The Original and the Best
Why us?
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The Original and the Best
When established in 1991, Cathy-Lea Academy of Performing Arts was unique in its performing arts curriculum. Over 25 years we have developed programs that offer students a comprehensive performing arts education and enable them to become the best they can be in their chosen genres. Cathy-Lea training has launched scores of young performers into careers in Dance, Musical Theatre, Dance Medicine and Performing Arts Education. 25 years on, Cathy-Lea still offers "the works" in performing arts education from teachers who are experts in their fields, be it Dance, Music or Drama. All Abilities. All Needs. Our all-abilities philosophy, inclusive practices and streamed classes for specific needs enable us to teach talented elite students in our Elite Training Program, recreational students in our general classes, students with disabilities either in mainstream or in a supported settings and male students in boys' only classes or mixed-gender groups. We also have students of varied cultural backgrounds across all our programs and teach tolerance and respect of others' in our programs. Awesome Opportunities For 30 years Cathy-Lea has been committed to offering children exceptional opportunities in the performing arts. She has directed plays, musicals, Rock Eisteddfods, dance productions, concerts, cabarets and community performances. In 2015 alone, Cathy-Lea students performed in Disneyland Hong Kong and competed in an international Hip Hop competition, finishing in the top 14 in the world in their division! Students from the Elite Training Program won every aggregate award and the overall teachers’ aggregate at the Southern Dance Festival in September. All this as well as music soirees, a musical production, concerts and performances at Berwick Show, a retirement home, inter-school galas, DCI and other community events. Limited Class Sizes Classes are limited to a maximum of 16 students in large studios with smaller numbers in smaller spaces. We employ assistant teachers as required to ensure we re able to meet the individual learning needs of all children. |
Outstanding Outcomes
Cathy-Lea has had a reputation for excellence for 25 years. Students achieve many awards each year. Here is sample of what students achieved in 2018: Emily Woolcock 2nd Senior Tap, 2nd Inter Jazz - ATOD Victorian Scholarships “Most Outstanding Performer” most points awarded for age group, 1st Jazz, 2nd Lyrical, 3rd Hip Hop - ATOD International Competition 2nd up tempo, 2nd down tempo solos – Dance Star State Finals 3rd Senior Contemporary Championship, 1st Tap, 1st Hip Hop, 2nd Jazz – Moe 1st Hip Hop, 1st Tap – SFD Competition 3rd Lyrical - West Gippsland Dance Festival 2nd Hip Hop - Southern Dance Festival 1st Tap, 2nd Hip Hop, 2nd Jazz – Jump Dance Competition 1st Jazz, 1st Jazz Improvisation, 3rd Lyrical - Cecchetti Choreographic Competition Member of Jump Dance team at Victorian Dance Festival Honours with Distinction Gold Star Jazz, Honours Elementary Seal Star Tap U16 Adjudicator’s Award at Casey comps Jessica Ryan 1st Jazz - ATOD Victorian Scholarships 2nd Jazz - ATOD Victorian Scholarships 1st Choreographic Championship & HM Jazz Championship – Southern Dance Festival Runner up Jazz Championship – Moe Eisteddfod 1st Jazz solo with 5th highest score of event - Jump Dance Challenge 1st Classical, 1st Jazz - Southern Dance Festival 1st Classical - Moe Eisteddfod 1st Lyrical solo - West Gippsland Dance Festival Honours with 100% - Cecchetti Ballet grade 6 exam Honours with Distinction - ATOD Jazz exam Honours Plus - ATOD Tap exam 2018 Junior Cecchetti Scholar Australian Ballet Junior Extension Program Zoe Smith 3rd Senior Tap - ATOD Australasian scholarships 1st Senior Tap, HC Inter Jazz - ATOD Victorian Scholarships Honours with 92.5% - Advanced 1 Cecchetti Ballet exam Honours Plus - ATOD Elementary Jazz Exam, Honours - ATOD Elementary Seal Tap 1st Jazz, 1st Tap, Gold for Tap syllabus, Gold for Jazz syllabus solos - ATOD International Competition 1st Lyrical, 3rd Tap, HM Senior Jazz championship, HM Senior Tap championship and HM Choreographic championship - Southern Dance Festival 1st Lyrical, 2nd Tap, 3rd senior Jazz championship - Phoenix Dance Festival 1st Lyrical - West Gippsland Dance Festival 1st Tap, 1st Jazz, 1st Lyrical - SFD Competition 1st down tempo solo with 2nd highest score of competition, 1st Contemporary troupe - Dance Star national finals Cari Weybury 1st Sub Junior Tap, HM Sub Junior Jazz - ATOD Victorian Scholarships 3rd Sub Junior Tap - ATOD Australasian Scholarships Honours with 100% - grade 5 Cecchetti Ballet exam Honours with Distinction – ATOD Silver Star Tap exam Honours with Distinction – ATOD Silver Medal Jazz exam 2nd Tap Solo, 3rd Jazz Solo, 3rd Lyrical Solo – Moe Eisteddfod 2nd Jazz Solo, 3rd Lyrical Solo, 3rd Classical Solo – Energy Dance Competition 1st Jazz Duo, 2nd Lyrical Solo – SFD competition 1st Jazz Duo - Southern Dance Festival Bella Vohs 4th Junior Tap - ATOD Victorian scholarships Finalist – Junior Tap ATOD Australasian scholarships Honours with 100% - Grade 6 Cecchetti Ballet exam Honours with Distinction - ATOD Gold Medal Tap exam Honours - ATOD Silver Star Jazz exam 3rd Tap and 3rd Tap Duo – SFD Competition 2nd Tap Duo – Southern Dance Festival 2nd Ballet - West Gippsland Dance Festival 3rd Jazz Duo - Casey Competition Tara Smith 2nd Tap, 4th Jazz - ATOD Victorian Scholarships 4th Jazz, 4th Tap - ATOD Australasian Scholarship 2nd Jazz, 2nd Tap, HM Lyrical, gold medal Jazz and Tap exam solo section - ATOD International competition 2nd Tap - SFD Competition Honours with 92% - Advanced 1 Cecchetti Ballet exam Honours with Distinction - ATOD Elementary Jazz exam 1st Contemporary troupe - Dance Star national finals Ella Morrison Honourable Mention in Cecchetti Medal Awards Honours with 100% - Cecchetti Ballet grade 6 exam Honours with Distinction for ATOD Tap & Jazz exams 2018 Cecchetti Junior Scholar Australian Ballet Junior Extension Program Beaconhills Dance Scholar Lyrical troupe performer at Victorian Dance Festival Zoe Searles 3rd Tap - ATOD Victorian Scholarships 4th Tap - ATOD Australasian Scholarships 1st Lyrical, 2nd Tap, 2nd Jazz, 3rd Tap - Energy Competition 3rd Tap Duo - SFD Competition 2nd Tap Duo - Southern Dance Festival Honours with Distinction - ATOD Gold Medal Jazz exam Honours with Distinction - ATOD Gold Star Tap exam Emma Ryan Honours - Advanced 1 Cecchetti Ballet Exam, ATOD Elementary Jazz 1st Tap Duo – SFD Competition & Southern Dance Festival Multiple Jazz, Tap & Lyrical Duo placings Multiple ballet, character, lyrical, jazz, own choreography & champion section placings Represented school at Bunjil Place in ‘Schools on Stage’ The following students competed Advanced examinations with Honours in 2018: Advanced Jazz - Holy Neale, Isabel Hawthorne Advanced 1 Classical - Zoe Smith, Tara Smith, Emma Ryan, Angelina Christos |
Staff
The teaching staff at Cathy-Lea are all experts in their fields including highly qualified educators and trainers, sports medicine practitioners and current performing arts industry professionals.
Graduates
Every year, Cathy-Lea graduates are accepted into full-time performing arts courses. We currently have graduates training at the Australian Ballet School, the Victorian College of the Arts, the Ministry of Dance, Melbourne City Ballet, Patrick Studios Australia, Kelly Aykers Studios, Spectrum Dance, Transit Dance and Collarts University. Several of our graduates also pursue careers in performing arts education with some owning their own studios and working in schools.
Facilities
Cathy-Lea Studios include specialised Dance, Music and Drama facilities in Narre Warren, opposite Fountain Gate Shopping Centre and Casey ARC. These were the original purpose-built dance studios in the region and undergo regular renovations to ensure the dance floors and environs are kept at top professional and modern standards.
Dance
Cathy-Lea offers "The Works" in Dance styles including Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Commercial and Acrobatics for Elite and Recreational students...
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Cathy-Lea Dance, Music and Drama Works is the leader in performing arts education in Melbourne’s South-East
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© Copyright Cathy-Lea 2016
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