Rowena Grech BA (Hons.), MA, AISTD Cecc., DDI, IdB I SDS Principal and Teacher of Classical Ballet and Spanish Dance
Ms Rowena started her classical training at the age of 4 at the Tanya Bayona Poutatine Academy of Ballet. She continued her classical training at the Deborah McNamara School of Dance and also started her Spanish training under the tutelage of McNamara herself. During her training she attended a number of summer dance courses in the U.K., and was awarded first prize for a choreographic competition held in Tring, U.K.. After successfully completing her Advanced 2 in classical ballet under the tuition of Ms Nina Winter, Ms Grech went on to complete her ballet teaching certificates at the Deborah McNamara School of Dance with Deborah McNamara herself. After achieving her teacher qualifications, she started teaching at the Deborah McNamara School of Dance in 2004. She has been very successful with pupils being awarded very high results. In 2010, Ms Grech took over the Deborah McNamara School of Dance and is currently the Principal of the Academy of Dance Arts.
Ms Grech has a Masters of Arts in English Literature and Language. She also successfully completed her Spanish Exams till Advanced Level with the Society of Spanish Dance.
Fiona Anastasi AISTD Dip, Cecc., DDI, IdB II SDS Teacher of Classical Ballet, Spanish Dance and Jazz
Ms Fiona commenced her training at an early age at the Deborah McNamara School of Dance. She then furthered her studies at Central Academy of Ballet, when Ms McNamara was co-director, where she was awarded both local and foreign dance scholarships. During this time Ms Fiona had principal roles in various local productions.
At the age of 16, she decided to take up full-time dance training in Cheshire in the UK at Kate Simmons School of Dance, where she continued her studies and achieved teacher qualifications for Classical ballet, Spanish and studied Modern Dance to Advanced Level. During her 3 years training in the UK she took part in various productions including a lead role in Beauty and the Beast and also in Allegro Dance Touring Company. In Malta, she formed part of Francesca Tranter’s Company of Contemporary Dance for many years. She furthered her professional development on the Island, by achieving further teaching certificates in both Spanish and Classical Dance under the guidance of Ms Deborah McNamara. Ms Fiona has been working as a freelance dance teacher, teaching Ballet, Spanish and Jazz with the Deborah McNamara School of Dance since it first opened in 2003 and continues to do so with the Academy of Dance Arts, preparing senior students for major exams.
Sara Bianchi IdB I (SDS), PDI (Alianza Flamenca) Teacher of Spanish Dance
Sara is a qualified teacher, teaching Spanish Dance Society syllabus at the Academy of Dance Arts to different age groups. Sara is an experienced performer and has attended various dance workshops and courses in Malta and Spain.
Warren Bonello, Teacher of Hip Hop
Warren started dancing at the age of 5, Latin and Ballroom with Msida Dance Centre. At the age of 13, still dancing Latin and Ballroom he started diverting into different genres of dance. Aged 17 he moved to the United Kingdom to study at Bodywork in Cambridge- U.K. graduating in a Higher National Diploma in performing arts. Warren completed his three-year course studying dance education at the University of Malta and is venturing on to creating bigger productions and projects locally and internationally.
Nicole Grech Flores DDI, IdB1 Teacher of Classical Ballet
Nicole has been dancing since the age of 5 and has completed both her DDI and IdB 1 teaching qualifications whilst studying at KS Dance in Warrington, England. She has a passion for teaching students of all ages in both Ballet and Spanish dance disciplines and is continually attending courses to further her teaching and dance knowledge.
Michaela Zammit Cordina, Teacher of Classical Ballet
Michaela recently joined the teaching faculty at the Academy of Dance Arts. She has a passion for teaching very young children and is currently completing her dance teaching qualifications locally. Michaela holds a degree in business management.
Karina Spiteri AISTD Cecc., Teacher of Classical Ballet
Karina started her dance training at the age of 3 at Tanya Bayona Poutiatine Academy. She pursued her training in Classical Ballet, Spanish, Contemporary, Jazz & National Dancing. In 1989 she took part in the prestigious Concours Internationale in Nice and in 1994 she was awarded the Bridget Espinosa Ballet Award which took her to further her studies for three full months at The London Studio Centre. In 1998 she obtained her Associate Diploma of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (AISTD) in Classical Ballet at the Kate Simmons Dance Academy in the UK where she spent a year training, dancing amd touring with the school’s company. She is also an advanced member of the Spanish Dance Society. In 1999 Karina together with others formed the flamenco group El Fuego.