Teachers

We have fantastic, dedicated, professional teachers at Pose who help make the Academy the friendly place it is. Look at their bio’s online to find out what they’ve done!

Fiona Jurd-Smith – Principal – RAD Ballet (Registered teacher), Elite Jazz, Eisteddfod Class, Physie

Fiona has been studying Dance and Physical Culture for over 30 years and has enjoyed a professional dance and acting career that took her all over the world.

Fiona has worked with children for many years, and through her experience and training understands needs required of children at different age levels and experience. Her choreography is fresh and current and her work has been seen at many events including the Sydney Opera House, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Dream world,   Homebush State Sports Centre, Andaman Resort Genting Thailand and the Art Gallery of NSW. She is currently heads the APDA Physie and Dance choreography team and her students have won many eisteddfods and competitions under her guidance.

Some of her professional dance credits include: Grease the Arena Spectacular, Happy Days the Musical, Sydney Showboat, Reef Hotel Casino Cairns, Dame Edna Everage Show  and Warner Bros Movie world. On screen she has been seen in All Saints, Comedy Inc and Numerous TV commercials. And, as a Physical Culture competitor, Fiona has achieved amazing success winning Grand Champion Girl five times, Age champion six times and placing in the top 4 every other year. 

Russell Smith – Acting

Russ trained at NIDA and has worked throughout the industry on stage and screen. He also holds a Masters in teaching Dramatic Art. Russ's classes are fun and he brings so much energy and experience to every lesson. 

Veronica Mahon - RAD BALLET

Born in Newcastle, Veronica studied ballet with her mother, Marie Walton- Mahon. In 1996 Veronica won the Gold Medal at the Genee Awards and subsequently joined the Australian Ballet School on a full scholarship. During her 3rd Year at School, Veronica toured with the Australian Ballet Company. After the tour Veronica was offered a contact with the company. Veronica graduated with Dux of the Year and joined the Australian Ballet Company in 2000. During her first year with the company she was fortunate enough to perform ‘Swanhilda’ in Coppellia with the Dancers Company, during her time with the company she also performed in ballets such as Divergence, Beyond Bach, Graeme Murphy’s Nutcracker, Swan Lake and many more. After leaving the company in 2004, she travelled overseas and performed with Ballet Ireland and The Atlantic Southeast Ballet Company in South Carolina, USA.  After finessing her balletic ability and her knowledge of dance both in Australia and around the world it was inevitable that she would find herself back at the school where it all began. It became apparent to Veronica and all around her that she loved teaching and imparting that wealth of knowledge onto students. Veronica became a member of the Marie Walton-Mahon Dance Academy and National College of Dance where she taught students ranging from Pre- Primary to Solo Seal.

An opportunity arose in 2007 to join Sydney Dance Company. During this time Veronica was fortunate to work with such inspirational choreographers as Merryl Tankard and Aszure Barton who she feels had a significant impact on her as a dancer. Veronica continued to teach and choreograph at the Marie Walton- Mahon Dance Academy and National College of Dance under the careful eye of two of Australia’s best, Marie Walton-Mahon and Brett Morgan. Veronica assisted Marie Walton with the pilot of the new Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Solo Seal. In 2011, Veronica got offered a fabulous opportunity to work with Mod Dance company alongside Graeme Murphy for the production of Suite Synergy. Since the completion of her contract Veronica has decided to hang her ballet shoes up and to concentrate solely on teaching. She now freelance teachers at various schools throughout Sydney. 

Jessica Tindle – RAD Ballet (Registered Teacher) & Pre-School

Jessica Tindall has worked with Pose Performance Academy for 4 years now. She currently teaches our preschool classes.

She is a qualified RAD ballet teacher, having completed her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies and sat many ballet exams. She also has experience in jazz, tap (ISTD and FATD) and hip hop.

Jessica is also a qualified primary school teacher having completed a Bachelor in Education (Birth to twelve years) and a Diploma in Children’s Services.

Jessica is proud to see the progress of the students from POSE in their dance careers and looks forward to seeing them excel further.

Julia Howison – RAD Ballet (Registered Teacher)

Miss Roxie Patterson - Acrobatics, Jazz, Contemporary and Eisteddfod Class.

Roxie started dancing at the age of 4 under the direction of Peta Norton on the Gold Coast studying in all facets of Performing Arts. Roxie has also completed 2 yrs of full time ballet with Gold Coast Dance Theatre. Moving to Sydney at the tender age of 17 Roxie has been very lucky to work professionally with some of Australia's leading choreographers such as Jason Coleman, William A Forsyth & Andi Hallsworth. Roxie's professional credits include, working with Millennium Entertainment in shows that toured Dubai,Korea,Thailand,Bahrain,Lebanon & Abu Dhabi also 5 month contract performing on the ' Royal Princess' for Princess Cruiselnes and last year Roxie was lucky enough to make her debut performance in a musical in " The Boy from Oz" with Todd McKenney and John Foremore. Roxie's has also taught at many studios around Sydney and Queensland such as Paradise Performers Academy, Brent St Studios, K&V dance corp, Studio 11, Excite Dance Co, 2step Dance and many more teaching all styles including Acrobatics. This is Roxie's 3 year teaching at Pose Performance Academy and she is very excited for the year ahead. 

Miss Sherri Burrows - Eisteddfod Class, Elite Jazz.

Sherri started dancing at the age of 2 and has been trained in classical ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theatre, singing and acting. In 2011 Sherri completed her Diploma of Performing Arts at ED5 International in Sydney under the direction of William A Forsythe.

Most recently, Sherri was very fortunate to be cast in the Sydney production of the musical “The Boy From Oz” which starred Todd McKenney. Her other credits include numerous Cabaret Shows, Award Ceremonies, TV Commercials, and performed as a backup dancer with the Veronica’s on tour.

Sherri has also gained extensive teaching experience as a freelance choreographer, already with award winning Solo’s and Troupes.

Keelyn Sheldon – Contemporary, Stretch and Technique

Keelyn has been studying dance and physie for over 12 years and now enjoys a successful career in choreography dancing, modelling and acting.

Keelyn completed her certificate IV in Performing Arts at Brent Street and for the past 7 years has been teaching dance.  Keelyn loves choreogrpahy and is the choreographer for 4 dance studios in the Sydney area.  Keelyn has choreographed dances for tv adds, film clips and stage shows. Her dance experience is extensive, including numerous live stage shows, promotional events, gala music video awards events, television commercials and dance show "So You Think You Can Dance".

Keelyn loves choreography and working with children and is also partof the APDA Physie and Dance Chroeography team.

Amie Hannon- Junior Physie and Dance

Georgia Fentoullis - 13-16's Physie & Dance.

 Georgia has been doing physical culture since she was 7 years old. She has competed in all Champion Girl and Team Competitions since 1998 and has been a member of the Randwick Club for 14 years.  Georgia has been a student of Fiona since 2000 and began helping her with the 9-16 years in 2010. She currently teaches the 13-16 year age groups. After winning Repechage in 2005 Georgia continued to be a semi-finalist for four years until 2009. For the last three years she has competed at the Opera House, as a finalist, in the Senior Champion Girl. Georgia is now looking forward to starting 2012 with the new APDA syllabus. 

Alyssa Chezzi – Junior Fun Jazz & Pre-School

Alyssa started dancing when Fiona opened the academy in 2005, at the age of 10. She grew a passion for dance and has participated in classes of jazz, ballet, contemporary, hip hop, tap, acting, performance troupe and physie.

 In 2009, Alyssa began student teaching with Miss Fiona where she gained much experience and confidence. Soon after she began substituting for absent teachers and has loved teaching dance classes ever since. Being inspired by the latest video clips, her choreography is current and fun. Through PPA, she has participated in local performances and competed in many eisteddfods.

 Miss Yolanda Thomas - Hip Hop and Senior Jazz.

Yolanda is the longest running Hip Hop techer at Sydney Dance Company and taught for Pose in 2007 - we are excited to have her back in 2012 as our Monday night Teacher.

Yolanda recently won CHOREOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR- JUNIOR DIVISION for GROOVE- the biggest hip hop comp in Australia, for her work with STARTIME KREW who compete at an international level.

 Miss Monique Montez - Singing

Representing Australia, Monique launched Sir Richard Branson’s V Australia Airline, singing on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood! Monique has appeared in: Five musicals, two Australian Drama series, also presenting on Foxtel, with over thirteen quest appearances on commercial television singing & acting. Monique performs for major corporate companies/events nationally & internationally, supported countless Celebrities and Hollywood stars throughout Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Kula Lumpa, Singapore, Japan plus America, and that’s not even half of the journey. After completing the role of “Annette” in “Saturday Night Fever” where she was nominated for a Helpmann Award, ACE and MO award, Monique then joined the cast of “Dusty – the Original Pop Diva” for a successful Australian tour. Monique jumped straight into the tour of Japan with “We Will Rock You”, followed by “Fiddler on the Roof” in New Zealand and star of “Hidden Palace”, at Conrad Jupiter’s casino. Monique has performed as support act for many performers, but name a few: Taylor Dane, Mowtown legends “The Drifters”, Aria award winning “ Sneaky sound System”, Australia’s “Human Nature”, Rhonda Berchmore, Marcia Hines &  Vannessa Amorosi but most importantly to her, Hollywood Legend “ Mr Mickey Rooney”. Monique has worked on a variety of Television series. Presenting on Foxtel, on the Ovation & Aurora Channels. These presenting /acting roles have led Monique to recently being cast in a guest role for the well known Seven Network drama All Saints. Among others, Monique has Television appearances on such shows as: ABC’s Wild side, the cooking show Fresh, Carols in the Domain, GMA, Kerri Anne and The Footy show. Monique is well known to the Australian Club Entertainment Industry, performing in over Thirty-two venues, with her very own cabaret show, and was recognised with an ACE award as well as a MO award.For Eleven years Monique has been cruising with P&O and Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, yet again with her first class cabaret show, wowing audiences with her vibrant and exciting personality! In 2012 Monique will tour Australia,New Zealand and Asia with Deni Hines, as “Dusty” in “Dusty in concert”. It will be a tribute concert to the late pop diva Dusty Springfield, inspired by the musical that Deni and Monique were part of in 2008/9.