Maya Sheridan - Martinez
Maya is a versatile performer and choreographer with over 20 years experience in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, and Contemporary dance.From an early age, she was recognized and singled out by her teachers to travel and study intensively with Dance class masters from India and Mongolia. This was the beginning of her attraction to World dance styles with her mother’s influence as a traditional Javanese Dancer. In 1995 on his Australian tour she was chosen by Dance Master Kofi Walker from Jamaica to feature as principle dancer of his company “The Afro Caribbean Dance Theatre”, touring Australia performing and holding master classes in Dance schools and universities. Maya went on to study under and work with other well known influences of global dance throughout her career like Paul Saliba, Shirley Sweeney, Naisda, QLD Folkloric Dance Association and Bangarra Dance Theatre. Maya is the most popular Dancehall instructor in Sydney with her consistently busy classes. She also specialises in many African derived dance styles such as Afro-Caribbean and West African and featured in a lead acting role in the Australian Feature film “Resistance” directed by Hugh Keays Byrne of Mad Max fame. Recently she was a Principle Soloist at the International World FIFA congress (Opera House), starred in the So You think you can dance advertisement and her choreography credits include Sydney’s Annual Chinese New Year Parade, Apple, Verve Media, Nine MSN and videoclips for artists such as Kid Confucious and Vassy. To watch some videos of her work click here.
Sergio Montoya
Sergio knocked our socks off in 1991 taking out the Grand Final Prize of the Hit television show Starsearch (click here for vids) as he was the only street dancer to win over all other categories including traditionally trained dancers. He started Australia's first Professional Break Dance Crew, The United Break Team, who toured with the World famous Rock Steady Crew in '84. Sergio and The United Break Team were Puma's No 1 endorsees and first non-sport group to be sponsored, touring the country appearing in videoclips and on TV. Lead Dancer and Choreography credits include: Radio Freedom, Teen Queens, Peter Andre ,Edrenalin and more. Sergio Montoya also represented Australia in the Planet 1997 dance championships which was held in Kuala Lumpar where he came a respectable 3rd. in 1990 Sergio entered the national Rebook dance championships and won the event in a nationwide search to find Australia's hottest dancer. From 2000 - 2003 Sergio Montoya was employed at Fox Studios Australia as a full time performer, entertainer and choreographer...his ability to work on stage, television and live events gives him the eqperience to excel in a visual art form that knows no bounds. Hip Hop, break dance, popping, locking, Jazz, Tap and body isolations are his speacialities. Recent choreography: Apple, Verve Media, Nine MSN. To watch some videos of his work click here.
Heloise
Heloise is a versatile performer & choreographer having danced since she was 3yrs old. Originally trained in ballet, tap & jazz Heloise's thirst and passion for dance saw her constantly learning and developing her skills accross a vast range of genres. London born with a Jamaican background music and dance has surrounded Heloise from the day she was born. Heloise is one of Sydney's Top dancehall teachers/ choreographers, is developing her own brand of Dance Fitness and is a Zumba instructor. Heloise has an extensive performance background throughout Sydney & Internationally which has seen her work with a number of large clients including United Distillers, The opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics, Dancer & Choreographer for International artist Marvin Priest (Maxi's son), and national Australian tours with DJ Nino Brown and his Blazin Tour. With two teaching degrees and an award for best Junior Teacher of the State, she currently teaches a programme in pre-schools for dance development that she has created. Having taught at the infamous Pineapple Dance Studios in London and with Heloise's extensive background and knowledge of various styles enables her to keep her classes fresh and unique and her passion for dance is obvious in her energetic and infectious teaching style.
Paul Saliba
Paul Saliba danced with the Australian Ballet for nine years working under three artistic directors, Peggy van Praagh, Robert Helpmann and Anne Woolliams. While with the Australian Ballet Saliba also choreographed for company workshops along with colleagues Ian Spink, John Meehan, Leigh Warren and Graeme Murphy. His first work was Ties. Several others followed including Rapid Transit in 1977 made for Dance Horizons, a program to honour Dame Peggy van Praagh. In 1976 he received the Robert Helpmann scholarship and studies in New York taking classes from Dance greats Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey. In 1978 he made his first work for Sydney Dance Company, And you came too. He eventually joined Sydney Dance in 1980 appearing in an array of works for the company including Daphnis and Chloe in which he danced the role of Pan, Viridian, Rumours, An Evening,Wilderness and Poppy. During this time he also continued to choreograph making, for example, a solo called One and a group work, Interiors, both in 1980. After leaving Sydney Dance Company Saliba joined NAISDA College as principal dance teacher. At NAISDA he taught, choreographed for students and acted as course director for more than 20 years. Paul is a pioneer of Global fusion and contemporary dance in australia and many great teachers and dancers have been taught by him. His classes are inspirational infusing his dynamic and exciting energy into a style that is enjoyed by both professional dancers and students.
Giselle Peacock
For the past 20 years Giselle has devoted her life to the world of competitive ballroom dancing, training with some of the top coaches in the world (Jason Gilkison being a main one ). Over her career she has captured many titles such as 4 time United States Champion ,2 times world representative , 2nd in the Blackpool Dance Festival ,(the olympics of ballroom dancing) and 1st in the International British Championships held in England . In addition to ballroom she has trained , studied and choreographed in various dance styles including ballet , jazz, hip hop, contemporary, modern dance , salsa and swing / lindy .
Giselle has appeared on U.S. television dance shows such as ''So You Think You Can Dance " Dancing With The Stars ", The secret World of Ballroom Dancing ", and with her partner Henry Byalikov, captured a bronze medal in the show "Super Stars Of Dance". She also did the 1st Dancing With The Stars Tour in the U.S.
For the past 4 years she has been one of the lead ladies in the Broadway show "Burn the Floor" capturing rave reviews from all over the globe. She is now teaching and assisting Jason Gilkison here in Sydney where they have choreographed numbers for this years full timers at Brent Street and Jason Colemens, Ministry of Dance .
Cory To'o
Cory started dancing at a very young age and was offered a full scholarship to attend ED5 International, but finished the course at Brent Street. Cory is also 1 half of The Brotherhood ! Australia's Newest Entertainment Business ! Cory has performed all over Australia and Internationally with Kylie Minogue, Alexis Jordon ,Olivia Newton-John, Ke$ha, Kelly Rowland, Prinnie, Rogue Traders, Napoleon Perdis, George Michael, Tina Arena,Cassie Davis, Zoe Badwi, Lilly Allen, Guy Sebastion, Paulini, Marcia Hines, Natalie Bassingthwaite, Amanda Lapore and has recently just finished The Next Step Tour 2010. He also travelled internationally with The House Of GaGa, was a host on the MTV show at Dreamworld Australia and was a part of the Australian team on Disney channel's "Camp Rock, The Tasman".. Work on goddess.com and now works for music artist as an artistic director / choreographer Cory is known for his crazy tricks, bright personality and qwerky sence of style which gives him the Nickname "Monkey
Kamaile
Born in San Jose, California, she has managed to move all around the world including Italy, Sweden and now her current home here in Sydney, Australia. At a young age, Kamaile started a love affair with the Hawaiian culture ever since her family starting taking their annual vacations on the island of Maui. She decided to take it to the next level and enrolled in hula school at Hula Halau 'O Pi'ilani. Later, she joined Tahiti Nui, a local Polynesian dance company, serving the entire San Francisco Bay Area. This is where Kamaile truly found her Hawaiian sisters and immersed herself in the culture, language, food and dance, even receiving her traditional Hawaiian name. Since she moved to Sydney, she joined Tahiti Dance Company, but still manages to perform with Tahiti Nui when back in the States.
Hernan Yoia
born in Argentina, raised in South-Western Sydney) had no choice but to fall in love with music and dance from birth! Hernan's Latin roots have always held strong and been the foundations to the path that has lead to his dancing, music creating and vocal career pursuit as an MC. From Latin dancing at the tender age of 6 under his mother's tutelage of Flamenco through to break dancing to NWA and Public Enemy in the 80's, MC Hernan then picked up the microphone and composed his own messages of empathy, awareness and public progression. This dancer-vocalist-song writer come MC is a social commentator, fighting against the system. Lyrically gifted, always moving forward with eyes open, he was instrumental in formulating the early success of the first highly popular Uber-Lingua parties in sydney. His music influences have now mutated and also combine reggae, with the mash of Latin Hip-Hop and regularly find their way into his class playlists. This multi-talented artist is full of grace and very passionate about his teaching which he has learned through his mothers' dance school and continues to bring the real meaning of Hip Hop to the people teaching a variety of of people in the community including Atlas 1, a performance group of autistic and down syndrome children.
Garibaldi De Lisle Simono
Garibaldi Delisle Simono was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba in 1973. At 11 years old he began his training as a dancer at the Vocational School of Art. In 1988 he was accepted into the National School of Art in Havana. In 1990 at the age of 17 he was chosen to choreograph the performance to celebrate the 30th year anniversary of the Cuban Force Army Revolution. In 1992 he was chosen to tour Finland under the direction on Narciso Medina. In 1993 he choreographed the show for the Cuban Independence Day. In 1993 he was chosen to be part of the Cuban Dance Company directed by Eduardo Rivero Walker, where he performed as a soloist various classics of the Cuban modern dance such as Sulkary Okantomi. In 1994 he toured and performed in Belize to great national and international recognition. in the following years he became a teacher of afrocuban folkloric dance with Juan de Dios Ramos Moreton. A year later he became a soloist in this company. In 1997 he traveled to Mexico with this company. In 1998 he toured Germany with the show, Havana Nights. During this time he defected and spent the next 18 months dancing in Spain. In 2000 he made his way to Australia where he has been teaching and dancing with various companies. In 2008 he spent three months in American where he taught at the San Francisco Mission Dance School and performed with Alayo Dance Company and also Robert Moses Dance Company.
Christine Yoia
Christine Yoia has grown up under her mother's tutelage and is a 2nd generation flamenco artist and performer. Her mother originally from Argentina, sought to bring her culture with her, when she migrated to Australia, starting her own dance school which has graduated many aspiring and professional dancers and is still going strong today. Christine loves to Dance, the styles of classical ballet,flamenco,contemporary,jazz,hip hop, modern,tango,cuban and salsa. She trained in all levels of Classical Cecchetti and RAD training at The Macdonald College, GGY school of dance, The well-known Colon theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Brentstreet Studios in Sydney. Currently a ballet and flamenco teacher at GGY School of Dance she is also a contemporary and ballet Choreographer which is her passion. The one thing that makes her happy in this world is when she is on stage dancing and inspiring other young dancers. Some of Christine's credits include 3 year show residency performing The flamenco show at The Spanish club, "Mission Impossible II" after party (Fox Studios), Fiesta Darling harbour, Sydney Motor Show, City of Sydney events and performances at The Sydney Opera House. Dancing is my life....Ole!
George Gill
Beginning in 2001, with a foray into aerobics, George has been instructing, Wining, for the past eight years. The class was first formulated in 2002, at the MICA Club, Potenza, Italy, with accreditation from the Italian Federation governing aerobics & weightlifting. Whether on the stage, or in a class setting, he has been always of the interest of getting people to move. Attending the Academmia Scharoff of Theatre, in Rome in 2002, he was able to continue his artistic progression, studying Corporeal Movement, and Dance for Musical Theatre. In 2003, he choreographed a stage performance for the Savelli theatre in Rome. This was followed by the musical, Grease, performed in MonteVerde, Rome, in the title role of Danny Zuco. Since arriving in Australia, George has performed in the role of musician, master of ceremony, comedian, dancer for bands such as One Love, Survival Reggae, Gervais Koffi & the African Diaspora, and Dance Company, Melange, having performed at festivals such as the Newtown Love Festival ’05,Williamstown Festival (VIC) ’06,Byron Bay Blues & Roots ’06, Peats Ridge ’06, Canberra World Festival ’08 and Woodford Dreaming Festival ‘08. Also, his association to the West Indian Community through CaribOz, has seen him lend his hand to raising awareness of the community through its fundraising, most recently in aid the Victoria Bushfire Victims.
