OUR DIRECTOR
KIRSTY CHALKLEY
Director, Kindy/Junior Specialist Teacher
Kirsty began dancing at 3 and trained with Boronia Academy of Dance (which later became Dancer's Edge) in Victoria. Kirsty appeared on the children's television show 'The Early Bird Show' as a regular dancer. She started teaching at 17 years old and has been doing so ever since. Kirsty was a professional cheerleader for the National Basketball League (NBL) teams Melbourne Magic and Southern Melbourne Sweathog Saints.
After completing Tony Bartuccio’s full time Performing Arts course, Kirsty went on to appear in ‘Neighbours’ and ‘The Man From Snowy River’, corporate events, musicals and music film clips. During this time Kirsty fell in love with contemporary dance and joined award winning professional contemporary dance company D-xytria with Artistic Director Elissa Meyer Thomas.
Before beginning Heartspace, Kirsty taught at many Victorian dance schools, and after moving to Queensland with her husband Kester, taught at the Sunshine Coast dance schools: Performing Arts Factory, Fierce and Encore Performing Arts. Kirsty has taught over 100,000 kids and adults at schools, festivals and dance schools whilst touring the East Coast of Australia.
TEACHING TEAM
KESTER CHALKLEY
Senior Ballet and Contemporary, Junior Acro and Hip-Hop, Kindy Rock-stars and Acro
Kester started dancing at 5 years old and took up music in his early teens. His ballet training included Cecchetti, R.A.D., Boravanski and Vaganova methods. He completed year 11 & 12 at Victorian College of the Arts School of Dance and spent 18 months at the Australian Ballet School before becoming a freelance professional ballet dancer. He has a Bachelor of Dance from the Victorian College of the Arts and a Post Grad. Dip in Animatuering (Majoring in Improvisation). Kester completed a 20-thousand-word thesis on the
connection between dance and childhood development to attain his degree.
Dance took Kester to Hong Kong, England, Scotland and all over the Eastern side of Australia. But more importantly, it brought him his wife Kirsty and their children.
Kester has taught over 100,000 kids in schools, festivals and dance studios whilst touring the East Coast of Australia. Kester is also a fully qualified Primary School teacher, taking on the role of Music Teacher at the Ananda Marga River School in Maleny for 5years, and still teaches Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Strings and Composition privately in his studio.
LILYROSE CURRY
Hip Hop and Acro
Dancing since a very early age, Lilyrose has been trained in every style, specialising in Hiphop, Jazz, Lyrical and Acro. Joining ‘Heartspace’ as a student in 2018 she competed in many competitions with many places (1st , 2nd , 3rd
and HC’s) , in group routines and solos. Competitions included Get The Beat, Noosa Eisteddfod and Every Body Sing and Dance Now. In 2019 she was given the opportunity to fly to Sydney for ‘BBO Dance Days’ a week of full-time dance.
Lilyrose also trained under Taneikah Wescombe at ‘The House Of Sole’ and recently completed Season 3 of the dance mentorship “Upskill” program. Lilyrose has competed with House of Sole since 2020 in competitions such as Rumble, ADCC and HOC. In 2021 she completed a Certificate 3 in Dance, which gave her the tools to teach and manage dance safely. Lilyrose’s love for dance has created a high passion for teaching and a desire to share her
knowledge with her students.
PAIGE MULLER
Acro, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre
Paige brings a wealth of dance and circus arts experience, having graduated from the Evolution Pre-Professional Program with a specialization in Dance/Circus stream from Ignite Specialty Training.
Paige has honed her skills in an impressive array of disciplines including Fire Fans/Palms, LED/Hoop, Stilts, Aerial Lyra/Silks/Straps, and Trapeze. She's also proficient in Roller Skating for stage performances, showcasing her versatility in both dance and theatrical arts.
Her journey in the arts has been enriched by collaborations with renowned institutions like Conroy Performing Arts Centre, Dynamite Studios Australia, Velvet Rope Entertainment, and RAW Dance Company. Under the mentorship of Jessica Stokes, Paige has achieved ATOD (Honours plus) and holds a Diploma of Musical Theatre. Her vocal coaching spans a wide range from Classical to Jazz, Hip Hop, and Tap, complementing her advanced Acrobatic Arts qualifications.
Paige's performance credits sparkle with highlights such as 'Hooray for Hollywood,' 'White Christmas,' and various productions at Movie World/Village Road Show, including the Brisbane Silver Bullets.
Her engaging presence extends beyond the stage into teaching roles at Infinity Circus and Acro, Dynamite Studios Australia, and Absolute Aerials. Paige ensures a safe and supportive environment for her students. Her dedication to the arts and nurturing teaching style make her a valuable addition to our dance community.
EBONY NEWSTEAD
Ballet Coach - A.AICD, BFA Dance,
BHSc Musculoskeletal Therapy, Dip. Remedial Therapies.
Miss Ebony is a fully qualified Ballet Teacher & Associate of the Australian Institute of Classical Dance (AICD).
Providing ballet training for more than two decades, she was awarded Associate Diploma of Classical Ballet Teaching.
Miss Ebony’s performance experience began early, with a season performing with the Australian Ballet Company in Graeme Murphy’s ‘Nutcracker. After receiving a Victorian Government Premier’s Award in 2000 for performance excellence in dance, Miss Ebony trained full time at the Queensland University of Technology, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (Performance) in 2004.
Miss Ebony was also the choreographer for National Youth Dance Theatre and has danced in and collaborated on television commercials, music videos, adjudicating, and choreographing numerous works for performances.
Miss Ebony also holds a Bachelor of Health Science (Musculoskeletal Therapy) and works concurrently to her ballet teaching as a Musculoskeletal Therapist in a corporate injury-management advisory capacity. This has optimised ballet technique training, centred around safe dance practice.
Miss Ebony’s teaching ethos is one of continued encouragement and development of each individual student , providing an enjoyable atmosphere in which student’s skills can be developed, and their joy of dance nurtured.