Faculty

Teresa Johnson

ARAD, Solo Seal, RAD RTS, Diploma in Ballet UCT, ATOD Diploma in Dance Teaching and Management

Founder, Director and Vocational Ballet Teacher

Teresa commenced her dance training in South Africa at the age of 5. After attending the Johannesburg Art Ballet and Music High School, Teresa completed the 3 year Diploma in Ballet at the University of Cape Town. Upon graduation Teresa was fortunate to be offered a contract with the CAPAB Ballet Company, where she danced many roles in the ballets Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Don Quixote, Raymonda, Orpheus in the Underworld, Romeo and Juliet and Sherezade with her favourite role being that of Clara in The Nutcracker.

The Teresa Johnson Ballet school was established when Teresa and her family emigrated to Sydney in 2000. Besides her husband and two daughters, Teresa’s most precious family members are her two Yorkshire Terriers – Frankie and Alfie – who love ballet almost as much as she does!!

Katie Schless

BBO Teaching Associate in Ballet and Tap, BBO Diploma in Dance teaching, Certificate 3 in Dance teaching AU, Early childhood education Cert 3

Assistant to the director, Head of Junior Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Adult dance classes.

Katie began her training at the Wallasey School of Ballet in the UK. After attaining her BBO teaching qualifications, Katie danced professionally in Europe and the UK. Katie’s passion for dance has taken her travelling worldwide teaching and performing. Her career highlights include performing for an international Cruise Company as Production Manager/Dance Captain and Assistant to the Choreographer.

Whilst living in Australia Katie has examined for BBO Dance, attained her certificate in Early childhood education and has adjudicated for many eisteddfods and competitions in Sydney. Katie has guest taught at various dance schools in NSW and for the AICD annual scholarships in Sydney. Katie enjoys teaching all age groups and is extremely honoured to be teaching for The Teresa Johnson Ballet School.

Antonia Johnson

ARAD, Solo Seal, RAD RTS

Senior Ballet Teacher, Head of Strength & Conditioning and Marketing Manager.

Antonia commenced her ballet studies at the age of three with The Teresa Johnson Ballet School in Paddington, Sydney. As a student at TTJBS she passed all the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet exams from Primary to Advanced Two with a High Distinction. In 2013 Antonia started studying full time under the tutelage of Gillian Revie at Classical Ballet 121. Antonia was awarded the Runner Up and Third Place at the AICD Houston Ballet Scholarship held in Sydney in 2014 and 2015 and was a Scholarship recipient and semi-finalist at the Alana Haines Australasia 2015 Awards.

Antonia has also been fortunate enough to be selected to attend The Royal Ballet School Summer School at both White Lodge (2012) and Covent Garden (2014, 2015). In 2015 Antonia was offered a place at Elmhurst school for Dance, in association with the Birmingham Royal Ballet. While studying at Elmhurst, Antonia was awarded 1st place for the annual solo’s competition as well as receiving her Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal Award.

Antonia had many performance opportunities whilst in the UK which included, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s ‘An Evening of Dance and Music’ at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, as well as performing in the Selfridges ‘Shakespeare Refashioned’ event. Antonia is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance, has completed her Certificate of Ballet Teachers Studies and sits on the Royal Academy of Dance’s Advisory Panel.

Antonia works closely alongside our physiotherapist Nicole to provide strength and conditioning programs (including injury rehabilitaion) as well as assisting the students with pre-pointe preparation. Antonia is currently undertaking her ASCA strength and conditioning qualifications.

“As a past student, and now a faculty member, I feel very fortunate to be part of the Teresa Johnson Ballet School Community. Teresa instils not only impeccable classical ballet training but also important life skills (such as dedication, resilience and tenacity). I feel so privileged to be part of a school that fosters a positive environment as well as a dedication to the training and encouragement of all dancers.”

Alex Frost

Contemporary and Jazz Teacher

Alex commenced her dance training at the age of three. She has trained in a variety of dance styles including Classical Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Musical theatre. She achieved up to Advanced 1 Level from the Royal Academy of Dance while training with the Teresa Johnson Ballet School. Alex has completed a Diploma of Elite Performing Arts at Brent Street Performing Arts as well as a Bachelor of Dance Practice at the Australian College of Physical Education.

Alex has a strong passion for choreography and dance production, appreciating the strength of performing arts in both the dance and commercial world. Her teaching focuses on raising the dance skills and capabilities of each student whilst also helping them to build their uniqueness in the world of dance.

Jasmin Durham

ARAD, RAD RTS

Jasmin Durham started learning ballet at the age of three at the Lisa Clark Dance Centre in Canberra, later studying jazz, tap and contemporary dance. In 2009 she moved to Melbourne to study at The Australian Ballet School and performed on The Dancers Company tour in 2010 and 2011. Jasmin joined The Australian Ballet in 2012, where she was given the opportunity to perform in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, China and all around Australia. Jasmin has performed works by Jiří Kylián, Twyla Tharp, George Balanchine and Justin Peck and has been created on by many choreographers including Tim Harbour, Alexei Ratmansky, Graeme Murphy and Stephen Baynes. Jasmin was an ensemble member of the musical ‘An American in Paris’ by Christopher Wheeldon, performing over 150 shows around Australia in 2022. Jasmin was nominated for the Telstra Ballet Dancer of the Year Award in 2015 and 2020 and has obtained a ‘Professional Dancers Postgraduate Teaching Certificate’ from the Royal Academy of Dance. 

Jasmin has been a guest teacher for us since 2020 and we are very excited to have her join our team permanently from 2024.

Nicole Baer

APA, IADMS
Consultant Physiotherapist and Pre-Pointe assessor

Nicole has over twenty years of clinical experience working in sports physiotherapy private practice. During that time, she developed passion and skills for the management of sporting injuries, particularly lower limb, lumbar spine and pelvis. She completed her Masters Degree in Health Science (Sports Physiotherapy) at La Trobe University in 2009 and gained her APA Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist title in 2010.

Since 2014, Nicole has worked with The Australian Ballet during their Sydney seasons as well as Bangarra Dance Company, several international touring dance companies and internationally renown touring ballet dancers. This experience, together with continuous further study, has enabled Nicole to hone her already considerable sports physiotherapy skills, and placed her in an excellent position for those looking for a specialist Physiotherapist to work with pre-professional and professional dancers. Nicole brings her extensive knowledge and experience of injury management of high performance dance to all levels and styles of dance and for all ages.

Guest Teachers

Dame Darcey Bussell CBE

Guest Coach

Dame Darcey Bussell CBE, former Principal Ballerina with The Royal Ballet, is a very good friend of our small ballet school, who along with the great Dame Margot Foneteyn, will be remembered as one of the greatest ballerinas Britain has ever produced.

As a guest artist, Darcey danced with the Paris Opera, Le Scala Milan, The Marinsky Theatre, to name a few, as well as performing on many stages with The Royal Ballet worldwide. Darcey is one of the greatest ballerinas of our time and we are so lucky to have her come in to inspire our students when she is back in Sydney!

Gillian Revie

Guest Teacher and former faculty member

Gilly trained at The Royal Ballet School in London and joined The Royal Ballet Company in 1987. In 1989 Gillian was chosen by Sir Kenneth MacMillan to dance the role of Mary Vetsera in his ballet Mayerling. Gillian remained with The Royal Ballet for over 20 years and danced many principal roles including Sugar Plum Fairy, Anastasia and Manon. She also had the privilege of being partnered by some of the world’s greatest male ballet stars including Irek Mukhamedov, Carlos Acosta, Jonathan Cope, Johan Kobborg and Edward Watson. In 2007 Gillian completed The Royal Ballet School Teacher Training Course for Professional Dancers with Distinction and in 2008 joined the staff of the English National Ballet School. Gilly has been teaching at The Teresa Johnson Ballet School since 2011 and is currently the head of the Dance and Ballet Academy at Redlands.

 

Poppy Lynch

Guest Yoga Teacher

Poppy is a qualified Yoga teacher who teaches for multiple organisations as a corporate and private Yoga Instructor. She loves combining meditation, breath and movement in the practices she teaches. Businesses she works with include – Giants Netball, UTS Sparks Netball, Curtis Brown Publishing, Nash Management, BAIN and Partners and Daybreak Fitness.

She is an ex-student of the Teresa Johnson Ballet School and an Actor graduate of WAAPA. She utilizes these performance skills, and an understanding of the requirements of a dancer, to run fun and energizing sessions that focus on developing movement awareness, mental stabilization and balance.

Alistair Stewart

Guest Pilates Instructor

Alistair was born in Sydney and trained at English National Ballet School in London. Upon graduation Alistair joined the Czech National Ballet and later the Slovakian National Ballet where he discovered a love for Jiri Kylian’s works.

Having recovered from two major injuries, Alistair has firsthand experience of the power of Pilates. It was Pilates which facilitated his return to the stage and inspired him to attain his Advanced Pilates Certification and which now allows him to help aspiring young dancers achieve their classical ballet goals.

Alistair has taught for CB121 with Gillian Revie, The McDonald College of Performing Arts, Leeon Studio Pilates and enjoys guest teaching for The Teresa Johnson Ballet School where he has admired the dedication and artistry that Teresa brings out of all her students.

Alistair has also had the privilege of working with Antonia Johnson not only as professional ballerina but alongside as she has developed into an exceptional teacher, mentor and coach.

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