IT seems that, not matter how far into the country you travel in Australia, dance schools are on every corner. People everywhere just love to dance. As with trends elsewhere, it is not just young people who are learning to dance: schools are catering to adults too, even up to the age of 80, and to people of all abilities. For this, the third annual Regional Heroes feature, we asked readers from around the country to nominate a teacher or school. The entries poured in. The four in this feature were randomly chosen from about 150 schools. To all those who were nominated – CONGRATULATIONS! Your communities love you.
REGIONAL HEROES IS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY ONEMUSIC AUSTRALIA: LICENSING THE DANCE COMMUNITY FOR THE MUSIC THEY LOVE.
Go to http://onemusic.com.au/licences/dance-schools-and-performance-instructors/ to find tailored music licensing for dance schools.
Broome Performing Arts Co-Op
Developing well-rounded humans is the aim of this West Australian school.
TWO thousand kilometres north of Perth in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the pearling town of Broome is home to the Broome Performing Arts Co-Op. Established in 2012 and transformed into a not-for-profit organisation in 2020, the school was established by Justine De Bruyn and a group of five other teachers who wanted to establish a “different” dance school.
AS De Bruyn explains, their motivation was to “help raise whole humans – empathetic, kind and connected kids who just loved to dance and perform”. Envisaged as a welcoming and encouraging space for all, the school promotes body positivity and provides affordable tuition and costume options. De Bruyn says this is important to ensure that “we are accessible for all of the community”.
Originally from Lithgow in NSW, De Bruyn started dancing at the age of two before moving to Nambucca Heads at the age of four and commencing with
