OUR TEAM
Holly Diggle – Studio Founder, Owner, and Director
I’m Holly Diggle, the founder, owner, and director of Dance Northside. In 2006, I purchased what was then a small ballet academy, and I’ve grown it into a diverse and vibrant community of over 400 dancers. I’m proud to continue the 36-year tradition of running dance classes at Kaleen Community Hall as I celebrate my 18th year in business.
My first exposure to dance was as a child in Edinburgh, at a studio with a strong sense of community. People of all ages and skill levels came together to connect with their souls and each other through movement. That early experience ignited my passion for dance and inspired me to pursue formal training. I hold a BA in Dance Performance (Theory and Practice) and a Diploma in Dance Teaching and Management. I’m also an RYT 200hr Yoga Teacher and a 50hr Kids Yoga Teacher (both accredited with Yoga Alliance), a qualified Acrobatic Arts instructor, and I’m currently studying for a Diploma of Counselling.
Read more about Holly
Earlier in my career, I performed professionally across Australia and overseas. One of the highlights was working with Mirramu Dance Company on River, which earned me a nomination for ‘Most Outstanding Female Performer’ in the Australian Dance Awards. I’ve also been recognised for my choreography, winning the ‘Most Outstanding Choreography Award’ and the ‘People’s Choice Award’ for my contact improvisation performances with Keira Mason-Hill at the Short and Sweet Dance Festival.
My experiences in the industry inspired me to create a space where children and adults can discover the healing power of dance and the simple joy of movement—without objectification, adultification, unrealistic perfectionism, or the pressures of competition. That’s why I founded Dance Northside. Here, we offer fun, age-appropriate, recreational dance classes and community-focused performance opportunities. My goal is to take a holistic approach to dance education, helping students become not just skilled dancers, but happy, self-assured, and well-rounded individuals. As a certified Youth Protection Advocate in Dance, I’m committed to shifting the dance industry’s focus to prioritize child safety and wellbeing.
My desire to create a safe and inclusive space also stems from my own experience of neurodiversity. Living with dyslexia and ADHD, I understand that while these conditions can present challenges, they are also superpowers when channelled effectively. This perspective makes me deeply passionate about offering dance classes in a nurturing environment where everyone—regardless of ability—can thrive.I bring over two decades of teaching experience to Dance Northside, having worked in a variety of settings, including dance studios, schools, universities, refugee groups, women in recovery, and youth at risk. I also offer one-on-one and small group sessions tailored specifically to the needs of neurodivergent children, creating an environment where they can flourish.
My specialty is delivering inclusive, inspiring, and energetic dance classes across almost any style and age group. My teaching philosophy centers on building confidence, strength, and joy in my students, both physically and mentally.
Today, I’m fortunate to balance raising my two young children with teaching Advanced Contemporary, Adults JFH, Adults Contemporary, and the Performance Team at Dance Northside. I also love running community events and in-house performances, mentoring my staff and student leaders, and building relationships within the Dance Northside family. It’s the people who make Dance Northside such a special place, and connecting with them is the most rewarding part of my work.I’m grateful for the recognition I’ve received as a studio owner. In 2014, I was honored to be acknowledged as a notable alumnus of the ACT public school system for becoming a leader in my field. I’ve been a finalist in the Canberra Women in Business Awards (2018), Australian Small Business Champion Awards (2022), Canberra Region Local Business Awards (2022), and AusMumpreneur Awards (2022). In 2022, I was proud to win a Women With Altitude Brave award, and in 2024 the Australisian Dance Education silver award for Inclusion and Diversity. Thank you for choosing Dance Northside. Welcome to our community!
Cara – Studio Manager
Cara’s dance journey began at Dance Northside at age five. Over the years she has trained in hip hop, jazz, contemporary, ballet, and lyrical. She was a valued member of the Dance Northside Performance Team for 6 years, enjoying performing with her team mates across numerous performances throughout Canberra.
Cara is a highly skilled and experienced Dance Teacher, having undertaken extensive in house training, and has taught the Dance Northside community for 6 years across many styles and age ranges.
In 2023 Cara was promoted to Customer Relations Manager, and in 2024 she stepped up again to take on the role of Studio Manager. A position she has earned through her profound understanding of the studio’s values gained through lived experience over her 14 years at Dance Northside.
In addition to her work at Dance Northside, Cara is currently undertaking a degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Canberra.
Cara strives to make everyone who comes into contact with Dance Northside feel included, welcomed, supported and well informed.
Ellie
Ellie started dancing at the age of five, at National Capital Ballet School. Specialising in ballet and contemporary, she moved to Canberra Dance Development Centre in 2014 before joining Dance Northside in 2018. She has been a part of the Dance Northside Performance Team for three years and as a result has danced at numerous festivals around Canberra.Ellie has undergone training as part of the DanceStep program with Dance Teacher Laura Gerstenberg and Niamh Martin. She is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Contemporary European Studies and Arts at the ANU.
Maddi
Maddi started dance at the very young age of 3, at first being introduced to the styles of ballet and contemporary. From 2016 onward, she began to expand her dancing palette, training in the styles of hip hop, modern dance, jazz, and Broadway at STEPZ South Coast Dance Academy.
In 2020-2021, Maddi gained teaching experience through the completion of HSC Dance, working with dancers to create solos and duets that explore unique choreographic intent. That teaching practise has continued over the past couple of years, involving choreography in school musical numbers and dance night performances.
Maddi has continued her personal training through performing in AASCF States (NSW) & Nationals (QLD) as a member of the ANU Competitive Dance Team: Premier Hip Hop Team in 2022. She has also increased her hip hop knowledge through attending various workshops by the NZ mega hip hop dance crew known as The Royal Family.
In addition to teaching hip hop in Canberra, she is currently studying a Bachelor of Visual Arts at the Australian National University.
Erin
Erin is an experienced dancer, starting dancing at the age of four with the Jill Glastonbury Ballet Academy. She has trained in a range of dance styles, and has taught tap, cecchetti ballet, jazz and lyrical dance. Erin enjoys choreographing and has received several awards at choreographic competitions.
Erin joined Dance Northside’s adult contemporary class a number of years ago and has recently joined the staff to teach ballet and jazz classes. Her main goals in teaching are to build skills, confidence and creativity in her students, all within a fun and supportive environment.
Sharon
Sharon started dance at the age of 3 and trained in ballet, jazz, tap & contemporary until her first teaching employment at Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Canberra. She has 2 amazing kids, and is a single mum as well as a qualified Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Caricaturist, designing the 1996 Australian Tax Pack Cover, and has taught many classes of both Zumba and ballroom at Radford College over the years.
In 2000, Sharon competed and placed 4th in the international Fred Astaire Argentine Tango Showcase Division. She later appeared and placed 3rd on the 2005 season of the ABC television program, Strictly Dancing. Sharon is the 4-time undefeated Professional On2 ACT Salsa Champion. She also created and organised her own glamourous, friendly, independent Smooth and Rhythm competition, “ASDAC – The Outback Crown,” bringing world champions to inspire us isolated Aussies. Over 10 years, ASDAC built up a world-class reputation.
Sharon is a qualified Zumba Fitness, Zumba Kids, Strong by Zumba (now called Strong Nation), and Zumba Gold, Toning and Gold Toning instructor. She holds Associate and Licentiate degrees as well as Fellowships in nine smooth and rhythm ballroom dance styles. In 2016, Sharon successfully undertook the USISTD/AIDA Examiners Assessment, achieving her goal after 10 years of study, experience and innovation. She is one of only 11 such Examiners in the world, and the first and only one outside of the USA.
Sharon was the Co-Owner and -Creative Director of Danzon Dance Studio from 2004 – 2021. In 2017, Sharon created the “Articulate” Dance Training Program – her own teaching method based on 20 years of teaching, performances, competitions, mentoring, and experiencing the joy that students feel when they are happy and successful within themselves. Because the world is only about people, and we deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, to be accepted for who we are, and to feel joy – values that align directly with Dance Northside’s, which is why Sharon is so excited to be part of the team.
Eleanor
Eleanor began dancing at the age of 7 when she joined one of Dance Northside’s Kids Funk classes. Finding a love for this dance style, she has continued taking funk/hip hop classes at Dance Northside for over 9 years. As well as hip hop, Eleanor has taken ballet classes and workshops at Dance Northside, and has been a part of the Performance Team since 2019, extending her skills in hip hop, contemporary and jazz while performing all around Canberra. With Dance Northside as a constant, Eleanor danced at QL2 Dance for two years, further extending her skills in contemporary and ballet. While dancing at QL2, Eleanor also took part in a youth choreography project.
Eleanor has undertaken training as a dance instructor through the DanceStep program at Dance Northside since early 2021, under the guidance of dance teachers Laura Gerstenberg, Emma Wilson, Ellie Crnkovic and others.
Eleanor regards Dance Northside and its values of kindness, respect and community as very important in her everyday life and strives to apply these values to create a warm, caring environment for young dancers to learn, have fun and to love dance as much as she does.
Talia
Talia began to dance at Dance Northside in 2009, at the age of 5. She was a member of the Performance Team for seven years, where she had various performance opportunities at local events and Dance Northside concerts. Talia is a passionate contemporary dancer trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical and hip hop.
Talia has completed a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care. She works as an educator at a childcare centre and enjoys working with young children and helping them learn and have fun. She began working as an Assistant with Dance Teacher Rebecca Allan in 2020 and was a member of the DanceStep program at Dance Northside.
Talia has a strong child-focused approach to teaching, which aligns with the Dance Northside values of kindness, respect and community.
Talia enjoys welcoming new members to the Dance Northside community, encouraging everybody to join in and dance.
Issy
Issy began dance at the age of four at the Classical Ballet Centre Canberra, training in classical ballet and tap until she was nine.
In 2016, at age 11, Issy returned to dance at Dance Northside starting with jazz and extending her training to include ballet, contemporary, and hip hop. Issy was also a member of the Performance Team for four years and has performed extensively throughout Canberra.
Issy has undertaken teacher training since 2020 through the DanceStep program at Dance Northside.
Issy feels a strong connection to the Dance Northside values of kindness, respect and community and aims to create a safe, inclusive environment for her students to have fun and grow their love and connection to dance.
Neve
Neve began her dance journey at the young age of 3 at One2Step in Bungendore learning jazz, ballet and tap. She then moved to Brisbane and attended The Theatre Factory and took classes in jazz, tap, drama, and singing. Upon moving back to Canberra, Neve trained in Irish dancing for one year competing at the state level in various competitions.
In 2019, Neve moved to Dance Northside, learning both contemporary and jazz. In 2021, Neve began the DanceStep program and in 2024 was invited to the inaugural DanceStep Sumit where she placed second in the national leadership award. Neve has been a student teacher under the guidance of Emma Wilson and Cara Martin in both Minis and Kids classes. Neve has looked forward to becoming a dance teacher since she started dance and can’t wait to share her passion and excitement she has for dance with her students.
Neve feels the Dance Northside values of Kindness, Respect, and Community are important in everyday life and aims to include these values in every dance class. She loves working with children, making connections, and seeing the children develop their skills.
Aria
Aria started dancing at age 2, before joining Dance Northside 2017. Aria successfully auditioned for the Dance Northside Performance Team in 2018. She performed extensively across Canberra for five years with the Performance Team, whilst also extending her skills in jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, lyrica and acrodance through both weekly classes and workshops.
Aria undertook teacher training through the DanceStep program under the guidance of Caitlin Johnson, Kasha Solomon and Abby Schoon in 2022 and undertook specialised teacher training in acrodance with Dance Northside’s Director Holly Diggle in 2023 and 2024. At the beginning of 2025 Aria completed her Acrodance Teacher Training with The Acrobatic Dance Association.
Aria lives the Dance Northside values of kindness, respect, and community. Both through her interactions with her students and within her own classes as a dancer. She loves sharing her passion for acrodance with students, striving to make all students feel included, respected and capable in the studio.
Arden
Arden (they/them) has been dancing for as long as they can remember, with a passion for American Style Ballroom which they started learning quite young! In this style, they have recreationally competed around Canberra and NSW. In 2016 Arden joined Dance Northside, taking classes in Hip Hop and Contemporary, and went on to join the studio’s Performance Team in 2023.
From 2019 to 2021, Arden honed their teaching skills by leading Zumba classes under the mentorship of professional ballroom and Zumba instructor Sharon. While in college, Arden developed their versatility as they choreographed and performed numerous dance pieces for their school in styles including Ballroom, Hip-hop, Jazz, Contemporary and K-pop.
Arden has a passion for dancing for fun and strives for continuous personal improvement, often learning and practising K-pop choreographies in their spare time. Arden is deeply aligned with Dance Northside’s core values of kindness, respect, and community, which they incorporate into their everyday life. They are especially passionate about working with children, helping them grow and find joy through dance.
Jahna
Jahna has been dancing since the age of 4. She’s done many styles, including Ballet, Acro, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip hop, Commercial and First Nation Traditional Dance.
Some of Jahna’s biggest achievements; Performing with ADT (Australian Dance Theatre) in their work, Savage- 2022, QL2 x BDA (Bangkok Dance Academy) Thailand tour exchange- 2023, Choreographed a Hot to Trot piece called Hazy Misconceptions-2023, NSW Aboriginal Youth Dance Company (Bangarra)-2021 and TDP (Talented Dance Program) at Erindale College- 2022-2023.
Jahna has been focusing on Modern Contemporary dance for 3 years. Her favourite thing about Contemporary, is that it allows her mind and body to create and move, through articulation and abstract outlets and ideas. Jahna also has a deep love for improvisation and freestyle, as it releases her movements from any expectations.
This is the second year Jahna has fully taken on the role as a dance teacher, having previously taught workshops and small groups. She is excited to share her knowledge, along with supporting her students to grow in creativity, values and their love for dance.
Studio
Kaleen Community Hall
Georgina Crescent Kaleen ACT 2617
Contact
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Dance Northside acknowledges the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, traditional custodians of the land on which our studio is located. We pay respect to their Elders past, present, and emerging. Music and movement have long been performed in this place by First Nations Australians; Dance Northside recognises this and appreciates the richness it adds to our community. We are glad to be dancing here today, on what always was and always will be Ngunnawal and Ngambri land.
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