Colleen commenced her Ballet training at the age of 4, followed later by Tap Classes. She was competing in competition festivals from the age of 7 years. Colleen is trained in the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet syllabus, British Ballet Tap syllabus, and NZAMD Tap syllabus, and has been an adjudicator for many dance competition festivals throughout New Zealand. Colleen is a former Dancer of the Royal NZ Ballet Company. Many former pupils have been able to gain entry to continue full time training at Victoria College of Arts, Melbourne, Australia; NZ School of Dance; Ecole Classique Sydney, Australia; Tanya Pearson Sydney, Australia; National Academy of singing and Dramatic Arts, Christchurch; Whitireia Performing Arts, Wellington; Excel Performing Arts, Auckland; Unitec, Auckland; Queensland National Ballet, Australia and Palucca Hochshule Fur Tanz, Dresden, Germany. Many former students have gone on to become professional dancers and dance teachers. Former students have studied as Junior Associates with the RNZB, Regional and Junior Associates with NZ School of Dance. Numerous Scholarship winners at LA Danceforce seminars and Phoenix Dance Workshops Winners of the prestigious Paul Gnatt Scholarship, NZSD and Wellington Summer School scholarships at Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced levels. NZAMD National Scholarship. Runner –up in Alana Haines Australasian Bi-‐ annual Awards. Former students have appeared in numerous RNZB productions. Colleen was awarded Distinction for her Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (aka ISTD) Associated examination and was also awarded her ISTD Associate Diploma Professional examinations. Over the years Colleen’s students have achieved consistently high results in all examinations, most notably attaining individual marks of 100% in both Graded and Vocational RAD examinations. Colleen spent almost three years in Canada, Teaching the RAD Syllabus at both Grades and Vocational levels. Choreographing routines for Solo’s, and Groups for dance competitions, winning many Platinum, and Gold awards for her choreography. On her return to NZ she has continued to Freelance in Open Ballet, Pointe, Examination and Competition work. Colleen has enjoyed being a part of the Extreme Dance family since 2013.
