Hello, my name is Linda Grigg, I am the principal owner and teacher of District Dance Studio. I have been teaching dance for over 32 years. My previous dance training started at Aldgate Ballet Studio in South Australia, then to the Minsk Choreographic School, USSR, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne and Dance Factory, Richmond.

My first contracted work was with the North West Victorian Ballet Guild in 1984 then 1985 with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Russia. I have a long list of performance credits which has given me the opportunity to travel and perform in many different countries. After many years of fulfilling my dreams I chose to return back to Adelaide and then to St Arnaud, where I opened St Arnaud District Dance Studio in 1989. I officially opened my school in Donald in 1997 and Wycheproof in 2014.

My qualifications include:

• ATOD: Australia Teacher of Dancing
• SFD: Southern Federation of Dance
• RAD: Royal Academy of Dance- Classical Ballet
• VCE Dance
• Victorian College of the Arts, Graduate
• Certificate III Musical Theatre & Commercial Dance
• Acrobatique TM Syllabus
• Zumba Instructor

I relish the aspect of being able to provide various performing arts and dance opportunities to those students in the Wimmera. This would not be successful without my support team of Teachers I have here at the studio. I am a firm believer and dedicated to being able to provide a fun, happy and safe environment whilst working as a team. I am very welcoming of parents becoming involved in their child’s dancing life but also becoming involved in studio activities. I feel that it is important for me as a teacher to develop strong relationships not only with the students but with the teachers, parents and families also.

There are exciting times ahead with Exams, Competitions, Aerial and Acrobatique programs. We are also looking forward to 2017 to once again take a dance performance group to the USA. Please find on the following pages the enrolment form.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.

Yours in Dance

Linda Grigg

Introducing our Aerial Program at the District Studio is former student and teacher, Megan Berry.

Megan is a forth year Paramedicine/Bachelor of nursing student.In 2011 she graduated at Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance performing arts course in all genres of dance. She is a triple threat performer with experience in modelling, pm media work, music clips, commercial dance work and film and television.

Contracted in Bollywood India, Megan’s line of work took her too many exotic locations around the world. Film credits include Gunday and Basmati Blues with Donald Sutherland and Brie Lawson. Through this opportunity she was also contracted to teach Indian singer and actress Prianka Chopra aerial arts.

Megan has been teaching Tissues and Hoops at Ballarat Aerial Arts and excited to be back at the Studio to provide the community with another avenue of arts and fitness. Welcome back Megan!

Introducing Sarah ‘Gracey’ Liersch as one of our teachers in our dance program.

Former pupil Sarah Liersch, successfully graduated from fulltime dance at The Dance Factory in Melbourne. Her qualifications include:

-Nationally accredited Certificate 2 & 3 in Dance and Performance.

-Tap and Theatrical Teachers Diploma from the Australian Academy of Theatrical and Ballet Incorporation. Sarah will bring a wealth of new ideas to the studio while she studies Nursing and Paramedics at ACU in Ballarat. Welcome back Gracey!

Before dancing and working in the USA and Caribbean, Emma was a long term student of District Dance (previously known as St. Arnaud Dance Studio) since 1989 as a student and graduated to be a student teacher at the studio for many years in St. Arnaud and Donald. Emma’s love for dance was sparked by the creative talents and passion of Principal Linda Coles Grigg, who continued to inspire and challenge her to reach the pinnacle of her dance career as a full time student at the prestigious Dance Factory in Richmond, Melbourne and then went on to complete her Bachelor of Education (Honors) to teach Primary and Secondary students whilst specialising in dance. Emma has extensive skills in neurodiversity, is an advocate for dance therapy and the importance of dance as an expression of our mind, body and soul. Her love for dance has evolved to include commercial dance, but also Latin and Ballroom through her training by top dance schools in Melbourne. Emma is thrilled to be rejoining the District Dance team and reconnecting with the Northern Grampians community.

Sarah has 18 years of dance at the Studio and began teaching at in 2012.

Sarah started dancing at the age of 3 years and it wasn’t long till  she embracd all genres of Dance. Studying Southern Federation of Dance Jazz, Tap and Classical Syllabus work.

In 2013 Sarah was chosen as a Victorian State School Select Dancer for their Production Televised on Channel 7 and performed at the Hinsene Arena, Melbourne Park.

In 2014 Sarah completed  her Certificate II in Dance & Performance at the Dance Factory in Melbourne has been freelance teaching in St Arnaud and Wycheproof. Her specialty is her Hip-hop and Modern Contemporary.
We are looking forward to having Sarah teach again this year!