Briony Guest
Briony grew up in the little country town of Bangalow in northern NSW where her love for dance blossomed.
Briony has been dancing from the tender age of 5, studying all genres of dance. Briony performed with the Byron Ballet Youth Company from 2016-2019 onwards where she started performing in the Quarter Ballet making her way up to soloist roles and later principles roles where she played Clara the lead in The Nutcracker alongside Michael Braun a well-known male professional dancer. While training with Byron Ballet Briony discovered a love for choreographing. At the age of 12 she started to create choreography and explore and perform different types of movement.
A highlight of her career was dancing with the Queensland Ballet Company at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018. Briony’s commitment and hard work earned her a 2 year scholarship funded by the Yulgilbar Foundation to attend The McDonald College School of Performing Arts in Sydney where she trained in ballet and contemporary dance and graduated in 2021. Due to injury, Briony is now unable to pursue a career as a professional dancer and moved home after getting accepted into The Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies with the Royal Academy of Dance. Where she is pursuing her love of dance and passing on her passion and knowledge to young aspiring Ballerinas living in rural areas that don’t otherwise have access to many quality training and opportunities.
Brittney Leshae
Brittney began her dance journey at the age of 12, completing extensive training across the genres of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary and Hip Hop. Brittney went on to complete her major RAD ballet examinations, and later attained her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies to become a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. With over 12 years of teaching and choreographing experience, Brittney is now the proud codirector of JCDance. Brittney aims to foster a love of dance in all her students by providing a nurturing environment with quality training and guidance.
Danielle Linegar
Danielle loves to help others shine, especially through dance. Whether on stage or in the studio, she believes that dance uplifts and inspires through connection, storytelling, and the simple joy of moving to music. She currently teaches a number of classes in the area, including for sparkly local 80s group The Cassettes (who she is representing for STARS).
Danielle has been a dancer since she was small, with the joy of movement being a core facet of her life. She has taught dance for over twenty years in studios and theatres in Wollongong, the NSW Mid-North Coast, Tweed Coast and Byron Shire, with students ranging from 2 years old through to 85+. Danielle has choreographed for classes, workshops, festivals, flashmobs, corporate events, and theatre (including productions of "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Theatre", "La Cage Aux Folles" and "Dogfight"). She also has an extensive performance background, ranging from playing "Lady Macbeth" in Macbeth through to "Bombalurina" in Cats and everything in between!
You can find out more about Danielle and her offerings at daniellelinegar.square.site or on Instagram at @danielle_linegar . You can find out more about the brilliantly fun 80s dance classes run by The Cassettes at www.thecassettes.com.au or follow them for glittery goodness on Instagram at @thecassettesdance.
Silvia Magnani
I started ballet when I was 8 years old, after training under the Royal Academy of Dance in Italy, I was involved in a youth company where I performed both corps and soloist roles. During my university studies I moved to Spain for a scholarship where I worked as both teacher and dancer for educational performance projects with emerging choreographers. While touring through Europe and the US I continued studying in renowned studios in New York like Martha Graham and Alvin Alley, the London Contemporary in London and the Paris Marais Ballet in Paris where I refined and improved my dancing, choreography and performing art. During my time in Italy, I was part of the “Amintore Galli" Lyrical Chorus dance ensemble where I was dancing for Operas, like "Il Trovatore", Verdi and "Aida", Verdi. When I moved to Australia I kept going with my passion and dance dedication at Byron Ballet where since 2013 I am a performer, choreographer/rehearsal assistant of the Byron Ballet Company. I am also a ballet and contemporary teacher for the Byron Ballet School.
Zerina Millard
Zerina has been dancing all her life and her dance training stretches across the globe from South America to South-East Asia, India, the Middle East, the South Pacific and New Zealand. She has facilitated dance both in Australia and overseas, working with a vast range of people. Zerina has trained in classical Indian (Bharatanatyam and Kathak), African, Latin, Bollywood, Belly dance, Classical Ballet, Modern dance, Hip hop, Jazz, Butoh and South Pacific Dance.
Zerina holds a Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne University and Certificate II in Dance from the Northern Rivers Arts Conservatorium. She is also a trained Yoga Teacher.
The Bollywood Sisters started in 2003 as a sister duo (Zerina and Shamila) as a way to connect to their South Indian heritage but has since become so much more. The Bollywood Sisters is a community of people who love to dance, have fun and connect. Currently Directed by Zerina Millard the Bollywood Sisters offer people a place to experience dance as a means to happiness. A chance to get out of our heads and into our bodies.
More info here: https://www.bollywoodsisters.com/
Shea Mulligan
Based on the beautiful coastline of Northern New South Wales, Cape Byron Celtic Dance strives to produce a fun, friendly and family-filled atmosphere where creativity is the key.?Specialising in traditional Scottish and Irish dance, alongside original performance choreography pieces that incorporate all Celtic Dance forms.?Since being established back in 1992 Cape Byron Celtic Dance has been participating in all areas of performance from Celtic Festivals and formal events to teaming up with Celtic bands, producing successful competitive dancers locally and internationally.
Grace Owen
Grace Owen, a true Northern Rivers native, carries a lifelong passion for dance that has taken her across the globe. With an illustrious 30-year journey as a professional dancer and swing, she holds the distinction of being a Royal Academy of Dance qualified dance teacher. As a dedicated dance educator with 15 years of teaching under her belt, Grace's impact reaches beyond the stage. As the Owner and Principal Teacher of Grace Dance Academy in Byron Bay, she's a driving force in promoting self-expression, mobility, and fitness through dance. Her infectious enthusiasm extends from teaching 1.5-year-olds through to empowering senior citizens, fostering a diverse community united by the love of movement. Grace Owen's story is one of devotion to both the art of dance and the joy of sharing its transformative power with others. Grace continues to inspire, nurture, and create a rhythm that resonates with dancers of all ages.
Lilith Rocha
As a consulting editor and contributor, Lilith Rocha has written articles on health, travel, arts, crafts, culture, entertainment, food and mythology, along with her astrology columns for publications in Australia, Europe, Asia and the Middle East for over half a century. A prizewinning collage and craft artist, published poet, natural therapist and bellydancer, at age 50 Lilith was introduced in Hawaii to hula, the dance of aloha, which she has studied and taught for the last 30 years. In 2012 Lilith established Byron’s hula school and performing troupe Byron Bay Hula/ Mana Aloha whose name means The Power Of Love.
