Our Teachers

Taylah Hord

Taylah is participating for the second time as a dance mentor for Stars of Hastings.  She started dancing at the age of six and recently started a fulltime traineeship at Extravadance completing a Certificate IV in Dance Teaching and Management.

Taylah's motivation to be involved with Stars of Hastings fundraiser is that she has had and still has many people in her life beating cancer.

Her brother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of two. Fortunately he beat cancer and is now 22 years and is a qualified fitter and turner/ diesel mechanic. Taylah's mum has had many melanomas and her dearest childhood friend lost her battle in 2013. Taylah's grandmother is currently fighting against a nasty brain tumour, her aunt has had a double mastectomy and her grandfather has prostrate cancer.

Taylah said she would love to be apart of Stars of Hastings to help support the cancer community and her family.

"I can’t wait to see how much funds we can raise. This event is amazing and I cant wait to get on stage!'" she said.

Sarah Dietrich Lovelock

Sarah Dietrich Lovelock started dancing at the age of five, learning ballet, tap, jazz and modern throughout her school years. Completing dance studies in Year 12, she has not stopped dancing since.

Moving to Port Macquarie in 2011, when given the opportunity to teach adult empowering dance classes and take on the role of head teacher Sarah jumped at it.

Sarah has two beautiful boys whom she adores and when not busy being a mum she is teaching heel, seduce and BURLESQFIT classes as well as being an early childhood educator at a local childcare centre.

"This is my firth year being in Stars of Hastings and I am motivated by the money raised helping local Port Macquarie people after seeing the affect cancer has had with people in my family.

“It's a wonderful event bringing the community together to help bring awareness to such a great charity.”

Kylie Morris

An Executive Officer Assistant by day and Pole Dance Instructor and online health & wellness business owner by night, Kylie Morris has learned how to get the fun balance in life.

Kylie is a wife, a mum of 2 and discovered pole dancing in late 2020 and immediately fell in love. The fitness, flexibility, strength, and flow she was gaining, not to mention the incredible community that she found at SoulFire Pole Dance, kept her going back for more.

In her late teens/early 20’s she was a ballroom dancer but apart from ripping up the odd nightclub dancefloor with her 80’s moves, she hadn’t touched any form of choreography for almost 30 years. 

With her love of helping women find joy and discover just how incredible their bodies can be when they take a chance to try new things, it was a natural transition for Kylie to become one of SoulFire’s Teachers.

In Kylie's words "We don't have to be the best or look the best to feel our best. Nor do we have to know how to do the 'thing' before we learn it. We just need to surrender to what 'our' body and mind wants and allow others to show us the way."

Di Roods

Di has been line dancing since 1998 and teaching line dancing for more than 20 years.

She currently teaches a beginner line dance class in Wauchope and two classes in Port Macquarie twice a week catering for the intermediate / advance level of dancers.

From the very first line dance class Di took, line dancing became her passion.

“I love the challenge, music, and many wonderful friendships I have made,” Di said.

Di’s other interests include, cycling, which I tries to fit in four times each week.

“I am pleased to be able to support Cancer Council with this event, because we all know someone close to us, or have a family member who has cancer,” Di said.

Jodie Sallustio

Jodie has lived in Port Macquarie most of her life, moved to Sydney for six years but has been back for almost 20 years- she moved home to raise her beautiful son, Keeghan.

Jodies started dancing as a four-year-old and her passion and love sat mostly in the jazz ballet and Physical Culture genres.

She also competed in amateur aerobics competitions and currently works as a Fitness instructor at World Gym Port Macquarie. 

Jodie teaches a variety of classes, including sprint/spin classes, Core, Zumba, Hip Hop and she is currently training in a more flowy, softer style incorporating ballet moves to modern music.

Jodie participated for the first time as a dance mentor last year and keen to be involved again in 2024.

Ellen Goulding

Ellen began dancing at the age of two in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. After moving to Port Macquarie, Ellen continued to dance under the guidance of Miss Elizabeth Polson-Galloway.

In her formative years, Ellen was offered a ‘Fresh Start Dance Scholarship’ at St. Columba Anglican School. Here she undertook HSC Dance as an accelerated student and at the age of 16, Ellen had completed her HSC Dance, receiving a band 6, and finishing in the top 1% of the state.

Ellen was a member of ‘aKrobatiKa’, an acrobatic and dance company that was a grand finalist in the 2019 season of ‘Australia’s Got Talent’. Throughout this time the team had the opportunity to work with The Squared Division, performing for celebrities such as Nicole Sherzinnger, Ricki-Lee, Lucy Durack, Todd McKenney, Manu Feidel and Shane Jacobson.

Ellen’s true passion always resided in teaching and she is participating in Stars of Hastings for the second year.

Meg Smith 

I started dancing from the age of two at the Dance Academy in Wellington and at 16, I toured the US and Hawaii, performing with stars from Dance Moms in amazing studios such as Millennium Dance Co and Playground LA.  I was the youngest company dancer at Cabaret No5.
I am now a teacher for Dynamic and Ariel Arts Studio located in Kempsey and South West Rocks. I have extensive training in Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, musical Theatre and Cabaret and have a massive passion for using dance as therapy for early intervention.?

I have a passion for charity and I am involved in many different fundraisers. Cancer Council holds a special part in my heart. My mother passed away in July of 2023, two weeks before Stars of Hastings. . She was battling Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1) for the last eight years.

I have experienced first-hand the impacts cancer has, not just on the person battling the disease, but the financial, physical and emotional impact on the family. I was very close to my mother and I treasured every minute with her so to be able to support and help fundraise, participating in something that I have a professional career in and have a passion for is an absolute honour! 

Serena Entwistle 

My name is Serena. I’m a 27-year-old woman working as a pharmacist full-time in Port Macquarie.  

I found salsa dancing about 2 years ago at Port Dance Studio and have been learning there ever since!  

When I’m not working, I find time for dancing, training, practice and social dancing at Port Dance Studio.  

I always find our classes fun and rewarding, a great environment in which to learn something new and meet new people.  

For me, dancing is about soaking up the joy of dancing, constantly learning, and spreading that salsa love to everyone around me.  

So, get ready to groove because I’m here to show you how to have a good time while doing some good for a great cause! 

Danika Clarkson 

I grew up in Port Macquarie and have been dancing for 17 years.  I am trained in all styles of dance, ranging from tap, jazz, contemporary and ballet.

I work at Coastal Dance Performing Arts Studio and have been working at St Columba Anglican School teaching co-curricular dance as well as assistng in the expansion of the RAD Ballet program.

I am excited to be part of Stars of Hastings and looking forward to raising funds for Cancer Council.