Denise Walker Dance Academy

20/06/2026

09/06/2026

I don’t usually post about dance teaching anymore.

Most people here know me through Needle en Pointe and my tutu work, but before that, and alongside it, I’ve spent over twenty years teaching ballet. I trained through the RAD syllabus to Advanced 2 and grew up in a very traditional ballet school under my mum, who was a professional ballet dancer herself.

A conversation with her today made me think about something.

I wonder if, as a dance community, we’ve started confusing early achievement with good training.

Social media, and even our local competitions, are full of six, seven, eight, nine and ten year olds doing incredible things. Multiple pirouettes, batterie, complex allegro and advanced vocabulary that would once have been reserved for much older students.

And they are genuinely incredible.

The hours they put in and the dedication they show should never be underestimated.

But I don’t think the best training is necessarily the training that produces the most impressive young children.

I think it’s the training that lays the foundations for the strongest older dancers.

A young child can be taught to reproduce movement. They can learn the shapes, the steps and even very advanced ballet vocabulary. I’ve seen six year olds perform posé turns, pas de chat and beaten jumps beautifully.

But performing something and truly understanding it are not always the same thing.

Real technique, artistry and musicality are built over years. Children’s bodies mature. Their minds mature. Their understanding matures.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with success at a young age, and I think competitions can be a wonderful experience for children. The question, for me, is whether that success is being built on foundations that will still support the dancer years from now.
After a lifetime in dance, I’ve come to believe that the goal isn’t to create extraordinary children.

It’s to nurture extraordinary adults.

So if your child is in a school where the focus is on solid foundations, good values and longterm development, don’t lose heart when you look at social media or the local competition circuit.

Trust the process - you might be exactly where you’re meant to be 💕

31/05/2026

Amelia does it again this weekend. Awesome job!! 👏

29/05/2026

So sad to hear of the passing of Inger Perkins.
Inger played a big part in my dance journey and a huge reason why I became a dance teacher. I’ll always remember her encouragement, support, and the confidence she gave me over the years.
Inger and her daughter Cathy helped me through my teaching exams and supported me in my very first teaching job. I’m so grateful for everything they both did for me.
Now having my own dance school, I still carry on Inger’s tradition of using the Wiggles song Rock-A-Bye-Your Bear in our yearly recitals - something that always makes me think of her.
Sending all our love and heartfelt thoughts to Cathy and family.
Pictured here: next generation of dancers DWDA students performing Wiggles: Rock-A-Bye-Bear

23/05/2026

Congratulations Amelia! Always a pleasure to teach and choreograph for. This weeks competition results …

🥉3rd place Jazz solo (12 & under 14)
🥇1st place Lyrical solo (12 & under 14)
🥇1st place Contemporary solo (12 & under 14)
🥇1st place Modern Championship (12 & under 14)

Denise Walker Dance Academy

14/05/2026

Royal Academy of Dance - RAD ballet classes for all ages.

12/05/2026

📣 Our 2026 Contemporary Intensive Programme (CIP) is now open for registrations!

This programme is designed for dancers aged 15-18 who already have a foundation in contemporary dance and are curious about taking their training further.

Over two full days, you’ll work to strengthen your technique, explore key elements of contemporary practice, and gain insight into what full-time training at NZSD is really like.

📅 Sat 27 – Sun 28 June
📍 Te Whaea - National Dance & Drama Centre, Wellington

To learn more and register visit https://www.nzschoolofdance.ac.nz/courses/contemporary-intensive-programme

📸 Photo by Stephen A'Court Photographer

10/05/2026

To all our wonderful dance mums and caregivers — Happy Mother’s Day 💐

Thank you for every bun, every costume, every lift to class, every word of encouragement, and every proud moment in the audience. Your support means the world to our dancers and our community.

Today we celebrate you

06/05/2026