Dance Edge Studios lessons are tailored to age appropriate activities with sound lesson structure by teachers that specialise in their particular genre
This is what we believe makes us different from our competitors.
With a thorough understanding of safe dance practice, your child will flourish in our positive and nurturing environment!
Jodi has over 30 years’ experience in the dance industry. She attained her first Teaching Certificate at 16 and then her Associate Teaching Certificate at 18 with Australian Teachers of Dance (ATOD).
Jodi grew up on the Sunshine Coast and is passionate about dance. She knew she wanted to teach dance at a young age and as soon as she completed her education, at just 18 years old, Jodi opened her first dance studio (Jodi Gardner Dance Academy JGDA) on the Sunshine Coast. JGDA was a successful dance studio with over 200 students. Jodi operated the studio on her own and had several students move on to careers in dance and musical theatre around Australia and internationally.
Jodi has moved in to more of a ‘behind the scenes’ role at DE and less of a teaching role. She is known as the “ideas lady”! Jodi keeps DE running smoothly, drives DE’s culture of caring and nurturing teachers and happy kids, and is constantly thinking of new and innovative ideas for the kids here on the Sunshine Coast. Jodi is passionate about Sunshine Coast dance students having access to the same opportunities as students in capital cities.
Nat grew up in Sydney and on the Sunshine Coast learning from Jodi Gardner (Branch), Anne Fraser and Carol Whittaker. She went on to study full time classical ballet at the Queensland Dance School of Excellence (QDSE) in Brisbane while completing her education at Kelvin Grove State High School. Nat then moved to Sydney to continue her dance education at Brent Street Performing Arts. Once she completed full time, she was represented by PJ Clarke & Detour Management. She worked in the commercial dance scene in Sydney for a couple of years, working with some of Australia’s leading dancers and choreographers, performed as a lead tap dancer in the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, auditioned successfully for numerous TVC’s, before heading overseas in 2002. Nat auditioned successfully for the Walt Disney Company and was hired as a lead dancer onboard the Disney Magic cruise ship. After her time in the USA, Nat moved to London where she also worked for the Walt Disney Company , Special Events Europe and had the opportunity to travel with work while being based in London taking classes at Pineapple Studios.
Nat moved home to the Sunshine Coast in 2005. Since then, she has been teaching and in 2010 opened Dance Edge Studios with Jodi (her former teacher). Nat formalised her dance training by completing her Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS) in 2017 with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). Nat is also a registered teacher with Glenn Wood Tap (GWT) syllabus and the British Ballet Organisation (BBO). Nat’s qualifications also include a Cert IV in Training and Assessing (TAE40110), Cert IV in Performing Arts (Brent St) and a Diploma of Dance (QDSE).
Nat is passionate about training “all rounded performers” and “well grounded humans”!
