CEO & Founder of the Empowerdance Group

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With over 30 years of experience in the studio and 15 years of running her own industry leading Registered Training Organisation, Gabrielle is one of the Australian Dance Industries most experienced and passionate voices.  

With her own studio and hundreds of students, Gabrielle wanted to empower her students with more knowledge and raise the standards of the dance industry with more qualifications, and so in 2010 Empowerdance was born. Filling a gap in the market for quality dance education, Empowerdance quickly became the leader in dance qualifications and the largest private provider of Year 11 and 12 dance. 

A registered Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) teacher, Gabrielle has consulted for RAD Regional Advisory Panel and AusDance SA along with studios in need of business support and running workshops for companies, studios and schools. She facilitates the annual Australian Dance Festival VIP Teachers Lounge. 

Gabrielle’s role as CEO of Empowerdance sees her navigate the RTO landscape, manage a team of teachers, trainers and assessors, and consulting with National Regulatory Bodies to seek improved standards within the dance industry. A progressive leader, Gabrielle’s interest is in empowering others to take a stand for their business, community and industry and she is passionate about opening doors for future generations of dancers. 

Gabrielle has a passion for human behaviour and has extensive qualifications that support this passion both in and outside the studio space.

Assessment & Administration Wrangler

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Melissa joined the dance world at an early age with the studio that has now evolved into Empowerdance. Obsessed with jazz, tap, classical and contemporary, she furthered her studies with annual exams. 

Melissa obtained her Teacher’s Certificate through both Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dance and Glenn Wood Tap. She completed a Bachelor of Dance Performance after finishing year 12 and completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to further her role at Empowerdance.

Melissa is active in the studio and teaches students of all ages including Certificate students, exam students and recreational students with her passion genre being Tap.

Being a founding member of Empowerdance, Melissa worked from the start to establish the Registered Training Organisation while writing the original Certificate II, III and IV courses. Melissa's role at Empowerdance far exceeds the reporting, resulting and administration management systems. She is heavily involved in the management and operations of the company and is a committed advocate to the legacy that dance can offer.

Emily Quensier

The Empowerdance Chief Problem Solver, Emily’s role includes compliance, client and student support, systems management, social media and marketing. 

Emily was a full-time dance student on the Gold Coast before returning to South Australia and completing her student teacher hours with Gabrielle. Working as a dance teacher and becoming an Empowerdance student, Emily became a passionate advocate for qualifications in the dance industry and taking a role helping students and studios was a natural progression. 

Her proactivity in staying on top of the evolving regulatory landscape ensures Empowerdance remains at the forefront of industry best practices and her ability to navigate and innovate systems and processes ensure that Empowerdance partners have a seamless experience. 

With Empowerdance partners regularly in contact with Emily, her warmth and openness allows our schools, studios and students to feel supported and reach their goals throughout their Empowerdance journeys.

First Aid SuperHero

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Establishing DANCEAID alongside Gabrielle in 2023 was a perfect progression for Caitlin, a Coronary Care Nurse and former dancer. 

Specialising in Cardiology, Caitlin also has a Graduate Diploma in Cardiac Nursing Science and has spent 14 years in nursing, taking Leadership and Management roles in hospitals, assisting with the complex Royal Adelaide Hospital move and working in Cardiology Research. 

Growing up as a passionate dancer, Caitlin was part of the first cohort of Year 12 Dance students to train through Empowerdance with Gabrielle.

Caitlin and Gabrielle saw a need for industry relevant first-aid training that would help studios keep their students safe and be able to provide relevant care in the event of an injury. Amalgamating her medical experience with her dance training, Caitlin was able to provide a unique skill-set to create Australia’s only dance and movement industry specific First Aid training.  

Using dance-specific examples and scenarios to expand on standard first-aid training allows dance teachers and students to find the content relatable, transferrable and ultimately help their students stay safe, healthy and thrive throughout their dance training. 

Caitlin’s distinctive floral scrubs can be seen at dance conventions around Australia as she works with studios around the country to empower them to deliver the best possible first-aid to their students. 

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The Empowerdance Systems Queen, Vanessa’s background in communications and management and passion for customer service has brought many efficiencies to Empowerdance over her two years with the team.

Originally from Brazil, Vanessa migrated to Australia 15 years ago and with her Bachelors Degree in Social Communications has worked across events, office management and education; she is passionate about helping people find their path and reaching their potential. 

Vanessa’s dedication to the behind-the-scenes database management, system innovations, automation and utilising AI to promote efficiencies has allowed her to streamline processes and make the Empowerdance customer experience flow smoothly. 

Vanessa’s vibrant personality, sense of humour and passion for her community and family make her the perfect fit for the Empowerdance team, creating connections, fostering partnerships and providing a helpful and positive contact for our studios and students. 

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Joining the Empowerdance team in 2024, Nina’s extensive career in high-level corporate roles has positioned her perfectly to design, develop and facilitate Empowerdance’s new Leadership and Management course. 

A lively recreational dancer since age 5, Nina’s early years on the stage lead to a lifelong love of dance and movement. A certified yoga teacher, Nina’s passion for health, wellness and personal growth combined with her corporate experience has allowed her to develop a thorough understanding of the training and development required for leaders in movement industries.     

After achieving her Bachelor of International Business Management in Germany and the USA, and a Masters in Media Practice in Sydney, Nina has travelled extensively and is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in workplaces. 

Nina’s experience over 20 years working for large corporations’ spans strategy development, innovation, customer experience, stakeholder engagement, team building and training, communications, human-centred design, and facilitation.

This practical experience alongside her commitment to creating engaging and enjoyable learning experiences has already seen the Empowerdance Leadership and Management Certificate become popular with studio owners looking to grow their own businesses and develop their leadership skills. 

Nina’s commitment to the learning journeys of others has seen her become a vital member of the Empowerdance team and behind-the-scenes hero of training and course development. 

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A former professional ballet dancer and highly qualified dance teacher with over 30 years of experience, Melissa’s passion lies in education and guiding dancers through the joy and discipline of dance.  

As a student, Melissa trained at the Tanya Pearson Academy and Paris Opera Ballet School before performing across Australia and New Zealand.  She completed her dance teacher training at the Ballet Conservatoire in Australia and the American Ballet Theatre. 

For 8 years Melissa has been working in Vocational Education and for over a year has been with Empowerdance developing course content and as a Trainer and Assessor.  Her experience in the Dance Industry is evident through her ability to create innovative, engaging and creative ways to deliver course content to help her students thrive. 

Building strong relationships with her students from across Australia, Melissa’s caring and fun-loving nature ensures her students are engaged and supported throughout their training, allowing them to reach their full potential. Melissa encourages her students to think critically, dream big and have fun! 

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Rosie joined the Empowerdance team in 2025 bringing over 15 years of marketing and communications experience across the Tourism, Hospitality, Lifestyle and Fashion industries. 

A specialist in Strategic Communications, Rosie is passionate about creating bespoke strategic plans to develop relationships, grow trust and achieve positive customer outcomes. 

After 6 years in a high-level corporate communications role, Rosie was ready for a role that would see her contribute to positive change and work with people who are passionate about helping others. This desire fit perfectly with the Empowerdance teams’ genuine dedication to improving the dance industry and helping every student achieve excellence.

Working across marketing strategy development and roll-out, digital marketing, copywriting, public relations and communications, Rosie’s role allows her to get involved in the Empowerdance journey and ensure it is as seamless as possible to give every student a positive experience. 

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Growing up as a dance-obsessed child, Chelsea trained in all dance styles. She quickly progressed from student teacher to one of the key dance teachers at her studio.

Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood, and her passion for early years education shows through her ability to engage her students, allowing them to grow and build confidence in the studio. 

With her strong understanding of studio operations and administration, Chelsea's skillset allows her to keep the Empowerdance office running smoothly. Luckily, Chelsea thrives in a fast-paced environment and manages to teach multiple classes and be an admin superstar and all while maintaining her studies. 

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Shannon's love of dance began at age 3 when she started ballet classes with the Royal Academy of Dance. Her lifelong passion continued throughout her schooling and after completing SACE Dance she went on to complete her Bachelor of Dance Performance. 

In 2004, Shannon travelled to the USA where she trained and performed with the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company and Ajkun Ballet Theatre in Albany New York. Shannon has danced professionally in Australia and America including roles with Carnival Cruise Lines and major tourism events.

Shannon has been teaching in the studio for over 20 years. Specialising in Ballet, her experience and passion allows her to mentor her students through exams and performances with a focus on technique and passing on the joy of dance. 

Working with the Empowerdance team for over 10 years, Shannon is a critical piece of the Empowerdane office puzzle! She is the ultimate problem-solver and her knowledge of the dance industry and ability to connect with students has seen her become involved with all areas of the business. 

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Following a highly successful career in Performing Arts, we have been lucky to have Anna with Empowerdance as a trainer and assessor for the past four years. 

With over 20 years in Performing arts as a soloists, actress, singer, choreographer and educator, Anna’s early training was in Perth, where she undertook dance classes from a young age, with a particular passion for tap. At the age of 17, Anna was cast by Dein Perry in his highly successful production ‘Steel City’ tap dancing around Australia and eventually Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Anna went on to further her studies at Danceworld 301 in Melbourne and was accepted into the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) where she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Musical Theatre). Anna has worked at high levels as a choreographer including for the Stage School Hamburg, and the State Opera of South Australia (Madam Butterfly, The Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore). Other career highlights include The Boy From Oz with Hugh Jackman, Irene with Debbie Reynolds, the Australian premiere of William Finn’s Elegies and the Australian tour of My Fair Lady with Richard E Grant.

Currently the administrator for the Australian Music Theatre Choir Perth alongside her work at Empowerdance, Anna’s incredible career and dedication to helping students achieve their goals in the dance industry make her the perfect trainer to guide students through their qualification journeys. 

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Trainer extraordinaire, Fabian joined the Empowerdance team in 2024 and brings 20 years of experience in the dance industry as a performer, teacher and choreographer.

Fabian’s professional dance career included working in commercial jazz, showgirl jazz and ballet in Australia and internationally. Her extensive experience in teaching includes working with beginners all the way through to pre-professional dancers. She has held leadership roles in curriculum development and exam preparation at industry-leading studios and performing arts schools.

Fabian teaches ballet, jazz, lyrical and contemporary with a focus on developing strong technique, artistry and performance quality. She helps students prepare for Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams and stage performances.

Through Fabian’s extensive career as a dancer and teacher she has developed an innate sense of how to relate to students and help them achieve their best. She is passionate about providing individual feedback and working with each student to personalise their goal setting.

Inspiring the next generation of performers and sharing their mutual love of dance is what drives Fabian every day to approach her teaching with passion, care and joy.