Teacher Profiles
Sonya Shepherd
Director
Together,
Sonya Shepherd and Youth Ballet WA (YBWA) are a driving force promoting dance in
Western Australia. Founding YBWA in 2004, Sonya’s enthusiasm, drive and
dedication have enabled the organisation to grow into a world leader in the
artistic and technical development of gifted young dancers.
Dancing from four years of age, Sonya trained formally under the guidance of her mother, Terri Charlesworth, OAM, WA Cit, and graduated from the Graduate College of Dance (GCD) in 1978 with a Diploma of Dance, before continuing her training with Marika Besobrasova of the Princess Grace Acadamie de Danse Classique of Monte Carlo. During her many years of dance training Sonya was also taught by Yanina Ciunovas, Carlo Garcia, Maris Leipa, Asaf Messerei, Lubov Nikenvenko, Robert Ray, Martin Rubinstien, the late Anne Woolliams and Yuri Vasilkov. Having been exposed to this high quality of diverse training from such a young age, Sonya developed a passion to share her knowledge and began teaching in 1980.
For a brief, yet highly productive period, Sonya moved away from the world of classical dance to pursue a career in competitive professional aerobics. Having represented Australia in three international aerobics titles, and Western Australia in nine national tiles, Sonya would later draw upon this experience when developing the innovative Junior Professional Programme, a programme which was arguably before its time in encompassing cardio vascular and strength training within the classical dance repertoire.
The late 1990s saw Sonya once again turn her talents to classical dance as a teacher at the GCD and Director of the Terri Charlesworth School of Ballet (TCSB). Due to a change in direction in 2001, Sonya left her teaching position with the GCD and created the Junior Professional Programme (JPP) as a part of the TCSB and in recognition of Western Australia’s need for a full time training alternative for the state’s most talented dancers. Sonya drew heavily upon her mother’s expertise throughout this process and managed to wrangle her out of retirement to take on the role of Senior Classical Teacher and to work closely with the Programme’s rapidly increasing number students. The developments of the next few years astounded Sonya whose anticipations for the slow growth of her new venture were met with more than 20 enrolments in the first year, and now, seven years on, as both her and the Programme’s reputations have spread, more than 100 students train for up to 40 hours a week under the Programme.
It was always a deep passion of Sonya’s to offer dedicated young dancers regular and high quality performance opportunities. Sonya saw it as essential that the students were able to perform in both a professional environment alongside guest artists from some of the world’s most p0restigious ballet companies, and in smaller-scale community events showcasing their talents to the rest of the state. Out of this passion Youth Ballet WA (YBWA) was born. YBWA now encompasses the JPP which boasts a vibrant and talented band of extremely gifted dancers ranging in ages from eight to 21 years.
Under Sonya’s direction, YBWA qualified as a Registered Training Organisation in 2005 offering its students Certificate III and IV in Ballet Performance. In building on these developments YBWA went on to receive Curriculum Council endorsement to offer Year 11 and 12 TEE Dance Studies. Many of YBWA’s senior students undertake Year 11 and 12 TEE studies whilst simultaneously completing Certificate III and IV, enabling them to graduate with a West Australian Certificate of Education, TEE completion and university eligibility, and a nationally recognised qualification.
Having now established YBWA and its JPP both nationally and internationally, Sonya travels with a group of senior students to North America and Europe each year to audition for their final year of training with international schools. In pursuit of cementing and then surpassing these standards of excellence for YBWA, Sonya formally handed the Directorship of the Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre back to her mother in 2008 so she could focus on the continued growth and development of YBWA, an institution that she sees as one of the world’s very finest in classical dance training.
Terri Charlesworth OAM WA CIT
Senior Classical Teacher
Terri was awarded West Australian Citizen of Year for Arts and Culture in
2006 and the Order of the Medal of Australia (OAM) in 1994 for her
contribution to dance in Australia. Many students who have trained under her
have had successful careers in ballet, including Sian Stokes, Miranda Coney,
Tonya Batalin, Leanne Stojmenov, Jacinta Ross, Claudia Alessi and her latest
graduate Briana Shepherd.
Terri Charlesworth began her dancing training in Melbourne and contributes her success to the number of well-respected teachers she encountered during her training. Among them were Kira Bousloff, Serge Bousloff, Leon Kelloway, Madam Saranova & Madam Borovansky. In 1957 she won Ulanova Laureate prize for performing "The Brolga" at an international dance competition in Moscow. It was in this year that she studied the training methods of the Bolshoi Ballet School. She travelled to London in 1958 and studied dance training with Audrey de Vos and Maria Fay.
1960 saw her establish the Terri Charlesworth Ballet School, now operated by her daughter, Sonya who changed the name to the Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre and currently has 12 branches throughout the metropolitan area. She was the first ballerina with West Australian Ballet and in 1960 she was appointed Assistant Director remaining with the Company until 1967.
At the beginning of 1970 the Department of Education & Training employed Terri to introduce and teach classical dance at Scarborough Senior High School. In 1972 she co-founded & then directed the Graduate College of Dance. Once again she had incredible insight and innovation in offering Western Australia's first 3 year tertiary level course in dance for those wanting a career as dancers, teachers and / or choreographers. The 3-year course was recognised under the Commonwealth Tertiary Allowance scheme.
In 1977 the Russian Ministry of Culture invited Terri for a 2-month study tour. While there she visited the Kirov Vaganova Ballet Academy, which was to be one of the milestones in her life. It was here that she was introduced to the Vaganova training method, which the Western world had not been privy to previously. Instantly recognising the different technique allowed the dancer a longer dancing career with far less injuries she was quick to bring the method back to Australia and in 1982 she introduced the method to the Australian Ballet School when she was appointed Classical Ballet teacher.
In 1990 she established the Dance Performance Course for Year 11 & Year 12 students of the GCD at Swanbourne Senior High school. Furthermore she wrote the syllabus for Year 11 & 12 ballet subjects for the Curriculum Council of Western Australia.
Her expertise have seen her teach in companies and schools throughout the world. She has directed & produced many of the ballet classics including Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Coppelia, the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty & Cinderella. In 2004, Terri became Artistic Director of Youth Ballet WA.
Sharon Dalla-Costa
Youth Ballet WA Contemporary Dance Specialist
Sharon has come from a diverse background of dance. At 14, she received a scholarship with West Australian Ballet, which led her to focus on choosing dance as a career. Whilst completing her TEE she trained with Terri Charlesworth. Moving to Melbourne she went on to study a Bachelor of Arts at VCA, University of Melbourne. As a professional dancer Sharon was fortunate to tour both nationally and internationally with various companies including Chrissie Parrot Dance Collective, Paul Mecurio’s Australian Choreographic Ensemble, the Australian Opera Ballet Company and the Sydney Dance Company.
With a passion for teaching Sharon complimented her dance skills with a Graduate Diploma in Education and has lectured, choreographed and conducted Master Classes for various Dance schools, universities and dance companies. Sharon maintains the certified Certificate III and IV in Ballet Performance that some of the Youth Ballet WA study and others who intend to. Sharon also teaches them contemporary and choreographic techniques.
Lynley Fudger
Youth Ballet WA Classical Ballet Specialist
Lynley commenced her dance training with Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre and continued on to more intensive study at the full time programme at the GCD under the direction of Terri Charlesworth OAM. Aged 17, Lynley was accepted into the Australian Ballet School and then Kinetikos Dance Theatre where she danced professionally for 3 years. In 1993, Lynley commenced teaching with Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre and in 2004 began working with Youth Ballet WA dancers.
Maroushka Harmalin
Classical Ballet Specialist
Maroushka began her professional Dance career with the West Australian Ballet Company under the direction of Kira Bousloff. She then spent the next six years performing professionally with various Dance companies around the world. On her return to Perth she accepted the position of Ballet Mistress with the West Australian Ballet Company.
Maroushka is a highly experienced teacher and choreographer, teaching dance to children for over 20 years. In 1994 she commenced teaching for the Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre and joined the Kindy Dance Time team in 2002.
Ewa Jelonek
Music Specialist, Youth Ballet WA
Eva attended the Conservatorium of Music in Katowice, Poland from 1973 to 1975 moving to the Conservatorium of Music in Poznan from 1975 to 1977, graduating with A Master Degree - Musicology. She first visited WA in 1989 and played for Chrissie Parrott Dance collective until 1993 when she moved to America playing with American Ballet Theatre, Elliot Feld Ballet company, New Dance Group Studio & was rehearsal pianist for New York musical on Broadway. She returned to WA in 1999 and since then has played for West Australian Ballet and at West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. She now considers Western Australia her home but has made brief guest visits to Melbourne, Sydney and USA.
A professional pianist whose understanding of music is second to none. Since 2004 she has taught music to the full-time students of the Junior Professional Course and Youth Ballet WA Inc.
Lynn Martlew
Youth Ballet WA Spanish Dance Specialist
Lynn is regarded as one of Australia’s leading teachers of Spanish dance and is the only Australian to have passed prestigious Professore be Baile-PdeB and Maestro de Baile-MdeB, the Instructor de Baile-IdeB and has completed her Professor de Baile Diploma. Although initially trained in Classical Ballet, Lynn’s passion for Spanish dance and subsequent specialized study, lead her into an outstanding professional career.
She continues her professional development with frequent study visits to Spain. Lynn teaches all Youth Ballet WA dancers the techniques of Spanish dance.
Tatiana Pevneva
Youth Ballet WA Ballet Mistress
Tatiana
Pevneva began her dance training in 1984 with the Vaganova Ballet Academy of St
Petersburg. There, under the Professor Irina Trofimova, she studied for eight
years – graduating in 1992.
Tatiana performed with the St Petersburg Theatre of Classical Ballet as a demi-soloist for the next six years, until in 1998, she progressed to the role of soloist with the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre of Konstantin Tatchkin. While a member of these companies, Tatiana performed a wide repertoire of classical and neo–classical roles touring internationally.
Leaving Russia in 2004, Tatiana performed the principal role of Princess Aurora for Youth Ballet WA’s 2005 production of Sleeping Beauty before taking up a teaching position with them as Ballet Mistress.
Since joining Youth Ballet WA Tatiana has restaged a number of classical ballets including Swan Lake (2006), Don Quixote (2007), Sleeping Beauty (2008) and The Nutcracker (2006/2007/2008). In 2008, she choreographed the entire ballet La Fille Mal Gardee for a cast of over 500 dancers.
Yury Vasilkov
“Professor of the Dance”
Yury,
born in Odessa (Ukraine), graduated from the Odessa Ballet School (1965) and was
accepted into the famed Vaganova Ballet Academy of St Petersburg. He graduated
in 1968 in the class of Professor Boris Bregvadze.
From 1968 – 1991 Yury was a soloist of the Mussorgsky Opera and Ballet Company of St Petersburg, performing in classical and modern repertoire from choreographers including Petipa, Fokine, Bournonville, Jacobson and Lavrovsky. At the same time he continued his studies in choreography, graduating in 1981 from the Humanities University of St. Petersburg.
In 1982 Yuri commenced his teaching career at his former training institution the famous Vaganova Academy of Ballet St Petersburg. Since 1992 he has been working as a teacher – coach with the St Petersburg Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe. Yury currently holds the important position of Professor of Dance at the elite St Petersburg State Academy of Theatrical Arts.
Throughout his career Yury has staged both ballets and operas including working as the Assistant Director to Leo Dodin in the National Opera of Amsterdam, the National Opera of Florence and the National Opera of Paris. He is writer and critic for both Russian and international dance magazines and forums.
Yury is a frequent guest teacher and artists throughout France, Russia, England, Scotland, USA, Canada, Norway, Italy and Australia. He conducts international master classes for the General Assembly of the Union of European Theatres, the patrons of the Maly Theatre. In 2007, at the invitation of Mikhail Barishnikov, Yury conducted Master Classes at the Cultural Foundation in New York.
This year, the 14th year Yury has been coming to Perth to coach our dancers, we would like to pay tribute to this wonderful artist and teacher. He has not only become a vital part of the on going development of both teachers and students, but has also become a dear friend.
