About Us
Dance Network strongly believes in the future of the younger generation and hopes to pass on their skills and knowledge to help students achieve their goals as singers, dancers and actors. The school wishes to help shape and develop each student as an artist. Dance Network hopes to foster a love of dance, an appreciation for movement and music as well as an understanding of discipline, focus, commitment and respect in each student to help shape their future and benefit them in years to come. All of our teachers are committed to their own professional development and will take advantage of the further teaching training so to pass on that knowledge and experience to all Dance Network students.
Julia Grenda
Owner & School Principal
Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Song & Dance
Born and raised in Perth, Julia started her performing at the Terri Charlsworth School of Ballet and then joined the Johnny Young Talent School singing and dancing all over WA until the age of 13. She then joined The Performance Company studying CSTD Jazz, Tap and Ballet as well as Hip Hop, Funk and Contemporary while performing throughout Perth in competitions and events.
Accepted into the prestigious Musical Theatre Course at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Julia studied all styles of dance and performance and performed in many roles from Dance Captain in Musical Parade, role of Thisbe in Tales from Ovid, Oklahoma, Rent, Anytime Annie in 42nd St and Georgine Skeen in Loving Repeating. Before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Musical Theatre Julia performed alongside Debbie Reynolds in the musical Irene.
In 2010, Julia moved to Melbourne to pursue a career as a dance teacher at various dance schools before joining the Dance Network Family. Julia was the host of Looney Tunes Classroom Capers, both nationally and throughout Asia. Julia successfully completed The Full Time Acting Course at 16th Street Actors Studio at the end of 2013.
Julia has performed in original works with Melbourne Fringe Festival, short films, and voice overs for TV shows including Winners and Losers. Recent credits include The Essence of Passion, Relate and Song Contest – The Almost Eurovision Experience. She has also appeared in many TV Commercials including Chemist Warehouse and Crown. Her Film credits include Tin Man, playing the role of Dorothy, which won a Remi Award at the Houston Film Festival, Susan in When Stained Glass Breaks, Frankie in the Nappers to be released in 2018 and Meg in the Feature Film, Blue Grace to be released 2019.
Anne Peterson-Commons
Senior Ballet & Pointe
Anne started her professional career at 17 in a classical ballet company, then worked extensively in TV, film and musical theatre. While in London she was ballet mistress to Howard & Wyndham (Theatrical producers) and toured Europe and Africa with American Dance Company. On her return from overseas she continued her career with J.C Williamson and as Choreographer for ABC TV.
She has been involved as director and/or choreographer for over 50 musical productions in Melbourne and Geelong receiving awards for choreography for West Side Story and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Anne become Director of the Geelong Ballet Centre in 1980 and is a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance, holding the Academy’s Teaching Certificate with Distinction. Throughout her teaching years, Anne has mentored and fostered many students who have gone on to pursue a career in ballet as a performer, teacher and/or choreographer.
In 2014, Anne joined the Dance Network Family and still loves to teach and foster new talent whilst sharing the joy of dance with students.
Maria Sladecek
Junior Ballet
Within her training at Dance Network, she has completed numerous RAD Ballet exams receiving high distinctions for all. Maria’s love of dance in recent years has spread to the younger students as she has assisted with Saturday classes since 2012, assisting with the senior ballet classes. As a student and Assistant Teacher at Dance Network, Maria mentors and inspires other students as a wonderful role model inspring others to follow her lead.
Maria hopes to provide the Junior Ballet School with solid strong ballet foundation classes in a creative inspiring approach whilst having a lot of fun.
Maria is currently studying Teaching at the Australian Catholic University after successfully completing her Year 12 VCE.
Jacob Edmonds
Senior Contemporary, Acrobatics
Jacob is a 2015 graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance, majoring in Contemporary Dance.
Melbourne-born he has studied both locally and and internationally within programs such as The Australian Ballet School and The Victorian College of The Arts Secondary School as well as most recently NZSD.
Throughout his time working as a dancer he’s worked with various choreographers both in Australia and New Zealand, including Michael Parmenter, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Malia Johnston and Timothy Harbour. He has also developed and produced a number of short dance films for the New Zealand School of Dance and House of Sand, among others.
Jacob is buzzed to join The Network's teaching team as a contemporary tutor. He is enthusiastic about keeping dance class fresh and exciting, helping students find awareness of themselves and their body, while fostering a sense of experimentation and imagination.
Trevor Santos
Hip Hop
Trevor Santos, born and raised in Melbourne, Trevor is the director and founder of the collektive (award winning urban/hip hop team), has had a colourful dance career since dancing at 15. Beginning as a self-taught dancer, Trevor has had the opportunity to represent Australia at the 2007 Hip Hop International (placing in the top 20 in the world). Within that time, Trevor performed with Tim Omaji (formerly Timomatic), founded The Collektive, danced for choreographers Tony Tzar, Jian, Andre Fuentes (also assisted), and furthered his training whilst in Los Angeles (Millennium dance complex, Debbie Reynolds, Edge PAC).
In 2011, Trevor was able to take home the coveted first place trophy at the Australian hip hop international with his team The Collektive. This set his career in motion allowing him to begin his journey as a choreographer, working with Chris Sebastian, Prinnie, Marvin Priest, and international superstar Hangeng (2012 mtv music awards winner), for a song he had choreographed to.
Furthermore, Trevor has been able to stretch his dance and performance as a dancer for TJ - Michael Jackson tribute show, Paul Malek's contemporary double bill 'Collide', Briana Cohen's contemporary show 'Linked', Carnival & Undrgrnd (Candace Brown, Lashaun, Leroy Curwood, Jonathan Homsey, Martijn Sedgfield, Billie Casey-Jabore).
More recently, Trevor continues to be a well-rounded choreographer, choreographing the Bollywood musical, Jhankar, the Double Edge apparel launch and the recent masters of choreography show.
Zak Love
Jazz
Zak started dancing at the age of six and his passion for performing has never stopped. Zak has completed Diploma's in Performing Arts and Musical Theater at Patrick Studios Australia. He has performed nationally and internationally including the Norwegian Jewel Cruise Ship, Michael Boyd's World Festival Of Magic, Queens Of The City, Vision Australia's Carols By Candlelight, 2012 Logie Awards with Delta Goodrem, Hey Hey It's Saturday with Zoe Badwi, Twisted Broadway, Divine Divas, Simmonds Homes, Starry Starry Night, Think Pink, Racing Victoria, Catwalk Circus, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes "Classroom Capers", Sesame Street, Ben 10 Live "Time Machine" Abu Dhabi. The Life + Crimes of Zak Love - a self devised cabaret.
Zak's TV credits include Underbelly, Offspring, The Librarians, Kids WB and Blue Heelers as well as several commercials. He has also released 2 tracks on Itunes "Blood Drips" and "Gimme What I Want" with his pop group YHLZHA which was featured on Australias Got Talent 2016. Zak just released his debut solo track and is working on a solo album due for release next year.