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Our Faculty

Kristyn Caley
(nee Tindall)

ARAD Solo Seal PDTD RTS

As the founding Director and Principal of L’Academie Sydney, Kristyn aspires to nurture and create a love of ballet in students of all ages.

While completing her full-time training with Tessa Maunder and part-time with Tanya Pearson in Sydney (final year), Kristyn was awarded the Royal Academy of Dance Isobel Anderson Award for Advanced and gained her Solo Seal the same year.

After competing in the Adeline Genée Awards in London, auditioning and being awarded places at schools in the United Kingdom and Europe, a Scholarship at the John Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany was offered and accepted. During her two years at the school, Kristyn was trained in the Vaganova method with teachers, Alex Ursuliak, Ute Mitreuter, Sarah Abendroth and Peter Pestov.

Kristyn’s dance career commenced performing and touring with The Stuttgart Ballet Company in Swan Lake. She then accepted soloist contracts in Germany at Theatre Nordhausen, Staatstheater Kassel. Theater Vorpommern and Mainfrankentheater Wuerzburg dancing leading roles as Black Swan, Sugar Plum Fairy and the Ballerina in Petruschka.

After 10 years performing in Germany, Kristyn was accepted by audition into the Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma at the Royal Academy of Dance headquarters in London obtaining her Professional Teachers’ status.

After returning to Australia, Kristyn taught at various ballet schools in Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne including Redlands Cremorne; Victorian College of the Arts and National Theatre Ballet School Melbourne.

Kristyn  has recently returned from Austria having completed her Post Graduate studies in the Vaganova Method with Prof. Alex Ursuliak (former Director of the John Cranko Schule Stuttgart) and now translates her extensive pedagogical knowledge into the development of KineticMetrix, an app that brings technological feedback to traditional ballet training.

Melisa Ribola

Melisa is a Royal Academy of Dance Registered Teacher, choreographer and former professional dancer and has taught extensively over 20 years across dance schools, tertiary institutions and professional companies.

Melisa graduated with a Bachelor of Dance Honours from The Victorian College of the Arts and earlier studied full-time classical ballet at Ecole Classique in Sydney under the guidance of Prudence Bowen and Kit Lethby, achieving her RAD Advanced Certificate and RAD Teachers Certificate with Distinction.

Melisa has taught classical ballet and contemporary dance for The Victorian College of the Arts, Ausdance NSW, Chunky Move, The Ballet Class, L’Académie, Conlan College, Academy Ballet and Brent Street. In 2019, she was engaged as a classical ballet coach on Billy Elliot The Musical, Australia, coaching the four boys in the lead role of ‘Billy’ during the rehearsal and performance season in Sydney.

Melisa was an inaugural recipient of The Keys-Arenas Dance Trust Choreographic Scholarship 2011 and choreographed Pandora Jewellery’s Rose Gold Live Activation in Sydney and Melbourne.
Her choreography has been acknowledged at Sydney Eisteddfod, winning several awards and being selected over the years for The Dance of The Champions and the programming of The Ballet Scholarship Finals at The Sydney Opera House. Melisa coaches students for international ballet competitions, mentors HSC Dance students and has adjudicated at Sydney Eisteddfod.

Melisa has performed works by independent choreographers Annalouise Paul, Anton, Michael Whaites, Carol Dilley and Kay Armstrong and was a founding member of DirtyFeet (Sydney), a not-for-profit contemporary dance organisation supporting and promoting independent dance artists and community engagement with the arts.

Melisa is a dedicated dance educator, passionate about nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers.

Wil Hellstedt

Wil is an aspiring teacher who is passionate about teaching and spreading the joy of dance in dancers of all ages.

Wil is a graduate of the Queensland Ballet Academy and has been dancing for over 15 years. He has gained a diverse range of training and experience in the RAD syllabus, Vaganova method, contemporary, character and pas de deux.

Wil begun his training at the Andrea Rowsell Academy of Dance where he found his love for dance. He also received valuable training from The Australian Ballet School through the ITP and Invitee Program for a number of years under the direction of Lisa Pavane and Sergey Konstantinov. He competed in various competition such as the Isobel Anderson Awards and the Australian Classical Challenge where he was a finalist.

After being offered full-time training positions at both the Australian Ballet School and Queensland Ballet Academy, Wil continued his training at the Queensland Ballet Academy under the guidance of director, Christian Tàtchev and teachers Guy Wheatstone, Paul Boyd, Louise Deleur, Grant Aris, and Veronika Sheremetieva. He had the opportunity to perform in many works with the Queensland Ballet Academy in their annual gala and Soirée performance seasons.

After graduating the Queensland Ballet Academy in 2024, Wil decided to pursue his academics at the University of Sydney studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Upon moving to Sydney he began to further his teaching experience where he was then fortunate to begin teaching at L’Academié with tremendous support from Ms Kristyn.

He looks forward to his new journey as he pursues a career in psychology whilst remaining present in the dance industry nurturing the next generation of dancers.

Yulia Furnas

Yulia graduated with distinction as a National Character dancer from the State Choreography Academy in Voronezh, Russia where she studied Classical Ballet (Vaganova system) Character and Folk Dance. Upon her graduation, Yulia joined the Russian Seasons Moscow State Dance Company whilst also being admitted to the Balletmaster Department of Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) where she graduated with a Distinction, receiving an MA as Director-Choreographer from the hands of great Vladimir Vasiliev himself.

 

Yulia was Principal dancer with the Russian Seasons for 12 years travelling the world extensively performing the dances of more than 20 different nationalities from technical Russian to the passionate flamenco of Spain and the tangoes of Argentina. A video record of her performing is held by the Library of Congress USA. During those years, on a numerous occasions Yulia had a privilege to share a stage with ballet legends like Maya Plisetskaya, Uliana Lopatkina, Gedeminas Taranda.

 

During her successful full time career in dance, Yulia began teaching Ballet and Dance classes at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. She continued to travel performing and giving master classes around the world, before turning to teaching Ballet and National Character Dance full time at Ballet academies in NY and Manila. Yulia and her family settled in Sydney in 2016, where she continues to teach extensively sharing her passion to National Character with her students – children and adults.

Ginevra Cicatello

Originally from Sicily, Ginevra Cicatello is an accredited dancer with a background in classical ballet and contemporary dance. After training with acclaimed institutions such as Megakles Ballet, Petranura Danza Company, Zappala’ Dance Company in 2008, Ginevra further expanded her repertoire by studying Greek Drama and Modern Theatre. In 2012 Ginevra joined Petranura Dance Company and had the privilege of performing in prestigious venues and festivals, including the Grand Opera d’Avignon in France, RomaEuropa Festival, and Finland Festival Theatre, Scenario Pubblico Theatre, Greek-Roman Theatre Catania. Ginevra also worked as Freelance Performer Across EU. In 2022, she was selected to participate in Modem Pro with the Zappala’ Dance Company where she danced Zappala’ Repertoire in Italy.  After years of studying and performing as a dancer, Ginevra specialized in Gyrotonic®.  Today Ginevra is a certified teacher from the Royal Academy of Dance and Choreographer in Sydney, Australia. Currently, Ginevra is performing as Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty with FEVER’s Candlelight Ballet series. In 2025 Ginevra is collaborating with choreographer Marco Laudani to create international opportunities for the next generation of Australian dancers.

Rachael Adair Connolly

Rachael has been a dance teacher for over 5 years working with all ages and abilities. Rachael trained and received her Diploma of Elite performance from Ev and Bow in 2022 specialising in contemporary and theatre jazz. She brings a supportive energy into the studio, focusing on technique, artistry, and confidence. Rachael is dedicated to creating a positive learning environment where students feel safe to challenge themselves as dancers whilst creating lifelong friendships with their fellow dancers.

Imogen Rowbotham

Bio to come

GUEST TEACHERS

  • Miss Christine Atkinson
  • Miss Karen Barker
  • Miss Simonne Smiles
  • Mr Ellis Campbell