About Us
Brisbane’s favourite dance and theatre school
Our Studio
The Dance and Theatre Factory opened in 2008 under the direction of Lyn Pelgrave and has continued to grow and blossom bigger and brighter each year. Our industry trained qualified staff believe in fostering relationships and developing the youth of our society into confident, capable and successful young men and women. At The Dance and Theatre Factory, we endeavour to encourage and grow our students as they develop their skills as performers and foster the love of the arts in modern styles of Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, Singing and Drama as we welcome each and every one into our Dance and Theatre Factory Family.
Our Facilities
The Dance and Theatre Factory is in Manly West or Tingalpa, opposite Moreton Bay College on Wondall Road. Spanning across 5 studio spaces, all named after the stars who have been inspirational in their genres.
Our studios are air conditioned and have all the trimmings a studio requires with sprung flooring, wall mounted ballet barre’s, professional vinyl dance floor coverings, mirrors, pianos and integrated sound systems with Bluetooth connectivity.
Our designated singing studio is soundproof, intimate and contains all you need for singing development. We are proud to have our specially built performance space with multi configuration stage, various seating options, theatrical lighting rig, sound and microphone system and masking curtains. Space is available for hire as well as for use for in-house events staged right here at The Dance and Theatre Factory.
Fonteyn
Studio
Ballet
Kelly
Studio
Tap
Fosse
Studio
Jazz
Hepburn Studio
Drama
Streisand Studio
Singing
Our Staff
The Dance and Theatre Factory Staff of industry professional, dedicated, talented and fully qualified teachers take great pride and pleasure in welcoming everyone to The Dance and Theatre Factory Family. Our Staff are selected for their professional industry experience and recognised qualifications and have extensive experience working as teachers, trainers and educators of our range of age groups.
We take great care and pride in creating age-appropriate classes where each student receives individualized instruction and attention.
Lyn Pelgrave
Director/Producer
RAD Ballet
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Tammy Richards
Administration
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Robert Clark
Musical Director, Choral Conductor, Vocal Coaching, Percussion
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Laine Loxlea-Danann
Singing/Private Singing
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Hannah Macri
Drama, Singing, Tap, Jazz, Ballet.
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Molly Hitson
Reception, Relief Teacher
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Mikaela Drewett
Acro
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Chiara Orso
Tap
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Harry Leis
Drama, Acting, Cert IV Trainer
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Maddi Hatzioannou
Jazz, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Ballet
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Mel Nobes
Tap, Musical Theatre, Ballet
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Our Mission
The Dance and Theatre Factory is committed to encouraging all performers to strive for excellence and enjoy the journey along the way. We believe each young person can grow and develop their personal physical, emotional, and intellectual goals through our dance and theatre programs. Our mission is to provide quality dance and theatre instruction through caring, professional instructors in a friendly, family-oriented atmosphere.
The Dance and Theatre Factory offers a supportive, inclusive and caring environment with an aim in ensuring that our students can develop and utilize their skills learnt to grow up to become stable and productive members of society with a love of the arts.
Our Vision
The Dance and Theatre Factory vision is to expand our Musical Theatre and Dance programs based on our local community’s continued interest in dance, theatre, and physical fitness. Our vision is determined through the eyes of our dancers. If our students can dream it, we strive to achieve it!
We hope to inspire our community with non-competitive dance and performing arts education and offer many opportunities for our students to grow and develop in a facility that will motivate, educate, and develop an appreciation of the performing arts. It is through our mission and vision that The Dance and Theatre Factory will continue to create “change” in our world’s future through our students and their families.
Our Values
Here at The Dance and Theatre Factory we value inclusiveness, friendship, confidence, family, empowerment and passion for our styles. The Dance and Theatre Factory Staff, students and families take great pride in promoting self-confidence, self-respect, discipline, and appreciation through the fine arts of dance and performing arts. The success of our students and facility is due to great teamwork between the students, the staff and our Dance and Theatre Factory Families.
Shine Bright like the star you are
Dance? Act? Sing? Your way! Come and try new styles today. Join us at The Dance and Theatre Factory! New enrolments welcome anytime.
Lyn Pelgrave
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
RAD Ballet, Cert IV Musical Theatre Trainer
Qualifications
- RAD, DDTS, RTS
- Diploma of Dance
- Cert IV Dance Teaching and Management.
- Cert IV TAE
Dancing, specifically ballet, was the first call to the stage for Lyn. Not a day went by without dancing in it. Lyn graduated with a diploma of dance from the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and shared the stage with Queensland Ballet dancers before moving to Melbourne to extend her dance training. Once back in Queensland Lyn’s professional performance career began with The Oz People children’s theatre company performing more than 25 different shows to over 500 000 children all over Queensland. Lyn then transferred to Twelfth Night Productions, one of Queensland’s biggest theatre producers in its day where she spread her wings beyond acting and dancing to choreography, stage management, tour management, production management and directing. Lyn toured extensively throughout Australia and New Zealand with Twelfth Night Productions working alongside some big names in Musical Theatre including Jon English, Max Gillies, Rhonda Burchmore, Lucy Durack, Susan Ann Walker, Dennis Waterman, Gordon Kaye, Geoffrey Hughes and many more before being introduced to Menopause The Musical producer Jim McPherson. Jim invited Lyn to join the original touring cast production of Menopause the Musical as Resident Director, Resident Choreographer and Stage Manager. Lyn stayed with MTM for over 1300 performers touring through Australia and New Zealand.
Tammy Richards
Administration
Qualifications
- Cert IV Dance Teaching & Management
- Cert III Assistant Dance Teaching
- Cert IV Business Management
Tammy started her dancing career relatively late in the game, not getting involved in any forms of dance until her late teens. After years of participating in Scouting shows, Tammy progressed into lessons in Ballet, Tap, Jazz & Musical Theatre expanding on her skill set before taking these skills and putting them to use on the Brisbane Musical Theatre scene performing with a variety of companies. She continues to participate in Jazz/Hip Hop, Tap & Cabaret Classes and undertakes vocal lessons with Danika Saal.
Tammy holds a Certificate IV in Business Management, Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching, and has completed her Certificate IV in Dance Teaching and Management. Tammy is excited to be teaching the younger students in Tap watching them discover the noise their feet make and handling the day to day administration of The Dance and Theatre Factory.
Robert Clark
Musical Director, Vocal Coach, Percussion
Cert IV Musical Theatre Trainer
Robert began his career at 15 as principal percussionist with both the Queensland and Australian Youth Orchestras, performing internationally. After earning a Diploma of Music Education in 1979, he received an Australia Council International Fellowship to study percussion and conducting at Indiana University. He later lectured at the Queensland Conservatorium and University of Queensland, and founded the Queensland Youth Choir, leading it for 15 years. In 1986, he was named Young Australian of the Year for the performing arts.
Robert has worked as a percussionist and chorus master with global stars such as Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston, and Michael Crawford, as well as leading Australian artists. He has produced major events, including Seaworld’s Pirates of Paradise, the Police Academy Stunt Show at Movieworld, and served as producer and musical director for the 2000 Olympic Soccer Gala Opening Ceremony in Brisbane.
He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Indiana University School of Music in 2016. Since returning to Australia in 2015, Robert has been Musical Director for productions including Jersey Boys, Strictly Ballroom, Les Misérables, Wicked, and Pirates of Penzance. His company, Legend House International, produced Jersey Boys at The Star Gold Coast in January 2022.
Hannah Macri
Drama, Singing, Tap, Jazz, Ballet.
Hannah has had a passion for musical theatre for as long as she can remember and her tuition started in 2007 when she began vocal lessons and grew a passion for dance, in the styles of jazz, tap and even Irish dancing. Throughout the years to follow, Hannah built her skills by participating in musicals and plays through school and community theatre, until in 2019, she studied a Certificate IV in Musical Theatre with ADMT. Hannah’s passion grew exponentially from her studies and is now undertaking a Bachelor of Creative Industries with a major in Drama and Performance at QUT.
Laine Loxlea-Danann
Singing, Musicianship, Private Vocal Coach
Cert IV Musical Theatre Trainer
Dr. Laine Loxlea Danann is an internationally acclaimed musical theatre and straight theatre writer, producer, performer, singer, actor, theatre maker, and teacher. Her mono-musical, The Critical Last Chance Years, has seen success in Germany and Queensland, Australia. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, along with various other qualifications in music and performance. Laine’s professional roles have included, Head of Music at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) and teaching at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University.
Currently, she runs Loxlea Creative, specialising in talent management, music and performance lessons, and creative productions. Laine has been recognised throughout Brisbane and Queensland for her work as a performer and creator, with notable achievements including her original musical’s European debut in 2022 and subsequent second season in 2023 and award-winning productions. Her extensive career spans opera, jazz, and musical theatre, with a particular love for intimate cabaret. She has also released three CDs of original work and composed scores for short films. Laine’s teaching experience includes coaching versatile singers and performers, with students achieving success in major theatre companies and recording labels. She thrives on music, theatre, and the creative arts, committed to diverse and creative work.
Mikaela Drewett
Acrobatics, Jazz, Hip Hop
Mikaela Drewett has enjoyed the art of dance from a very young age, exploring all the different styles to find the ones she likes the best. After moving to Brisbane in 2020, Mikaela joined The Dance and Theatre Factory to further her training in acrobatics, ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, drama and singing. Mikaela received her Acrobatic Arts Teacher’s Certificate and joined the faculty at TDTF in 2023. Mikaela has performed in numerous musicals and dance productions with The Dance and Theatre Factory, her school, Brisbane Bayside State College and other companies including Ipswich Musical Theatre Company, On The Boards Theatre Company.
Mikaela is currently completing an Advanced Diploma of Elite Performance (Dance) at Queensland College of Dance.
Molly Hitson
Reception, Relief Teacher
Molly is a 19 year old performer, who has been at The Dance and Theatre Factory for 11 years. She is passionate about all things dance, singing and acting. Her most recent show she played Connie in A Chorus Line with On the Boards Theatre Company in 2024. Molly also loves her work at the front desk on a Saturday Morning, helping all the younger kids get ready for their musical theatre classes.
Chiara Orso
Tap, Musical Theatre
Chiara started tap dancing when she was 3 years old, she then joined jazz at the age of 5, then ballet at 13. Dance has always been a large part of Chiara’s life and she loves it dearly. Over the past few years Chiara has sat a total of 9 dance exams, with her completing her CSTD Grade 8 & 9 tap exam earlier this year. Chiara has always adored looking after younger children and is very grateful for the opportunity to share her passion with the next generation of dancers.
Maddi Hatzioannou
Jazz, Contemporary, Musical Theatre and Ballet
Cert IV Musical Theatre Trainer
Maddi has been passionate about Musical Theatre since age 3 and trained in all dance styles. With a decade of professional performance, she has appeared in numerous Brisbane productions and major events like the OA Games Opening Ceremony and Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols. Her choreographic roles include Executive Choreographer for Mansfield State High’s The Wiz (2023) and Associate Choreographer for St Joseph’s College (2024), alongside teaching at studios in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
She recently returned from Hong Kong after leading choreography for local studios and Faust International Youth Theatre, directing shows such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Twelfth Night. Maddi’s expertise in RAD ballet, CSTD Jazz, and PCT allows her to blend discipline with creativity, inspiring young performers.
Mel Nobes
Tap, Performance Troupe, Ballet.
Miss Mel commenced training at age of 4 in Brisbane with Doreen Thomas and studied Classical, Tap, Jazz, Acrobatics, Modern and Stagecraft, gaining Members Technique status. Her training continued with Glenn Wood Tap and Acrobatic Arts and The Royal Academy of Dance. After moving to Central Queensland she established a Performing Arts Studio teaching all genres of the Arts whilst offering Examinations and opportunities to travel and perform. Miss Mel has Choreographed and Directed Musical Theatre Productions for her studio, schools and community groups, as well as consulted on the first versions of the Dance Syllabus taught in Schools whilst working with AusDance Qld. She has recently travelled to the USA as a Choreographer for the Aussie Allstars in JTF West, as well as JTF Atlana, where the she collaborated with Disney & Broadway Choreographers in producing Award winning Performances.
Her favourite Style of Dance is Tap, and has loved getting back into teaching at TDTF.
Harry Leis
Acting, Drama. Certificate IV Musical Theatre Trainer
Harry is a passionate educator with experience in the Performing Arts. Having graduated from the Queensland University of Technology with a Masters in Secondary Education, he enjoys teaching Drama to secondary aged students.
Harry particularly enjoys exploring the performance of musical theatre and challenging his students to engage with their characters critically. This is his second year at The Dance and Theatre Factory and he looks forward to the journey that 2026 will bring!