TEACHERS
SHELLEY EBEYER (ARAD) - DIRECTOR OF EDS
YOUTH BALLET, CONTEMPORARY, JFH, ACROBATICS, TAP & ADULT JFH
Shelley Ebeyer is the Director of Expression Dance School. She trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School (Canada), Elmhurst Ballet School (England) and at The McDonald College (Australia). There she was trained in Classical Ballet (R.A.D, Cecchetti and I.S.T.D), Modern, Jazz (I.S.T.D), Hip-Hop, Tap and Contemporary.
Shelley’s performance credits include ‘The Nutcracker’ with the Alberta Ballet Company, she has danced with one of Australia’s leading dance-in-education companies Darc Swan Dance Company where it saw her touring nationally performing onstage and at school’s Contemporary pieces by Director/ Choreographer Chris Jannides. Shelley has also performed in the pantomime ‘The Dancing Princesses’ in London, she was a dancer at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in the Tom Jones Concert, performed with Australian Idol Paulini Curuenavuli and has performed in numerous corporate and concert shows around Sydney.
Shelley has her A.R.A.D, R.A.D Teachers Certificate and is a Mentor for the Royal Academy of Dance.
BRANDON VAN OOSTEN - YOUTH HIP HOP
Brandon is a graduate from Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School. Since then, Brandon has been working consistently as a Hip Hop Dancer and is a member of the well established Hip Hop Crew - Kookies N Kream.
The crew entered Australia's Got Talent and reached Grand Finals and have been rocking' ever since. He has performed all over Australia and is about to head overseas to Arizona where his crew will compete at the World's Hip Hop Competition.
Brandon continues to teach at many dance schools around Sydney where he inspires to possess a unique understanding of different strength and conditioning hip hop techniques.
FYNN AVERY - YOUTH HIP HOP & BREAK-DANCE
Fynn has been trained in all styles of Hip Hop by some great choreographers such as Scott Forsyth, Jet Valencia, James Fenwick and many more.
Fynn has been working consistently as a Hip Hop Dancer and is a member of the well established Hip Hop Crew - Kookies N Kream. The crew was one of the Grand Finalists on Australia's Got Talent 2019, the group has also won the Hip Hop Worlds Championship 2 x times and are currently Battleground National Champions.
Apart from Kookies N Kream, Fynn is also part of 'No Flex' Hip Hop Crew who are currently ranked 19th best in the world after currently competing at HHI in Arizona 2018.
Fynn and his dance partner Amin are currently ranked as the 2nd best duo in NSW for World Supremacy Battlegrounds.
CHRISTOPHER FAVALORO - YOUTH BALLET & CONTEMPORARY
Christopher Favaloro, originally from Sydney, studied at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, and further continued his studies at Ev & Bow Full-time Dance Training Centre. At 18, he represented Sydney Dance Company for the International Mayors’ Congress commissioned by APEC. In the same year, Christopher joined Melbourne Ballet Company as a soloist for their 2008 and 2009 seasons, Emerge and Believe.
In 2009, Christopher was one of a select few accepted into the Cirque Du Soleil database, and was also awarded his Solo Seal by the Royal Academy of Dance. Christopher then went on to assist Sarah Boulter in teaching the top 4 contestants for the television show, So You Think You Can Dance Australia (Season 2 & 3). Soon after, he began touring Australia with Jerome Robbins’ timeless classic, West Side Story as Shark boy, Anxious in 2010 & 2011.
In 2012, Christopher joined Mod Dance Company as a Principal Dancer under the direction of Brett Morgan and Graeme Murphy performing signature works by Graeme Murphy entitled Suite Synergy.
Throughout his career, Christopher has performed and toured in several shows with Opera Australia across Australia. These include Baz Luhrmann’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merry Widow, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute by Julie Taymor, Orpheus in the Underworld, Ballo, The Love of Three Oranges and Graeme Murphy’s Aida.
From 2014-2018, Christopher toured internationally with Cats - The Musical in the iconic role, Mr. Mistoffelees to great acclaim. Since returning to Australia, Christopher regularly guest teaches and adjudicates throughout Australia and internationally.
DAMIEN GRIMA - ADULT SENIOR TAP
Damien Grima began his training at the age of six, at Theatre Arts Mackay under the direction of Lynette Denny. Starting with tap, he then moved onto all styles including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Acrobatics, Drama and Singing.
After completing his CSTD Gold Cross and RAD Intermediate exams he then moved to Melbourne to train at the Australian Ballet School. Here he also performed some small roles with the Company.
Damien's first full time dance job was with Princess Cruises, which resulted in a few fill in contracts in the years that followed. In between these Damien worked as a commercial dancer for ads in Taiwan, Star Struck on Ch 9, The Helpmann Awards as well as two contracts with Opera Australia.
SHAY BROMFIELD - YOUTH & ADULT TAP
Shay began dancing at the age of 5 at Stageworx School of Dance, it was here that Shay developed her love for dance and performing. During her time at Stageworx, Shay studied Classical Ballet, Jazz and Tap (Glenn Wood Syllabus). Later moving to Off Center Dance Co to further train in Lyrical, Contemporary and Commercial styles of Dance.
Shay continued to develop her love for dance through her high school years, earning many performing arts awards. During her HSC years, Shay volunteered to teach the dance team at a local primary school which quickly sparked a love of teaching.
Shay has the ability to create a fun and welcoming learning environment whilst also ensuring development in both technique and performance
LIV REILLY - YOUTH LYRICAL, CONTEMPORARY, MUSICAL THEATRE, JFH & TAP
Liv originally hails from Brisbane and has grown up in a family-owned Dance School on the Northside (Reilly Dance Academy). Throughout her training, Liv was heavily involved with Brisbane City Youth Ballet and Harvest Rain Theatre Company; she also trained at Queensland Dance School of Excellence (2013-2015).
In 2016 Liv relocated to Sydney to continue her training at Ed5 International, after 2 years of intense full time training, graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts.
Along with Dancing and Singing, Liv has worked on various Film and TV sets of the likes of Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales (Walt Disney Pictures), Mako Island (Jonathan M. Shiff) and Reefbreak (ABC studios International DISNEY media distribution).
Working closely with industry professionals from Choreographers to Directors to Actors- Liv possesses the tools and knowledge to create artistic pieces and inspire through movement.
MOIRA CALLANAN - YOUTH BALLET
Moira has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She has studied all different styles of dance from Ballet Jazz and Irish dancing to name a few.
She has studied under Joan and Monica Halliday in the early days before attending Full time ballet at Alegria with Hillary Kaplan and then Brent Street with Christine Keith and Kim Reeder where she received Distinction in her Advanced 2 and Achieving her RAD teachers certificate.
Moira then went to study an Associate Degree of Dance at the Queensland University of Technology and graduated in 2005. During this time she was also continuing to compete in Irish Dancing competitions and achieved the highest placing of 2nd at the state championships and 10th at the National championships.
Injuries ended Moira's ballet career earlier than expected so she turned to teaching. She has taught at many dance schools around Brisbane and eventually returned to Sydney to continue to teach.
Whist injured Moira completed a full studio qualification in Pilates specialising in Rehab and is currently studying a bachelor in Clinical Exercise Physiology at the University of New England where she is hoping she can use her Pilates knowledge as well as
Moira returned to Irish Dancing and competed in the State and National titles placing in the top 5 for 3 years as well as competing in the North American National titles and competing in the World Championships in 2012, Moira retired from competition after completing her Irish Dancing teachers and achieved Honors.
She continues to teach Irish Dancing and owns her school the Callanan Academy of Dance whilst still teaching Pilates and Ballet.
KATE STODDARD - YOUTH TAP & JFH
Kate has danced since the age of 4, starting with ballet and then studying tap, jazz and contemporary styles throughout her school years. She attended and trained at Buckingham Dance School and then Central School of Dance in Newcastle. She completed a Bachelor Teaching (Primary Education)/Bachelor of Arts at University of Newcastle, majoring in Creative and Performing Arts.
In 2011 Kate moved to Sydney to teach full-time. Alongside classroom teaching, she also runs and teaches weekly dance workshops to varying age groups at the primary school. She also helped direct and choreograph for the school musicals and dance showcases.
Kate has performed on numerous occasions with Hillsong Church over the last decade, as a part of their Dance Performance team. She has helped choreograph and produce items, as well as dance for various events, including the annual Hillsong Conference held at Qudos Arena.
Kate has taken her dance and education training to other parts of the world, including Uganda in 2018. She lived there for 7 months and taught ballet, jazz, contemporary and lyrical dance classes to primary and high-school students as well as adults. Kate also performed as a featured artist in a dance showcase tour over there.
JUSTINE VALLEJERA - YOUTH BALLET & CONTEMPORARY / EDS ADMINISTRATOR
Justine Vallejera, originally from Auckland, New Zealand, has grown up dancing at Expression Dance School since she was 7 years old, training in Classical Ballet, Contemporary and JFH. Here, she was a committed member of the Performance Group and completed her Grade 1 – Advanced 2 RAD Ballet exams with Distinctions.
She continued her studies at The McDonald College, graduating as a HSC Distinguished Achiever in Dance, ranking 1st in her cohort for Classical Ballet and Dance and being selected for Callback (state-wide showcase of outstanding HSC Dance performances). She was also a Senior member of the pre-professional ballet company, Premier State Ballet, starring in Cinderella and in Sleeping Beauty as the Canary Fairy.
Today, she is pursuing her academic studies at the University of New South Wales, where she continues to train and compete with the UNSW Cheer & Dance Society.