ODC FACULTY
ORIGIN will have access to many International Teachers. We will only work with current industry professionals who can also be amazing Judges. Most Teachers will be able to conduct multiple styles in classes as well as Tech/Trick. The aim is to enable the dancer to feel safe and secure in any style of dance, no matter what style they think they are limited to.
Each event will include some of the faculty below.
NEALE WHITTAKER
Neale has spent the last 15 years developing his own unique brand of movement, fusing contemporary, commercial and street style techniques. This unique style led him to choreograph and perform on hit TV programs like SYTYCD, Dancing With the Stars, Australia’s Got Talent, ABC3’s Dance Academy and The ARIA’s.
In 2010 Neale and his business partner James Barry created PHLY CREW, Australia’s leading comedy dance company, representing Australia at HipHop International and World of Dance, they are well known in Sydney for creating productions like The Phlycrew Show, PhlyCrew 2.0, Phly Crew Live and featured as grand finalist on Australia’s Got Talent.
Neale’s talent for teaching and choreography has lead him to instruct workshops all over the world including, New Zealand, Singapore and Switzerland. This lead Neale to becoming one of School Spectacular’s Hip Hop Choreographers.
He continued his working relationship with many choreographers and has performed/choreographed in many unique experiences including those for; BMW in Beijing, Katy Perry, ARIAS performance with Tones and I, Rembrandt Live choreographed by Kelley Abbey and featured soloist on Australia’s The Voice for Jennifer Hudson.
ELLIE ASHE
Passionate about inspiring the next generation of dancers to reach their full potential, Ellie has dedicated her life to training and choreographing dance for the last 15 years. Holding her Bachelor of Education, Ellie focuses on giving a plethora of knowledge to her students, encouraging a positive mindset, carefully prepared technical training programs alongside a strong focus on developing artistry and movement quality within dancers. Ellie is the owner and Artistic Director of ELITE PERFORMANCE STUDIOS in the Northern Beaches of Sydney,
which is the home of many successful dancers past and present. Ellie is the founder of the Talent Development Program and ELITE Academy where she trains her students daily and further develops her choreographic work.
Over the last decade, Ellie has had students graduate ELITE to go onto successful careers and professional contracts straight out of Year 12. Ellie has also had multiple students win many nationally recognised competitions and awards with students winning trips to travel internationally to Europe & America to represent Australia at
the highest level of dance for their age groups with her choreography. Ellie has also travelled nationally & internationally to choreograph, teach her technique programs and share her award-winning choreography. Ellie has had students appear or perform in: Annie the Musical, Royal Caribbean Productions, Tina Turner the Musical, School of
Rock the Musical, Pippin the Musical, Little Big Shots Channel 7, Don Quixote with the Victorian State Ballet, The Dream Dance Company - Singapore Tour and much more. Ellie has choreographed for numerous TVC, music videos, movement direction, and creative direction for networks and major brands. Ellie’s choreography has won
numerous national titles including the 2023 GTB Choreographer of the year award and also choreographing the winning routine for ADF Australia’s Best Dance Crew 2023.
Ellie has been fortunate enough to be a frequent judge at numerous dance competitions where she loves to pass on her knowledge to the next generation.
IVY CHUNG
Ms. Ivy Chung started professional career in 1993 as a graduate from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, working with renowned artists all over the world and winning three Favorite Dancer awards from the Friends of Hong Kong Ballet. She founded her own school and ballet company in Hong Kong in 2002. In 2013, Ms. Chung was appointed Honorary President of Hong Kong Youth Art Appreciation Association and Adjudicator of Hong Kong Dance Federation. In 2014, Ivy founded the international dance education and competition organization Canaan Dance, which is supported by significant ballet organizations from all over the world. In 2018, she also received the Award for Outstanding Dance Artist from the Hong Kong Dance Federation for her work in developing the ballet scene in Hong Kong.
Five years ago, Ivy founded the Asia Ballet Academy (ABA) in Malaysia which focuses on the Vaganova method she will be teaching in the Professional Ballet Program here at Stagelights. ABA has been voted as the number one ballet school in Kuala Lumpur by Tally Press, and she was selected by British Publishing House to be featured in the Successful People in Malaysia in recognition of her work in the development of Ballet in Malaysia. She is also a Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance, The Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing, and the Russian Ballet Association.
Ms. Chung is an incredibly accomplished, world-renowned performer-turned-teacher of ballet, with decades of achievement in the international ballet world. More details about Ms. Chung can also be found on her website at https://www.asiaballetacademy.com/ms-ivy-chung.
Katharine Mantle
After studying all facets of dance from leading teachers at a young age, Katharine received full teaching qualifications from The Royal Academy Of Dance.
Katharine’s focus to provide the best possible training has led her to visit and attend course run by leading international teachers and training institutions.
In 2016 she attended teacher training at The Paris Opera Ballet Schools and subsequently was invited back twice more in 2017 to learn more in depth about the French training style from the school’s prestigious teachers.
Recently in 2018 she completed all 6 modules of The Royal Ballet Schools inspire teacher training course.
Students Katharine has trained have gone on to be accepted into – The Australian Ballet School, The Hamburg Ballet School, The English National Ballet School, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Balletschule Theater Basel, The New Zealand School of Dance, WAAPA and Sydney Dance Company PPY along with many more. Graduated students have also secured professional contracts with Royal Caribbean Cruises and junior company positions with Mystic Ballet Company USA.
Past and present students have attained outstanding examination, scholarship and eisteddfod results. They have also been finalist or prize winners prestigious competitions both nationally and internationally.
Katharine has a keen interest in choreography and her greatest joy is seeing her students reach their full potential.
BEC CONDINO
JESS BERRY
MORE TO ANNOUNCE SOON!