Southern Ballet Staff

Artistic Director – Lorraine Peters Q.S.M., ARAD (Life Member), A.B.B.O
Lorraine Peters, Master Tutor and Choreographer, established her own very successful Ballet School in 1951 and ten years later founded the Christchurch Ballet Society. New Zealand trained, Lorraine Peters has dedicated her career to dance training of excellence and the development of ballet in Christchurch.
In 1975 she became Founder and Artistic Director of Southern Ballet Theatre and five years after returning from the U.S.A founded the Southern Ballet Junior Company. During her career, she has trained numerous dancers who have gone on to join professional ballet companies at Principal and Soloist levels. Past students have achieved Adeline Genee Medal, Sir John Logan, Campbell Award, Alana Haines Award, Young Performer of the Year, and many others. She has choreographed numerous full-length original ballets for the company and has guest conducted major and grade seminars. In 1991, Lorraine Peters received the Queens Service Medal in recognition for her achievements to ballet in New Zealand. Lorraine leads the artistic team, giving her valuable experience in all areas of the school and companies.

Assistant to the Artistic Director/Ballet/Modern Jazz/Hip-Hop
Tutor
- Hayley Watts N.Z.A.M.D. (Advanced Jazz), R.A.D. (R.T.S.) and B.B.O.
(Associate 1 -Hons)
In 1997 Hayley joined the Southern Ballet Company as a full-time dancer performing in numerous productions. Two years later Hayley began teaching, and successfully auditioned for enrolment in the R.A.D Teaching Certificate Programme. She completed the program with distinction and became a fully registered teacher for The Royal Academy of Dance. Hayley is also a registered teacher with the New Zealand Association of Modern Dance (NZAMD) and the British Ballet Organization (BBO).
Hayley has entered many students in Classical Ballet and Modern Jazz examinations - all achieving a 100% pass rate with excellent results. Each year Hayley produces the extremely popular Jazz season for Southern Ballet as well as choreographing ballet and jazz competition dances. In 2005, Southern Ballet Theatre introduced the new Junior and Intermediate Jazz Companies to the program. Hayley is the tutor and choreographer for both jazz companies, in addition to tutoring jazz, hip-hop, and ballet in the school, and working with the Junior Ballet Company.

Senior School Examination Head Tutor -Lioudmila Solovieva
Vaganova (Hon), B.B.O. (Full Teacher Reg, Hons)
Lioudmila Solovieva graduated from the Perm State Ballet School, Russia, in 1983 and danced as Soloist in Russia until 1992. On her Directors recommendation, she was invited to take up a soloist position with the Opera & Ballet Theatre in Cairo, Egypt, until 1997. During her career, Lioudmila has danced Principal and Soloist roles in the following classical and contemporary repertoire: Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, The Fountain of Bakhchisaray, Le Corsaire, Porgy and Bess, Cleopatra, Bolero, The Creation of the World, 491 Fahrenheit, Paquita and many others. She has also performed on the prestigious stages in Moscow, St Petersburg and many of the international dance centers around the world. Lioudmila teaches in the Senior School, achieving an excellent student success rate in examinations, and tutors and Choreographs for the Intermediate Ballet Company.

Professional and Senior School Head Tutor – Glen Harris
B.B.BO. (Hon) B.B.O. (Full Teacher Reg)
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Glen Harris began his classical training at the age of seven. His training is founded in the British Ballet Organization. completion of his training at Southern Ballet, he went to begin an extensive dancing career around the world where he first joined the Australian Ballet in 1981 and was a featured soloist in many roles. His career then took him to Europe where he was invited to join the Opernhaus Ballett in Zurich. After two years in Switzerland, he went to the U.S.A where he joined the world-renowned Joffery Ballet dancing with them for six years. In 1994, Glen left the world of ballet for a time to appear on Broadway in the Lincoln Centre Production of “Carousel”. He danced the lead role of the “Fairground Boy” choreographed by Sir Kenneth MacMillan. After that Glen joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York and enjoyed nine years performing in a vast repertoire with many international stars of opera and ballet. Glen taught for the Miami City Ballet School from 2002 - 2004 where he set daily classes, choreographed the end of year productions as well as setting Balanchine’s “Nutcracker” for the Miami City Ballet. Glen returned home to Christchurch and to Southern Ballet Theatre, where he has been the Senior Tutor fro the last two years. Glen tutors for the boys classes, the very popular Adults Ballet Class and choreographs for the Intermediate and Junior Ballet Companies.

Junior School Head Tutor - Sharon Tite
B.B.O. (Full Teacher Reg, Hons)
Sharon graduated from the National Ballet School traveling to Japan to dance with the Higaki Ballet Company. Sharon had the honour of being the first New Zealand dancer to have a contract with Gaungzhou Ballet Company, China.
Following her time in China she accepted a contract with the Canyon Concert Ballet Company, Colorado, U.S.A. Sharon has danced such roles as: ‘The Mistress of the Copper Mountain’ as the “Stoneflower”, ‘Pas de Quartre’, ‘Pas de Trios’, Tinkerbell in ‘Peter Pan, and was a soloist in ‘Giselle’. Sharon tutors students of all ages – starting with our littlest ones at age four and extending right up to our major students. She also produces the Beginner’s Concert for our delightful beginner students – an annual concert held in early September in our theatre.

Junior School BBO Tutor  - Brigitte Thomson
B.B.O.



Hip Hop and Jazz Tutor – Ceara Rooney
MNZAMD (Solo Seal), Hip Hop-NZAMD, B.B.O (Int Ballet)
Ceara Rooney is currently training at Southern Ballet Theatre, and tutors the Hip Hop School and the Jazz School and is a member of the Senior Jazz Company. In 2003, Ceara won the British Ballet Organization Major Ballet Scholarship for New Zealand.




Hip Hop Tutor – Becky McMillan
ANZAMD (Advanced Jazz), Hip Hop NZAMD (Solo Seal)
Began ballet and jazz aged 4 years. Joined Southern for Jazz and Hip Hop in 2004. Advanced in Jazz.Solo Seal in Hip Hop. Member of Senior Jazz Company for 3-4 years. Nominated for 2007 Hip Hop Scholarship NZAMD. Been relieving teaching for Ceara Rooney for a number of years and helping with choreography for Hip Hop productions and competitions. Currently in 4th year of study at University of Canterbury finishing a BA majoring in Media Communications and Human Services

Office Manager – Marion Champ
Marion is in attendance at the office from 10.00am – 6.00pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 11.00am – 7.30pm Thursday, 9.00am – 1.00pm Saturday. She will answer any queries you may have. Marion is in charge of the office and has had vast experience is all fields of office work. You will find her most approachable and always willing to be of assistance.


Tutor and Theatre Technician - Sean James
A graduate of the NZSD, Sean has been performing ballet, contemporary and musical theatre roles with Southern Ballet, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and numerous local choreographers. He has also enjoyed touring with “Chess” and “Cats”. Sean works in Christchurch and around the South Island in various technical roles such as stage manager, sound engineer, lighting designer, and theatre technician. Currently he is involved with many of the festival seasons produced yearly in Christchurch, and performance groups such as Daniel Belton & Good Company, Vivek Kinra, Sheryl Robinson, and a wide range of touring shows that utilize the Southern Ballet Theatre. Sean lights and ‘techs’ the Southern Ballet Theatre for as many of our company and school productions as is possible.



Wardrobe – Margery Cairns & Siobhan Rooney
Our wardrobe team have been with Southern Ballet many years producing costumes of International standard for numerous ballets that have been produced over a period of 32 years.



Full Time Pianist – Wayne Twohill
B.A, L.T.C.L.
20 years ago, Wayne started playing for ballet with Janice Squire in Thames. For the last 15 years, he has played for various schools in Christchurch and has played for R.A.D, B.B.O and Ceccetti during this time. Wayne is the resident pianist for the R.A.D in Christchurch.Wayne has also played for the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company and last year toured with the company as their travelling pianist for part of their South Island Tour.