About Us

Lyn Pelgrave

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

RAD Ballet

Qualifications

• RAD, DDTS, RTS
• Diploma of Dance
• Cert IV Dance Teaching and Management.
• Cert IV TAE. Australian Dance Institute Endorsed Syllabus Assessor.

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

Robert’s career began at 15 as principal percussionist with both the Queensland and Australian Youth orchestra and performed extensively in Europe and Asia.

On completion of a Diploma of Music Education in 1979 he was awarded an International Fellowship by the Australia Council to undertake further studies at Indiana University specialising in Percussion and Conducting

Upon graduation he lectured at both the Queensland Conservatorium and University of Queensland and founded the Queensland Youth Choir which he led for a further 15 years.

In 1986 Robert awarded Young Australian of the Year for the performing arts.

Robert has performed and toured as both percussionist and chorus master with many international artists including Frank Sinatra, Peter Allen, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, Whitney Houston, Michael Crawford, Engelbert Humperdinck, Johnny Mathis, Cilla Black, and Debbie Reynolds.

Australian artists he has performed with and conducted for include Simon Gallaher, Jon English, Glenn Shorrock, Wendy Matthews, Doug Parkinson, Rhonda Burchmore, Tina Arena and Karen Knowles.

He has also created and produced concerts, and attractions nationwide including Seaworld’s Pirates of Paradise water-ski show and the Police Academy Stunt show at Movie world.

Roberts’s credits include his role as producer and musical director for the 2000 Olympic Soccer Gala Opening Ceremony in Brisbane

In 2016, he was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Indiana University School of Music.

Since returning to Australia in 2015 Robert has been the Musical Director for the following productions.  Jersey Boys RMT   Strictly Ballroom IMTC Les Misérables IMTC  Wicked  RMTC     Pirates of Penzance  QPAC 30^th anniversary season directed  by Simon Gallaher.

In January 22 his Company  Legend House International is producing a professional season of Jersey Boys at the Star Gold coast.

Ella Astle

Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary

Ella is a Cairns raised dance teacher and choreographer who started her teaching journey in 2022, after 14 years of dance experience performing in showcases, competitions, eisteddfods and sitting RAD classical ballet and Glenwood Tap exams. Ella specialises in commercial styles; Jazz, Hip Hop, Commercial Contemporary with many of her pieces awarded impressive results from competition adjudicators inclusive of championship titles.

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.

Kayleigh Bancroft

Jazz/Lyrical/Contemporary

Miss Kayleigh has just started her teaching journey this year with TDTF but has long been both a student and choreographer. Whilst she currently studies a Bachelor of Creative Industries with the intention of working in dance therapy, she herself studied jazz, ballet, contemporary, tap, acting and singing throughout her childhood. This brought her opportunities to perform in musicals such as Sound of Music, Little Women, Fame (Moreton Bay College) and Chicago Jnr (The Theatre Factory). Her latest show was Savoyards’ Mamma Mia in the role Lisa. 

Laine Loxlea-Danann

Singing, Musicianship, Private Vocal Coach

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

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.

Victoria Lancaster

Acrobatics, Cheer.

Victoria is originally from the United States, where she spent over 10 years as a competitive gymnast, cheerleader, and acrobat. She is passionate about sharing her love for Acro with her students, helping them develop strength, flexibility, and confidence in their skills. Victoria’s teaching approach focuses on giving students the confidence to reach their potential and enjoy the art of Acro and Cheer.

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.

Kirsten Brown

Jazz, Tap, Comdance Exams