lda Faculty
One of our key missions is to provide excellence in dance. We achieve this is through well planned classes, and some of the best teachers in the region. All of our teachers are highly capable dancers themselves and have exceptional credentials behind them. Collectively they have over 70 years teaching experience!
Kerry Mills
ARAD, CBTS, RAD RTS, ANZAMD, pbt certified
Kerry started her dancing journey at the age of four, she began with ballet and later added jazz, tap and drama to her repertoire.
Over the years she has gained dancing qualifications with the RAD & BBO for ballet, NZAMD & AJDA for jazz, and BAL for Tap. During her training Kerry gained the highest marks in New Zealand 3 years running for her AJDA jazz exams.
The highlights of her dancing career to date include; receiving two Scholarships to the prestigious Edge studio in LA, competing and gaining a gold medal at “The LADF Performers of the Year” competition in Long Beach California, dancing with a performance troupe performing high level events such as the All Blacks, Silver Ferns, Chiefs and Tall Blacks games, choreographing shows and teaching at Hamilton Girls High School, and being invited to judge the Stage Challenge and J Rock competitions.
In 2008 Kerry completed her RAD teaching qualification (CBTS) and Advanced 2 Ballet exam, resulting with distinction (ARAD).
Kerry has a great passion to learn and improve her her craft as a teacher. She attends CPD courses with Lisa Howell, and has recently gained her teaching training certificate in Progressing Ballet Technique to help students reach their full potential by unlocking their technique.
The absolute highlight of Kerry's career to date would be purchasing the Margaret Fairhead School of Dance, a studio Kerry has grown up in. She started dancing there at the age of 10, started teaching at the age of 21 and has now has taken over ownership of the school.
Kerry would like to thank the wonderful and talented teachers, and assistant teachers of the school for all the hard work, and passion they pass onto the students.
Kerry would like to thank her family especially her mum and dad, as well as the students and parents of the school for their continued support of the school.
Rachael Pugh
cbts, ARAD, RAD RTs, certified polestar practitioner of pilates studio, pbt certified, total barre foundation certified
At the age of six Rachael began ballet training in Hamilton, at the Margaret Fairhead School of Dance.
Under Margaret's direction, Rachael was accepted in to the 'New Zealand School of Dance.' Whilst there, she was a Shell Scholar and recipient of the Best All Rounder Scholarship (Ballet and Contemporary). She also travelled to England to compete in the Adeline Genee Competition.
After graduating with 'National Diploma in Dance Performance' she went on to dance with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company for the next five years. Highlights include performing in the ballet Dracula, in Melbourne and dancing for choreographers, Russell Kerr, Eric Languet, Christopher Hampson and Michael Partmenter. Since then Rachael has danced with Toby Behan at Southern Ballet Theatre and guest taught in Darwin and Queensland.
Rachael has been teaching in her old school since 2006. She teaches RAD Grade and Vocational levels, NZAMD Contemporary, Introductory to Level Six, open classes and private competition lessons, as well as being the mother to three wonderful boys.
Rachael has successfully passed her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies gaining Registered Teaching Status (RTS) with the Royal Academy of Dance. She has completed many courses conducted by RAD teachers to continue her professional development and always aims for improvement and excellence when teaching dance. Last year Rachael gained her teaching training certificate in Progressing Ballet Technique, in Melbourne.
Rachael is also a certified Polestar Pilates Instructor, (2013), and is the Hamilton Manager for Blue Mat Pilates. She teaches beginner, open mat classes and private studio sessions. In 2017 Rachael also became a qualified Total Foundation Barre class instructor.
Rachael loves the close intertwined relationship between Pilates and dance, and brings her own experiences to enhance the overall outcome experienced by her clients and students.
Rachael would like to thank her family, especially her husband and sons for their continued support of her and her dance career.
Hayleigh Rossetter
BA (Honours), lrad, ARAD RTS
registered ballestics instructor
Originally from Scotland, Hayleigh trained in ballet, tap, modern/jazz and disco/freestyle to an advanced level and has completed many of the RAD and ISTD examinations. After three years in London, she graduated from the RAD’s BA (Hons) Ballet Education course with Registered Teacher Status and also attained the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance, the highest award associated with the academy.
Hayleigh has performed at various events across the UK and her experience includes teaching both adults and children in a variety of contexts including Summer Schools, Primary schools and community outreach groups. She has experience preparing students for shows and examinations and worked at the RAD HQ’s Dance School where she was also mentored by examiner, Kate Swainston. A very personal interest in dance for those with additional needs led Hayleigh to working with specialist schools and groups in Scotland as well as in London with the RADiate project.
Hayleigh is also the first Ballestics instructor in New Zealand – a dance fitness program which combines the fundamentals of classical ballet with a high-energy aerobic workout.
Deena landon
dip pa (comm dance)
Growing up as part of the LDA community, Deena began dancing at the age of 5 where she trained in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Tap. At the end of her years at Limelight, she continued to further her training at Te Auaha in Wellington. From 2018 to 2019, Deena studied fulltime in Diploma of Performing Arts (Dance), further extending her dance skills by training in Ballet, Jazz, Hip-hop, Commercial, Contemporary, Lyrical, Tap, Ballroom, Acro, Musical Theatre, Body Conditioning, Singing and Acting. Her full time studies have also enabled her to perform in many student-led shows, graduate performances and live gigs.
Upon her return to Hamilton, Deena has found her passion in teaching at Limelight in which she hopes to further her creativity with the students of Limelight. She has also been immersed in many local productions such as ‘A Night with Hamilton Operatic’ and ‘CO-LECT’ and hopes to have more alike opportunities in the future.
Kimberly blow
As a former student of Limelight Dance Academy herself, Kimberly is proud to be a part of the LDA teaching faculty. Kimberly began dancing at the age of 4 years old training in a variety of styles, however predominately in Jazz and Contemporary (NZAMD).
Her achievements are numerous and include receiving scholarships at Phoenix International Dance Workshop, representing the Waikato for Dance NZ Made, receiving multiple Jazz and Contemporary NZAMD Scholarship nominations and attaining NZAMD Solo Diploma’s in Jazz and Contemporary with 100%.
From 2019-2021, she was involved in LDA’s Competition Troupe in which she was fortunate to compete at PACANZ. Kimberly has also been involved in a few local dance productions such as ‘CO-LECT’ (2022) in which she has enjoyed the range of experiences that these opportunities have provided.
Over the last few years, Kimberly has found passion in teaching. She is currently in her third year of studying towards a Bachelor of Teaching Primary at the University of Waikato. She looks forward to continuing her journey here at Limelight - a place that she truly feels passionate about.
Kaylee Bird
Kaylee has studied many different styles throughout her dance years including Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary. A former student of Dance Education Centre in Tauranga, she left to study on scholarship at Tanya Pearson’s Classical Coaching Academy in Sydney, one of Australia's most well regarded ballet academies. Here she studied full-time ballet, contemporary and character open classes. Her achievements and accolades are numerous throughout her years and include a PACANZ nomination, three offers of ballet study in Australia, a Sir Edmund Hilary scholarship to Waikato University, World Championships of Performing Arts dance delegate for New Zealand, and an invitation to audition for Ajkun Ballet Theatre in New York.
Kaylee facilitates the classical competition program at LDA, putting her experience in the dance world to good use. Her students enjoy working with her to learn, prepare and perform at regional and national competitions.
Guest Tutors
Jane Callaghan
aNZAMD
Jane’s dancing career began at the age of 7 when she learned ballet & jazz. She has over 25 years teaching experience and is proud to be part of the Limelight Dance Academy teaching faculty. As a teenager, Jane enjoyed touring the Waikato performing as a ZHFM cheerleader and was honoured to become the team manager and choreographer. Whilst at high school Jane travelled to Salt Lake City to take part in a dance conference named Dance and the Child International where she attended dance classes and was proud to be part of a performance that was influenced by NZ culture.
Jane was accepted by an Australian agency and took part in a cabaret show who performed in Japan for 3 months. Jane also has experience as an aerobics instructor and has enjoyed learning other dance genres over the years such as Tap, Ceroc and Salsa.
Jane is a proud mother of Olivia and is thrilled Olivia shares her passion for dance. Jane has experience in teaching Jump Jam troupes and taking them to Nationals and also choreographing for a singing group named The Performance Company. She thoroughly enjoyed working with talented singing students and giving them an opportunity to challenge themselves further on stage.
Jane was pleased to be part of the LDA to LA group in 2016 as a teacher/chaperone and parent to take 21 LDA students to attend various studios in Los Angeles and perform at Hollywood Boulevard and backstage at Disneyland.
Jane enjoys working with the senior students of LDA every year in choreographing and staging the big jazz. Being involved in the end of year show is the highlight of her teaching year. The enthusiasm, energy and talent the students exert and share on stage is contagious.
When Jane isn’t teaching, she works full-time as a Finance Manager at Deloitte in Hamilton.
margaret fairhead
ARAD TCh dip (london) - distinction; Dip Dance (new zealand school of dance - formerly national ballet school)
Former grades examiner rad
Margaret Fairhead is a graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance, having completed the Professional Dancers course.After stints with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Television New Zealand and various contracts in Germany and the UK, she returned home to Hamilton and opened her dance school - the Margaret Fairhead School of Dance. This eventually moved to Rototuna when Margaret and Peter bought ‘the Church,’ which was then over a kilometre out of Hamilton. This growing school later became the Limelight Dance Academy and is being successfully run but Kerry and her team of highly qualified teachers. Many of her former pupils are still actively engaged in the dance world.
In the early 90’s, as well as directing her large school, Margaret also toured nationally and internationally as a Grade Examiner for the Royal Academy of London for nearly 20 years. Margaret now guest teachers at Limelight to help prepare senior students for their annual examinations and end of year production - choreographed by her former colleague Peter Boyes.
Margaret is married to Peter and had two daughters and three grandchildren.
Peter Boyes
Peter began dancing in Wellington with Dorothy Daniels, Sara Neil and Walter Trevor before attending the Royal Ballet School, London. Upon graduation he joined Dutch National Ballet, where apart from the standard classical repertoire he had roles created for him, notably by Rudi van Dantzig and Toer van Schaijk.
Peter returned to London to study Choreology (dance notation) and subsequently worked as Choreologist with Dutch National Ballet before returning to New Zealand as Ballet Master of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and later Assistant Artistic Director.
In his time with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, apart from being responsible for maintaining the Company’s repertoire, he danced in many productions and also choreographed original works and productions of Coppelia and The Nutcracker. Peter took leave of absence from the Company, spending the 1988/89 season in Florence as Assistant Artistic Director of Maggiodanza at the invitation of Eugene Polyakov.
Peter now works as an architectural technician for an architectural practice in Wellington but still maintains dance world connections with occasional teaching commitments at the New Zealand School of Dance and his annual visits to Hamilton. Peter choreographs Limelight's well anticipated Senior Ballet item for Vocational student each year, based on a well-known or original ballet.
Hannah McFarlane
DIP PA (Comm Dance)
An ex-Limelight student herself, Hannah began full-time dance training in 2013 through the Whitireia Performance Centre in Wellington. Here she completed her training in Jazz technique, Jazz performance, Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Hip Hop, Conditioning, Ballroom, Partnering, Singing, Acting, Anatomy & Nutrition and Dance History. Graduating in 2015 with a Diploma in Performing Arts (Commercial Dance), she returned to Hamilton in 2016 to begin teaching at Limelight, and has taught in all various styles through out her time.
Since her time back in Hamilton, Hannah has been involved in many theatrical performances throughout Hamilton and New Zealand including Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins, Sister Act, Sweet Charity with the Hamilton Operatic Society. She has also toured New Zealand with Showcase Entertainment’s ‘Cat In The Hat’ (2018); created and performed in the original immersive sound and lighting piece ‘PreSher’ (2019) with renowned Hamilton creatives Jeremy Mayall, Aaron Chesham and Ben Mannel and debuted her first professional choreographic work in Clarence Street Theatre’s ‘We Will Rock You’ (2019).
In 2019, Hannah was part of the ‘first of it’s kind’ “Incubator” creative program with Creative Waikato where she was mentored through the creation of an original work. This has culminated in receiving an Arts Grant from Creative New Zealand to develop, premiere and perform with this new piece of dance theatre.
Hannah led the troupe teams at Limelight, who in 2019 - their first year together - were invited and competed at the PACANZ national young performer competition.
Olivia Kerbers
Olivia began dancing at age four and has never stopped since - training in the styles of ballet, jazz and contemporary (RAD and NZAMD); as well as being involved in other performing arts genres such as drama and musical theatre. As an ex-student of Limelight Dance Academy herself, Olivia is proud to be a part of the LDA teaching faculty.
In 2018, Olivia continued her dance training in Melbourne at Transit Dance, where she trained in jazz, musical theatre, commercial dance, contemporary, acrobatics and more. Upon her return to Hamilton, Olivia began and is still studying towards a Bachelor of Communication Studies (BCS) at the University of Waikato.
Olivia has been involved in many local dance and theatre productions, with her highlights being the contemporary dance productions of ‘Bodies Entwined’ (2017), ‘RAW’ (2018) and ‘Enough’ (2019), and her most recent musical theatre debut as a dancer in the Clarence Street Theatre Trust’s production of ‘We Will Rock You’ (2019).
Olivia enjoys teaching all styles of dance to dancers of all ages; with a particular love of equally developing the technical and performance aspects of a dancer. Olivia hopes to begin her professional teaching qualifications in the future once graduating from University.