17/09/2026
THEN & NOW- 7th Series 🥹
Some families become part of your dance school.
And some become woven so deeply into its history that they become part of your own story. ❤️
The Norris family is one of those families.
My connection with Dad, Neil, began back in high school. We were both part of our interschool athletics team in 1988 & 1989, and Neil was our Head Boy. A natural leader, great sportsman and genuinely good human.
Years later, our paths crossed again when I met Sam and their little girl Tayla. Then in 2008, twins Madison & Ashlea arrived.
That same year, I opened Esteem Dance Company.
And there they were. ❤️
Tayla began dancing, followed by the gorgeous twins, and then little Sophie joined us in 2013. Before long, I had the privilege of teaching all four Norris girls and they didn’t just dance, they danced EVERYTHING! 😂
They also excelled in athletics, making this one incredibly talented family both on the stage and the track.
Through every chapter of Esteem, the Norris family was there from my very first studio, through our move down the road, to the home we still call Esteem today.
Years have passed. Tayla and Madison eventually finished dancing, while Ashlea and Sophie continued.
Today, Sophie is still dancing with me in Year 9 Tap, and Ashlea has gone from tiny toddler to part of our teaching team while still dancing herself. ❤️
And that’s the part that gets me.
I look at the old photos and see four tiny girls with ballet shoes, trophies and enormous smiles… then look at the beautiful young women they’ve become.
Sam & Neil, thank you for trusting me with your girls and for being part of Esteem’s journey for so many years.
And to Tayla, Madison, Ashlea & Sophie watching you grow has been one of the great privileges of my life. You have each left your own footprint on Esteem.
I didn’t just watch the Norris girls grow up.
The Norris family watched Esteem grow up too.
From an athletics track in 1988…
to a dance studio in 2026.
The Norris Family, forever part of the Esteem story. ❤️
