Dragonfly Dance

04/08/2026

One of the things I love most about contemporary dance is the feeling of movement.

Not every movement is held tightly in place. Sometimes the momentum carries you. Sometimes you swing, spiral, suspend or release before flowing into the next movement.

The freedom of movement that you experience is both powerful and deeply satisfying.

This video captures some of that quality. The movement has weight, momentum and flow. Rather than fighting gravity, contemporary dance often works with it, creating movement that feels expressive, dynamic and alive.

Our new Introduction to Contemporary Dance course has been designed especially for adults who are new to contemporary dance. We'll explore these movement qualities step by step while building the technique, confidence and body awareness that underpin them.

You don't need experience, or to be naturally flexible. You just need a willingness to move, explore and discover.

If you've ever watched contemporary dance and thought, "I'd love to try that," this is where to begin.

✨ Introduction to Contemporary Dance starts this Wed 5 August, and we'd love to welcome you. 6pm Wednesdays for 8 weeks.💜

Find out more and book online at https://www.dragonflydance.com.au/new-classes/contemporary

Enquiries via phone (08 7073 2069) and email [email protected]

04/08/2026

What if ballet wasn't about how high you can jump... but about how beautifully you can move?

This little glimpse from one of our Ballet for Silver Dragonflies classes shows a port de bras. The music isn't traditional ballet music (I love mixing it up occasionally!), but the focus is pure ballet.

As we age, ballet doesn't have to become a watered down version of itself.

Instead, we can lean into some of its most expressive qualities. Beautiful port de bras. Elegant épaulement. Musicality. Coordination. Balance. Control. Grace. Presence.

Of course we'll still learn the foundations. Pliés, tendus, dégagés, rond de jambe and all those wonderful building blocks that make ballet what it is. But there is less emphasis on big jumps and multiple pirouettes, and more emphasis on dancing in a way that works with mature bodies, not against them.

I believe our bodies at 60, 70 or beyond aren't "less than" younger bodies. They're simply different. They carry decades of experience, expression and wisdom, and ballet can honour that.

If you've ever dreamed of learning ballet, or perhaps returning after many years away, our Ballet for Silver Dragonflies (60+) course begins this week.

You don't need experience.
You don't need the "perfect" ballet body. You just need a willingness to discover what your body can do today.

I'd love to welcome you into the studio. 💜

The course starts tomorrow (Wed 5 August) at 11am, and runs for 6 weeks. No experience needed.

To find out more visit https://www.dragonflydance.com.au/new-classes/ballet

You can book online from there, or get in touch by phone 08 7073 2069 or email [email protected].

28/07/2026

Have you ever wondered what contemporary dance actually is?
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Most people have a vague idea of ballet, jazz or tap... but contemporary dance often feels a bit of a mystery.

Is it expressive? Yes.
Is it technical? Absolutely.
Is it about learning choreography? It can be.

But it's also about discovering a completely different way of moving.

In this article, I share eight things you might discover when you learn contemporary dance. From moving with greater flow and efficiency, to feeling more connected to your body, these are the reasons I fell in love with this incredible dance style.

If you've ever been curious about contemporary dance, I'd love you to have a read.

📖 Read the article here: https://www.dragonflydance.com.au/post/what-does-contemporary-dance-feel-like

And if it leaves you thinking, "I'd love to experience that," we'd love to welcome you to our Introduction to Contemporary Dance course, starting 5 August.

It's designed especially for adults with little or no previous experience and will guide you step by step through the foundations of contemporary dance.

🔗 Find out more about the course here:
https://www.dragonflydance.com.au/courses

21/07/2026

New Repertoire Variation starts tonight ....

Giselle Act I Variation

This variation has a naive, innocent and playful quality. Giselle is in love with life and dance. She is full of trust, hope, and faith. Playful, yet shy and demure. The classic ingenue.

We'll be not just learning the dance from start to finish. Instead, we'll be working on the movement vocabulary required, the technique, the quality of movement, the acting and artistry.

If you dance at level 3 or above, then joining the repertoire class gives you chance to take the technique and steps you learn in class, and apply them to a variation where you can adapt the steps to suit your abilities, and infuse it meaning, expression, and character. That is what is means to truly dance ballet.

Below are links to several versions of the variation. The choreography is the same, but the are differences in arm lines, musicality, and expression. Different eras, different ballerinas, different companies.

The aim in studying a variation is not to replicate, but to interpret and reimagine, to make it your own, to show off your dancing (and acting).

Hence the several links - so you can see how different dancers have interpreted the dance and the character.

Which one is your favourite, and why?

Svetlana Zakharova, Bolshoi Ballet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwEXd55nCsM

Ysmine Yaghadi, Royal Ballet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoG5izkLe-Y

Sae Eun Park, Paris Opera Ballet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbZtaMQU22g

Carla Fracci
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRPzTc_CXPs

Marianela Nunez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAh6fSrIQvI

Christine Walsh, Australian Ballet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_FnrOG389k

17/07/2026

Have you always wanted to dance, but never known where to start?

We're launching three brand new short courses designed specifically for adults who want to learn from the beginning in a supportive environment where everyone starts together.

🩰 Silver Dragonflies Ballet (for mature adults), 6 weeks
🎷 Introduction to Jazz, 8 weeks
🌿 Introduction to Contemporary Dance, 8 weeks

✔ Starts Wednesday 5 August
✔ Early Bird discount until 29 July
✔ Dragonfly members receive 10% off

Taught be Dragonfly Dance founder, Jo McDonald.

Places are limited and each course requires minimum enrolments to proceed, so we'd encourage you to book early.

Learn more and reserve your place today
Visit www.dragonflydance.com.au/courses

03/07/2026

We've just hit send on our July Newsletter.

If you are a Member or Subscriber, check your inbox to find out what's on at Dragonfly Dance this month.

03/07/2026

Calling experienced adult tap dancers — a new home for experimentation and growth awaits at Dragonfly Dance.

Are your tap shoes gathering dust and judging you from the closet? Give them what they want. Our Level 4 class for experienced adult tappers is welcoming new dancers until 18 July.

Check out the blog post to read how teacher Krystal describes the class. Then visit our Getting Started page to find out what to do next.

Blog post: www.dragonflydance.com.au/post/a-place-for-experienced-adult-tap-dancers-to-experiment-and-grow

Getting started: https://www.dragonflydance.com.au/adult-dance-getting-started

A home for experience adult tap dancers at Dragonfly Dance