OUR TEACHERS & STAFF

ELIZA WOODS

Eliza started dancing at four years of age in Ballet and Jazz under the guidance of Lia Devries and our very own Kristen Apsey. At age 14 Eliza was enamoured with pursuing the art of dance and musical theatre as a career. Eliza went on to study dance in Melbourne and graduated from Jason Colemans Ministry of Dance, with a Diploma in Musical Theatre and a Cert 4 in Dance Teaching and Management.

Miss Eliza is a versatile and exciting performing artist, teacher and choreographer. Dancing across Melbourne with the Entertainment Dance Company. Further dancing at Beyond Blue AFL Cup events at the MCG and at American NFL halftime events in Sydney at the ANZ Stadium.

Eliza brings to KDS a wealth of dance knowledge and experience. Her skills with performance and choreography offer her students subtle stage exposure from the outset. KDS is very lucky to have Miss Eliza as part of the teaching team.

EMILY ALLEGRI

Emily is an experienced teacher at KDS, she has been teaching dance at KDS since 2013. Emily loves to watch her young dancers take flight, she is committed to the health and happiness dance can offer her students.

Emily commenced her own dance journey at 4 years of age, commencing competitive dance in Eisteddfods from 8 years, completing her last Eisteddfod at 21 years! The reward of performance is most definitely not lost on Miss Emily, committed to ongoing learning and crafting her skills in dance. Emily holds training in Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop. She has a Cert 4 in Dance Teaching and Management, and has recently completed a Bachelor of Education.

As well as her dance teacher role, Emily works as an Educator in 0 - 1 year at Forbes Learning Ladder. 

MATILDA CRAWLEY

Matilda, well known as Miss Tilly, is a respected member of the KDS family. Matilda graduated school in 2021. She is taking a gap year in 2022 before she attends University to study Social Work.

Matilda has been dancing since 6 years of age when she started with Jazz tuition. Recognising how movement and dance were positively impacting her, Matilda found great passion and love for dance as she trained and explored Ballet, Modern, Hip Hop and Contemporary genres.

Matilda has been an important member of the KDS Troupe, flourishing within this group dance initiative. She has represented KDS in events throughout the Central West, proud to dance both solo and group presentations. Dance is a huge health and lifestyle choice for Matilda.

Throughout 2022 Matilda will be studying her Cert 4 in dance teaching and dance business management at the Australian Dance Institute. The course has both theoretical and practical learning modules that will deliver Matilda qualifications as a dance teacher and the learning to run a Dance Practice in the future.

LAUREN NIELSEN

Lauren loves KDS! 

Lauren has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She joined the KDS Troupe team at 8 years of age and has loved every moment of travelling and performing with KDS throughout NSW. Lauren has experience in both group and solo routines. 

Lauren commenced teaching at KDS in 2021, and the experience for her has been so rewarding. She continues to appreciate the power and strength that is the KDS community, their love and support to see everyone achieve and do well. Lauren loves watching the young dancers grow and learn in the studio, and to feel that they are valuable members of a massive KDS family.

Lauren is currently studying her Cert 4 in Dance Teaching and Management alongside her Certificate 4 in Real Estate. 

KYLE RYAN

Kyle has been dancing with KDS since 2015 in Open Hip Hop. He has a super star strength and a style that is exhilarating. Kyle has taught and mentored Junior and Senior Hip Hop students at KDS since 2016. He loves to teach.

Kyle marvels at the reactions and expressions his students show when they are figuring out a move or a routine. He believes that watching his students grow and build confidence in their bodies and their potential is the best rush by far.

Kyle has danced in Open Troupe for 6 years. He loves his KDS family, works hard and dances hard with them whilst participating in the competitive dance landscape throughout Central NSW.

Kyle has a full-time job as an Insurance Broker/Account Manager at Dunk Insurance Brokers. He intends to take up further studies in Real Estate and in the future build his own business. 

EMILY JACK

Emily became a dance student with KDS at 7 years of age and at 10 years she joined the KDS Performance Troupe, loving the energy and power that this performance platform offered to a group of enthusiastic dancers year in/year out. Emily has a deep background as a soloist as well, taking part in events and Eisteddfods throughout the Central West and beyond.

Emily has particularly strong skills in Jazz and Hip Hop, driven by her passion and incredible interest in these styles. Miss Emily is an experienced dance teacher in both Jazz and Hip Hop she loves to see the joy and development as her students learn new skills and routines in these genres.

Emily loves being a teacher she believes it is such a rewarding job to do. 

AVRIL GREEN

Avril started dancing at age 4, and has attended KDS as a student since 2017.

As a committed member of the KDS Performance Troupe, Avril enjoys being part of this amazing group, and competing alongside her teammates.

Avril is a Year 12 Student at Forbes high school. 

Avril is currently completing her Level 4 certificate in the Dance Step Program through KDS, working alongside teachers to improve her abilities. In the studio Avril continues to grow and develop new skills as a dancer and teacher. She enjoys all styes of dance but loves the structure of ballet the most.

Avril enjoys teaching dance because of the positive impact it can have on kids, building confidence and skills to showcase to their friends and family.

PAIGE THOMAS

Miss Paige has been dancing since she was 3 years of age, she joined KDS when she was 5 and has not looked back!

Paige has amassed strong skills and training in Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop. Her preference is for Jazz and Hip Hop, focusing more on these genres most recently. 

Miss Paige enjoys teaching young dancers, she is thrilled to watch their confidence build each and every week. Paige encourages the individual expression and creativity her students have to offer in class.

Paige graduated from Red Bend Catholic College in 2019.  She has a full time job as a Business Concierge with Service NSW, supporting small business in our regional NSW.

GEORGIA WOODS

Georgia commenced her dance journey in jazz class at the age of 5, at Lia’s School of Dance. Over several years, Georgia’s confidence on stage and in the classroom grew dramatically and her passion for dance evolved, leading her to take up classes in modern, ballet and hip hop under the guidance of Kristen’s Dance Studio. Since the age of 9, Georgia has competed in troupe and solos at eisteddfods across the Central West region. In 2013 she started as an assistant teacher at KDS, until the end of 2014, when at the age of 16, she made the big step to relocate to Sydney for her final two years of schooling. 

Whilst in Sydney, Georgia completed her HSC at the Australian Performing Arts Grammar School in Glebe, to continue pursuing her passion for dance. Through the school performing arts program, Georgia explored different and new styles of dance, musical theatre, acting and group singing. She also completed Dance and Drama for her HSC major works. When not at school, Georgia undertook dance training at the Village Performing Arts Centre, in various styles such as jazz, hip hop, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre, tap and jazz technique.  Over these 2 years, Georgia was an active member of the Village performance team, attending various dance competitions, most notably the Sydney Eisteddfod finals at the Opera House, where her open jazz group gained 1st place.

Graduating her secondary schooling in 2016, Georgia returned to Forbes for a gap year and in 2018 became a head teacher at KDS. In 2019, she moved to Wollongong to complete her Bachelor of Communication and Media at the University of Wollongong. 

Georgia enjoys exploring her creativity through dance teaching, and is inspired by the ability it has to improve the confidence of her students, both in the classroom and on stage. When not dancing, Georgia is progressing her communications career, working at Parkes Shire Council as a Corporate Communications and Media Officer. 

SIENNA O’CONNELL

Sienna has been dancing at KDS for 11 years. She has trained in many styles including ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, and acro. Her favourite styles are Jazz and Hip hop.

Sienna has also been a part of our performance troupe for 10 years, representing KDS in solos across the Central West for the past 12 years. 

Sienna participated and completed multiple levels of our DanceStep assistant teacher program, providing her with the opportunity and skills to be able to teach the next generation of KDS dancers. 

Sienna’s favourite thing about being a teacher is that she gets to see her students find their love for dance while building their confidence and achieving new skills. 

Sienna is currently studying year 11 at Red Bend Catholic Collage. 

AIMEE WOODS

Miss Aimee is an avid dance practitioner and health/wellness enthusiast. 

Aimee has been dancing since aged 4, taking the past two decades to perfect her artistry. Aimee graduated from Brent Street Performing Arts College in 2013, she took up multiple overseas contracts and spent a decade travelling and performing globally for companies such as Universal Studios Japan, Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore and CPG Concepts based in Hong Kong.

Aimee returned to Forbes in 2020 to follow her passion and pathway of health and wellness, Aimee is a qualified Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Coach and is now focusing her time as a Yoga and Dance Instructor.  

Aimee’s broad, holistic approach to health and wellness practices lends a special quality to her teaching platform. She strives to guide her students through all aspects of dance; appreciating the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels that can be dance. 

KDS is thrilled to have Aimee’s wealth of knowledge and experience on board.

LILLY SMITH

Lilly lives in Cowra, she is 16 years old and has been dancing for 13 of those years! Lilly absolutely loves dancing so it is no surprise that she has been such a dedicated and enthusiastic student at KDS, travelling to and fro Forbes each week for 4 years immersing herself in as many classes as she can. Taking part in classes of Ballet, Pre-pointe, Acro, Modern and Jazz. 

Lilly is an important member of the KDS Open Troupe, committing her energy and passion to this team. She is so appreciative of this opportunity to dance with others in this performance environment.  It doesn’t stop there!!  Lilly is a proud KDS soloist, performing at Eisteddfods throughout the Central West, feeling super proud to represent KDS at all these events.

Lilly attends Cowra High School and her elective subject is dance! Cowra High has a strong dance program and a deep connection to the NSW Arts Unit, offering her additional support and the opportunity to expand and skill up in dance with these state government arts initiatives. Lilly has been successful in her audition with the NSW State Dance Ensemble, she will be performing at the State Dance Festival in Sydney and also at the Schools Spectacular in November. 

Lilly is thrilled to be able to share her love of dance with younger students through the KDS Dance Step Program. Lilly has been assisting with teaching Hip Hop for the past 15 months and is now able to lead a group of KDS students in this genre. KDS has guided and supported Lilly’s love of Hip Hop encouraging her to take up an external class in Hip Hop at Doves and Dimes in Orange each week.