Tanya Pearson Academy

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Tanya Pearson Academy INSPIRING EXCELLENCE SINCE 1971
Australia's leading provider of elite professional dance education!

As a leading provider of professional dance education, our aim at TPA is to facilitate our students’ lifelong pursuit of Excellence in Dance. Through the development of each student’s creative talent and artistic voice we will empower students to fulfil their potential as unique contributors to the Artform of Dance, both nationally and on the world stage. Since 1971, The Tanya Pearson Academy has long been established as a premier ballet academy with an international reputation. The founder of the school, Tanya Pearson OAM, was recognised by the Australian Government and awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her significant contribution to the Arts in Australia. The TPA offers a variety of selective Part Time Programs, Transition Programs, Boys Ballet Programs and Full Time Programs.

Inspiring excellence in each child ✨Since 1971, Tanya Pearson Academy has been nurturing dancers to reach their full pot...
14/10/2026

Inspiring excellence in each child ✨

Since 1971, Tanya Pearson Academy has been nurturing dancers to reach their full potential. We are delighted to announce that auditions for our 2027 programs are now open.

Join one of Australia's leading dance institutions and train in a world-class environment, where our esteemed faculty nurture every student's technique, artistry and passion for dance.

Our students enjoy exceptional opportunities and a vast network of industry professionals, setting them up for success and a bright future in dance.

Whether your child is taking their first steps in our Petite Ballet Program, developing in our Part-Time classes, stepping up to our Transition and Accelerate programs, or preparing for a career in our Full-Time program, there is a pathway for every dedicated dancer. Guest students from schools across Australia and around the world are also welcome to join us through our Affiliate Program.

🩰 Juniors: Primary to Grade 4
🩰 Vocationals: Grade 5 to Advanced
📅 Saturday auditions, with private auditions also available

Little dancers aged 3 to 5 are warmly invited to discover the joy of ballet in a Petite Ballet trial class, with no audition required.

Apply today: https://form.jotform.com/Tanya_Pearson/tanya-pearson-academy-2027-audition

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✨ Meet our Guest Artists for the 2027 Senior Summer Workshops ✨We are delighted to introduce three exceptional artists j...
12/10/2026

✨ Meet our Guest Artists for the 2027 Senior Summer Workshops ✨

We are delighted to introduce three exceptional artists joining our TPA Faculty from Monday 18 to Friday 22 January 2027.

⭐ Sandrine Delasalle-Scannella
World-class principal dancer and former Artistic Associate of West Australian Ballet.
Born in Cannes and trained by Rosella Hightower and Marika Besobrasova, Sandrine was appointed Principal Dancer of Ballett Basel at just 21 and went on to dance as a principal with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Ballett am Rhein, Ballet Frankfurt and Leipzig Ballet. She has worked with legendary choreographers including William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Maurice Béjart and Hans van Manen, danced Le Parc with Laurent Hilaire and Don Quixote with Eric Vu An, and spent 11 years with West Australian Ballet as Principal Rehearsal Director and Artistic Associate.

⭐ Juliet Doherty
Internationally acclaimed dancer and actress, star of the Netflix films High Strung: Free Dance, Driven to Dance and The Red Shoes: Next Step.
A two-time gold medallist at the Youth America Grand Prix International Finals, Juliet trained at San Francisco Ballet School and has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall. She originated the role of Ondine in Susan Stroman’s Marie, played Lise in the Tony Award-winning musical An American in Paris, and appears in Ballerina from the John Wick franchise.

⭐ Melissa McCabe
Former ballerina of West Australian Ballet and Alberta Ballet, and proud TPA alumna.
Born in Sydney, Melissa trained at Tanya Pearson Academy and The Australian Ballet School before dancing with The Australian Ballet, Canada’s Alberta Ballet and, for 13 years, West Australian Ballet. Her acclaimed roles include Myrtle in David Nixon’s The Great Gatsby, which earned her a Helpmann Award nomination and Dance Australia’s Most Outstanding Dancer recognition, Olga in John Cranko’s Onegin, and Lucy in Krzysztof Pastor’s award-winning Dracula, a role created on her. She also danced at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. We are thrilled to welcome her home.

Open to all vocational ballet students aged 11 and above. Choose from 3 or 5 days.

🌍 Scholarships to European workshop intensives will be awarded during the week.

⏰ Early Bird: 10% off until 31 October. Use code earlybird2027

👉 Book now: https://www.trybooking.com/DQSBU

Photo of Sandrine Delasalle-Scannella by Frances Andrijich

We are thrilled to announce an outstanding line-up of international guest artists for our 2027 Senior Summer Workshops ✨...
12/10/2026

We are thrilled to announce an outstanding line-up of international guest artists for our 2027 Senior Summer Workshops ✨

Monday 18 to Friday 22 January 2027
Tanya Pearson Arts Centre, St Leonards

Our Guest Artists:
⭐ Sandrine Delasalle-Scannella, Former Principal Rehearsal Director and Artistic Associate, West Australian Ballet
⭐ Juliet Doherty, International Dancer and Actress, star of High Strung: Free Dance
⭐ Melissa McCabe, Former Ballerina, West Australian Ballet and Alberta Ballet

Alongside our esteemed TPA Faculty, they will guide vocational ballet students aged 11 and above through a week of inspiration, artistry and professional-level training.

🌍 Scholarships to European workshop intensives will be awarded during the week.

🩰 Ballet • Pointe • Boys Coaching • Variations • Character • Contemporary • Repertoire • Pilates

Choose from 3 or 5 days.

⏰ Early Bird: 10% off until 31 October. Use code earlybird2027

Spaces are limited. Book now via the link:
https://www.trybooking.com/DQSBU

Photo of Sandrine Delasalle-Scannella by Frances Andrijich



Happy World Teachers’ Day ✨Today, we celebrate the wonderful teachers and mentors who inspire, encourage and nurture the...
05/10/2026

Happy World Teachers’ Day ✨

Today, we celebrate the wonderful teachers and mentors who inspire, encourage and nurture the next generation, sharing not only their knowledge and skills, but also their passion, wisdom and love for what they do. ❤️

In the world of dance, a teacher’s influence reaches far beyond the studio. They help build confidence, nurture individuality, encourage creativity and instil the discipline, resilience and artistry in a supportive environment that allows young dancers to flourish.

To all our incredible faculty, guest teachers, health team and caring staff- thank you for the dedication, support, passion and inspirational mentorship you bring to our students every day. Your influence extends far beyond the studio, and the impact you make will stay with these students for years to come.

Behind every confident dancer is a mentor who believed in them, encouraged them and helped them discover what was possible.

Today, we celebrate you and the extraordinary difference you make. ❤️

😊✨ Happy World Smile Day! ✨😊“If you smile at the world, the world smiles back at you.”And perhaps nowhere is that more t...
02/10/2026

😊✨ Happy World Smile Day! ✨😊

“If you smile at the world, the world smiles back at you.”

And perhaps nowhere is that more true than in dance. ❤️

There is something truly special about the joy that comes from moving, performing and sharing your love of dance with others. And dancing with friends makes it even more joyful - the laughter, the shared moments, the encouragement and the memories created together. 🩰✨

A smile onstage can light up a performance, bring joy to an audience and remind us why we dance in the first place.

So keep dancing, keep smiling, laugh with your friends and keep sharing the joy that dance brings! 💫

We are delighted to announce our Summer Holiday Junior Workshops 2027! ✨This summer, our junior dancers will step throug...
30/09/2026

We are delighted to announce our Summer Holiday Junior Workshops 2027! ✨

This summer, our junior dancers will step through the looking glass into the magical and whimsical world of Alice in Wonderland.

📅 January 18–22, 2027
🩰 Primary to Grade 5 (RAD or equivalent)

Workshops include Ballet, Repertoire, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Character, Musical Theatre, Conditioning, and Arts & Crafts.

We are thrilled to welcome back special guest Melissa McCabe, former Ballerina of West Australian Ballet and Alberta Ballet, alongside TPA's esteemed faculty.

🌟 Early Bird Discount: 10% off until October 15, 2026
Use voucher code: earlybird2027

Places are limited, book now!
👉 https://www.trybooking.com/DQJYW

✨ What a magical weekend! ✨A huge CONGRATULATIONS to every student who took part in Tanya Pearson Academy’s productions ...
22/09/2026

✨ What a magical weekend! ✨

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to every student who took part in Tanya Pearson Academy’s productions of The Wizard of Oz and Sugar and Spice! 🌟

We are incredibly proud of every single dancer. From our youngest performers to our senior students, you brought such energy, enthusiasm, artistry and joy to the stage. It was wonderful to see you all shine onstage and be part of such a special weekend of performances. ❤️

A very special thank you to our Part-Time Principal, Miss EJ, for her outstanding organisation and management of the productions. Her incredible efforts, dedication and attention to detail helped bring everything together so beautifully.

We are incredibly grateful to our fabulous teaching faculty and staff, whose dedication, creativity and expertise made this production so special for our dancers.
EJ, Gilli, Karina, Kendall, Milania, Rebecca, Liz, Hannah, Mia P, Mia W, Miki, Nardia, Suzie - you are all a fabulous team of talented woman! We appreciate the wonderful work you do, and your tremendous support certainly doesn’t go unnoticed! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts 🫶❤️💪

A massive thank you to our backstage staff and crew, who were absolutely awesome and vital in ensuring the shows ran so smoothly. So much work happens behind the scenes, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do!

Our heartfelt thanks also go to Kim Peade for his incredible support and expertise in lighting the shows so beautifully, and to Damian, Alethia, Sarah and Darren, our wonderful tech crew, for all their hard work behind the scenes.

Thank you to Alaska for designing our fabulous Wizard of Oz stage backdrop, and to Suzie for her wonderful Oz Merch shop for our families. 🌈✨

And, of course, a huge thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers and families for your generosity, support and countless contributions behind the scenes. Full-length productions like these are truly a team effort, and we appreciate everything you do to support our dancers and our Academy.

To all of our dancers- CONGRATULATIONS! We hope you feel incredibly proud of your performances and everything you have achieved. You have supported one another beautifully and brought these productions to life with such joy, commitment and passion!

What a special weekend for TPA! ❤️✨

With love and appreciation,
Xanthe & Gregor
Tanya Pearson Academy

Congratulations to all performers!Well done to all our wonderful students on your successful dress rehearsals for Wizard...
17/09/2026

Congratulations to all performers!

Well done to all our wonderful students on your successful dress rehearsals for Wizard of Oz & Sugar and Spice. Your dedication, artistry, and energy lit up the studio, and we couldn't be prouder!

We now look forward to sharing this magical production with audiences this weekend at the Greenhalgh Theatre. Featuring vibrant costumes, imaginative choreography, and exceptional young talent, it promises to be an unforgettable experience for children and adults alike.

PERFORMANCES
Saturday 19 September, 5:00 PM
Sunday 20 September, 10:30 AM

Our heartfelt thanks go to all the teachers, choreographers, staff, and volunteers whose incredible support and hard work behind the scenes have made this production possible.

Enjoy a glimpse into the magic from our final rehearsals.

Final tickets available: https://tickets.greenhalghtheatre.com.au/en/buyingflow/tickets/273/

✨ Youth Grand Prix Australia 2026 ✨We are incredibly proud of all our Tanya Pearson Academy students who performed so be...
14/09/2026

✨ Youth Grand Prix Australia 2026 ✨

We are incredibly proud of all our Tanya Pearson Academy students who performed so beautifully at Youth Grand Prix Australia in Sydney. Each dancer represented the Academy with wonderful artistry, dedication and professionalism, and we congratulate every student who took to the stage.

We are also delighted to celebrate an outstanding collection of placements, finalist selections, call-backs and international scholarship offers achieved by our students throughout the event.

Andy (Jiaze)
🥈 2nd Place - Senior Classical Men
🥉 3rd Place - Senior Contemporary Men
🏅 Top 6
✨ Senior Finalist & Call-Back Class
🎓 ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, New York - Short-Term Scholarship
🎓 Royal Conservatoire The Hague - Full-Year Acceptance

Beatrix
🥉 3rd Place - Junior Contemporary Women
🏅 Top 12 & Top 24
✨ Junior Finalist & Call-Back Class
🎓 Joffrey Ballet School, New York - Summer Program Scholarship
🎓 K-Ballet Academy - Short-Term Scholarship

Gabriela
✨ Junior Finalist & Call-Back Class
🎓 K-Ballet Academy - Short-Term Scholarship
🎓 YGP Dance LAB - Summer Program Scholarship

Annabelle
✨ Junior Finalist & Call-Back Class
🎓 Elmhurst Ballet School - Junior Summer School Scholarship
🎓 K-Ballet Academy - Short-Term Scholarship

Olivia
🏅 Top 24 - Junior Contemporary Women
✨ Junior Call-Back Class

Dana
✨ Senior Finalist & Call-Back Class

Zara
🎓 Next Generation Ballet - Full-Year Offer

Fern
🎓 Next Generation Ballet - Full-Year Offer

Congratulations also to Heather and Isabel on their selection for the Senior Call-Back Class.

We are so proud of every one of our dancers for their hard work, artistry and professionalism throughout the competition. To see our students recognised through placements, finalist selections and opportunities with leading international schools is an exceptional achievement.

A heartfelt thank you to Miss Gilli, Miss Emma-Jane, Miss Karina, Miss Kendall, Miss Xanthe, Miss Liz and Mr Elliot for their dedication, creativity and care in preparing and supporting our students throughout the season.

Congratulations to everyone involved. ✨

Congratulations to Giorgia on a wonderful result at Dancelife United.Dancelife United🥇 1st place, Classical🥇 1st place, ...
04/09/2026

Congratulations to Giorgia on a wonderful result at Dancelife United.

Dancelife United
🥇 1st place, Classical
🥇 1st place, Contemporary

We are so proud of Giorgia and the wonderful progress she continues to make, both in class and on stage.

A heartfelt thank you to her teachers for their dedication, creativity and care in preparing and supporting Giorgia throughout the season.

Address

12 Frederick Street
St Leonards, NSW
2065

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 8:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 8:30pm
Thursday 8am - 8:30pm
Friday 8am - 8:30pm
Saturday 8am - 8:30pm
Sunday 8am - 8:30pm

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