The Directors of Rise Performing Arts are hands on participants in the training of their students. The Directors ensure that they are present and teaching at all branches. However with such a large selection of classes they have to create a team or reliable, experienced, trustworthy teachers to teach alongside them.
Here is a little bit about our teachers on staff.
Here is a little bit about our teachers on staff.
Andrea (Ange) Fletcher- Senior Teacher- Head of Ellenbrook-Classical Specialist
Andrea Fletcher has been a small business owner, successfully running “Dance West” for five years. Andrea is an outstanding performer and choreographer having worked in WA, Melbourne, Singapore and Japan. Andrea has her teaching qualifications and has been teaching for numerous years freelance as well as her own school. Ange is excited to be part of the Rise team and has worked alongside Olivia in past projects. Ange will head up the Ellenbrook branch. Email: ange@riseperformingarts.com. Both Andrea's daughter attend Rise Performing arts.
Stacey Ericson- Junior Teacher- Acrobats Specialist
Stacey began dancing at the age 12 at the W.A. Academy of Dance and Drama, her teachers being Olivia Collier and Tiffany Evans. In her time with the Academy she was trained in singing, drama, musical theatre, jazz ballet, tap, ballet, acrobatics, and was also a member of their troupe. Troupe exposed her to numerous outside performances including dancing on telethon, in shopping centres, at the Perth Concert Hall, at fairs, and at many other exciting places. Stacey also studied the specialist dance program at Balcatta High School, where contemporary dance was highly regarding and training was mandatory. Over her five years at Balcatta, apart from being trained in the traditional dance styles such as ballet and tap, she also learnt many other styles of dance ranging from traditional indian to salsa, and also how to work in a team and choreograph. Stacey has also performed in a Perth version of Cats, where she played the character Rumpleteazer. This was an especially proud moment for her as Cats was the reason she wanted to do dancing and Rumpleteazer had always been her favourite cat character. After having a few years away from dance Stacey joined Rise Performing Arts in 2012 to rekindle her love for dance. This was a fantastic year for her as Rise supported her in regaining her skills in performing, particularly in dance competitions and with the role of the Wicked Witch of the West at the end of year production.
“Dancing with Olivia and Kristina at Rise performing Arts has helped me gain skills which have allowed me to perform more than I ever have before. I love to perform, so I am so thankful that they have given me the opportunity to pass on my skills to others, and I look forward to seeing what the year ahead will bring.”
“Dancing with Olivia and Kristina at Rise performing Arts has helped me gain skills which have allowed me to perform more than I ever have before. I love to perform, so I am so thankful that they have given me the opportunity to pass on my skills to others, and I look forward to seeing what the year ahead will bring.”
Estee Blake- Junior Teacher- Ellenbrook- (Mentor program Andrea Fletcher)
Estee has been dancing and singing from the age of three and has many performances, exams and genres under her belt. She has trained at the WA Academy of Dance and Drama, Hepburn Heights School of Performing art and now Rise Performing Arts. She has been a student teacher for a number of years and is looking forward to her role as Junior teacher this year in Ellenbrook. She is working under the mentoring of Ange Fletcher and is excited to to take her training to the next level.
"Rise inspires me- I see how far I've come and I could only get here by the amazing teachers and I want to do the same for the children I teach. It is so much fun to teach and it's a job that I wake up and want to go to. "
"Rise inspires me- I see how far I've come and I could only get here by the amazing teachers and I want to do the same for the children I teach. It is so much fun to teach and it's a job that I wake up and want to go to. "
Kayla Douglas- Student teacher
Why I love Rise Performing Arts
I love Rise Performing Arts! We have all shared many fond memories and have truly become our own little family. I can honestly say that going to dancing and seeing all my friends, including some of the younger students, and the teachers is the highlight of my week. I never want to leave. If I could be there every day I would. The teachers at Rise are amazing and its astonishing to see the improvement in people from the beginning of the year to the end. These achievements would not be so if we didn’t have our wonderful directors pushing us to strive to be our best. Rise is truly my favourite place in the world and will have many successful years ahead.
Why I love dance
Dance is such a pure art in which one can truly express and channel their emotions. I can go into dancing angry or upset about the day’s events but when I start dancing I forget about it all I’m in a different world, focused, nothing else matters. It allows me to escape. The feeling of my muscles working, stretching. My muscles contracting like a coil and then springing up when I leap. Feeling the control of a turn, muscles tensed and feet pointed. Feeling the music at the very core of my being and be inspired or moved by it. Just getting better and better every lesson with the smallest achievement feeling like one of the biggest. There is always room for improvement and something to strive for. This is why I love dance.
About Me
I started dance quite late at the age of 10, after watching Cats the musical one night with mum, and loved it instantly, never wanting to miss a lesson. I originally started at a school with only 6 students, only doing classical ballet but later moved to the WA Academy of Dance and Drama where my classes started to accumulate. I started doing all sorts of things like drama, acrobatics, singing and like all my different dance styles I loved it all. A few years later I moved to Hepburn Heights where I began to help teach the younger classes on a Saturday. I really enjoyed teaching the younger students, learning a lot of things that I missed out on from starting out late. Teaching has helped me improve heaps as a dancer so I continued to do it as I moved into Rise Performing Arts. I have placed in various routines throughout competitions in a variety of styles whether they are solos, duos and troupes. I have also performed in many places around Perth as part of Rise’s performance troupe
I love Rise Performing Arts! We have all shared many fond memories and have truly become our own little family. I can honestly say that going to dancing and seeing all my friends, including some of the younger students, and the teachers is the highlight of my week. I never want to leave. If I could be there every day I would. The teachers at Rise are amazing and its astonishing to see the improvement in people from the beginning of the year to the end. These achievements would not be so if we didn’t have our wonderful directors pushing us to strive to be our best. Rise is truly my favourite place in the world and will have many successful years ahead.
Why I love dance
Dance is such a pure art in which one can truly express and channel their emotions. I can go into dancing angry or upset about the day’s events but when I start dancing I forget about it all I’m in a different world, focused, nothing else matters. It allows me to escape. The feeling of my muscles working, stretching. My muscles contracting like a coil and then springing up when I leap. Feeling the control of a turn, muscles tensed and feet pointed. Feeling the music at the very core of my being and be inspired or moved by it. Just getting better and better every lesson with the smallest achievement feeling like one of the biggest. There is always room for improvement and something to strive for. This is why I love dance.
About Me
I started dance quite late at the age of 10, after watching Cats the musical one night with mum, and loved it instantly, never wanting to miss a lesson. I originally started at a school with only 6 students, only doing classical ballet but later moved to the WA Academy of Dance and Drama where my classes started to accumulate. I started doing all sorts of things like drama, acrobatics, singing and like all my different dance styles I loved it all. A few years later I moved to Hepburn Heights where I began to help teach the younger classes on a Saturday. I really enjoyed teaching the younger students, learning a lot of things that I missed out on from starting out late. Teaching has helped me improve heaps as a dancer so I continued to do it as I moved into Rise Performing Arts. I have placed in various routines throughout competitions in a variety of styles whether they are solos, duos and troupes. I have also performed in many places around Perth as part of Rise’s performance troupe
Amy Fletcher- Student Teacher
Amy has been dancing ever since she was able to walk, She has achieved honors or honors plus in all her Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dance exams upto grade 2.
She has achieved excellent results in state competitions in song and dance, modern, tap, acrobatics and lyrical.
Her live performance experience includes: Musicals in Concert with Lucy Durak, Justice Crew and Johnny Ruffo Concert, City of Perth Christmas Nativity 2011, The Next Step produced by Dein Perry, singing with Jack Vidgen at the Telethon celebrity ball, with the highlight being playing the scarecrow in Rise Performing Arts 2012 production of Wizard of OZ and 2011 & 2012 APAN Telethon productions. Over her short career she has worked with many industry professionals such as Matt Pappa, Chris Hornsey, Matt Lee, Grant Swift, Jason Gilkison, Marko Panzic, Kelly Abbey, Sarah Bolter, Turanga Merito, Chris Tsattalios, Bec De’Mart, Zoe Marsh, Melita Sammut, Rhoni Halliwell and Daniella Bernadini just to name a few with the highlight vocal training one on one with Bob Garett.
In the future Amy would love to be working in any part of the performance industry. She is thrilled to be a part of The Rise Performing Arts student teachers mentoring under Olivia and Krissy.
She has achieved excellent results in state competitions in song and dance, modern, tap, acrobatics and lyrical.
Her live performance experience includes: Musicals in Concert with Lucy Durak, Justice Crew and Johnny Ruffo Concert, City of Perth Christmas Nativity 2011, The Next Step produced by Dein Perry, singing with Jack Vidgen at the Telethon celebrity ball, with the highlight being playing the scarecrow in Rise Performing Arts 2012 production of Wizard of OZ and 2011 & 2012 APAN Telethon productions. Over her short career she has worked with many industry professionals such as Matt Pappa, Chris Hornsey, Matt Lee, Grant Swift, Jason Gilkison, Marko Panzic, Kelly Abbey, Sarah Bolter, Turanga Merito, Chris Tsattalios, Bec De’Mart, Zoe Marsh, Melita Sammut, Rhoni Halliwell and Daniella Bernadini just to name a few with the highlight vocal training one on one with Bob Garett.
In the future Amy would love to be working in any part of the performance industry. She is thrilled to be a part of The Rise Performing Arts student teachers mentoring under Olivia and Krissy.
Shelley Gaglia- Relief Teacher/Head Chaperone
Being the other daughter of Trevor Howard and Tiffany Evans she was always involved in the training of Performing Arts throughout her life. Starring in roles such as Dorothy, Frenchie on stage and featured film roles in 'Clowning Around' and 'A Fortunate Life' Shelley enjoyed a long appreciation for the arts. Shelley's passion has always been education. Teaching at the WA Academy of Dance and Drama for numerous years Shelley went onto study education (BA) get married and have four wonderful children. Both Shelley's daughters and son attend Rise performing Arts.
Sandie Roddis- Relief Teacher
Sandie Roddis has been involved in theatre through out her life. Training at a number of institutions including WA Academy and Pineapple Studios in London her love and forte has been musical comedy, vocals, dialects and acting. Sandie has taught for the WA Academy of Dance and Drama intermittedly for the last decade whilst enjoying her other love as a successful mentor in the financial sector. Sandie has performed across Perth in several pro-am productions as a young adult and continues her love of acting through teaching the theatrical subject in the Ellenbrook branch at Rise Performing Arts.
