::mango dance::

THE TEACHERS at Mango Dance Studio are choreographers as well as performers. In the event a teacher becomes unavailable due to a show/performance, another teacher of a similar standard will act as a substitute.

Farah Shah

Farah Shah is a Professional Dancer/Performer/Teacher & Choreographer with over 28 years experience in the dance industry. She has worked with choreographers for Janet Jackson, Madonna, Pink, UK artists, Musicals and more...

Formally trained full-time in Jazz Ballet, UK Street Funk, Hip Hop, Street Locking, Contemporary and Classical ballet at Bodenweiser Dance Centre (Sydney), Pineapple Dance Studio (London), Harbourside Dance Centre (Vancouver), and Sydney Dance Company open classes.

Her performing credits include: “Son of Mask” the Movie, The MTV Awards (Dancer for Chingy, Simple Plan, Grinspoon), Australian Idol, Sydney Getaway, Sydney Weekender, Kerry-Anne show, Commercials, Music Video Clips, Diva Awards and Musicals......

She has also Choreographed Corporate shows for: Westpac, Oracle, MACQUARIE BANK, PRICE WATERHOUSE, Australian Housing Trust, SKILLSEARCH COMPUTING, VISY RECYCLING, Cafe Sydney, HIP HOP Hair Launch for ICARUS Hair products at Luna Park, Fairmont Resort, Fox Studios, Government House and Cafe Sydney.

Having Indian and Persian heritage, Farah launched Sydney's First Bollywood Dance classes in early 2004, which have been featured on Sydney Getaway, OZ Idol, Sydney weekender, Mondo Thingo, Asian Focus & SBS.

James Taylor was born and trained in London at the Royal Ballet School, where he received a scholarship to study at the Paris Opera. James has been a member of the Royal Ballet, London, the National Ballet of Portugal, Lisbon and the National Ballet of Canada, Toronto. He has worked on new productions with many world-renowned choreographers including Sir Frederick Ashton,Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev, Jiri Kilian, William Forsythe,Glen Tetley, David Parsons and Graeme Murphy.

He has also performed with many international ballet stars including, Rudolf Nureyev, Sir Anthony Dowell, Silvie Guillem, Mikhail Barishnikov, Fernando Bahones, Karen Kain, Alessandra Ferri, John Meehan,Margaret Illman, Rex Harrington, Leanne Benjamin and Viviana Durante. James joined Sydney Dance Company in 1993 and after three years left to form his own business, Smeg Productions, producing dance based entertainment for corporate and private clients, including DKNY, BMW, Porche, ABN Amro, MTV and the Attorney General.

In 2001 James was a founding member of the Bondi
Ballet and has created five works as Resident Choreographer becoming Assistant Artistic Director in July last year. James has created two works with Sydney Dance Company and two works for the West Australian Ballet.

This year James has just completed choreographing a production of Cabaret for Ascham School and later this year he will be choreographing a production of Grease for Skeggs College.

James has adjudicated for MacDonalds Ballet Scholarship twice and Eistedfods all around Sydney. He has taught and choreographed Scholarship winning Contemporary Solo's for Boys and Girls at various schools including, MacDonalds Performing Arts School and is available for personal tuition for children's solo's.

Stephen Clarke

Stephen Clarke has been dancing and choreographing professionally since 1985 when he first choreographed Ridgy Didge for Channel 10’s children’s department at the age of 18. As well as numerous TV commercials Stephen successfully performed in stage musicals such as the 3 million dollar production of Rasputin, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, and the 1988 Royal Bicentennial Concert. He was a regular on Ray Martin’s Midday Show and toured Australia with the world’s greatest dance spectacular in 1989. He has worked with Kylie and Dannii Minogue as well as Margaret Urlich.

Stephen worked in Japan on Music Videos and television commercials. Some of his earliest successes were for companies such as McDonalds, J-Phone and JRA. Five years later at the invitation of fellow Australian’s Kylie & Dannie Minogue. Stephen relocated to London where he became in-house choreographer for the Terry Blamey Management Company. Whilst in England he had the pleasure of choreographing Dan Goggins Musical comedy Nunsense for the Cavalade Theatre Company in London ’s West End to rave reviews.

Clients such as Mitsu Cruises, Walt Disney, Cindi Lauper, Swatch, Virgin and Diana Ross requested Stephen’s return to Tokyo regularly. As well as choreographing for Alex Trax (Japan’s leading music company) Stephen became involved with world famous Jewellery Designer Kazuo Ogawa and choreographed shows for not only Japanese Royalty but American Dignitaries representing both South Africa and Egypt.

Paul Bennett began his professional training at Paul MaCartneys university, "The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts" where he gained a BA(Hons) degree in dance. He recieved expert training in the dance techniques of contemporary, jazz, classical, contact improvisation and release from teachers such as Jacqui Jones, former soloist with Rambert Dance Company, Evelyn Jamieson, former founding member and choreographer for Matthew Bournes "Adventures in Motion Pictures" and Mary Prestige, creator of the contact improvisation technique.

After completing his degree he was invited by former teacher Jacqui Jones to join her company Jak-I, who are a dance and music interactive company. It was here he fine tuned his contemporary technique and choreographic skills later to become a choreographer and director for the company which led to international tours around Europe.

As well as performing with Jak-I, Paul also worked independantly as a teacher and choreographer in the North west of England. He taught, lectured and choreographed for many universities and schools in the region and also
returned to LIPA to help train and teach dancers and other students attending the school.

Jayne Turner

Jayne is Jazz and Ballet trained and has been teaching hip hop, jazz and choreographing in Sydney for the past 6 years.

Her Choreography credits include, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Breakdance performance with Joel Turner. Mike Champion – R’n’B shows. Cristian Alexanda – Music Oz Awards, Channel V . Mercedes Australian Fashion week parades for the following designers; Josh, Goot, Tina Kalivas, Bettina Liano and Toni Maticevski.

She has choreographed Television Commercials for Toyota Scion (USA), Archers Alcohol (UK) and Road Tax (UK).

She has also done special events such as Mardi Gras, Harbour Party, Korwall, Adultshop.com and Idea Works 25^th Anniversary.

Nate has been popping since he was very young, growing up in New York City. He is trained in robot style, basic boogaloo style, and puppet. Nate is also trained in hip hop, including harlem shaking.

Winner 2004 National 1 on 1 Dancekool Popping Competition. Winner 2004 You Got Served Dance Olympics Hip hop Dance Battles. Has danced on stage with (not just behind) N*E*R*D, Gangstarr, Selwyn, and Black Eyed Peas. Currently starring in the Club V Dance Space ads. Best popper in Sydney, and battles constantly to retain the title.

Nate has been teaching for 5 years, in primary schools, high schools and street studios around Sydney.