Mrs Tanya Pearson

One of the world’s pre-eminent teachers of classical ballet, Mrs Pearson is the director of the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy and the Artistic Director of the Sydney City Youth Ballet.

For 50 years Mrs Pearson has worked with passion and dedication to identify, train and nurture many successful dancers who are now Principals and Soloists in Companies all around the world, including Lucinda Dunn, Principal Artist of The Australian Ballet, Lisa-Maree Cullum – Principal Artist of the Bayerisches Staatsballett (Munich), Danilo Radojevic – Associate Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, Olivia Bell – Principal Artist of The Australia Ballet, Stephanie Hancox – Soloist of the Bayerisches Staatsballett (Munich) and world renowned choreographer Tanja Liedtke, to name a few.

“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the Medal of The Order of Australia which I will carry with pride.  My passion for the art of ballet and being in a position to assist so many young talented Australians realize their dreams of becoming professional dancers, gives me the inspiration and energy to continue teaching every day, even at my age! I hope to continue teaching for many more years to come and pass on my knowledge and experience to others” said Mrs Pearson.

Russian born, Mrs Pearson emigrated to Australia with her family in 1948 and was first trained in ballet by Raisa Kousnetzova before joining the Borovansky Ballet.  After teaching privately for many years, in 1964 she established her first ballet school and in 1971 she founded the Company that was to become the Sydney City Youth Ballet.

Dedicated to providing opportunities for emerging dancers to shine on the world stage, for over 22 years Mrs Pearson has led annual international audition tours for students and teachers, with her students attending major competitions in Europe and the US.  In 2009 Mrs Pearson was awarded the prestigious Most Outstanding Teacher Award by her international peers at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York.

Having produced a series of 5 coaching DVD’s on her teaching methodologies, Mrs Pearson annually tours Australia and New Zealand giving Teacher and Student sharing seminars.

As many of you will know, she is currently in Europe leading her 23^rd annual audition tour.

A Graduate of the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy, and a Finalist in this year’s Prix De Lausanne, Jack is known for his outstanding performance quality. Recipient of the prestigious Mary Day Artistry Award at the 2010 Youth America Grand Prix, a Silver Medal at Berlin in 2010, and the Gold Medal at Solothurn in 2009, Jack was awarded the second Scholarship at the Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Ballet Scholarship in 2008.

Following his graduation from Tanz Akademie, Zurich in July – Jack will move to Toronto, Canada in August to commence the contract.

The other finalists were Nicole Marshall, Tara Gower, Emily Seymour, Anastasia Bertinshaw, Amelia Poole and Grace Robinson.

Special mention should also go to Nicole Marshall who was awarded the Northern Beaches Jazz/Musical Comedy Scholarship with TPCCA student Aaron Matheson receiving the Encouragement Award.

Bethany Cockburn was also awarded the Northern Beaches Eisteddfod Dance Bursary.

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Shayarne Matheson - Supreme Winner of the 2011 Alana Haines Awards NZ

Shayarne Matheson (18 yrs), Joel Woellner (16 yrs) and Elise Hart (18 yrs) were all prize and scholarship recipients at this year’s prestigious Alana Haines Australasian Awards held in Auckland, New Zealand over the Easter weekend.

Student of The Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy (TPCCA) and recently Vicki Attard, Shayarne Matheson was announced as the SUPREME AWARD WINNER receiving a bursary of NZ$11,000 and a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School.

Receiving her RAD Solo Seal last year, Shayarne has been recognized in a number of international and national competitions. Winner of the 2010 Sydney Eisteddfod Wenkart Foundation Senior Ballet Championship and Classical Ballet 17U, Shayarne was the recipient of the 2009 SODA Senior Classical Ballet Scholarship, as well as a Finalist in the 2009 Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Ballet Scholarship and winner of the Robert & Elizabeth Albert Dance Championship. She was also honoured to be a Finalist in the 2009 RAD International Genee Ballet Competition which was held in Singapore.

16 year old Joel Woellner of the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy was awarded Ist Runner Up Supreme Awards B Group and received a week’s work experience scholarship with the Australian Ballet Company and Elise Hart (also of TPCCA) was awarded 3rd Runner Up Supreme Awards B Group and two week’s work experience scholarship with the Hong Kong Ballet Company.

Intermediate

2nd Place Winner

Bethany Cockburn

Encouragement Award

Joel Paulin

Finalists

Emily Seymour

Kia Grubb

Mia Sfara

Semi Finalist

Anya Siddall

Advanced Foundation

Winner

Tess Spiedel-Connolly

Advanced I

Finalists

Liam White

Semi Finalists

Amelia Poole

Grace Robinson

Taylor Bree, Hayley Page, Joel Woellner, Anastasia Bertinshaw. Photo courtesy dancetrain magazine

Four students from the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy have been selected for the Finals of the 2011 Youth America Grand Prix, which will be held in New York in March. The four students selected to compete are Anastasia Bertinshaw, Taylor Bree, Hayley Page and Joel Woellner. The Youth America Grand Prix is the largest scholarship competition for ballet students in the world and offers more than $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide.

Photo by Gregory Batardon

Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy graduate Jack Bertinshaw, was the only Australian in the Finals of the 2011 Prix de Lausanne held in Switzerland last week.  

Currently in final year at Tanz Akademie, Zurich, and known for his outstanding performance quality, Jack received the prestigious Mary Day Artistry Award at the 2010 Youth America Grand Prix, a Silver Medal at Berlin in 2010, the Gold Medal at Solothurn in 2009 and was awarded the second Scholarship at the 2008 Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Ballet Scholarship.

The twelve students that travelled included: Nicole Marshall, Tara Gower, Anastasia Bertinshaw, Hayley Page, Geraldine Phang, Jessica Borg, Tom Elphik, Liam White, Brittany Galpin, Taylor Bree, Reina Uchida, Yuka Ozaki, Caitlin Briasco, Rhiain Fernie, Catherine Moore.

Some of the offers have now been accepted by the students, while others are still to make a final decision.

According to Mrs Pearson, the Royal Ballet School in London has also expressed interest in four of the students and will await their performance in March at the Youth America Grand Prix in New York.

The four students selected to compete in the Grand Prix are Anastasia Bertinshaw, 16, from Greenwich,  Taylor Bree, 16 from Artarmon, Hayley Page, 16, from Avalon, and Joel Woellner, 16, from Illawong.

The Grand Prix is the largest scholarship competition for ballet students in the world and offers more than $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide.

The European tour of the students was escorted by Tanya Pearson who has strong links with many of the European ballet schools including the Bayerisches Staatsballet Company in Munich.

Three of her former students are members of the Munich company, including principal dancer Lisa Maree Cullum and soloist Stephanie Hancox.

Mrs Pearson said she and her students also visited John Neumeier’s ballet company in Hamburg and ballet schools in Geneva, Dresden, Basil, Mannheim and London.

“To be able to travel around Europe and visit so many of the selective schools has greatly inspired the students,” said Mrs Pearson.

“The students were honoured to have the opportunity  to take classes at the schools and to observe the company class in Munich was a highlight.”

The students who will take up offers to the European ballet schools will continue at the St  Leonards academy until September when they commence their studies overseas.

In this newly created role, Julie will work closely with Tanya Pearson to address the growing needs of the Part-Time Academy. Tanya Pearson will continue as Director of the Full Time Academy and Artistic Director of Sydney City Youth Ballet and teacher of the Part Time Academy.

Julie began her early ballet training with Tanya Pearson before joining The Royal Ballet School in the United Kingdom. She is an RAD Registered Teacher and, earlier this year, was appointed to the Regional Panel of the Royal Academy of Dance.

Julie has been teaching for more than 25 years, 22 of them with Tanya Pearson. She played an integral role in establishing the first Junior School at TPCCA and was its first Principal. Julie has travelled with Tanya Pearson to several International Competitions and on a number of overseas tours. She is passionate about Mrs P’s teaching methodologies and sharing this knowledge with students and teachers.

Kellie Conolly and Vana Campbell will remain Principals of the Junior School and continue to do an outstanding job nurturing the young talent within the Academy and instilling the passion of ballet.

See more detailed Bio on Julie-Anne Kerr