Because dance is so physically and mentally demanding, it is important that our pupils are always being assessed with fresh eyes. Children get accustomed to hearing the same correction and after a while stop hearing it and therefore when a different teacher comes in and says the same thing the pupils hear it differently and is able to implement the correction and improve in their dancing.
It has been proven that it is good for children participating in dance to be exposed to different teachers and as the Principal and owner of this Academy if feel that this helps them prepare better for examinations and workshops. This has also been seen in our exam results and we are one of few Academy's who can boost with the amount of distinctions we receive during exam sessions. Below are some interesting facts about our wonderful dance faculty and the expertise they are going to pass onto to our students.
In 1985 I took my first ballet lesson with Ingrid Gaertner. Ingrid had been running the Dance Academy for many years. She was the founder of the Academy and fostered my love for dance from a young age.
The reins of the academy was then handed over to Lisa Marsal who showed me how important the finer details of technique are, my passion for dance continued to grow from lesson to lesson. I also remember how strict Lisa was, I just loved that type of structure. I flourished under her passion and love for dance.
The Academy was the handed over to Lindi Louw in 1993, who taught me to see the Academy as a business and not just a "dance school". Lindi also taught me how to teach the tiny tots and my love for the younger ones grew as she gave me more exposure as a young student teacher. I took over the Academy in 2004 and the Academy has been under my leadership ever since. In 2007 I changed it from a purely classical academy to a academy that offers a wider variety of dance styles.
I learned a great deal from these three teachers and it was an absolute privilege to have them as mentors and dance teachers through my training. I am proud to say that I was a pupil of all of them and that the Academy now belongs to me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am hugely sentimental and that I strive everyday to make my previous three mentors proud of the work we are achieving in the Academy and to pass on all the knowledge they so willingly passed onto me onto our students.
Jacqueline's Academy of Dance Staff members are committed to excellence in dance education. The dance training students experience at the Academy offers so much more than just the benefits of a demanding physical activity.
