About Us
‘Dance is the closest thing to magic’
Our Mission
GDM is a studio where creativity, individuality and self-expression is encouraged and has a community of teachers, students and families who are passionate about performing arts.
Our goal is to create a positive and happy experience for all of our students.
If you are looking for a dance school that has it all, come and join us!
MEET OUR FOUNDER
+ DIRECTOR NIKKI
With over 10 years as an experienced Dance teacher, Nikki is the heart and soul of GDM.
Nikki has extensive training as a dancer, having enjoyed being a part of Broadway Dance Centre in New York City and Dance Factory in Melbourne.
Nikki started GDM to share her passion for dance with her students and loves to help them explore what their bodies are capable of in a healthy and positive environment.
Nikki Hyland
Meet the rest of the Team!
Tayla grew up in the small town of Ararat, Victoria where she began dancing at age 10. From the very first moment she stepped foot into the studio she fell completely in love with dance and having the space to move, breathe, and create art. Her favourite styles have always been Neo-Classical Ballet and Lyrical. However, Classical Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz will always have a special place in Tayla’s heart.
When she’s not dancing, Tayla is a full-time Chemistry student at Deakin University (which she loves almost as much as dancing). She decided to become a dance teacher because dance has had a profoundly positive effect on her views, values, and general development into adulthood, which was largely due to the amazing dedication of her own teachers. She learned so much from them and now loves to share the gift of dance with others in the same way they did with her. She has a natural way of relating to kids of all ages and heaps of fun during her classes.
Taylor Bocos
Dance Teacher
Taylor Bocos
Dance Teacher
Tayla grew up in the small town of Ararat, Victoria where she began dancing at age 10. From the very first moment she stepped foot into the studio she fell completely in love with dance and having the space to move, breathe, and create art. Her favourite styles have always been Neo-Classical Ballet and Lyrical. However, Classical Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz will always have a special place in Tayla’s heart.
When she’s not dancing, Tayla is a full-time Chemistry student at Deakin University (which she loves almost as much as dancing). She decided to become a dance teacher because dance has had a profoundly positive effect on her views, values, and general development into adulthood, which was largely due to the amazing dedication of her own teachers. She learned so much from them and now loves to share the gift of dance with others in the same way they did with her. She has a natural way of relating to kids of all ages and heaps of fun during her classes.
Taygan Povolny
Dance Teacher
Taygan has had a strong love and passion for dance since the age of 3 years old where she would spend hours as a child; choreographing routines, dressing up in costumes and creating her own shows at home.
Taygan has a wonderful range of experience in dance styles; Ballet, Character folk, Jazz, Music theatre , Arco, and Contemporary. As an adult Taygan has chosen to embrace her passion for dance with others by pursuing dance teaching. Her mission is to help each and every one of her dance students to be able to find self-discovery, self-confidence and self-love, to then be able to embrace and express their own unique selves in their dancing. Taygan also believes each student should have fun in their dance journey, no matter how old you are. Taygan strives to bring an element of fun into every dance class.
Born and bred in the bustling city of Melbourne, Katrina’s childhood had always revolved around music and movement. Starting at the age of 8, she began to explore the world of dance and gymnastics and grew to appreciate the beauty of them. At the age of 10, she became fascinated with the sport of baton twirling – the combination of dance and rhythmic gymnastics.
Competitively competing in baton twirling for 7 years, Katrina always enjoyed expressing and presenting herself with confidence on the dance floor. As a dance teacher, not only does Katrina hope to share her passion for dance, but she also hopes for all kids to flourish into the most confident self they can possibly be.
Katrina Nguyen
Dance Teacher
Katrina Nguyen
Dance Teacher
Born and bred in the bustling city of Melbourne, Katrina’s childhood had always revolved around music and movement. Starting at the age of 8, she began to explore the world of dance and gymnastics and grew to appreciate the beauty of them. At the age of 10, she became fascinated with the sport of baton twirling – the combination of dance and rhythmic gymnastics.
Competitively competing in baton twirling for 7 years, Katrina always enjoyed expressing and presenting herself with confidence on the dance floor. As a dance teacher, not only does Katrina hope to share her passion for dance, but she also hopes for all kids to flourish into the most confident self they can possibly be.
Mackenzie Abbey
Dance Teacher
Mackenzie is a Werribee girl through and through and started dancing at the age of 2 through the influence of her mum. Mackenzie began her dance journey at Step n Out Performing Arts in Werribee where she started movement classes, tap and jazz classes. Mackenzie then moved on to a new style of dance when she was 7 which was rock and roll dancing with Anna’s Rock n’ Roll company. She competed in multiple competitions with her dance partners and placed multiple times.
In 2019, Mackenzie joined Dance Nation Academy (DNA) under the guidance of Britney Flask, the studio director, who is a successful dancer within the industry and has toured around the globe. Mackenzie has competed in multiple competitions and professional events within the varsity crew at DNA as well as other promotional events through companies such as Direct Image and Masters of Choreography.
Mackenzie’s goals as a dance teacher is to create a safe and inspiring environment so that all students can express themselves and build confidence within themselves not only in dance but in everyday life.
Anastasia has been dancing from the age of 3, and fell in love with dance from the very start.
She is trained in many different styles from contemporary, jazz, hip hop, acrobatics to lyrical but her absolute favourite being contemporary. Anastasia is currently studying her cert IIII in dance at Australian Academy Of Media and is absolutely loving it.
Her goal in life is to share her love for dance with younger students who also share the same passion and help them not only grow as a dancer but as a person and to watch them grow into amazing young people.
Anastasia Marson
Assistant Dance Teacher
Anastasia Marson
Assistant Dance Teacher
Anastasia has been dancing from the age of 3, and fell in love with dance from the very start.
She is trained in many different styles from contemporary, jazz, hip hop, acrobatics to lyrical but her absolute favourite being contemporary. Anastasia is currently studying her cert IIII in dance at Australian Academy Of Media and is absolutely loving it.
Her goal in life is to share her love for dance with younger students who also share the same passion and help them not only grow as a dancer but as a person and to watch them grow into amazing young people.