Leisa Payne School of Dance

22/09/2026

38 years. Thousands of dance classes. Generations of Mackay dancers. It started with one woman's dream...

Leisa Payne's vision to build a place where dancers could receive an elite dance education and still feel completely at home. Today, that dream is still growing! From our very first class to the ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, acro, musical theatre and vocal programs we run today.

From tiny Wiggles taking their first twirl, right through to graduates who've gone on to dance professionally on stages around the world. We've watched students grow into confident young women and men. We've watched some of our own students become our teachers. We've watched families come back, generation after generation, because once you're part of LP, you're part of the family.

38 years of memories. Thousands of stories. One incredible community. And the next generation is only just beginning. ❤️🖤

Term 4 enrolments are now open. First class FREE. Message us today for more information....

21/09/2026

🌟 VORTEX DANCE CHALLENGE 🌟

What an incredible weekend for our LP dancers! We are so proud of every dancer who performed ❤️🖤

✨ TROUPE RESULTS ✨

🥇 10/U Jazz Troupe
🥇 10/U Tap Troupe
🥇 10/U Ballet Troupe
🥇 12/U Jazz Troupe
🥇 12/U Contemporary Troupe
🥇 12/U Tap Troupe
🥇 12/U Ballet Troupe
🏆 Overall Highest Scoring Group - 12/U Contemporary Troupe

✨ SOLO RESULTS ✨

Madelyn Bugeja
🥇 6/U Fast Tap
🥈 6/U Classical

Zabina Cortez
🥇 8/U Classical

Hadley Vaccaneo
🥈 8/U Classical Ballet

Lylah Vaccaneo
🥇 12/U Jazz
🥇 12/U Lyrical

Elle Cummings
🥈 10/U Cabaret
🥇 10/U Speed Tap
🥇 10/U Slow Tap
🥇 10/U Classical
🥇 10/U Lyrical
🥈 10/U Contemporary
🏆 Vortex Ultimate Title Runner Up
🏆 Outstanding Choreography Award – Contemporary

Miles Maxey
🥈 10/U Slow Tap

Paris Kliese
🥇 12/U Classical

Lily Bauer
🥈 10/U Classical
⭐ HC – 10/U Lyrical
⭐ HC – 10/U Contemporary
🥇 10/U Demi Character
🏆 Vortex Rising Star Award

Evie Mayfield
🥇 14/U & 15/O Duo
🥇 12/U Jazz

Milly Mayfield
🥇 14/U & 15/O Duo

Molly Burns
🥇 12/U Contemporary
🥈 12/U Jazz
🥇 12/U Fast Tap – Open
🥇 12/U Slow Tap

Gemma Pitith
🥇 12/U Fast Tap – Restricted

Demi Minns
🥇 15/O Cabaret
🥇 15/O Own Choice
🥇 15/O Jazz
🥇 15/O Lyrical
🥇 15/O Contemporary
🏆 Vortex Ultimate Title Winner
🏆 Overall Highest Point Scorer – Own Choice Solo

Our dancers also loved having the opportunity to take part in a masterclass with adjudicator, Kyra Dooley.

A huge thank you to all of our wonderful families and supporters who are always there cheering our dancers on, helping behind the scenes and making days like these possible. We appreciate you more than you know. It was such a busy weekend that there was barely time to stop for photos!

Thank you to Vortex Dance Challenge for having us! We had the best time!

VORTEX DANCE CHALLENGE

18/09/2026

Congratulations to our LP dancers- Demi Minns, Lejla Bobongie-Harris and Elle Cummings on their recent results at the 2026 Shirley Treacy Finals.
Incredible results ❤️🖤

🎉 Congratulations to our 2026 Shirley Treacy Awards recipients!

Following regional rounds in Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton and Mackay, our Overall Finalists came together for the Online Awards Presentation on 12 September, where their performances were adjudicated by David McAllister AC and Fiona Tonkin OAM and this year’s Overall Award recipients were announced.

We’re delighted to celebrate our 2026 recipients:

🩰 Grade 4 & 5
Winner – Matthew Wingham, Dance Junction
Runner Up – Dakota Darby, Aspire Performing Arts
Encouragement – Elle Cummings, Leisa Payne School of Dance

🩰 Intermediate Foundation & Intermediate
Winner – Ashley Ekert, Turning Pointe Dance Studios
Runner Up – Isabelle Duffy, Julia Macalpine Dance Studio
Encouragement – Lejla Bobongie-Harris, Leisa Payne School of Dance

🩰 Advanced Foundation, Advanced 1 & 2
Winner – Cayden Connors, Turning Pointe Dance Studios
Runner Up – Demi Minns, Leisa Payne School of Dance
Encouragement – Ruby Tuxworth, Turning Pointe Dance Studios

We also congratulate our scholarship recipients:

✨ Academy of Queensland Ballet
Ashley Ekert and Isabelle Duffy

✨ The Australian Ballet School
Cayden Connors

✨ Sydney Dance Company
Demi Minns

The Shirley Treacy Awards provide a wonderful opportunity for dancers across regional Queensland to challenge themselves, gain valuable performance experience and have their work seen by leading dance professionals.

Congratulations to every student who participated this year, and thank you to the teachers, families, adjudicators, local sponsors and communities who continue to support dance across regional Queensland.

We also gratefully acknowledge our National Event Sponsors Bloch, Energetiks and Capezio for their ongoing support. 💙

Read more: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/en-au/news-and-facts/regional-queensland-dancers-celebrated-in-the-2026-shirley-treacy-awards/

15/09/2026

Ms Kiara has just returned from Singapore after adjudicating the 27th CSTD Singapore Regional Competition over six incredible days.

Having teachers who continue to work within the dance industry and are invited to share their knowledge and expertise both nationally and internationally is something we are incredibly proud of at Leisa Payne School of Dance.

Kiara loved the opportunity to watch and adjudicate so many talented dancers and returned home feeling inspired and excited to bring that experience back into the studio and share it with our students.

Congratulations Kiara, and a big thank you to CSTD Singapore for having her and her little family ❤️🖤

CSTD Singapore

07/09/2026

Celebrating the success of our LP ballerina’s at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance Shirley Treacy Awards (Mackay)

Congratulations to all of our dancers. You were stunning in your class work and performances. We are extremely proud ❤️🖤

Special Congratulations to our Grade 5 Regional Finalists -
Lily Bauer
Olivia Meares
Elle Cummings

Intermediate Foundation/Intermediate Regional Finalists -
Shiloh Sunnerdale
Lejla Bobongie-Harris

Advanced Regional Finalists -
Eva Bishop
Claire Youman
Demi Minns

Grade 5 Overall Finalist -
Elle Cummings

Grade 5 Encouragement Award -
Olivia Meares

Intermediate Foundation/Intermediate Overall Finalist -
Lejla Bobongie-Harris

Advanced Overall Finalists -
Demi Minns
Claire Youman

These girls will join Owen Reed, who was chosen as an Overall Finalist at the Townsville semi finals. Best of luck to you all in the finals next weekend ❤️🖤

02/09/2026

🌟 CONGRATULATIONS DEMI & LILY! 🌟

A huge congratulations to Demi Minns and Lily Bauer on their fantastic performances and achievements at the recent dance competitions held over the past few weeks! ❤️🖤

EVOLUTION DANCE COMPETITION– TOWNSVILLE

✨ Demi Minns

🏆 Highest Scoring Senior Soloist – Commercial Contemporary
🏆 Senior Artistry Award – Traditional Contemporary
🏆 Full Scholarship to the Dynamite Summer Experience on the Gold Coast

JUMP DANCE CHALLENGE – CAIRNS

✨ Demi Minns

🏆 Highest Scoring Soloist – Jazz Solo
🏆 Champion Dancer – Lyrical Solo
🏆 SCIMM Dance Company Award
🏆 Show Stopper Award
🏆 Star Spirit Award

BEYOND THE ENCORE – MACKAY

✨ Lily Bauer

🏆 Highest Scoring Junior Soloist – Classical Solo

We are incredibly proud of both girls and the hard work and dedication they continue to bring to the stage ❤️🖤

30/08/2026

Congratulations to our talented singing students on their wonderful performances at the Mackay Eisteddfod! We are so proud of you all ❤️🖤

🏆 Special congratulations to Ruby Pidgeon, recipient of the 18 Years & Under Encouragement Award!

🥇 1st Place
• Modern Solo 14 Years – Ruby Pidgeon
• Solo from a Musical 12 Years – Arya Manoj Kolavelil
• Vocal Solo 11 Years – Adele Shepherd
• Vocal Trio 16 Years & Under – Kiara Knowles, Monique Shepherd & Ruby Pidgeon

🥈 2nd Place
• Modern Solo 16 Years – Madelyn Shepherd
• Solo from a Musical 11 Years – Adele Shepherd
• Vocal Solo 13 & 14 Years – Ruby Pidgeon
• Vocal Solo 17 & 18 Years – Adysen Ruddick

🥉 3rd Place
• Australian Composer 17 & 18 Years – GG Ruggeri
• Modern Sacred Solo 16 Years & Under – Nash Paganoni
• Modern Solo 13 Years – Ruby McGuire
• Solo from a Musical 14 Years – Ruby Pidgeon
• Traditional Sacred 15 & 16 Years – GG Ruggeri
• Traditional Sacred 15 & 16 Years – Madelyn Shepherd
• Vocal Duet 12 Years & Under – Emma Benincasa & Alexis McGeary

🌟 VHC
• Traditional Sacred 11 & 12 Years – Adele Shepherd
• Vocal Solo 11 Years – Arya Bloxsidge
• Vocal Solo 11 Years – Emma Benincasa

🌟 HC
• Australian Composer 16 Years & Under – Kiara Knowles
• Modern Solo 14 Years – Nash Paganoni
• Modern Solo 15 Years – Kiara Knowles
• Modern Solo 15 Years – Temperance Ellwood
• Solo from a Musical 15 Years – Claire Youman
• Traditional Sacred 11 & 12 Years – Emma Benincasa
• Traditional Sacred 15 & 16 Years – Kiara Knowles
• Vocal Duet 12 Years & Under – Arya Manoj Kolavelil & Arya Bloxsidge
• Vocal Duet 16 Years & Under – Kiara Knowles & Monique Shepherd
• Vocal Solo 15 & 16 Years – Harmoni O’Regan
• Vocal Solo 15 & 16 Years – Madelyn Shepherd
• Vocal Solo 6 Years – Maya Nash
• Vocal Solo 8 Years – Tallullah Bobongie Harris

A heartfelt thank you to our accompanists Nicole Thomson & Callum Massing, and Jan Whelan for assisting with rehearsals.

A massive thank you to our incredible singing teacher Caitlyn Schurmann ❤️ Your dedication, encouragement and many hours preparing the students are so appreciated.

23/08/2026

Come and support our beautiful Adele ❤️

We are so incredibly proud of our gorgeous LP student Adele, who is taking to the stage in the lead role in the Musical Comedy Players’ production of The Secret Garden!

What a wonderful achievement and such an exciting opportunity for Adele to showcase her beautiful talent on stage. We love seeing our students spreading their wings and embracing opportunities in the wider performing arts community

We would love to see our LP family get behind Adele and support her and the entire cast in this beautiful production 🌹

So gather your family and friends, book your tickets and enjoy a wonderful night at the theatre - make sure you give an extra big cheer for Adele!

🌿 MEET MARY & DICKON 🌿

Adele Shepherd brings Mary Lennox to life in The Secret Garden, a young girl whose curiosity leads her to uncover the secrets hidden within Misselthwaite Manor.

Along the way, she forms a special friendship with Dickon, played by Henry Miller, whose love of nature and gentle spirit help Mary discover the life still waiting inside the locked garden.

Together, Mary and Dickon help bring hope, friendship and new beginnings back to a place that has been lost in grief for far too long.

The Secret Garden thanks to BMA comes to the MECC for just three performances:

🌿 Friday 4 September – 7:30pm
🌿 Saturday 5 September – 2:00pm & 7:30pm

🎫 Tickets are on sale now:
https://tinyurl.com/4de36646

19/08/2026

Huge congratulations to Owen Reed, who has been selected as an Intermediate overall finalist in the 2026 Royal Academy of Dance Shirley Treacy Awards. The finalists were selected by adjudicator Susan Sargison.

Owen travelled to Townsville to compete in these awards as he will be competing in the YAGP (Sydney) when these awards are conducted in Mackay.

We wish Owen the best of luck when the overall winners are announced on the 12th September at an online presentation. We are very proud of you ❤️🖤