Teaching Staff
Our teachers have a wide range of experience and expertise. They are dedicated to being involved in attending workshops with visiting choreographers and are committed to learning and teaching all the new dances. They meet regularly to develop their repertoire, select the dances to teach and to ensure that each class follows a format for learning dances.
Judi – Teacher
– mobile 0407 517 865
Judi started dancing with her husband John in 1993, immediately loving the music, atmosphere and freedom of movement, making some wonderful friendships over those years. She became increasingly involved firstly as a committee member, then Club President, taking on a teaching role in 2000 which she loves. Judi is so proud that Nirkoda is such an inclusive and welcoming Israeli folk dancing club and looks forward to many happy teaching years ahead, knees permitting!
Denise – Teacher
– mobile 0450 926 303
Denise started dancing in 1989 when she joined some of her friends at an intermediate class. Within weeks she wanted to learn every dance she saw and had a year of dancing 3-4 times per week to build up her repertoire. With her appetite quenched and wanting to be recognisable to her family she cut back to twice a week! She has been teaching since 1997 and with her husband Walter since 2012 for partner dances. It is a dream come true to share her Israeli dancing with him. Denise is a graduate of the Tel Aviv University Israeli Folk Dance Teacher Training Course (Theory, Dancing and Teaching).
Rita – Teacher
– mobile 0412 557 790
Rita has been dancing since the 1980’s and during that time she has travelled to New York to add to her Israeli dancing. She attended Hora Keff dance camp and went twice to Los Angeles, California to attend Finjan Dance camp. She has been on a 5 year sabbatical from dancing, however the pull of Israeli music and dance has enticed her back again.
Rosie – Teacher
– mobile 0402 288 635
Rosie started dancing in the early 90’s after watching some Israeli dancing at a Barmitzvah. It rekindled her love of Folk dancing as a teenager at Habonim. She quickly became addicted to the music, the comradery and special events held at NIRKODA. After some persuasion she became a teacher and finally joined the committee and held many positions for a number of years. Her focus is to try to create the same passion and love of Israeli dancing to beginners and build a slow and steady repertoire so they can continue to enjoy and grow the many classes offered at the club.
Mary – Teacher
– mobile 0402 078 692
Mary began Israeli Dancing about 20 years ago, and immediately fell in love with the music and dances, as a form of enjoyable exercise and stress relief. She got her “dancing fix” twice a week. Having a teaching background, she realized what wonderful therapy music and dance provides. In 2010, Mary decided to join the Nirkoda teaching team to provide the same fun and enjoyment of Israeli dancing to others.
Chris – Teacher
– mobile 0437 023 729
Chris began Israeli dancing in 2009 when she joined one of Nirkoda’s “New Beginners” programs and has been hooked ever since. She loves the variety of musical styles and dance steps from traditional ‘middle eastern’ folk to contemporary. The dances can be measured and graceful, or zany and frenetic, or expressive and dramatic. She likes it all. Chris started teaching at Nirkoda in 2014.
Sharon – Teacher
Sharon started dancing in 1988 at high school in Israel. In 1993 he joined the army and started in Markidim school with Gadi Bitton. 1994 was when he created his first dance, Koach Lehamshich, and he has created 48 dances to date. In 1996 he opened his first dance session in Ashdod. In 2010, he came to Australia for the first
time to a Nirkoda camp with Sagi Azran.