Perth native, Jason Bird has been sharing his passion for urban dance around Australia and overseas for more than a decade.  Working as a dancer, Jason kicked off his career at seventeen with an international performance contract.  After travelling Asia and the UK as a dancer and choreographer, Jason returned to Australia to team up with US based Dance Intensity Extreme who recruited him as a motivational speaker and teacher, sharing his unique industry experiences on their Australian workshop tours.  Based in Sydney, Jason began working with Australia’s leading faculties and institutions (Sydney Dance Co., Brent Street, McDonald College, ED5) becoming very well respected within his peers.  Jason has since choreographed for some of Australia’s top recording artists, performance groups and television shows.  Jason teaches unique style of hip-hop he calls ‘Illusion’.  A little different from ‘hip-hop 101’, Illusion focuses less on loud, linear movement and more on flowing movement through the body with an element of mime.

Casey is a highly trained and talented young choreographer whose dance journey began when she was three. Casey worked her way through RAD ballet grades whilst also competing in Callisthenics State Championships. She has taken part in numerous dance performances and competitions over the years, such as Youth Dance Advance, WA Youth Awards, Oasis Media and Advertising Ball, Star Search, television commercials, Telethon and Showcase National Dance Championships in Queensland. Casey’s interest in dance has since broadened and she is experienced in Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Jazz and Vocal Training. In 2006 she was awarded the Outstanding Choreography Award at Showcase Dance Championships. She is currently a professional dancer at The Dance Collective, a dancer with the Perth Glory and hopes to achieve a successful career in dance.

Andrea is a fresh choreographer with a distinctive smooth style. Her dance training began when she was 5, working through classical ballet grades for 8 years and jazz for 3 years, but her real passion for dance ignited when she trained under Charisse Parnell where she was involved in performances such as the WA Youth Awards, Youth Dance Advance, Star search, Wildcats Cheerleading, and Telethon. She has furthered her dance training, particularly in Hip-Hop, learning from the best choreographers in Australia such as JD, and US choreographers Randolph Winston and Rhapsody James and has made appearances at Metros City R&B Super club. She has also been featured as a dancer the recent Red Rooster TV commercial and was selected as a dancer to perform the opening act for US rapper Fabolous. As well as teaching hip hop classes and lyrical workshops at TDC, Andrea has taught and choreographed at Rossmoyne SHS, Applecross SHS and UWA.

Candice began training in ballet at the Graduate College of Dance. Discovering her love for other styles she then studied at Contemporary Dance Centre, John Curtin College of the Arts as a specialist dance student and The Dance Collective. Candice was also a member of Steps Youth Dance Company for six seasons. From 2004 to 2006 Candice travelled overseas to soak herself in the latest hip-hop styles, Jamaican Dancehall, Contemporary Ballet and Jazz classes at Danceworks, Pineapple Studio's and Huskies. Whilst in London she was invited to perform with one of London's most innovative hip-hop theatre companies, Impact Dance and took masterclasses with Krump Queen Miss Prissy and The Lion King choreographer on stage at the Lyceum Theatre. In 2007 Candice performed for the highly successful Tomb Raider Live attraction at Adventure World and travelled with Impact Dance to Turkey take part in the Escape holiday, learning from the worlds best Hip-Hop, Salsa, Jazz, Soca, Bashment and Disco teachers. 

Arisa arrived in Perth from Japan three years ago, and brings a unique blend of old school, new school Hip-Hop and RnB.  Arisa has trained under some of the world’s finest dancers/choreographers from Japan, Singapore, Canada and Australia where she was inspired by her former teacher Janelle Vaccaro.  Arisa moved from student to teacher in 2008, and has never looked back.  Arisa has taught at thestudio.com.au, The Dance Workshop, King St Arts Centre, dance courses held at Curtin University, and at Victoria Park Recreation Centre.  When she is not teaching she is out jamming and picking up fresh new steps from all styles such as Breakin’ Pop, Lock and Salsa to go with her already extensive collection of moves.

Ugandan born Choreographer/Dancer Rita N. has been teaching and performing dance internationally and Australian wide for several years now. Her dance roots originate from traditional African dancing, which was then incorporated into the growing trends of Hip-Hop and Jamaican Dancehall as her dance experience progressed. Rita N.'s desire for growth further lead her to move to the USA and be trained by world renowned choreographers such as Rhapsody (Beyonce), Luam (Rihanna, Kevin Lyttle), Marvelous (Sean Paul, Gwen Stefani), Tweetie (Oprah, MTV), and Bev Brown. There she also had the opportunity to work with Virgin/Capitol records recording Artist Che'Nelle. Rita N. is now back in Australia as a freelance choreographer and dance instructor. Her teaching across Perth includes classes at King St Arts Centre; Vogue Entertainment; The Dance Collective; thestudio.com.au; dance courses held at Curtin University and numerous national dance workshops.

sHANNON RIGGS

Shannon completed her Bachelor of Arts Hons (Dance) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2006. She was a member of LINK Dance Company under the direction of Michael Whaites and during this time worked with Australian choreographers and spent time overseas. While completing her degree in Dance at WAAPA, Shannon was a recipient of the Finley award. In 2007 Shannon was commissioned by the Curriculum Council of WA to create a solo for the new TEE dance course examination. She also spent time at Dancehouse participating in Learning Curve and co-created a short work for Strut’s dance #2 season in collaboration with dance artist Sally Blatchford. In 2008 Shannon co-choreographed her first full length work “Private Thought and Public Space”. Shannon has also spent time exploring dance on film and choreographs and teaches for dance institutions around Perth. This year Shannon will be choreographing for STEPS Youth Dance Company and be working as a dance facilitator for DADAA