The NSW Ballet School
About Us
The NSW Ballet School
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Whilst The NSW Ballet School is a professional training school, it does not only cater to the very talented and career minded young dancer. If physical fitness; co-ordination; posture; the pure enjoyment of dance or appreciation of the classics is the main goal for ballet training, The NSW Ballet School will ensure that these goals are met.
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Students are taught the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Syllabus. Founded in 1920 by a group of celebrated European Dancers, the RAD has come to represent the very highest standards in the teaching of classical ballet. It has grown to become the largest most influential public examining body for classical ballet in the world, operating in some 50 countries. The NSW Ballet School goes one step further.
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Students learn not only the rudimentary steps, but also how to use muscle structure and technique to gain a better understanding of the physical demands placed on a ballet dancer.
The NSW Ballet School has an excellent history of examinations and competition results. Until 2008, the School achieved 100% Distinctions in all Graded examinations.
Those students who have been chosen to represent The NSW Ballet School in Eisteddfods have won first place in their sections.
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The School also offers Jazz and Lyrical / Contemporary classes. These classes are a great way for students to learn new skills, increase flexibility and physical fitness all in a non-competitive, fun environment.
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We are currently taking Expressions of Interest for New Classes, please contact the office for more information.
All Teaching Staff at The NSW Ballet School hold excellent qualifications in their field of dance along with a current and valid Working With Children Check.
Ms Kristen Brookman
Principal Teacher
Ms Brookman began her training at The School of Contemporary Dance, Western Sydney, in 1993. She studied and performed in RAD Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical and Contemporary. Completing RAD Graded Examinations from Primary to Grade Four.
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In 1999 Kristen was accepted into The NSW Ballet School's Evening Training Program and began studying the RAD Vocational Graded syllabus, completing RAD Examinations from Pre-Elementary - Advanced Two receiving Honours and Distinctions.
During this time Ms Brookman began concentrating on her performance skills by competing in many Eisteddfods. The McDonald Challenge, Ryde and St. George Eisteddfods are considered among the best competitions in both Sydney and Australia. She achieved many 1st place winnings in these and other competitions. Performance styles she competed in at this time were Classical Ballet, Demi Character, Lyrical, Contemporary and Broadway Jazz.
Whilst Ms Brookman's classical solos won for the technical skills she demonstrated, it was in the Demi Character and Championship sections that she really excelled.
Ms Brookman's skill for portraying dramatic characters was acclaimed in such roles as Juliet and Ophelia. It was with these roles that her great love of ‘story ballets' began.
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In 2004 Kristen was accepted into The NSW Ballet School's Full Time Training Program and became a Graduate of this Program in 2008. During this time she began to study and train in the Vaganova syllabus.
Other curriculum studies included - Pas de Deux; Repertoire;
Pointe; National Character; Pilates; Anatomy & Safe Dance Practice.
The NSW Ballet School Performance Group was honoured to be invited to perform at the prestigious West Lakes Festival in Hangzhou City, China. During this time Ms Brookman was Principal Dancer and Dance Captain of the group. The group was commissioned to perform the full-length production of 'The Nutcracker' in which she performed the role of 'Clara'. Her responsibilities as Dance Captain included rehearsing the younger members of the group both before the school left Australia and during our two week stay in China.
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Upon her return to Australia Ms Brookman began teaching for The NSW Ballet School. Her roles included teaching the Pre-Primary and Primary Grades at the Parramatta campus and duel teacher for the Grades 1 through to 3.
It was during this time that Ms Brookman began choreographing for the younger grades annual performance. Kristen also choreographed several solo routines for junior and senior student's eisteddfod competitions.
Over the years Kristen has taught and guided students from 2 years of age - professional level dancers and adult beginners. The various styles of dance she teaches include RAD classical ballet, pointe, vaganova, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, tap and broadway jazz.
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During her years of teaching Ms Kristen has taught for The NSW Ballet School, Westfield Sports High School, the Village Performing Arts Centre, Dirty Feet- Independent Contemporary Company, Dance Star, Decadance and Sydney Broadway Chorus.
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In 2012 Ms Brookman journeyed overseas throughout the United Kingdom and Europe to continue her dance training. Upon her return to Australia Ms Brookman was invited to perform in The Strathfield Musical Society's 'Phantom of the Opera' as a Soloist Dancer. In 2015 Kristen was invited to perform at The Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, performing in Plavalaguna "The Diva" as Principal dancer.
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At the end of 2015 Ms Brookman became Principal Teacher, Owner and Director of The NSW Ballet School.
Ms Fleur Letitia
Founder of The NSW Ballet School
Fleur Letitia began her professional classical dancing career in 1986. She has performed Principal roles with ballet companies throughout Britain; Europe and the USA, dancing in some of the most prestigious opera houses and theatres in the Western World.
Ms Letitia began her training in classical dance at the age of three. She studied the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. Although Ms Letitia was pursuing a career in classical ballet, she trained and competed in every facet of dance including, Tap; Jazz; Contemporary; National Character; Musical Theatre and Clog. The championships and scholarships Ms Letitia won in each of these dance styles including competitions held in Sydney; Brisbane The Australian National Eisteddfod's in the ACT and regional NSW are too numerous to list.
At thirteen years, Ms Letitia began full-time studies and was a guest artist with The Sydney City Ballet Company. By the age of fourteen she had been invited to perform Odette/Odile in Swan Lake with both the Tasmanian Ballet Foundation and Canberra Youth Ballet Company and was awarded the prestigious Solo Seal Award by the RAD, becoming the youngest recipient of this award in any Commonwealth country.
At fifteen, Ms Letitia was invited to study the Vaganova (Russia) syllabus with Marika Besobrasova at the Ecole de Dance Classique de Princess Grace in Monte Carlo. During her studies at this exclusive school, she was fortunate to be invited to perform throughout France and Italy.
During a short holiday in Australia, Ms Letitia secured a contract with Opera Australia performing in Dame Joan Sutherland's Gala Season of The Merry Widow also Die Meistersinger Von Nurenburg and The Italian Girl in Algiers. She also performed with the International Opera Company's season of Aida.
Ms Letitia returned to London where she performed with The Vienna Ballet; The London Ballet Theatre and The Vienna Festival Ballet Company.
A highlight of Ms Letitia's career was performing with the internationally acclaimed ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev.
Due to her exposure to contemporary styles, Fleur came to fully realise her great love for classical dance, her understanding and talent for both the choreography and performance of classical dance, and importantly, the lack of opportunities for professional classical dancers to work in NSW, as no fully professional ballet
company existed in this state. Ms Letitia, with both the experience and expertise - having danced, choreographed and been involved in the promotions and organization of ballet companies throughout Britain, Europe and the USA made a firm commitment to fill this void and establish a NSW representative ballet company which would provide full-time employment for local, professional ballet dancers. Importantly, NSW would have it's own professional ballet company. This would bring it into line with Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. The NSW Ballet Company was formed in 1993.
Since becoming the Artistic Director and Choreographer of The NSW Ballet Company, Ms Letitia has produced six performance seasons and choreographed three full-length ballets; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Wind in the Willows and Orpheus. These ballets were performed in Sydney and Canberra and toured extensively throughout regional NSW.
In 1999 at a gala dinner attended by over nine hundred guests, including the Premier, The Hon. Bob Carr, and Kim Yeadon, Minister of Western Sydney, Ms Letitia was honoured with the award of 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year'.
During this time a high number of requests for training students began to be registered with the Company office. Ms Letitia started conducting private coaching sessions for senior students and grade examination candidates with excellent results. With the success of these coaching sessions and more students requesting classes, Ms Letitia opened a training school, The NSW Ballet School, specializing in the tuition of classical dance.
Fleur Letitia gained a Distinction in her teaching certificate and is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance.