It wasn’t until after completing a Bachelor of Arts Degree (English & French) and a year as an Entertainer at Wonderland Sydney that Jo launched herself into the full-time world of the Performing Arts and Entertainment Industry. As a performer, teacher and choreographer Jo Bolden has a wide variety of experience. As a dancer her experience includes (to name a few) performances on the Footy Show Grand Final Edition, Leo Sayer at Australian Fashion Week – One Teaspoon, Guy Sebastian ARIA Awards, The Mask 2 – (Dancer), NRL Grand Final – Meatloaf (Dancer), International Illusionists Tony Laffan and Sam Powers and corporate entertainment for Popset, JFoxx, Mitsubishi, Guerlain, Goldwell among others in styles ranging from hip hop and street jazz to cabaret, jazz, lyrical and contemporary. She is called upon to choreograph both interstaet and overseas Miss Chinese Australia Pageant (Star City), General Motors, Shanghai Tourism Festival Australia, Phoenix and Urban Dance Centre.

Kaye Thomas, known as “Miss Kaye”, is where all this began. Mother of Natalie Ettingshausen and former owner of the school. Kaye danced since the age of four (4) years and as a teenager won the Channel 9 show “Opportunity Knocks”. In her later years worked professionally at the Tivoli, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Chevron Hilton, Chevron Silver Spade Room Sydney, Chevron Melbourne with Bert Newton, Theatre Royal, Channel 9, Bobby Limb Variety Show, and sang and danced as the lead in many pantomimes. She then danced overseas and returned to start her own dancing school full time, specializing in tap. Kaye is a qualified teacher of the British Dancing Association jazz, tap and ballet syllabus and has been a BDA examiner for over 30 years. Recently danced with Todd McKenny at Star City & danced in a TV commercial for foxtel. At EDA, Miss Kaye teaches everything but her unbeatable knowledge and expertise is in Tap!

Julie started dancing at the tender age of three (3) at Newtown under the instruction of Cheryl Regan. In her later years she was trained by Miss Kaye Thomas, in jazz, tap and classical ballet, successfully competing in many eisteddfods and competitions. Julie has been teaching at Ettingshausen’s Dynamic Arts since the year 2000. Her true passion and primary focus has been working with the younger children, helping to build their skills, co ordination, rhythm and mostly importantly their self confidence. She believes these magical years are where children are given the opportunity to best express themselves in a safe and nurturing environment. Julie’s aim is to teach in a style that has a positive influence on shaping the students individual personalities. At EDA Julie can be found wherever many happy little faces are, often in the Melon Room, teaching Pre Schoolers, Mini and Juniorette jazz and tap classes.

Katelyn studied dance for 16 years through dance institues including Ansell’s Academy of Dance. Attended Newtown High School of Performing Arts and was ranked in the top 5% of the state for HSC Dance Performance and Composition. Katelyn graduated at the UNSW with Honours Degree in Bachelor of Arts (Dance) and Education. Katelyn has been awarded 3 University Dance Choreography Scholarships, choreographed works for Ultimo TAFE Fashion Industry Productions and Solo Works as a result of these scholarships. Katelyn has produced choreographed works for numerous Primary and High Schools for Regional and State Dance Festivals (2001-2007), as well as the Sydney Regional Dance Festival Artistic Director (2007). In addition to dance, Katelyn has been an Australian Olympic and NSW squad representative for Rhythmic Gymnastics and has competed in State and International competitions in America, Germany and New Zealand. At EDA Katelyn teaches stretch & conditioning, acrobatics & contemporary.

Rhiannon has been with EDA since 1991, beginning her dancing tuition at the young age of three (3) years. She has learnt many styles of dance over that period of time and has performed in numerous corporate shows, festivals, awards nights and eisteddfods within Australian and overseas. She has been fortunate to learn from many well known leading choreographers such as, Nathan Sheens, Glyn Gray, Sue Ellen Chester, Lee McDonald, PJ Clarke, Patrick Chen (USA), Rachel Schmultz, Jo Bolden and Renee Berry. As a dedicated EDA student, Rhiannon received many outstanding awards for her group and solo work always showing great potential. Due to these attributes she was invited to join the student teacher program, which she did for several years. In 2006 she joined the EDA teaching team At EDA she teaches the Dynamites, Jazz ,Tap & solo work to the younger students in the school acheiving outstanding results.

Casey has been a part of the EDA family since 1990. Involved as both a student and teacher. She has completed a Bachelor Arts (Dance)/Bachelor Education at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) allowing her to teach both dance and drama at a High School level. Casey is a current member of the Sydney Roosters Cheersquad and has recently been involved in production for a new Children’s Television program which will be viewed in the US. Whilst she was a student of Gymea Bay PS and Kirrawee HS, she was selected to be in the New South Wales State Schools Dance Company for 6 years. Other performance opportunities include The Hooley Dooley’s ‘Super Dooper’ DVD, Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Australian Dance Awards and various charity and sporting events throughout Sydney. Casey has felt nurtured by the EDA environment and now enjoys passing her performance and teaching skills to our current EDA students.

Leah began her assocaiation with Ettingshausens as a student. Since 4 years of age she studied Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Drama and Singing. Leah has been a Cronulla Sharks N.R.L Cheerleader for the past 10 seasons, which also lead to the State Of Origin Blues, and the Official Finals Series Cheersquads. She was fortunate to be a part of the Sharks Elite Cheersquad that won the grand first prize of $20,000 in the Cheerleader Challenge on The Footy Show 2006. Cheerleading for the Sydney Kings Basketball team since 2003, Leah has impressed them with her talent and in 2006 she was promoted to Captain and Choreographer of the squad. In March 2007, she travelled with the Kings squad to cheerlead in a 10th Year Anniversary International basketball tournament in China. Also in 2007 she was offered a teaching job at a new Cheerleading school in Balmain called, Cheer Talent. Leah is currently teaching Cheeky Cheerleading, Boys and Girls Funk at EDA.

Natalie Ettingshausen was literally born into the world of dance as her mother, Kaye Thomas, was working as principal Boy in Robin Hood until she reached 6 months of pregnancy with Natalie. Natalie’s own childhood then followed suit and saw her in appearances in the stage musical Dick Whittington and His Cat (Phillip St Theatre) and in the Peter Allen Show (Regent Theatre). The majority of her training was with her mum but additional teachers included Beverley Chatterton,Joanne Ansell, Cheryl Reagan, Valma Sail, Edna Storey and Valda Clarkeson. As a teacher of dance herself, Natalie has touched on every style from lyrical and jazz to her beloved tap in which she achieved her British Dancing Association Tap Teachers Certificate in 1987. She has gone on in more recent times to be certified in the Glenn Wood Tap Syllabus where the studio has seen very high results. Before settling into a full-time Performing Arts career and life at the now Ettingshausen’s Dynamic Arts.