Our Principal
Alanna Partridge
Alanna has been involved in the dance industry for over 30 years and in 2008 opened her own dance school Dance Desires. Alanna’s passion for the disciplines of dance, vision for excellence, and enthusiasm for her students and the dance profession are evident in her teaching. Her patient and nurturing teaching style resonates through her students creating a friendly and close knit environment throughout the dance school.
Alanna Achievements include:
Registered R.A.D Teacher
S.F.D Mainstream & Dance Fusion Examiner
S.F.D Teaching Certificates in Ballet, Tap, & Jazz
Choreographer of the Dance Fusion Syllabus
Choreographer of the SFD Jazz Syllabus
S.F.D Master Class and Convention Instructor
Advanced Diploma Majoring in Classical Ballet (C.W.D.C)
Diploma in Classical Ballet & Contemporary Studies
Our Team
Kathryn Noble - M.S.F.D
Kathryn started dancing at the age of 13 developing a passion for all styles of dance.
She has completed RAD classical major examinations up to ADV 2 and SFD through to Jazz level 10 , Kathryn also holds the SFD Jazz teaching certificate and has now gone on to start her training to become an examiner and convention teacher for the SFD jazz and classical syllabus.
After completing her exams Kathryn then went on to complete two years of fulltime training at industry dance under Robert Sturrock where she trained in many styles of dance and performance including, Jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet, commercial Jazz, hip hop, ballroom , lyrical , singing and acting.
Since then she has worked within the industry dancing for people such as Jessica Mauboy, Rhonda Burchmore, Natalie Conway and more. Kathryn has a strong passion for teaching and working with children with many years experience and wishes to pass on the wealth of knowledge and passion for dance she has gained to her students.
Stefanie Grogan
Stefanie started her dance training at the age of 3 at the Dianne McLellan Dancing Academy in Bundaberg, Queensland, where she received her RAD Advanced 2 and CSTD Tap teaching Certificate. After graduating high school she moved to Sydney in 2013 to study a Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance) at Brent Street. In her first year of fulltime Stefanie was a lead dancer in LOcREaDO Dance Company’s ‘12 Lives’, performed in Expressions Dance Company ‘R&J’ and Sydney Dance Company with Kaldor Public Art Projects ‘13 Rooms’.
She then continued her fulltime training in Sydney at Ev & Bow and seconded with Australian Dance Theatre.
It was in 2015 that Stefanie decided to move to Melbourne as she was hand picked to be a founding member of Transit Dance Company, performing and touring a world premier show that included works by Amy Hollingsworth, Paul Malek and Daniel Jaber.
In 2018, she danced in Seavera’s music video ‘Make Me Uncomfortable’. Also in 2018 she joined Lion Heart Dance Company (LHDC) and SCIMM Dance Company. Debuting in LHDC ‘Envision’ 2018 and ‘Clash’ 2019 and SCIMM ‘Senseless State’ and ‘Aetherium’.
Miss Stef has been teaching at Dance Desire’s since 2016 and recently choreographed the updated SFD Jazz syllabus for levels 7-10. Stefanie loves choreographing and sharing her knowledge and passion for dance through energetic and fun classes.
Benjamin Curé
Benjamin Curé was born and raised in Melbourne, training on full scholarships at both The Edge Performers School and the Space Dance and Arts Centre. In 2015, he founded Lion Heart Dance Company which has since produced 6 seasons of work, been commissioned by the City of Boroondara, produced an interactive dance festival, performed at global conferences and has created a space for local and international dancers to train and collaborate on new projects.
Curé's performance career has witnessed him work with a diverse range of companies, including Vertical Shadows Dance Company and Opera Australia, in conjunction with reaching the top 100 of So You Think You Can Dance Australia (2014). Recently, Curé performed in Graeme Murphy's 'Turanndot' with Opera Australia in December of 2019.
Curé is an esteemed choreographer with a history of choreographing for music videos, international conferences and industry events. These achievements are a powerful testament to Curé's unswerving devotion to his craft.
Curé creates works which are engaging and meaningful. He possesses an attention to detail and an intuitive understanding of his audience. Moreover, he has displayed an indomitable work ethic and resilience, thus reinforcing a robust and abiding career which has already offered so much to the wider community.
Avril Robertson
Avril was born into a musical family. Her training started with piano and eventually evolved into a passion for dance, singing and all things performance related. She is extensively trained in Broadway and Commercial Jazz, Tap and Musical Theatre. Avril completed her professional training at Dance Factory, The Victorian College of the Arts and Harbour Dance Centre (Vancouver).
Since completing her studies her performance credits include regional and international (New Zealand) tours of children’s theatre shows, as well as performances for the House of Burlesque in Melbourne and many cabarets, festivals and musical theatre productions.
Previous credits from her time in Vancouver, Canada include Reinvention of Disco (2014-15 seasons), Onyxx Dance Co. and Cabaret Torlage - the longest running cabaret show in Vancouver. Her time in Vancouver also gave her the opportunity to work in television, festivals, and corporate events.
A passionate and dedicated teacher, Avril loves to share her experience with other dancers and create a fun and inviting atmosphere in the studio.
Heather Craig
Originating in Sydney, Heather trained at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, graduating in the top 2% of the state for Dance in her HSC. Here she completed the RAD major classical exams up to ADV 2. After graduating high school, she moved to Melbourne to pursue a career in dance and study an Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts (Majoring in Performance) at Dance World Studios.
Since graduating Heather has worked professionally for the past 20 years in theatre, cabaret, tv and live events. Early in her career Heather spent several years living and performing abroad at Universal Studios & Disney. She has performed as a featured dancer for Rhonda Burchmore, Hugh Jackman, Ricki Lee, Guy Sebastian, Kylie Minogue, Christine Anu, Vanessa Amorosi, Tap Dogs and the Wiggles to name a few.
Heather spent many seasons dancing with a variety of companies including Vertical Shadows Dance Company, Melbourne Dance Theatre/Victorian State Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre and Opera Australia. Musical accolades include touring a variety of children’s musicals both internationally and throughout Australia for Nickelodeon, Disney, Cartoon Network, E1, LLT, Possum Music Productions as well as New Songs Project Cabaret. In recent years Heather has moved into a Resident Director/Choreographer role for TEG/LLT/Nickelodeon creating shows and working with casts in South Africa, Saudi Arabia and China. In 2023 and 2024 she was invited to be the Movement Director for the Australian Open Kids Tennis Day Arena Show at Rod Laver Arena.
Alongside working professionally Heather has also developed a passion for teaching and sharing her experience/knowledge with students throughout Melbourne. She has completed several teacher training courses including: Level 1&2 with Lisa Howell, Progressive Ballet technique with Marie Walton and The Acrobatic Dance Association with Stacey Mitchell. She is also a trained Examiner, Masterclass and Convention teacher for the Southern Federation of Dance. An enthusiastic and dedicated teacher, Heather prides herself on creating a positive environment where students can learn, grow and develop their passion for dance.
Tara McKenzie
Tara has been dancing with Dance Desires for over 16 years and has had many incredible opportunities during that time. She began assistant teaching in 2015 and completed her teacher training during the online classes in 2020. In 2022, she also completed her SFD Jazz Teacher Training.
Tara has completed all RAD ballet exams from Primary through to Grade 8, as well as SFD Jazz exams from Grade 1 to Grade 10. She has featured in four SFD syllabus filming videos and has been a member of both state and national troupes. Through these troupes, she competed at major competitions, including DanceLife Unite Nations in Sydney in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Tara especially loves teaching the junior school and finds great joy in helping young dancers build confidence, develop strong foundations and discover their love of dance. She is passionate about sharing her love of dance and strives to create classes that are supportive, engaging and, most importantly, fun.
Jocelyn Geary
After a long wait, watching her sister dance with Ms Alanna, Jocelyn began dancing journey with Dance Desires at the age of three. She has been lucky enough to learn under the tutelage of all senior teachers at Dance Desires. She has also enjoyed competing in solos, trios, troupe and company dances throughout her 19 years with Dance Desires.
Jocelyn has successfully completed all SFD Jazz, SFD Tap to Grade 9, all RAD Ballet and Intermediate Ballet. She recently completed VCE dance and successfully represented her school in competitive aerobics over numerous years. She has gained much experience choreographing school productions, including, 'Mamma Mia', 'Midnight Vamp' and 'High School Musical 2'. As a head of choreography, Jocelyn ensured highly successful productions of 'Footloose', 'Anything Goes' and "Chicago' for Star of the Sea College.
Jocelyn's empathetic approach to teaching makes her dance classroom a safe and fun place to learn.
Leila Mileo
Leila began dancing at the age of 3 at Dance Desires and has trained in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, Acrobatics, and Hip Hop. She has completed all graded RAD Ballet levels, as well as all 10 levels of SFD Jazz and Tap.
Over her 16 years of training, Leila has competed in both solo and troupe competitions and received placings in the SFD Major Tap Scholarship in 2021 and 2023. Leila also studied VCE dance and was recognised with a place on the Honour Roll in 2023. In 2024, Leila was a part of the Lionheart Youth Company where she continued to develop her artistry and performance skills. She now dances on the Monash University Division 1 Dance Team, where she continues to compete at a national level.
Leila had been assisting dance classes at Dance Desires for 7 years in a range of styles before she began teaching independently. She loves working with children and is passionate about creating a supportive, encouraging environment and inspiring the next generation of dancers.
Janine Bentley-Minns - Operations Manager
Janine has worked in customer relations for over 30 years. She was the Customer Service Leader at BMW Finance for 5 years before joining GE Money where she established their first Customer Resolutions Team and managed a Call Centre with over 120 staff.
With a career highlight being asked to travel to India to assist in the management of an offshore call centre, Janine’s experience in liaising with customers and staff is extensive and her goal is always to exceed expectations.
Janine began her time at Dance Desires in 2010 as a volunteer parent and quickly established a love of being involved in this creative and amazing dance school. Taking on a vast variety of roles within the school, Janine loves working with the children and the parents of Dance Desires as the Operations Manager.
