Interview with Dance Central Sydney
By admin at February 1, 2012 | 10:17 am | Print
Company Name: Dance Central Sydney
Company Address: 1/268 Cleveland st Surry Hills
Phone Number: 02) 9319 2268
Website: www.dancecentral.com.au
1) Can you tell us a little bit about you or your dancing school, and about the dance courses / dancing lessons you offer?
Dance Central brings the World of dance to your feet! We offer casual ongoing classes and weekend workshops for anyone who wants to learn.
The styles we teach include Hip Hop, Funk, Salsa, Bollywood, Jamaican Dancehall, Belly Dance, BreakDance, Burlesque, Brazilian Samba, Popping, Showgirl, modern Jazz, Booty Dance, Tahitian Dance, Hulahoop and more…
2) What’s the history behind your dancing school and how did you get involved in the dance industry?
Dance Central started in Sydney 10 years ago by Jean Luc Stora a man with a vision to create the love of Cultural dance and Street dance in Sydney.
Jean was originally from France but had moved to San Francisco and inspired by the intoxicating rhythms of Brazil and the thriving Latin and Caribbean arts community in San Francisco, he began dancing and drumming professionally with various local companies and bands, and in 1995 was chosen as San Francisco’s King of Carnaval. In 2002 Jean established Dance Central in Sydney and was the Director for 7 years before he moved away and sold Dance Central to the schools managers at the time but now the new owners Lisa Jane Baker and Shar Mitchell. Lisa and Shar are now both Directors/Teachers/Choreographers and Principal performers of the company.
3) Dance is such a broad topic, and we see all different type of dancing schools, can you tell us a little bit about the different styles of dancing you teach and why you decided to focus on that style?
We specialise in dance styles from other countries and street styles. We love all styles of dance from Ballet to Breakdance or Brazilian Samba but we also find that with Australia being more multi cultural we have had Dance teachers with amazing dance backgrounds in their mother countries that have not been able to get their step into the Australian dance industry until we allowed them to teach at our school. So we are happy to be able to be that stepping stone for those teachers and bring the world dance to Sydney and the whole of Australia.
4) Who is your typical dance student?
We have a huge demographic of dancer from young adults with no dance experience to trained dancers that wish to learn cultural dance forms or street dance.
One of our favourite students is in her early 80’s and loves taking the hip hop classes so dance is truly for everyone to enjoy!
5) What do you love the most of working in the dancing industry? What is your biggest reward of running a dancing school?
There are so many aspects to the dance industry that are rewarding for me personally. I love seeing a student with no dance background feeling as though they have improved and feeling as though they have achieved the impossible.
We have student and teacher showcases called Tour de Dance and it is always a thrill to watch them perform on stage in full costume and shine for their friends and family.
Also I love being able to book our amazing teachers/performers for different events throughout the year,they get to flex their skills for the public.
6) Dancing… dancing… what’s the secret? Passion? Discipline? Technique? Can anyone learn to dance?
Anyone who is willing to learn can dance 
7) A normal working day in the life of your dance school is…….
A musical trip around the world without leaving the city of Sydney!
8.) What is one of the most common misconceptions about dance schools?
Perhaps that they are competitive environment. We seem to get a lot of students who have tried various schools in Sydney but have felt very comfortable with our teachers and atmosphere of the school so have settled into a pattern of weekly classes with us. It’s always nice to hear.
9) Learning to dance seems now more popular than ever in Australia. TV Shows about dancing seem to be promoting dancing all day long. Where do you see the dancing industry heading in a few years?
It’s great that dance has made it into many more households because of all the TV shows that have been around over the years. Many people have changed their lifestyles and have used dance as a healthier way to exercise.
To be honest I think the industry will not change too much over the next few years, if anything I hope that general public will come and support dance schools more and realise that they will not get the same result from a fitness dance classes that Gyms are offering with latest trends.
10) What should people look for when searching for a dancing school?
Perhaps to have a school that easily accessible in their day to day life so they don’t feel like its an effort to get to class.
Defiintely that the school offers the classes the dance styles they wish to learn and really feeling comfortable in the enviroment.
Of course you should feel inspired by your teacher and their lessons too.
11) And now, time for self promotion. Tell us what makes your dancing school simply the TOP option to learn to dance? Tell us why our readers should contact you to help them achieve the best dancing skills possible.
Dance Central Sydney is the TOP dance school in Sydney as we have the broadest range of dance classes for beginners or dancers that have had experience.
Our amazing team of teachers have been handpicked not only for their dance ability but their great personalities as well, so you will feel welcome in every class or workshop.
We also specialize in casual ongoing classes so you do not have to commit to any one class but keep your body moving all week in any genre of dance.
From Rio to Kingston Jamaica, Dance Central brings “ The world of dance to your feet! ”