Our Teachers
Sannette van der Mescht
Founder & Director
Sannette qualified as an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) in Classical Ballet (Cecchetti Method) while completing her B.A Honours and Higher Diploma in Education at the University of Cape Town. She has taught languages, Drama and Arts and Culture in various high schools, as she continued to train as a dancer. Her training included Modern Dance through the Association of International Dance Teachers (AIDT). She initiated and runs the annual Dance Together Dance Intensive at UCT Centre for Performing Arts and Centre Stage fundraiser for Cape Town City Ballet. Sannette currently also teaches classical ballet at the UCT dance department and JazzArt Dance Company. In 2023 Sannette received a special award from the Theatre Dance Association for her life-long commitment to Development of Dance.
Guest Teachers and Choreographers
Nicolette joined CAPAB (now CTCB) in 1979 dancing her first Principal role as Giselle in 1980. She soon became one of the company’s favourite Principals, dancing the leads in all of the classical ballets David Poole produced. She won the Nederberg Award for her portrayal of Carmen in 1987, and was the recipient of the Balletomanes Award on a number of occasions, notably as Olympia Doll in Tales of Hoffman. On retiring from the company as Principal dancer, she became its Ballet Mistress, while pursuing further training and education through the University of Cape Town where she achieved her Cecchetti Associate Diploma and her Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma with Distinction. She ran her own studio, taught as Dance For All, and today remains as guest teacher at Cape Town City Ballet while privately coaches a number of Cape Town’s young dancers. Nicolette’s choreography for a senior classical duet, won first place at the Cape Town Eisteddfod in 2023, and her input for repertoire and syllabus work remains invaluable.
Yarisha graduated from UCT with Distinction for Bachelor of Music in Dance. She went on to perform with several prestigious dance companies in South Africa including Cape Town City Ballet, Free Flight Dance Company, La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre, Jozi Dance Company, and Mzansi Productions. Yarisha has choreographed for Cape Town City Ballet, Free Flight Dance Company, Jozi Dance Company, Mzansi Productions, and StudioRepublik (Dubai), as well as award winning solos for SAIBC. Yarisha has recently returned to South Africa after working as the Head of Dance at StudioRepublik in Dubai. She has already choreographed 3 dance pieces for our studio which will be performed in term 1 of 2025.
Louisa a prolific choreographer working in South Africa and abroad. Having trained in ballet and contemporary dance, after being Semi Finalist Le Concours De Paris (International Dance Competition) and was one of the Top 20 contestants on the SABC1 reality television competition So You Think You Can Dance, in 2008, she went on to dance professionally at
Jazzart Dance Theatre, Showboat’s S.A tour and the European tour, and We Will Rock You - the S.A. and Asian Tour, as well as lead dancer in Cape Dance Company. She has since logged a remarkable CV of award-winning choreographic work, from West Side Story, Chicago and La Cage aux Folle, Evan Hansen, and is resident choreographer for Mathilda. Both the duet and solo she has choregraphed for our studio, won their categories at the Cape Town Eisteddfod , Move and Cape Dance Festival.
Ciara Baldwin and Nathan Bartmann are two prolific, cutting edge choreographers. Both from Cape Town, they are now based in London where MANACAN interrogates real-life topics and expresses them through dance and music. Already having won the Pina Bausch Award for Choreography in New York, Ciara and Nathan travel the world, especially to African countries, where they are commissioned to produce choreography true to their style. Their ‘Dark Flock’ premiered with Jazzart Dance in November 2024. They have created 3 pieces for our studio, all winning their sections at the Cape Town Eisteddfod and Move Competition.
After completing his training at Dance For All, Odwa soon became one of Cape Dance Company’s strongest male leads. His particular talent as a choreographer emerged when he transitioned to teaching at Zama Dance where his choreography won Best Choreography year after year. Odwa has choreographed a solo and a trio for our studio, both winning their sections at Cape Town Eisteddfod , Move and Cape Dance Festival.
Gain Collective is a collaborative choreographic and performance based company formed by Chesney Stanfield and Emile Petersen. The two grew up dancing across various styles. And trained, performed and choreographed together, first as trainees and then as company members at Jazzart Dance Theatre for five years before launching their own initiative.
Through Gain Collective, the two seek to explore and teach their own unique style, developed over time and collaboration. As well as create fresh and dynamic works that push their creativity and place artistry at the forefront of creation.