School Principal (ARAD, LRAD, Retired RAD Mentor and Tutor)

"My Proudest achievement as a teacher is what I have contributed to the lives of all of the wonderful students that have come through my school."

Miss Simpson commenced her ballet education from an early age in Johannesburg, South Africa with Poppy Frames before completing her training in London at the Royal Academy of Dance before founding her school in Australia in the early 1980's. She is recognised as a dance educator rather than simply a ballet teacher. She believes that dancers require well-rounded training in all facets of dance and prides herself in creating an environment in her school where students can be the best that they can be, whether it is to go onto a career in the dance world, the Arts or in any other avenue. 

"My own teacher was a great mentor and a wonderful role model.  She instilled the passion for dance and teaching in me. This lead me going to the RAD in London where I met many great teachers and mentors. I came to Australia through one of my London teachers  - Australian Tina Stuart. She recommended me for the job with the South Australian Ballet Company. "

As a well-respected RAD Examiner for over 30 years she has travelled throughout Australia and overseas, which gives her high exposure to up to date training methodologies, syllabi content and examiner criteria. Her teaching appointments have included Adelaide Centre for the Arts, Adelaide University Centre for Performing Arts, South Australian Ballet Company and Scotch College

Go to School Ethos for more about the teaching philsophy and values that Ms Simpson instills thoughout her school.

Photo: Courtesy Adelaide Arcade

Contemporary Dance, Boys' Ballet, SACE Composition & Choreography

Aidan Kane Munn has been a dance artist in South Australia for 35 years enjoying a diverse and successful career, working with many fantastic people and outstanding artists. Since 2006 Aidan has directed his career toward choreography and sharing his love of dance through teaching. Graduating from the Australian Ballet School (1989), Aidan’s career includes work with Australian Dance Theatre, Leigh Warren and Dancers, State Opera of South Australia, Outlet Dance, Buzz Circus, Da Whyze Guize and Slack Taxi. Aidan has created several of his own productions as well as choreographed for Adelaide Centre of Performing Arts, Adelaide Fringe Festival, No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability, Auguste, Brink Productions, Australian Dance Theatre, Various People, Pelican Productions and the State Opera of South Australia. Aidan has taught extensively in South Australia engagements include Adelaide Centre of Performing Arts, Flinders University, Ausdance and Australian Dance Theatre.

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Classical Ballet,  Conditioning & Repertoire 

Helen Cooper undertook her classical ballet training in Sydney at the McDonald College and Ecole Classique, before beginning her performance career as a youth artist with Ballet d’Action. Helen also began working as a teacher’s assistant where her love of teaching ballet began to develop. In 2000, knee surgery meant a break from dancing for a number of years - but led to her undertaking her teaching certification in Classical Ballet with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), and becoming an RAD Registered Teacher. In 2007 she returned to dancing and joined Ballet 5:8 in the United States as a Company Artist where she danced Soloist and Principal roles in the company’s' original repertoire. The US also provided opportunity to study the Russian Vaganova classical training system, further broadening her teaching experience and methodology. In 2015 Helen was privileged to be appointed as an Examiner of the Royal Academy of Dance and continues to regularly teach and examine around the world. 

Classical Ballet, Fitness, Yoga & Pilates

Daniela’s dance training began with Susan Taylor and Terry Simpson before continuing her studies at VCA (B. of Dance, Post Grad. Dip. and Masters of Choreography). Pilates Instructor Certificate, Yoga Teaching Certificate and currently studying Certificate 3&4 in Fitness.

She has worked as a teacher, performer and choreographer in Australia, Europe and Asia.

Classical Ballet, Conditioning  & Repertoire 

Brooke trained in all facets of dance and has successfully completed her RAD exams up to and including Advanced 2 (ARAD), before continuing to successfully complete her Royal Academy of Dance Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies in 2014. With over 10 years teaching experience, Brooke has continued to study classical ballet teaching. In 2020 also added Barre to her qualifications by gaining her barre teaching certification with The Barre Clinic.

Classical Ballet, Jazz & Conditioning 

Contemporary Dance

Felecia is a performer, choreographer, and dance educator. Her professional experience spans over 20 years working with and for young people. She is a key Sally Chance Dance collaborator, performing in This [Baby] Life and Nursery, Touch & Go, Seashore, Flower 꽃, and Wonder. Felecia has performed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the inaugural ThinkArts Festival in Kolkata, and at the Attakkalari Dance Centre, Bengaluru India, the Imaginate Children’s Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, the New Victory Theater, New York, as well as at major children’s festival across Australia.

She has over 20 years of teaching experience including lecturing at the University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium, Temple Christian College, Scotch College, Terry Simpson Studios, Norwood Ballet, Tasdance, Ausdance SA, Elayne Cherry, and Tsoying Senior High School Taiwan.

Classical Ballet and Character Dance

Anna has been dancing since she was 5 years old and has 15 years’ professional experience as a dance artist as well as a dance teacher. 

She has a master’s degree in Choreography, which she received in the Ukraine. 

She has been interested in Australian Dance and coincidentally chose “The Art of Choreography in Australia” as the the topic of her master’s dissertation. This was to study the innovative and interesting ways in which the different Australian dance styles have developed.

In addition to this she has also worked as a dance artist in dance companies in South Korea, Greece, Germany and Turkey, which have provided her with great experience to work with different interesting choreographers.

She has also managed her own ballet studios in the Ukraine.

Classical Ballet, Conditioning, Pointe & Repertoire 

Stefaan began his training in classical ballet at Terry Simpson Studios in Adelaide before continuing his studies at the New Zealand School of Dance on scholarship in 2012, at the age of 17. He then went to work with the Singapore Dance Theatre from 2014-2016 and later joined  Theater Pforzheim, in Germany, from 2016-2018.

He returned to Adelaide after dancing with Zfin Malta National Dance Company to progress his career as a fine artist and dance teacher.   

Stefan has since joined the Terry Simpson Studios' faculty, teaching Classical Ballet, Conditioning, Pointe & Repertoire