Laura Kasauskas Principal – A.R.A.D. Adv 2 RAD. Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Professional Dance & Performance Studies, Diploma in  Professional  Dance & Performance Studies, GNVQ Performing Arts, 10 years teaching experience, blue card.

 

Laura started dancing at the age of 2 at Theatre Arts Mackay, local dance school. She competed in Dance Eisteddfods (Competitions) up and down the Queensland coast from aged 7yrs up to 13yrs and was a multiple award winner. In 2002 she was accepted into the Australian Ballet Junior Ballet Programme and was also a successful Runner up Candidate in the Royal Academy of Dance North Queensland Bursary. Her dancing talents took her over to the United Kingdom where she was accepted into the Royal Ballet Senior Associate Programme and she also danced with the Southern Youth Ballet Company and performed as a Soloist in The Nutcracker and Coppelia, three act Ballets. At age 16 she became a full time dance student at Central School of Ballet in London. The 3 year intense course trained in Classical Ballet, Pas de deux (Partner work), Contemporary: Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham, Repertoire from Royal Ballet Company, Jazz, Dalcroze Eurythmics, Music, Spanish Dancing, Choreography, A Level Dance, Pilates and Singing. In 2007 she received her Diploma in Professional Dance and Performance Studies after 2 years studying at Central School of Ballet. Laura also ventured over to the Czech Republic in Prague in 2007 for the International Ballet Masterclasses Workshop with Principal Dancers as Tutors such as Daria Klimentova: Prima Ballerina of English National Ballet, Maina Gielgud: 20 years of experience being a professional dancer and Artistic Director of several ballet companies all over the world, Sofiane Sylve: Prima Ballerina with New York City Ballet and Dutch National Ballet Company and many more international renowned dancers.

In 2008 Laura received her Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Professional Dance and Performance Studies and toured with Ballet Central Company to 22 different theatres in Great Britain performing Repertoire such as The Arabian Dance,Waltz of the Flowers & Dance of the Mirlitons from The Nutcracker, Bluebird Pas de deux from Sleeping Beauty, 'Capriole Suite' Choreographed by Christopher Hampton and 'Excerpt' from Choice choreographed by Russel Maliphant.

Late 2008 Laura moved back home to Australia and discovered her passion for teaching and sharing her knowledge of dance with her students.  For three years she taught dance to students aged 2yrs to 17yrs at a local Mackay Dance School. There she taught students Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Syllabus Pre Primary up to Advanced 2, C.S.T.D Modern Jazz Examination syllabus, and also Tap and Contemporary classes. During this time Laura also attended an RAD Workshop with one of Laura’s earliest Ballerina idols, Vicki Attard-former Principal of Australian Ballet Company.

At the beginning of 2012 Laura became a Ballet Teacher & Ballet Examiner at Central Queensland University Conservatorium of Music and at the start of 2013 she started up her own Dance School in Mackay named First Pointe Dance Academy. As the Principal of First Pointe Dance Academy Laura taught & entered her senior student in RAD Advanced Ballet Syllabus examinations and also entered her senior & junior students in their C.S.T.D Jazz & Tap examinations, in which all students received top results. Laura choreographed &  entered students in solos for QLD Eisteddfods with all students receiving high awards, and one of her senior students was accepted in the Queensland Ballet School of Excellence Programme.

In 2015 Laura and her husband moved to the Sunshine Coast and Laura re commenced teaching under the name First Pointe. Laura currently teaches a wider age range from 2yrs – 102yrs in; Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Acrobatics, Contemporary Dance, Adult Ballet, Jazz/Cabaret, Advanced Tap, and innovative Chair Tap classes for the elderly. First Pointe also encourages students to participate in a 'Performance Troupe' to gain performance experiences at public events across the Sunshine Coast. Laura created First Pointe with the purpose of welcoming all students of all ages, into a relaxed, fun and safe environment especially tailored for their age, needs and abilities. Laura has developed all classes as a fun dance experience that she strongly believes will have a lifelong impact on each student.