about us
Our School
Kew School of Dance is also known as KSOD and has been teaching and inspiring generations of dancers for more than 15 years.
Our motto is to learn through dance (cognita per chorum). Irrespective of whether our students aspire to be recreational dancers or to pursue a professional career in the industry, we strive to teach not only artistry and technique but also confidence, leadership and grace through performance and community involvement.
Kew School of Dance is part of 1thekids Education, which offers students a range of classes about martial arts and performing arts. Within 1thekids Education, we have Dream Army Taekwondo, Rollie Pollie Interactive Playschool, Casting Kids Drama and Model School.
At 1thekids Education, students are number 1 and we focus on helping each student to find their own talents and passions and to create a stage for them to present the best version of themselves.
We are also part of a larger network of creative organisations across different yet complementing industries. This includes photography, marketing and modelling. For those families who want to develop their children’s skills commercially or professionally, our school is unique in that under our larger school community we also have a kids modelling agency with children who work on TV commercials, TV series, feature films, voice overs, catalogue and billboard modeling.
Our Principles
At Kew School of Dance we take a holistic approach to the teaching of dance. All movement is age appropriate and consideration is given to the physical, cognitive emotional and social development of students at each level. Work is progressive in nature and a lot of time and effort is put into curriculum development.
A comprehensive range of skills are developed over time to assist students master the dance technique of their choice. We understand that specialised dance technique cannot be introduced until students have mastered a strong foundation of general movement skills and a strong mind body connection.
Our aim is to help our dancers reach their potential in a safe and caring environment. We have a strong community presence and commitment to providing a professional, holistic and comprehensive dance education experience in a family friendly environment. We seek to create an inclusive dance community and offer classes catering to children as young as 18 months right through to adults.
Our Team
We have a dedicated team of instructors, creative and administrative staff who are passionate and dedicated to the school.
Artistic Director
The artistic direction of the school is led by Miss Julia Panetta who teachers the Australian Teachers of Dancing system (ATOD) syllabus for Jazz and Tap and has been teaching at Kew School of Dance for more than 10 years. Miss Julia has also taken part in numerous concerts and performances and inspires students with her creativity and joyful personality.
Instructors
Our instructors come from range of backgrounds from professional dances who are currently active in the industry to students who started dance with Kew School of Dance since kinder and have subsequently progressed through the school syllabus and adopted teaching and leadership roles for the next generations.
Senani Gunatilleke
Teacher
Bronte Wright
Teacher
Lucie Tingwell
Teacher
Tess Nayler
Teacher
Annika Eisenmajer
Teacher
Assistant Teachers
A number of our senior students assist in junior classes and demonstrate their technique and experience as well as to provide practical guidance to the younger students as a positive role model. Their commitment about learning and the school community enables strong relationships between students of different ages and fosters teamwork and good work ethic amongst peers.
Our Venue
Our instructors come from range of backgrounds from professional dancers who are currently active in the industry to students who started dance with Kew School of Dance since kinder and have subsequently progressed through the school syllabus and adopted teaching and leadership roles for the next generations.
