Kick Dance | Teaching Kids to be Confident

Author // Shannon Edwards, Place Bulimba

Side-to-side, twirl & kick!

Kick Dance is Bulimba’s school for all things performing arts, including dancing, acting and singing.

Educating and inspiring those who walk through the door, the business has been kicking it for 20 years!

We spoke with Founder and Principal of Kick Dance, Lisa Wyatt, who shared her love for the industry and the importance of letting everyone shine - no matter their ability.

**How did Kick Dance begin?**

It all started 22 years ago when I was on maternity leave from my job as a high school performing arts teacher.

Opening my own dance and performance studio was something I had always wanted to do.

I jumped right in and began teaching a few classes in the area and it blossomed from there…that’s when Kick Dance was born!

You’ve been in the area for a long time, what do you love about Bulimba?

We all love the local area - it's fantastic geographically and socially.

Bulimba is great spot where kids can dance with us while their parents wander down Oxford street for coffee or shopping (or champagne!)

We have lots of connections in Bulimba – it’s like a big family and we love that.

It’s wonderful to teach children at a young age, then watching them grow up and meeting them again down the track as young adults.

We have a second generation of ‘kicksters’ attending the school - children whose parents we taught when they were younger … it’s a really special feeling.

Tell us about your classes?

We came from a big performing arts family and were lucky enough to learn many styles of dance that we pass down to our students.

As many of our students who are now working as professionals will tell you, in the competitive performing arts world, you have to be multi-skilled.

Our dance classes include ballet, hip-hop, jazz, acrobatics, contemporary, tap and Irish and cater for all ages and abilities.

Not only do we offer a range of dance classes but also singing and acting to ensure we produce the most qualified and skilled students.

It has really paid off.

How does being part of a dance school benefit children?

Performing really helps build confidence in children of all ages.

Our dancers go on to do amazing things in all facets of life because they don’t find performing in front of hundreds of people or competing in any arena daunting.

Their powers of resilience are fantastic!

They’re confident, bright and ambitious young people.

It’s also the friendships that are formed – your dance buddies are lifelong buddies.

We also have a large network of amazingly helpful and supportive parents who form their own lifelong friendships.

We feel really proud to be a part of that.

We see you offer holiday workshops?

As an extension to our programs, we offer holiday classes to prepare school children for eisteddfods or performances... or just for fun (and to give parents a break!)

The programs allow kids to come and do what they love over a series of days - it’s a win-win for everyone.