Meet The Bling Team
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Miss Toni Business Owner TAP TEACHER |
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Miss Toni has been teaching for the past twenty years, in Newcastle including eight years in Singleton and decided in 2008 to start her own studio and call it Bling Performing Arts. My passion for tap came from learning off the gifted Mr. Les Griffith whom was my tap teacher from the age of three, and I have great pleasure in teachers my pupils the Les Griffith Tap Dancing Syllabus. My love of dance comes through the children I teach and the pride of achieving wonderful results in dance, is both rewarding and special. I have always had a love for making the children shine on stage, bringing out their special qualities. I’m looking forward to fantastic years with Bling, warm and friendly Performing Arts Studio. TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN TO SHINE! | |
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Ben Read GUEST TAP TEACHER |
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Ben Read was trained by Les Griffith. As a 12 year old he was awarded the 'Future Fred Astaire' award at the Fred Astaire Performing Arts competition in Miami Florida. In 1990 Ben was a member of the Dein Perry's original tap workshop commissioned by the Australian Arts Council. His involvement in that workshop later presented the opportunity by way of invitation to be a member of the original cast of Tap Dogs. Ben performed in the Australian Touring productions of the Broadway Musicals '42nd Street' and 'Me and My Girl', and has performed at events such as the Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, the San Francisco 49ers 50th Anniversary, and the Princes Trust at Royal Albert Hall in London. From Ben's list of career highlights he considers the opportunity to perform with Stevie Wonder at Quincy Jones' 50th Anniversary Special in Los Angeles as one of the most memorable. Ben is a previous owner of a performing arts school in Sydney and has run tap workshops throughout Europe and North America. He has over 20 years experience teaching tap. Ben holds an arts degree and postgraduate law degree. He now works as a lawyer at Moray & Agnew in Newcastle. This is a privilege and an honour to have Ben on board with us, he brings an immense amount of talent and experience to the studio and we are extremely lucky to have him. Ben is not only a fantastic teacher and choreographer but a wonderful person as well, I know that you all will very much enjoy what you can learn and master under Ben's tutelage. | |
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Miss Danielle RAD BALLET, CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ AND HIP HOP TEACHER |
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Danielle started dancing at age 4, Trained in Classical Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop and Contemporary she studied 10 years with Tessa Maunder at the Robyn Turner ballet School and then studied three years fulltime dance with Marie Walton Mahon working with many choreographers like: Ted Miller, Karen Hudson, Debbie Linnert ( Guest choreographer of So you think you can dance)and Yanos Sabo. She also studied ballet with Simon Goldsmith ( Former Principal of the Australian Ballet) and studied hip hop in Sydney with Yannus Sufandi and many other guest choreographers. Danielle was an associate of the Australian ballet school for six years, Completed R.A.D ballet exams from pre-primary to Advanced 2 achieving distinction in every exam , she is an active after school care community coach and currently studying a two year coarse with the Royal Academy of Dance (based in London ) to complete the Certificate in teaching ballet studies coarse. Danielle started teaching with Bling in our first year and has taught at over six dance schools in the area. Danielle has a great passion for the art of dance and loves sharing it with others. | |
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Miss Candice RAD BALLET, CONTEMPORARY TEACHER
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Miss Candice began dancing at the age of three with the Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy. During the following 12 years Candice studied classical ballet (R.A.D.), character, contemporary/modern, jazz/lyrical & musical comedy. The exposure to numerous talented teachers has armed her with the skills and knowledge to support and train students in all aspects of dance. Miss Candice has completed up to and including her Advanced 1 vocational exam with a distinction and was received a distinction in all exams prior. She has regularly competed in eisteddfods and other competitions in both solo and group events with great results.
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Miss Kristen SPECIALIST JAZZ TEACHER
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She’s talented, energetic and her passion for dance and performance is contagious. Miss Kristen has a few feathers in her cap.. you may know her from the Drive program on KOFM, she studied at NIDA and has been teaching dance and drama for over 10 years. She is passionate about creating a warm and inspiring environment for our students and is the newest addition to Bling.
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Miss Ashlee TINY TOTS JAZZ & PRE PRIMARY BALLET TEACHER
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Miss Ashlee has been dancing since the age of five, studying a great variety of styles including Classical Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Musical Theatre and Hip Hop. She has received Distinctions in all examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance Syllabi from Primary to Advanced 1. Ashlee has performed in a number of Eisteddfods, both as a soloist and as a group member, receiving places and recognition in Sydney McDonalds Eisteddfod and Newcastle Eisteddfods. She has been taught for many years by Marie Walton Mahon at Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy. Ashlee currently studies under Debbie Linert (Ellis), renowned choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance, and has participated in workshops with Brett Morgan (Previous Director of Sydney Dance Company and the new Artist Director of Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy and The National College of Dance) Ashlee received a High Distinction in her HSC Dance subject which she completed at the young age of 15.
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Miss Meghan 'GLEE' DANCE TEACHER
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Meghan commenced dancing at the age of three with Pullars Dancing academy, studying Tap, Jazz and Ballet. At the age of four she competed in her first eisteddfod which was the start of being a championship and scholarship winner throughout the state for many years. When Meghan was 9 years of age she furthered her training at Robyn Hick School of Dance concentrating on her ballet and contemporary. It was here she had the priviledge of studying under Debbie Linnert (Ellis) guest choreographer of "So you think you can dance" During her training Meghan studied L.G.T.D.A and P.D.A Tap Syllabuses. She also studied the R.A.D Ballet syllabus. In 1999 Meghan featured in several musicals throughout the state including "Oklahoma" and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" In the year 2000 Meghan was chosen to be a featured lead dancer in the Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony alongside Dein Perry, Adam Garcia and The Tap Dogs. Meghan also began teaching in the same year. She has since taught Tap, Jazz, Contemporary and Hip Hop. Meghan specialised in teaching and choreographing solo, group eisteddfod routines and Technique Classes. Meghan has been offered several overseas contracts, countries including Hong Kong and Canada as a professional dancer. Meghan’s family have long been associated in Newcastle with the dance industry and her exposure and experience is an asset to Bling. | |
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Miss Shanaye LGTDA STUDENT TAP TEACHER |
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Miss Shanaye has been dancing at various dance schools for 11 years and joined Bling Performing Arts as a student in 2009, learning all styles of dance. Shanaye has just completed he LGTDA Tap exam with wonderful Results. CONGRATULATIONS. Miss Shanaye has assisted teaching tap and jazz. Miss Shanaye has been acting for 8 years at Young People's Theatre, participating in several shows, performing and backstage. In 2007, Shanaye received an encouragement award for her role in Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. Miss Shanaye has danced for the Jets Bomber Squad, Model For Life, the Hunter Pirates Basketball Team, Newcastle Show, Mattara festival, Carols by Candlelight at Speers Point Park and Hunter Valley Gardens numerous times. She has undertaken workshops with well known choreographers and dancers like Dean Perry (Tap Dogs) and Supple (So You Think You Can Dance) and in January 2012, Shanaye is attending a summer dance camp at Brent Street. In 2011, Miss Shanaye achieved Under 16s Tap Champion at Tamworth Eisteddfod and in September, she travelled to Los Angeles, USA with Bling America Troupe performing in Disneyland and Universal Studios. This cemented Shanaye's enthusiasm for dance and performing arts and Miss Shanaye is inspired to teach others what she has learnt. | |
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David Gray DRAMA TEACHER |
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David started life in 1993 in a small town outside Glasgow, Scotland. He tried his hand at soccer in his youth, but found, in his less-than-petite frame, he wasn’t particularly nimble. Through the realization that he wasn’t bound for the 11-a-side dream, he started his tuition as an actor in the upstairs front room of a man named Bill (who ran a drama class). David’s first role was a nameless and lineless orphan boy and street urchin Oliver! in the King’s Theatre with Glasgow’s infamous Apollo Players. David kept his interest going, appearing with small to a-bit-bigger-than-small roles in The King and I, The Sound of Music and Hello Dolly, until he moved to Australia in 2004 at age 10. In his primary school days in Australia, David was involved in public speaking (heightened by his authentic accent). In 2009, David found Young People’s Theatre where he has risen on the stage and behind the scenes. YPT is where he found his first principal role as the evil Chancellor Daemon, a performance “to make you shudder” (as Mr. Ken Longworth described) in The Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. Since then he was nominated for two CONDA's as Buttons in a pantomime version of Cinderella, The Monkey in The Jungle Book and as Mr Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. David now focuses on TheatreSports™, writing and direction. Fiddler is David's twentieth production. "For the past two years, David has been teaching drama at Young People's Theatre, as well as direction, stage management and accent and diction coaching." David is thrilled to be a part of Bling performing arts as our new Theatre teacher. | |
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Miss Stephanie Tuyl SINGING TEACHER |
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Stephanie has been taking singing lessons from Annabella Redman since the age of 16 years. She has sat for examinations from 4th grade up until 8th grade which afterward then she undertook her Certificate of Performance level in classical training. Stephanie is the lead singer of an independent group called 'Dolce' made of up myself and my two older sisters. We perform regularly at weddings, funerals and corporate functions. Stephanie has also helped out with conducting the Hunter Kids Sing prior to going on tour. Stephanie has been a member of The Australian Voices for almost 12 months touring with them in 2012 and 2013 to go on tours with them to the UK, China, USA, and around Australia. | |
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Monique De Hoop SINGING TEACHER |
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In 2010, Monique De Hoop graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Voice. During her time at the conservatorium, Monique took part in classes and workshops in vocal technique, language, coaching and vocal pedagogy.
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