Yuka Aramaki – Private Lessons
Yuka began her career as a flight attendant a year ago, which currently prevents her from teaching group lessons. Nevertheless, she continues to share her passion for dance through private instruction.
Trained in the Russian ballet method since the age of 3, she has a rich background in ballet, including running her own ballet school. I have attended her classes several times before, and I‘ve always appreciated the friendly atmosphere that she created and her practical advice gained through Russian ballet training.
If you’d like to polish your technique or need a couple of private lessons before jumping into any group lessons, you’ll be in excellent hands. To book a lesson, please contact Yuka via email at yuka.akl.ballet@gmail.com
Tyler Johnston – Thursday Swans Ballet
Tyler teaches a wide range of dance genres at Auckland’s Studio 246, and CoEvolve Studios in Pukekohe as well as choreographs for the National Youth Theatre.
Tyler trained at Mount Eden Ballet Academy sitting all RAD exams with high distinctions, then as a classical major at the New Zealand School of Dance while also spending some time with the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company. She then went on to dance in Australia and Vienna Austria before coming home to New Zealand to become qualified with the RAD, achieving her CBTS as well as her registered teaching status with the NZAMD and PBT.
As a young dancer, she also took regular classes in jazz and jazz troupes travelling to America for comps, musical theatre, contemporary, latin and loved trying all the different dance styles available to her at the time. She now teaches exam ballet, tap, contemporary and jazz as well as Latin American, Musical Theatre, Discovering Repertoire, PBT, Adult Jazz, Adult Ballet and Stretch and Conditioning. She also choreographs solos and troupes for competitions, onstage musical theatre productions, and holiday program performances.
Amelia Chandulal-Mackay – Thursday Swans Ballet
Amelia was born and raised in Whanganui. She trained under the direction of her mother, Anna Chandulal, at the Whanganui Ballet and Dance Academy and received supplementary training from Gwenda Britten, Jacqui Trimmer and the Associate’s program at the New Zealand School of Dance. Amelia completed her pre-professional training at Ecole Vocational Ballet and Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy and enjoyed further summer intensive scholarship opportunities overseas. She was a trainee at Orlando Ballet, and danced with Milwaukee Ballet II and Oklahoma City Ballet Studio Company.
Since returning to New Zealand, Amelia has continued to dance on a freelance basis and has enjoyed various performance opportunities including works by Lesley Bandy, Meaghan Rowe and Mary-Jane O’Reilly’s ‘Ballet Noir’. In 2024 she joined Ballet Collective Aotearoa, led by previous ballet mistress of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Turid Revfeim. Amelia is also a passionate ballet teacher and teaches at a range of studios in Auckland. Additionally, Amelia has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminology and a postgraduate diploma education: counselling and guidance.