A safe haven for growth: in dance and for life.

More than just a ballet school…

Here at Ballet & Dance Arts Tasmania, we provide a safe and nurturing environment for your child to artistically thrive. We encourage and foster an appreciation and love of dance within a supportive network that is our BDAT family. The realisation of potential and fulfilment of future goals and personal aspirations are all individually catered for as each child is considered and cared for in their unique dance journey. To us, success isn’t defined by winning medals or trophies. Success is the development of a strong, resilient, independent and confident human being.

To us, dance is more than just steps…

 

Classes for enjoyment, formal qualifications or both.

Classical Ballet Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus

Mini Ballerina

Jason Winters Contemporary Syllabus

Examination & Audition

Preparation

Stretch, Fitball & Jazz

Private Tuition & Performance Opportunities

Our Team

Jacquelyne France-Marsden

Principal ~ ARAD RAD RTS

Jacquelyne France-Marsden is a fully qualified Royal Academy of Dance Registered Teacher. She holds her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies and completed her Advanced 2 examination with Distinction in 2006 and is also a graduate of University of Tasmania with a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences. She received her dance training predominantly from the Tasmanian Academy of Dance (TAD) and the Morikawa Satomi Ballet Academy (Hiroshima, Japan). She began as a Teacher’s Assistant at the age of 17 at TAD and later took on the Senior Student arm of the school in her late 20’s. Her teaching experience spans close to 20 years, culminating in taking over TAD whereby it became as it is now, Ballet & Dance Arts Tasmania.

Jacquelyne has also taught interstate and abroad. In 2010, she spent some time in Townsville, Queensland teaching adult ballet classes at Dance North studios and Bell Academy of Dance; in 2019 she returned to Hiroshima to guest teach at Morikawa Satomi Ballet Academy.

Jacquelyne is also actively involved in the local musical theatre scene where she has choreographed six Encore Theatre Company productions which include, Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Wicked, Les Miserables, Chicago and Jersey Boys.

Jacquelyne has been nominated five times and awarded twice for Best Choreography in the Tasmanian Theatre Awards. She is the recipient of the 2019 Tasmanian Theatre Award for Best Choreography for Les Miserables and the 2023 recipient for Best Choreography for Chicago.

Jacquelyne believes it’s an honor to continue the tradition of developing young dancers and encouraging their love and appreciation for dance in the beautiful studios at Mann Street, where she spent her childhood.

Ruby Waddle

Ruby Waddle (better known as Miss Ruby by our lovely students) is an elegant dancer, she is a graduate of Ballet & Dance Arts Tasmania and successfully completed her Advanced 2 RAD examination in 2018. Throughout her childhood she has been performing on stage participating in annual ballet concerts and eisteddfods.

Miss Ruby teaches the Jason Winters’ Contemporary Syllabus, Mini-Ballerina and provides additional coaching support for students in RAD exam preparation and eisteddfod work.

Guest Teacher ~

Susan Hill Henning LRAD ARAD

The BDAT family are thrilled to have Ms Hill at our studios coaching students in their final preparations for their RAD ballet exams. Susan is a freelance teacher who has recently relocated to Tasmania from Melbourne.

Susan’s dance teaching training was at the Royal Academy of Dance in London graduating with the College Graduation Certificate and Diploma for Licentiate. An experienced teacher of 35 years teaching classical ballet to all levels from the very young beginner in the RAD Grades levels to the dedicated male and female students at the Vocational levels. Susan is a former RAD Children Examiner examining in Australia and internationally. In 2006 she was appointed as a RAD Faculty of Education Classical Ballet Teaching Studies CBTS tutor – Practical Teaching Supervisor and at the same time a Freelance Faculty member class teacher of RAD student courses.

Susan is a qualified Pilates Mat Instructor specializing in the strength training of ballet technique through the Pilates method for young dancers.

Guest Teacher ~ Talia Fidra

The BDAT Family warmly welcome former Queensland Ballet dancer, Talia Fidra to our Guest Teaching faculty.

Born in Sydney, Talia Fidra began dancing at the age of four. While training under Prudence Bowen, Atelier, in The Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, she won the silver medal in the 2016 Adeline Genee International Ballet Competition.

In 2017, she began full time training at the Queensland Ballet Academy, in Brisbane, Queensland, on the Paulette Carson Scholarship. Fidra joined the Queensland Ballet Company in 2018, as a young artist, at age 17, the youngest contracted dancer in the company’s history. In 2019 she was promoted to company artist.

Talia has performed on many world class stages including, Lincoln Center Theatre, New York, The Sydney Opera House, The National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing, Shanghai Hongqial Performing Arts Centre and Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, among others.

During 2019-2021 Fidra taught ballet to the QB Junior Friends. She was also an ambassador for the Company featuring in several social media platforms, marketing photoshoot and filmed events as well as educational workshops. Fidra was also a guest teacher for the QB junior friends at local ballet schools around Queensland. QBA also featured Talia in several teaching seminars as a guest speaker and ballet dance demonstrator across Australia for ballet technique and character dance throughout her student years.

Fidra has taught and choreographed ballet throughout her life, starting from a young age. This includes teaching peers private ballet classes, strengthen and conditioning and creating ballet class audition videos.

Talia has also choreographed ballet solos and contemporary pieces on herself, performing these creations in many competitions including 2016 YAGP finals, New York.