Originally from rural Queensland, Amy began training and performing at a young age across Australia. During high school, she trained primarily at Dance Central, excelling in Royal Academy of Dance examinations, competitions, and local productions with The Empire Theatre.

Natasha began performing in QLD, earning her CSTD Student Teachers in Jazz and Tap, and completing Advanced 2 in RAD Ballet. She later trained at Brent Street Studios in Sydney, earning a Cert IV in Performing, and then pursued a BA in Music at the Australian Institute of Music, where she played Mimi in Rent.

Jacqui Rinaldi is the Distance Dance Acro teacher at Branches Performing Arts and co-founded the National Institute of Performing Arts (NIPA) in 2013.

In 2023, Gabriella joined our Distance Dance program teaching faculty. She has built her dance knowledge on the solid foundations of RAD ballet and is a passionate, RAD-registered educator.

Hannah began dance classes at 18 months and later turned to gymnastics when no classes were available in her hometown. In 2020, she resumed her dance training via Zoom with Branches Performing Arts, and after two years, she’s gained new friends, skills, and awards.

Falling in love with ballet at age 11, Erica began training with Aina Reega, a former Borovansky ballerina. Over the next decade, she studied with inspiring mentors, leading her to become a qualified Royal Academy of Dance teacher.

Belinda Moore is a movement coach, personal trainer, and body conditioning specialist with 25 years of dance experience. She has worked in NZ, Australia, and the US for major companies like NBC Universal, Comcast, and Disney, performing alongside Kesha, Lorde, and Halle Berry, and in events like the Emmy-winning Nashville Christmas Parade and New Zealand Fashion Week.

Elissa Mairet joins Branches Performing Arts in 2026 as an incredible new addition to our teaching faculty and a true asset to the ballet program. A highly respected RAD Classical Ballet specialist, Elissa holds A.R.A.D, RAD RTS, Solo Seal, a Dip Dance, and a Cert IV in Pilates (Matwork).

Elissa began ballet training in Sydney at age 7 with Aina Reega, then Prudence Bowen, achieving Advanced and Solo Seal by age 15. She went on to compete at the Genée Competition and the Prix de Lausanne, before completing three years at the Australian Ballet School. Elissa then joined the Australian Opera Ballet and later completed her RAD Diploma of Teaching (Dist.)

With extensive teaching experience across Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Stanthorpe, Armidale, Moree, and Toowoomba, Elissa teaches dancers from Preschool through to Adult Ballet. She has also completed the Royal Academy of Dance Examiner’s Training Program and travels throughout Australia and internationally examining RAD students.

Ms Jen Murray joins Branches Performing Arts teaching faculty in 2026, bringing an incredible depth of experience, artistry and contemporary expertise to our program. Jen holds a Certificate IV in Dance Teaching and Management and specialises in Contemporary Dance.

Originally from Calgary, Canada, Jen began her formal training at age 13 at the National Ballet School (Toronto). She then returned to Calgary to apprentice with the Alberta Ballet Company while still completing high school, before shifting her focus to contemporary dance and earning a scholarship position in the three-year professional program at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. After graduating, Jen moved to Vancouver, working with a wide range of contemporary companies and touring throughout Canada and the United States.

Jen is also a certified yoga teacher (12 years) and is known for blending yoga, martial arts, ballet, and diverse contemporary styles into her teaching and choreography supporting dancers to build strength, artistry, versatility, and confidence.

Jen relocated permanently to Australia in 2006, settling in Toowoomba in 2008. Since then, she has taught at the Conroy Dance Centre / Performing Arts College (Brisbane) and has had choreography commissioned by studios in Rockhampton and Byron Bay. Locally, Jen has contributed to numerous dance and theatre productions through the Home Grown Independents program at the Empire Theatre, including works such as Vacancies of the Heart (2012), Brief Encounters (2013), and dance film collaborations including Loops featured in the inaugural Motion Capture Film Festival.

We’re thrilled to welcome Ms Jen Murray to Branches in 2026 teaching Contemporary and can’t wait for our dancers to learn, create and grow under her guidance.

Angela McCasker joins Branches Performing Arts teaching faculty in 2026 as our in-person Cloncurry teacher, bringing a warm, community-first approach and a strong commitment to regional dance.

Originally Brisbane-based, Angela’s move to the outback was driven by her love of connection and growth after participating in Queensland’s Rural and Remote Teacher Experience Program, she and her partner felt so at home in Cloncurry that they chose to relocate and build their next chapter there. 

Angela is also the founder of Forever Dance Academy, based in Brisbane. Within the Forever Dance Academy community, Angela is known for her hands-on teaching and choreography contributions.

Branches is thrilled to welcome Angela to our team and to the Cloncurry community her energy, experience and genuine care for dancers will be an incredible asset to our 2026 program.