The Ballet Academy Auckland

TUTOR ANNOUNCEMENT 📣 👏

We’re excited to have Meaghan Rowe teach at our first workshop for 2026! 🤗

Meaghan is a teacher, choreographer, and producer in Tāmaki Makaurau. She grew up training under Paula Hunt in Wellington and as an Associate at the New Zealand School of Dance. In 2009 she gained her RAD teacher's qualification before travelling to Germany to work with teacher and choreographer Claudine Merkel (John Cranko, Royal Ballet of Flanders).

Meaghan returned to Aotearoa in 2014 and has spent the last decade working as an advanced ballet tutor at the Wellesley Studios, teaching for her former school Rowe Dance, tutoring ballet at Unitec, and working as a dance director for Fever Global. She is also co-director of The Classical Collab, a local youth contemporary ballet workshop company.

Our Workshop registrations are open for Sunday 24th of May
Your next two awesome tutor announcements coming over the next couple days 🤩

https://www.theballetacademy.co.nz/workshopregistration

TUTOR ANNOUNCEMENT 📣 👏🏻

We are thrilled to have Mr. Rob teach at our first workshop for 2026! 🤗

Mr. Rob is an Australian-born dancer and educator with over 15 years of international performance experience and more than seven years of teaching ballet, contemporary dance, and movement-based training to both young dancers and adults.
His professional training began in Australia under the late Tanya Pearson before he moved to Germany to complete his studies at the Heinz-Bosl Stiftung in Munich. He went on to perform internationally as a soloist with the Croatian National Ballet in Zagreb, danced with Leipzig Ballet in Germany, and later with West Australian Ballet upon returning to Australia.
After retiring from the stage, Mr. Rob transitioned fully into teaching, where he has found deep fulfilment in mentoring dancers at all stages of their development. He holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and is a qualified Royal Academy of Dance and Rambert Grades teacher. He is also a Master Trainer for the internationally recognised Train Like a Ballerina programme.
Mr. Rob is known for teaching not just what to do, but why each movement exists. He encourages students to question their work, understand the reasoning behind each technical choice, and build from that understanding into their full potential. His corrections are specific, constructive, and delivered in a way that empowers rather than discourages, and he has a particular gift for making the complex mechanics of ballet feel logical and accessible in the body. He places strong emphasis on discipline, respect, and a genuine enjoyment of the art form, believing these values serve dancers well beyond the studio.
Mr. Rob looks forward to working with students during his time as a guest teacher in New Zealand, bringing clear guidance, strong technical focus, and a supportive studio presence to enhance their training experience.

Book out your diaries! We’re excited to be coming back with a fabulous line up for Sunday 24th May!

Watch this space, more info coming soon 🤩🫶🏻

Variation Award classes will be starting at 3.40pm ☺️

We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow – theatre opens at 8:15 am 💖

A note for our Solo Award & Variation Award Dancers! 💌

✨ SOLO AWARD DANCERS ✨
Please ensure all your dance titles are correct. Head into the APP and update your Own Choice. The Classical and Own Choice titles can be the same as those entered in the separate classes.

🌟 VARIATION AWARD DANCERS 🌟
Please ensure all your Variation titles are correct. Head into the APP and update your Variation. The Classical dance is a teacher-choreographed piece (no title required). Your second dance is your Variation — we do need this title, please.

🎶 Please upload your music to the app by Thursday 4th September 🎶

Its ready!! Please see the APP link ☺️

https://tba-september-2025.glide.pagee

TBA September 2025 TBA Competition September 2025 App V25

2025 The Ballet Academy Awards Adjudicator

✨ Philippa Pidgeon ✨

Philippa Pidgeon, MFA ARAD RTS lives in Christchurch with her husband Uday and sons Liam and Dhani working with Gateway students and teaching ballet part-time.
Growing up in Torbay and training with the South Auckland Ballet Academy she was a recipient of an AGC Young Achiever's Award at 16. Philippa graduated from the English National Ballet School and has danced professionally with ENB, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Ballet Arkansas and Xaris culminating with a season with the RNZB.
She graduated as a Donaghey Scholar from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a BA in German Studies followed by a MFA in Dance from the University of Oklahoma. She is a Golden Key International Honor Society member and a Life Member of Phi Kappa Phi. Her teaching career spans academia, professional companies and studio practice. She has co-authored and presented research on Dance & Aging and her choreography has been presented internationally.
Special interests are dance activation of public spaces and collaboration. Philippa is on Move Ōtautahi’s Board and the NZ Dance Archives Trust.

There are still a couple of trophies to be returned 🏆 We’ll be in touch individually this week.