Sakura Shimizu

Born in Yokohama, Japan, Sakura started training at Suzuki Classic Ballet Academy. In 1990 and 1991 she won 2nd prize in the Saitama All Japan Dance Competition. In 1992 she was a semi-finalist in the Prix de Lausanne and entered the Hamburg Ballet School, graduating in 1994.

Upon graduation Sakura joined the Hamburg Ballet, under the direction of John Neumeier, where she danced all the repertoire as well as new ballets Nijinsky, Messiah and Odyssey by John Neumeier, Sleeping Beauty by Mats Ek and 8 by Christopher Wheeldon.

In 2002 Sakura was a guest artist with the Singapore Dance Theatre and had a leading role acting and dancing for Tanz Theater in Klingt Meine Linde by Tina Seeland In Kampnagel Hamburg. In June 2002 Sakura joined Singapore Dance Theatre, under the direction of Goh Soo Khim, and danced a large variety of works by choreographers such as Jiri Kylian, Stanton Welch, Ohad Naharin, Thierry Malandin, David Dawson, Jorma Elo, Boi Sakti, Sakiko Oshima, Marie-Claude Pietragalla and Graham Lustig. She also danced many classical roles and choreographed a ballet for the company.

Since arriving in Melbourne Sakura has performed with Redspan Contemporary Dance Company, Australian Conservatoire of Ballet and Melbourne Ballet Company.

Sakura started teaching adult 'Absolute Beginner' classes in 2009 in Singapore. Since become director of City Dance Centre in 2011, she has expanded her passion for teaching ballet to adults, from absolute beginners to professionals.

Sakura also taught both classical and contemporary ballet at Australian Conservatoire of Ballet, Gay Wightman School of Ballet from 2010 to 2012.

As well as being Director for the City Dance Centre, Sakura also teaches Melbourne audition class for the Queensland Ballet under the direction of Li Cunxin since 2017.

Robert Mills

Studying classical ballet from a young age, Robert commenced at the McDonald College in Sydney and later at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington.

Over his career he danced with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, and West Australian Ballet in a range of soloist and leading roles.

Robert has performed roles such as the Nutcracker Prince, the lead in The Rite of Spring, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, and Widow Simmone in La Fille mal gardée. Career highlights include working with choreographers such as David Dawson (A Million Kisses to My Skin), Natalie Weir (Dark Lullaby and Jabula), Marie-Claude Pietragalla (Les Noces), and Ohad Naharin (Tabula Rasa), and dancing in works by Jiri Kylian, George Balanchine, Glen Tetley and John Cranko.

In 2013 he performed for former Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, during her visit to the WA Ballet Centre. The same year Robert was recognised as a Distinguished Graduate by the New Zealand School of Dance.

Robert began freelance ballet teaching in 2015, working in Perth and Melbourne, including work for the West Australian Ballet Education Department, Australian Ballet School, RAD Festival (WA), and Genee Dance Challenge (WA). In 2020 Robert completed the Vaganova teacher training course at the Australian Ballet School.

Adrian Dimitrievitch

Adrian began his training in Buenos Aires at Teatro Colon under the tutelage of Yura Dimitrievitch, Roberto Dimitrievitch and Vakhtang Chaboukiani.

Adrian Dimitrievitch attended the Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires in Argentina, before completing his training at the New York City Ballet School.

As a dancer, he was a member of the Corp de Ballet at the Teatro Colon, afterwards performing as a soloist with companies throughout Europe including the Munich Ballet.

As a teacher, guest artist and ballet master, he has worked with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Australian Dance Theatre under Meryl Tankard, Sydney Dance Company, Chunky Move and The Australian Ballet.

Schools include the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet, Victorian College of the Arts, Paris Dance Centre, Ecole Superieure de Dance de Cannes Rosella Hightower, Tanya Person Academy, NICA, Melbourne Academy of the Arts, Glen Iris School of Dance and the Kelly Aykers School of Dance.

Carol Green

Carol’s love of dance started at the age of 5, where she first appeared on TV.

Under the teaching of Kathleen Gorham, one of Australia’s first prima ballerinas, Carol started her formal ballet training. Kathleen encouraged Carol to present in TV appearances and enter competitions, winning first prize on Young Talent Time at the age of 14. Her training continued, completing every level up to solo seal of the RAD syllabus.

Carol entered the Australia Ballet School receiving multiple scholarships from Sir Robert Helpmann and Dame Peggy Van Praagh. After graduating with Honours from the Australian Ballet School, she entered the Australian Ballet Company and danced there for several years before joining an independent ballet company in Paris.

Carol’s ballet training continued in London where she studied the Vaganova method for 16 years. During her time in London, Carol started teaching for Sylvia Young Theatre School and Arts Education.

Carol continues to teach ballet in Melbourne, sharing her wisdom to the younger generation of ballet dancers and to adults which have taken up dance later in life. Carol also actively pursues modelling undertakings throughout Melbourne.

Adam Thurlow

Born in Melbourne, Adam began his dance training with Lorraine Blackburn OAM, where he studied the Cecchetti ballet syllabus obtaining Honours in all major exams.

He furthered his training at The Australian Ballet School, graduating with Honours and as the Dux of the school.

Following Adam’s Soloist position at The Australian Ballet, in 2002 he moved to London where he was offered a Soloist position with the world renowned English National Ballet. He then joined the prestigious Opera National de Paris, becoming the first Australian to do so.

Adam then embarked on a freelance career where he travelled around the world guesting with companies and gala performances. He regularly performed as a principal artist with the Melbourne Ballet Company.

Throughout his outstanding international career, Adam has danced most of the leading male classical repertoire and worked with some of the world’s leading dancers and artistic figures. Adam has taught short and long term at several universities, educational programs, conservatories and dance studios.

Simon Hoy

After graduating from the Australian Ballet School, Simon worked as a soloist dancer in Australia, Europe and America, and undertaking Principal roles with Ballet Graz in Austria, Ballet Mainz in Germany, Schaufuss Ballet in Denmark, and Carolina Ballet (USA). He then joined Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in New York.

Simon has toured and guested throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, and benefited from working with many outstanding teachers and master choreographers, including Wilhelm Burmann, Adam Luders, Johnny Eliason, Hans Van Manen, Nils Christe, Peter Schaufuss, Darrell Tolone, Peter Brauer, Martin Schlapfer, Donald Mahler, and Robert Weiss.

He also performed works by George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, and John Cranko. Simon has also performed as a principal artist with the Melbourne Ballet Company and has also worked with the Australian Ballet Opera Australia.

From 2007 until 2017, Simon held the position of Resident Choreographer and then Director of the Melbourne Ballet Company (MBC), where he played a leading role in the renaissance of the Company.

Simon choreographed over 20 original works for MBC and developed a unique and critically acclaimed repertoire. During this period, Simon employed many outstanding professional dancers and commissioned many internationally acclaimed dance-makers, musicians, and designers. Every year MBC toured extensively throughout Australia and beyond.

In 2017, after 10 years at MBC Simon decided to move back to Europe where he continued to produce works and develop tours for companies in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Simon has also completed a Master of Business Administration and is currently completing a Bachelor of Law.

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