOD)

Advanced Tap (ATOD)

Advance 2 Ballet (RAD)

Blue Card

First Aid Certificate

Ready Set Dance Qualified Teacher 

Career Highlights:

  • Opening the Southern Star Academy of Dance 2008

  • Teaching the winning teams of international bids to compete at Worlds 2012  

  • Travelling to China with a SSAD team to represent Australia in 2015

  • SSAD reaching its 15th year operating as a small business 2022

  • Being appointed an ATOD examiner & travelling internationally 2017

  • Opening the new branch of SSAD in Chinchilla in 2018

  • Opening the new branch of SSAD in Tara in 2022

Mrs Schaila Child  

A.A.T.O.D

Senior Teacher 

Ready Set Dance and Acrobatic Arts Coordinator

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Mrs Schaila is one of our senior teachers here at Southern Star and has been teaching for 11 years!

Mrs Schaila is a multi-talented dancer and teacher who combines so many of our passions here at Southern Star. She has done many courses based around acrobatics with ‘Acrobatic Arts’ to ensure all age groups are able to have a fun acrobatics class learning new and different tricks safely while thrilling the students with her knowledge and expertise in this area!

Mrs Schaila’s kind mannerism and love for dance makes her a valuable member of the team, continually sharing with our students her love for dance.

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Qualifications/Achievements:

Associate Teachers Diploma (ATOD)

Cert IV Dance Teaching and Management (TAFE) 

Studying Diploma in Dance Teaching and Management (TAFE) 

Ready Set Dance Gold Qualified Teacher 

Module 1 Certified Teacher (Acrobatic Arts) 

Module 2 Certified Teacher (Acrobatic Arts) 

Preschool Acrobatics Certified Teacher (Acrobatic Arts) 

Aerial Arts Theory Module 1 Certified (Acrobatic Arts) 

Aerial Arts Practical Module 2 Certified (Acrobatic Arts) 

Alixa Flexibility Module 1Teacher (Alixa Flexibility) 

Progressive Ballet Technique Certified (PBT) 

Advanced Jazz (ATOD)

Advanced Ballet (ATOD)

Advanced Tap (ATOD)

Level 4 Contemporary (ATOD) 

Blue Card

First Aid Certificate

Cert IV in Nutrition, Health and Wellness Coach (Vast Fitness Academy)

Barre Pilates Instructor (Barre Body) 

Career Highlights:

  • Received Honours with Distinction for Level 4 Contemporary 2017

  • Received Honours with Distinction for Advanced Jazz 2017

  • Received Honours Plus for Advanced Tap 2019

  • Travelled through Europe and competed at the International Dance Festival in Italy 2017

  • Passed her Advanced Ballet exam in 2018

  • Travelled to America and performed at Disney 2019 

  • Travelled to America and participated in many different dance workshops 2019 

  • Placed fourth overall for senior tap ATOD Scholarships 2019

  • Performed in Toowoomba Ballet Theatre productions in 2018, 2019 and 2020

  • Completed Rock Tape Training 2020 

  • Completed the Contortion and Flexibility Teachers Workshop 2022 

Mrs Hannah Seebaran

A.A.T.O.D

Senior Teacher 

Bookkeeper and Shop Manager

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Miss Hannah is one of the senior teachers here at the studio and has been teaching for 5 years. She has recently completed and passed her studies in Dance Teaching and Management. 

Miss Hannah loves coming up with new choreography and things to do in the class room. She also has a blast challenging the students!

Miss Hannah is a valuable member to our team because of her kind heart, passion for dance and love for sharing her knowledge to the younger students.

Qualifications/Achievements:

Cert IV in Dance Teaching & Business Management (TAFE)

Module 1 Acro Teacher (Acrobatic Arts) 

Module 2 Acro Teacher (Acrobatic Arts) 

Ready Set Dance Gold Qualified Teacher 

Aerial Arts Theory Module 1 Certified (Acrobatic Arts) 

Advanced Ballet (ATOD)

Advanced Jazz (ATOD)

Advanced Tap (ATOD)

Level 4 Contemporary (ATOD)

Blue Card

First Aid Certificate

Career Highlights:

  • Passed her Advanced Jazz 2017

  • Passed her Advanced Ballet exam in 2018

  • Passed her Advanced Tap exam in 2019

  • Travelled to America and performed at Disney 2019 

  • Travelled to America and participated in many different dance workshops 2019 

Miss Jaimee Walsh   

Senior Teacher 

Public Relations and Marketing Manager

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Miss Jaimee combines her love for dance and keen eye for detail into providing enjoyable and productive lessons for our students here at Southern Star Academy of Dance.

 

Whilst Miss Jaimee is at the beginning of her teaching journey she has already achieved wonderful results in her own dancing career. 

 

Miss Jaimee's enthusiasm and devotion to dance makes her a wonderful addition to our teaching staff.

Qualifications/Achievements:

Cert IV in Dance Teaching and Management (ATOD) 

Module 1 Acro Teacher (Acrobatic Arts)

Preschool Acrobatic Teacher (Acrobatic Arts)

Intermediate Ballet (ATOD)

Intermediate Jazz (ATOD)

Intermediate Tap (ATOD) 

Ready Set Dance Silver Qualified Teacher 

First Aid and CPR Certificate

Blue Card

Miss Alicia Chapman 

Senior Teacher

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Miss Alicia is a loyal and compassionate member at Southern Star. She has been a dedicated student here for many years competing in eisteddfods, exams and recitals. 

Miss Alicia is warm and kind hearted, offering support and care to all of our students. Her dedication and enthusiasm resonates with her students resulting in structured and exciting classes. 

We look forward to mentoring Miss Alicia through the next stage of her dancing and teaching career.  

Qualifications/Achievements:

Advance Ballet (ATOD)

Advance Jazz (ATOD)

Advance Tap (ATOD)

Miss Emma Donaldson

Senior Teacher

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Miss Emma has been dancing with Southern Star since she was a twinkle toe. Her commitment and discipline for all styles of dance have contributed to her high standard and appreciation for the arts. 

Miss Emma is encouraging and driven to help her students get the most out of their dance classes. 

Miss Emma is still working towards her own dance goals. It is this passion and motivation that makes her a wonderful asset both as a teacher and student to Southern Star. 

 

 

Qualifications/Achievements:

Advance Ballet (ATOD)

Advance Jazz (ATOD)

Advance Tap (ATOD)

Level 9 Hip Hop (ATOD) 

Level 5 Musical Theatre (ATOD) 

Miss Monika Stritzel

Senior Teacher

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Miss Monika's journey through the dance world has now elevated her to the role of a teacher. Her dedication and unwavering commitment to both honing her own dancing abilities and imparting that knowledge to her students has made her a great addition to the team. 

 

Miss Monika is a happy and positive dancer and a great motivator to not only her students but her fellow dance peers as well. She has been a part of Southern Star since she was little and we can't wait to see where her dance journey goes. 

 

Qualifications/Achievements:

Advanced Ballet (ATOD)

Advanced Jazz (ATOD)

Level 9 Hip Hop (ATOD) 

Miss Christina Stritzel
Senior teacher

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Miss Christina is a dynamic and passionate dancer and dance teacher whose heart beats to the rhythm of hip-hop. She brings an unparalleled energy to the dance studio that inspires her students to reach new heights.

 

Miss Christina has a real passion and skill in creating routines that blend creativity and technique to make an enticing piece.

 

Christina's commitment to dance and her ability to connect with her students makes her an invaluable addition to the dance team.

 

 

Qualifications/Achievements:

Advanced Ballet (ATOD)

Advanced Jazz (ATOD)

Intermediate Tap (ATOD)

Our Trainee Teachers

SSAD offers our students who have a passion for dance and the drive to teach it, the opportunity to train as a ‘Trainee’ teacher with our qualified teachers. They participate in classes and assist the teacher in the running of classes, gaining first hand experience of what it is like to be a dance teacher.

 

These trainee teachers then graduate to Junior teachers once they have trained for the appropriate amount of time and commence their studies to become a qualified dance teacher. Teachers can commence their studies through ATOD in a Cert IV in Dance Teaching and Management.

 

All our trainees and junior teachers carry blue cards.

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Miss Arabella Donaldson

Junior teacher

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Miss Alexandra Boland

Junior teacher

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Miss Savannah Bach

Junior teacher

Miss Shylo Peters
Trainee teacher

Miss Kate Jamieson

Trainee teacher

Miss Lily Storey

Trainee teacher

Miss Kaneesha Pain

Trainee teacher

Miss Cleo Wischnat

Trainee teacher

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