Jade Harper-North
owner/director
Jade grew up in Hawke's Bay, completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts & Design. Once completing his degree, his love of education and working with youth - led him to complete his teaching diploma.
After completing his teaching diploma, Jade went on to teach within some of Hawke's Bay's leading schools, then directed some of the best Art Departments across the country.
His passion and combined love for the arts and education have come to life with DANZA, and Jade is excited to see the influence DANZA has upon it's students. Jade believes that DANZA will provide more than just classes to it's students, more so; role models and a place for students to ignite their passion for the arts.
Ben Harper-North
Owner/director
Ben grew up in Auckland and started dancing at the age of 13, training in Contemporary, Jazz, and Ballet. He has to toured and performed nationally with Black Grace one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance companies.
In 2010, Ben moved to America to work for The Young Americans, a non-profit arts education company based in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his five years with the organisation, he taught and performed to audiences across America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Returning home in 2015, Ben had the dream of opening a dance studio that provided dynamic classes to help grow and inspire a new generation of dancers.
Alongside DANZA, Ben is also a Co-Founder and Director of The Conservatory, New Zealand’s latest full-time dance training programme,
He believes DANZA provides strong opportunities for their students and foster highly supportive communities that allow dancers of all levels to flourish.
Brooke Mowbray
studio manager
Brooke has been dancing since the young age of 3. She has been trained with the exam syllabus B.A.L as well as NZAMD through the styles Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Contempoary.
While competing in the styles Tap and Jazz Brooke has managed to work with many amazing industry professionals and attending elite training sessions.
She has also received 3rd place at the prestigious National Young Performer Awards for Tap as well as 3rd place at the Noel Burnett Tap award at the Caledonian Competition Society.
Dancing has managed to get Brooke jobs on Nickelodeon’s Power Rangers, Jono and Ben, Singing in the Rain national promo video as well as touring nationwide as a guest act for the ‘Showquest Competition’. Brooke is passionate about dancing and is extremely excited to share that with her pupils.
Mikey Te Whata
head of People & Culture
Mikey currently works as a freelance dancer, teacher & choreographer. He is a self taught hip hop dancer since 2010 and has been sharing his love for people and dance ever since. For the last 8 years he has taught at a variety of local Auckland dance studios and has worked with some of the country’s best hip hop crews. He has been to the World Hip Hop Championships three times with crews such as Akenza ,Kaleidoskope, and ID Megacrew. In 2018, he competed at the Global Dance and Cheer games, in Hawaii, leading crews that took out all 5x divisions and winning gold medals for NZ.
Mikey is a kind, highly energetic and passionate teacher who is all about creating an environment that not only allows people to feel comfortable with dance, but encourages people to be comfortable and confident with themselves.
Greer Ritchie
Head of Education & training
Greer began dancing at a young age training in Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Musical Theatre and lyrical. Her training has lead her to compete in international competitions on the Gold Coast and Los Angeles.
In 2017 Greer graduated from Brent Street Studios in Sydney, Australia with a Diploma of Dance and Performing Arts.
Since returning home Greer has worked as a professional dancer at many professional and corporate events such as Dancing with the Stars, the Vodafone Pacific Music Awards, and Momentum Production's "Duality" at the Q Theatre.
More recently Greer has completed her Barre teacher training course under The Method NZ as well as graduating from the Auckland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Communication Studies.
Greer is passionate about combining her skills to maintain a safe and healthy environment for young people to share their love of dance.
Ellena Woodhall-Martin
Jazz, Ballet & Company Teacher
Ellena grew up in Auckland where she began dancing at the age of 3. Ellena trained in JDNZ for Jazz, Hip Hop and Contemporary and BAL for Ballet and Tap. After realising she wanted to pursue a career in dance, Ellena moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2016 to study dance fulltime at Transit until September2019 and attained a Diploma in Elite Performance.
During her fulltime training she has been involved in a wide range of performances and shows at various venues, including Melbourne’s Crown Casino, Langham Hotel and in flash mobs around Melbourne.
Ellena has recently discovered her passion for teaching after receiving her Certificate 4 in Dance Teaching and Management. She loves inspiring others and helping them achieve their own goals. She has returned to Auckland to continue her dance career and is thrilled to have joined the teaching crew at DANZA. Her passion is to instil the enjoyment and love of dance for all her students.
Kayla Paige
contemporary & Company teacher
Kayla Paige is a New Zealand choreographer, dancer and director passionate about dance, music and art.
Kayla has been a working choreographer and director for over 10 years, creating work in several genres of movement.
Kayla trained in a variety of performance mediums throughout her formative years of training, most notably graduating from APO arts academy/dance world studios in Melbourne with a diploma in performing arts before embarking on her professional career in 2007.
Upon graduating in Australia, Kayla went into choreographing and performing across several facets of the entertainment industry in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, The united states and Europe. From television shows and commercials to theatre, live events, arts and music festivals.
Alongside Kayla’s work as a choreographer and director she continues to mentor and train emerging artists through her work as a dance educator.
Kayla prides herself as a leader in the New Zealand dance community and works to honour the role she has as a mentor and a creative.
Kayla is passionate about continuing to evolve as an artist, harness her authenticity while showcasing her versatility as a choreographer and through her work, inspire others to forge a career in performing arts.
Asia Atatoa
Hip Hop & Company Teacher
Asia Atatoa is a passionate dancer, choreographer, and teacher, specialising in Hip-Hop and Commercial styles, with additional training in Jazz and Tap. She brings a bold yet supportive energy into the studio, creating a positive learning environment where dancers are encouraged to build confidence, musicality, and individuality.
With a strong performance background, Asia is a bronze medalist at HHI 2019 with Identity Dance Company and has performed for New Zealand artists, including Brooke x Starce and Riiki Reid. She has also appeared as a dancer in the Disney feature film Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, bringing real-world industry experience into her teaching.
Asia has trained with and alongside leading crews and creatives, including IDCO, Bindi Chewsdays, Dziah 3.0, Kirsten Dodgen, Todd Williamson, and Indigo Sagala. Her teaching focuses on versatility and performance quality, while nurturing each dancer’s personal style. Asia is dedicated to ongoing growth and loves sharing her knowledge with the next generation of dancers.
Shannon Spray
Ballet & PBT teacher
Shannon commenced dancing at the age of three, training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, lyrical and character dance; completing exams in Cecchetti, RAD, BAL, NZAMD and JDNZ syllabi.
In 2016, Shannon accepted a scholarship for full-time training in the Post-Graduate Program at Canada’s Alberta Ballet School. She was fortunate to learn from an extremely experienced and accomplished faculty, including the ballet teacher of the real Billy Elliot.
Since returning to New Zealand, Shannon completed her Teaching Certificate 3 (ballet) and has been teaching for 7 years. She is also a registered and practicing musculoskeletal physiotherapist. Shannon aspires to instil in her students, passion, knowledge and an appreciation of ballet as a deeply traditional art form.
Rhearn Le Huray
COMPANY TEACHER
Rhearn is a dynamic and versatile performer with an impressive 18 years of training spanning both New Zealand and Australia. Rhearn grew up training at Levings Dance Company, which equipped her with a technical foundation and a well-rounded skill set. With countless achievements in the competitive dance world, she has been crowned New Zealand’s Top Dancer three times and claimed several international championship titles in Australia, an extraordinary testament to her artistry, dedication, and skill.
Her talents have graced both stage and screen, with one of her most cherished performances being at the AFL Grand Final 2024 alongside global icon Katy Perry. She is also a current backup dancer for Prins, one of New Zealand’s leading artists, showcasing her talent in high-energy live performances.
Beyond performing, Rhearn has been shaping the next generation of dancers for the past seven years, teaching an extensive range of styles including Jazz, Commercial Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, and Acro. Previously, as head choreographer for The Entertainment Company and North Canterbury School of Dance in Christchurch, she played a pivotal role in developing competitive solos and teams. Rhearn has now taken her talents to Auckland, choreographing and teaching across several studios, leaving a lasting impact on aspiring dancers.
Alongside her teaching, at the end of 2025,Rhearngraduated from The Conservatory, where she got to deepen her artistic exploration and expand the boundaries of dance. With an unwavering passion for movement and storytelling, Rhearn feels honoured to share her journey with other dedicated artists and can’t wait to continue sharing her passion and love for dance.
Holly Finch
Contemporary teacher
Holly Finch is a Tāmaki Makaurau and Whāingaroa based dance artist with a deep passion for storytelling. Trained across contemporary, hip hop, ballet, and jazz, her diverse influences shape a distinctive artistic voice. She is particularly interested in how dance, physical theatre and other artistic disciplines can intersect through a contemporary lens.
Her choreographic work includes presentations at Tempo Dance Festival (Windows 2019, LENSES 2022), Taking Dance to the People by DANZ (2020), and most recently her first full length work ‘yes and also no, subject to xyz, fine print applies’ created in collaboration with performers Oli Mathiesen, Natasha Kohler and Tegan Jeffrey-Rushton, presented in the Basement Theatre Spring Programme 2025, to rave reviews.
Holly’s performance experience spans stage, screen, and immersive productions. She has danced in Crystal Pite’s 10 Duets on a Theme of Rescue (AUS), Hannah Tasker-Poland’s award-winning The Most Naked /projectMUSE, Tegan Jeffrey-Rushton’s award winning Overture (AUS), and Bella Wilson’s STRUCTURE with Dance Plant Collective. She was also a dancer for WOW World of Wearable Art (2024), and has appeared in Lorde’s music videos Solar Power and Mood Ring.
Holly loves to teach dance, sharing both technique and creative practice classes, encouraging students to explore their unique dancing body and artistic perspective.
Holly believes art is the colour to our existence - offering us a pathway to connect to our shared humanity.
Thea Rockel
contemporary, Jazz & company teacher
Thea has been dancing since she was 4 years old and has trained in many genres but specializes in contemporary, jazz, tap, hiphop, and commercial. In 2025 Thea graduated from The Conservatory studying performing arts majoring in dance. In 2026 she will continue her training at The Conservatory undertaking their postgraduate course in dance artistry and professional practice.
In her own performing career Thea has worked for companies such as Momentum Productions, Diamond Entertainment, Finesse Entertainment, and Luck and Schooney. She is also a Breaker Girl, dancing for the NBA’s BNZ Breakers team in the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons. Thea’s theatre, corporate and film work have allowed her to travel around New Zealand.
Over her years of training, Thea has found a strong passion for working with tamariki. In 2023 Theacompleted her dance teaching internship with Danza and obtained her APDA teacher certificate. She has taught dance programmes at many primary and intermediate schools around Auckland. In her classes, Thea is excited to work with Danza’s students to achieve a higher level of self confidence and dance ability while providing a sense of belonging, community vibe and ensuring the experience is FUN! She is excited to work with her students to encourage her students’ own artistry/exploration of movement in the classroom.
Mya Pritchard
Jazz, Ballet & Company Teacher
Mya is a versatile dancer, emerging choreographer, and passionate creative who began her dance journey at the age of six. She has trained across a wide range of styles, completing her Jazz and Ballet exams with ADPA with top marks, and receiving the Izzy Toman Scholarship for her Jazz Solo Seal exam. Her training also includes Contemporary, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, and Commercial dance.
Mya has performed professionally in corporate and live performance settings across New Zealand, as well as on screen. Career highlights include performing as a Breaker Girl with the NZ Breakers dance team, dancing on stage at Christmas in the Park, and featuring in music videos for well-known New Zealand artists such as L.A.B., Borderline, and Emerson.
She is currently in her second year of full-time training at The Conservatory, where she continues to refine her craft as both a performer and creative. As a teacher, Mya is passionate about creating a supportive and uplifting environment where students are encouraged to build both confidence and technical skill.
Nina Simpson
Ballet & Contemporary Teacher
Nina started dancing at age 10 training in styles Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical and Contemporary. Nina has danced in competition teams since she was 12 and began troupes at DANZA in 2020. She has sat exams in BAL, NZAMD, JDNZ and has completed her APDA exams in Jazz and Ballet.
Her experience in dance has been an exciting journey filled with exploring creativity, making positive connections and learning all the amazing aspects of dance.
Nina is excited to share her experience with dance and is passionate about creating a positive environment for students to express their individuality and develop their dance skills further.
Thoma Perin
Musical Theatre Teacher
Thoma has lived and breathed the world of theatre for over a decade, starting in music, briefly stepping into dance and then finding his passion in drama and musical theatre. Attending classes for many years he has built up a specialty in devising and improvising, which he has put to use performing and directing at theatres and schools across Auckland. After graduating from classes at the end of 2022, Thoma has joined the teaching team, excited to share his skills and help a new generation of performers find their love of musical theatre.
As a director and educator, he enjoys working with all levels of performers, building up their confidence and sharing his experience and passion for the wonderful world of musical theatre.
When not teaching, Thoma can be found studying directing and screenwriting for film or working on a theatre production somewhere in Auckland.
Ashley Hook
JAZZ TEACHER
Ashley Hook is a passionate and accomplished dance educator with over a decade of experience in the performing arts. She has taught at studios all across Australasia and trained in various dance styles, including ballet (RAD and Vaganova), jazz, contemporary (Graham and Horton), Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and Tap.
Ashley attained her Diploma of Professional Dance from Brent Street in Sydney, being mentored by industry leading choreographers such as Paris Cavanagh, Cassie Bartho, Talia Fowler, and training with the Sydney Dance Company.
Ashley trains her dancers as both artists and well rounded athletes. She holds a New Zealand Certificate in Exercise and brings her extensive knowledge of anatomy and cross training to the classroom.
Some of her career highlights include dancing for the TV series ‘Dance Life’ on Amazon Prime, cheerleading for the North Sydney Bears Basketball Team and performing at Sydney World Pride with Matthew Gode. Known for her holistic and dynamic teaching approach, she works to bring out the best in each one of her students.