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KPG runs exciting holiday workshops during the NSW school holiday periods in all disciplines of the performing arts.
Our staff are highly dedicated & professional allowing all KPG students to achieve "Excellence in the Performing Arts"Read More...
Summary: Meet the Staff of KPG
All of our courses are designed and taught by qualified teachers in their disciplines. Our staff are highly dedicated and professional allowing all students at KICK Performance Group to achieve "Excellence in the Performing Arts".
VOCATIONAL COURSES – SATURDAY
The Advanced Acting Programme (formerly Drama Company) Part of ACTORS PURPOSE
Spencer and Lloyd Harvey - (Screen Business)
Carla Nirella - (Stage Performance)
Zuzi Fort - (Creating Work)
Performance Stream, KICK Starters and Triple Threat
Drama – Hayley McCarthy
Singing – Blake Erickson
Ballet – Kristina Wallbank-Hutton
Jazz – Daisy Frustaci
Tap – Sami Marsh
Glee Club Dance (High School) – Elise McCann and Sami Marsh
RECREATIONAL COURSES – MONDAY TO FRIDAY
Monday
Junior Primary Drama (for homeschooled families) - Zuzi Fort
Senior Primary Drama (for homeschooled families) - Zuzi Fort
Glee Club (Primary) – Kate Paull
Glee Club Special Needs – Blake Erickson
Junior Primary Hip Hop – Daisy
Junior Primary Tap/Jazz – Daisy
High School Hip Hop – Daisy
Primary Musical Theatre – Sami Marsh and Blake Erickson
GLEE Club Primary – Sami Marsh and Blake Erickson
Senior High Production (Yr 9 - Yr 12) Sam Haft
Tuesday
Preschool Ballet - Sami Marsh
Preschool Musical Theatre – Sami Marsh
Junior Primary Musical Theatre (Home schooled families) - Sami Marsh
Senior Primary Musical Theatre (Home schooled families) - Sami Marsh
Senior Primary Screen Acting – Kathy Luu
Junior High School Screen Acting – Kathy Luu
Advanced Screen Acting – Kathy Luu
Primary Hip Hop – Sami Marsh
High School Jazz – Sami Marsh
GLEE Club Performance – Elise McCann
GLEE Club Primary – Kate Paull
Actors Purpose (Advanced 16+) – see modules being offered
Wednesday
Preschool Dance - Khali Grimshaw
Preschool Ballet – Khali Grimshaw
Senior Primary Jazz – Matt Papa
Senior Primary Tap – Matt Papa
Advanced Tap – Matt Papa
Junior Primary Drama – Zuzi Fort
Senior Primary Srama – Zuzi Fort
Junior High Drama – Zuzi Fort
Production 18+ - Vashti Pontaks
Actors Purpose (Advanced 16+) – see modules being offered
Thursday
Production (Yr 4-Yr 8) - Nicolas Papademetriou
Actors Purpose (Advanced 16+) – see modules being offered
Advanced Musical Theatre – Stephen Mahy AUDITION CLASS - Thursday 16 February Please register your interest with the office.
Advanced Jazz - Sami Marsh
Friday
Preschool Dance - Khali Grimshaw
Preschool Musical Theatre – Khali Grimshaw
BIOS BELOW THE JUMP >>
Carla Nirella
STAGE PERFORMANCE (Part of Advanced Acting Programme)
Carla was born and raised in Perth W.A where she commenced her training as an actor and physical theatre performer. She has worked and trained vastly from acting to circus with various institutions and companies such as: Total Theatre School (under the tuition of acclaimed teachers Annie Stainer and Reg Bolton), WAAPA, NIDA, Black Swan Theatre Company, Legs on The Wall and many others. After commencing her career as a lead player with the BSX Black Swan Theatre program she then performed for over a year with The Total Theatre Company on a wide variety of Physical Theatre shows and then continued to develop her skills as a physical theatre performer under the guidance of Debra Batton at Legs on The Wall. She also worked and trained extensively with Stella Adler tutor Sheryl Sciro and the ‘New York Theatre Workshop’. Her theatre credits include: “The Housewives Guide to Shakespeare”, “Shakespeare In Full Colour”, “The Secret & The Shadow” “Stories From The 428”, “Elegiac”,“ The V- Monologues”, “The House Of Bernada Alba”, “The Bald Prima Donna”, “Antigone”, “Spurboard”, “Labyrinth”, “Circus with a Purpose”, “Neither Here nor There” and “Play On”.
Carla has also appeared in the ABC series “The Shark Net”, Network Seven’s “Home and Away” and “Packed To The Rafters” and plays the lead role of “Natalie” in the upcoming Documentary Feature “Food Matters 2” as well as appearing in numerous TV commercials and short films over the years. Carla has also worked as a producer and writer for theatre and short films and has won awards for her various collaborative projects. She began teaching over 9 years ago when she was asked to create a specialised drama program for “GO” and has since taught in various schools and institutions throughout WA & NSW running workshops in both Physical Theatre and Acting including the Sydney Region Drama Camps. She is passionate about both the industry and educating young well rounded performers for the future.
Zuzi Fort
CREATING WORK (Part of Advanced Acting Programme)
DRAMA
Performer, director, community theatre co-ordinator, drama tutor and community youth facilitator, writer/scriptwriter, editor and reporter. Zuzi started her acting career as a child in the Czech Republic and later continued on her path in Australia. She holds a BA in Performing Arts (Theatre) University of Western Sydney (Nepean), BA in Communications (Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences) University of Technology, Sydney and further qualifications in Literature & Drama from the Public School of Arts (Prague), Army Training Boot Camp Captain Dale Dye, Universal Studios and Courses at Filmmakers College of Arts & Sciences.
Zuzi has a list of credits working in theatre, in commercials, films, bit parts and variety life shows, In 2001 she was offered a contract with the Universal Studios as a stunt performer and actor. After having her contract renewed three times she decided to return to Australia and pursue her acting and stunt career here once more and has come full circle to her love of teaching.
Elise McCann
GLEE CLUB PERFORMANCE & GLEE CLUB HIGH SCHOOL
Elise studied Music Theatre at The National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) graduating in 2003 and has since performed extensively throughout Australia. Elise has sung as both a soloist and choralist across Sydney at functions and venues including the Sydney Theatre Awards, Sydney Easter Parade, Sydney Cricket Ground, Carols in the Domain, Australian Ethnic Small Business Awards and The Australian MO Awards.
Her professional theatre debut began in the Australian cast of Fiddler on the Roof (TML) alongside Topol. She toured Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth with the show, understudying and later taking over the role of Fruma Sarah. Other theatrical credits include Camelot (The Production Company), David Mitchell and Mel Morrow’s Palace Whore, My Fair Lady (Opera Australia) and Little Women The Broadway Musical (Kookaburra) where she was the sole female cover, understudying all 6 female roles - Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy, Marmee and Aunt March - and performing the lead role of Jo on a number of occasions.
In 2009 Elise was invited to join the cast of Breast Wishes The Musical to perform excerpts from the show in concert form at Reach for Recovery in Brisbane, raising money and awareness for Breast Cancer research. Following which, Elise was cast in the lead role of June in the Australian Premiere of the musical spoof Musical of Musicals (the Musical) for Triptych Theatre. This quirky four hander parodied the music and styles of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Kander and Ebb and Jerry Herman and boasted an amazing Australian cast and was received with extensive critical acclaim.
Directly following, Elise stared in the 10th Anniversary Australian Tour of the smash hit Mamma Mia! the Musical. Elise toured Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth for over a year in the role of Ali performing to packed houses and receiving rave reviews!
Most recently Elise appeared in the World Premiere of Doctor Zhivago the Musical (GFO), opposite Australian Theatre veteran Anthony Warlow. With a creative team of Broadway legends - Composer Lucy Simon (Secret Garden), Director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Tommy) and Choreographer Kelly Devine (Rock of Ages) - Elise was delighted to be a part of this rare and exciting original work and creative process. Doctor Zhivago toured Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for 8months throughout 2011.
Elise regularly performs for charity having sung for the Mission Australia Charity Gala 2005, Westmead Childrens Hospital Charity Ball 2006, Light the Night 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2011, The Awakening Concert and the ACON Worlds Aids Day Concert 2011. She most recently performed as the featured headliner for the Sydney Women’s Fund annual charity gala, raising awareness and funds for the plight of single mothers and their children.
Elise’s cabaret appearances include the 3rd Annual Cabaret Showcase at Bar Me (2005), Lawlapalooza Music Festival (2006), All Star Cabaret for the Sydney Theatre Company (2008) and Up Close and Musical for Kookaburra (2008) as well as numerous guest appearances at ‘Showqueen’ and ‘Monday Night Live’
In 2007 Elise took to the Seas, where she performed as a lead singer for the American Cruise Liner Royal Caribbean International. Over the course of 9 months Elise performed all across the globe traveling throughout the United States, Europe, the Greek Islands and Egypt.
In addition to performing, Elise is a professionally accredited teacher of Ballroom and Latin Dancing. Trained in 8 major dances she teaches across Australia in Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Cha Cha, Swing, Samba and Mambo.
Stephen Mahy
ADVANCED MUSICAL THEATRE
Stephen at 21 made the big move across the Nullabor to study Musical Theatre at WAPPA. Whilst still there he was cast in his first Musical, Miss Saigon. He toured Australia and was honoured to perform the role of Chris numerous times, including Opening Night in Adelaide. He then went on to perform in Follies for The Production Company (Young Ben), Karaoke The Musical under the Direction and Music Direction of Guy Noble and as Laurie Lawrence in Kookaburra's production of Little Women.
In 2009 Stephen was cast as Bob Gaudio in the Australian Production of Jersey Boys. With the Boys he performed at The Australian Open Men's final, AFL Grand Final, Dancing with The Stars, both the Melbourne and Sydney Christmas Carols and the New Years Eve Celebrations on Sydney Harbour.
Stephen has appeared on Channel 7's Out Of The Blue (constable Wyatt) and Channel 9's City Homicide (reporter Andrew Ryde).
Stephen Mahy was one of the first students to study at KICK Performance Group
Black Erickson
SINGING
Blake has quickly emerged as one of Australia’s rising young artists as an award-winning actor, singer, and writer. He made his professional debut in 2010 as a member of the original Australian cast of Floyd Collins: The Musical and went on to appear at the Seymour Centre in both An Original Broadway Musical (Jeff) and Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story (Richard Loeb). Other roles include the Eldest Magician in the original Australian cast of Stiles and Drew’s Just So, Oscar Lindquist in Sweet Charity, Edward Lyons in Blood Brothers, Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie, various roles in the revue Forbidden Broadway, and Oedipus Rex in Steven Berkoff’s Greek!
He has appeared extensively in concert and in cabaret, was a grand finalist in the Sydney Cabaret Showcase 2009, a regular performer at Trevor Ashley’s Showqueen Cabaret, and recently returned from Singapore where he played the lead in a new musical based on Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
In 2010 he won the Sydney Fringe award for Best Festival Performance for his portrayal of Orson Welles in his critically acclaimed one-man show Pearls Before Swine: An Evening With Orson Welles, which was also nominated for the Sydney Festival Independent Artist Prize. Blake’s training includes - University of Sydney – Performance Studies Program 2008 and Northern Beaches Music Studio Sydney – Vocal Studies Diploma 2005
Kristina Wallbank-Hutton
BALLET
Kristina began dancing at the early age of 4 with the Central Coast College of Dance in NSW. It wasn't long after, that she decided performing on the stage was the path in which she would dedicate her life. In 2002 Kristina moved to Sydney to attend Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, where she studied dance, musical theatre, music and drama. Graduating as a dance major in 2007 Kristina received two nominations to perform in “Call Back” an annual performance in which the state’s top HSC Dance graduates are invited to partake. It was also in 2007 that she completed her final RAD examinations with Tanya Pearson's Classical Coaching Academy. In 2008 Kristina moved to Switzerland, studying in Lucerne and training full-time with the Balletschule für das Opern Haus Zurich (Zurich Opera House Ballet School), under the direction of Doris Catana Beriozoff. She began her teaching studies as an apprentice with the Ballettschule Luzern (Ballet School Lucerne), where she also studied her RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS), and graduated as a member of the RAD headquarters based London Cohort in 2010. Between Lucerne, Zurich and London Kristina worked with world class teachers, choreographers, and performers both in the studio and on the stage.In addition to her classical based background and technique, Kristina's versatility and passion in performance and choreography ranges from ballet, contemporary and lyrical to jazz, tap, hip hop, musical theatre and Spanish flamenco as well as other diverse styles and is constantly hungry to learn and discover more in the infinite world of the performing arts.
Matt Papa
TAP (midweek intermediate and advanced classes)
Matt
is truly amazing tap dancer whose classes are not to be missed. Having moved to
Sydney from Canberra, Matt has quickly become known for
his take on rhythm, which has evolved from his intense training by Glenn
Wood, Dein Perry and Michelle Heine. As a performer Matt has toured to 43
countries with the Tap Dogs and has most recently finished touring with The
Next Step.
Daisy Frustaci
JAZZ/HIP HOP/TAP
Daisy Frustaci is trained in hip hop, jazz, classical jazz and ballet. She performed as a dancer at the Sydney hair expo in 2010. She has choreographed for the 2010 GLEE Club Australia US Talent Development Project and toured as a performer with GLEE Club in 2010 and 2011. She currently teaches Jazz, Hip Hop and Tap at KICK Performance Group and is often called upon to choreograph shows.
Kathy Luu
SCREEN ACTING
Kathy Luu has worked with some of the leading drama and commercial casting agents in Australia including Faith Martin Casting and I4 casting, and has recently casted her first feature, SELLOUTS. Kathy has background in media arts, film production, directing and acting (guest roles on TV's Packed To The Rafters and BlackJack, and most recently a support lead with fellow teacher Orianna in the film Next Door To The Velinsky's which premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival 2011). Kathy loves movies and great performances, and gets the biggest kick out of seeing her actors have fun, bring forth their natural unique talents and deliver breathtaking performances. She is currently working on her own film projects and web series
Khali Grimshaw
JAZZ/BALLET & MUSICAL THEATRE
Born in Sydney, Khali Grimshaw began performing a very young age taking part in singing, dancing and acting classes from the age of 5 at the LA Talent School. After completing her ATOD dance exams in jazz, tap and ballet, Khali took interest and broadened her repertoire to commercial dance, lyrical, musical theatre and hip hop, continuing her training at Centre Stage Academy. Khali also trained at NIDA as part of the Young Actors Studio and regularly attends classes at Sydney Dance Company and The Actors Centre. Khali has performed in many productions including Agamemnon, West Side Story, touring with a young children’s entertainment group, singing solo at the Opera House, and taking part in Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Khali has also gone on to be a choreographer in professional work such as Glee Club Australia, Grease, Australia’s Got Talent and Franklins Commercials. Khali has travelled the world in the popular Cartoon Networks, MEI, ‘Ben 10 Live’ Stage Show going all around Australia and over 11 countries internationally. In 2010, Khali travelled to LA as part of Glee Club Australia taking part in workshops and castings with some of LA’s biggest casting directors and managers. As well as being a qualified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor, Khali’s main passion is working with children. After 2 years of working in childcare, Khali wanted to combine her love of children, fitness and performing arts, by teaching kids dance. With a genuine passion and energetic personality, Khali believes every child is a star and loves seeing her students enjoy themselves while blossoming into performers.
Vashti Pontaks
PRODUCTION 18+
Vashti has been working as an actor in the industry for 15years. She has worked mainly in film, starring in four feature films and over 15 short films. Vashti trained at The Actors Workshop where she completed an Advanced Diploma in Film, Television and Theatre Acting, grauduating in 2003. Vashti has been a key collaborator with Loulabelle Productions over the last few years, working on a TV series comedy drama, as well as devising and producing theatre productions. In 2009 Vashti studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York where they specialize in Practical Aesthetics. This was an invaluable experience which enriched both Vashti’s skills and passion as an Actor and teacher in the field. Vashti has previously had the pleasure of also teaching at The Australian International Performing Art High School. Vashti is passionate about the craft of acting and teaching and sharing her skills and knowledge. She believes we can never stop learning, exploring and building new skills!
Nicolas Papademetriou
PRODUCTION Yr 3 - 8
WAAPA Graduate with extensive experience in Theatre, Television, Film, Voice, Directing, Producing, Dramaturg and Teaching
Sam Haft
PRODUCTION Senior High Yr 9-12
Sam grew up
in London and immigrated to Australia in 1998.
Whilst in the U.K, Sam worked on the BAFTA award winning TV series, Roger
and The Rottentrolls as well as various productions for the BBC. Graduating
from NIDA in 2002, he has since appeared in Stained (The Darlinghurst
Theatre), The 24 Hour Play Project (Downstairs Belvoir) Jim
Sharman’s production of What The Butler Saw (Company B), The
Homecoming (CompanyB/B Sharp) The Birthday Party
(Company B/B Sharp). Black Milk (Company B/B Sharp) Sleeping
Around (Downstairs Belvoir) Broken Dreams ( The
Griffin), To The Green Fields Beyond (Tamarama Rock Surfers and BITE
Revival), The Hothouse (Shaft Productions) The Pugilist Specialist (Darlinghurst
Theatre), Return To Sender, Road Rage and Duals:A Triptych (S and S), The
Fabulous Punch & Judy Show (Café Debris), Poster Girl (Tamarama
Rock Surfers/Platform 19), Pool (no water) (Darlinghurst Theatre), Hamlet
(Harlos Productions), as the voice of Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors
(New Theatre), Bent (CompanyB/Sharp) and as Lysander/Flute for Wild
Rumpus’ production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For Alchemy Theatre
Company, of which he was a founding member and co-builder of The Lock-Up
Theatre, he appeared in Romeo and Juliet, Some Voices and The
Pull of Negative Gravity. For Sport for Jove, Sam appeared in their
multi-award winning production of The Libertine and most recently
in Cry Havoc’s production of Titus Andronicus.
