meet our faculty
artistic director
Miss Bella, Artistic Director, will be teaching classes at South Yarra Ballet Academy every Tuesday-Friday, including: Pre-primary – Level 4 Ballet in the Ballet Conservatoire Syllabus, Stretch & Conditioning, Pointe, and Contemporary Dance.
* Also available by request for Private Coaching, and Solo or Group Choreography.
Isabella Rose Cort is the current Artistic Director and studio owner of South Yarra Ballet Academy, guiding the Academy’s new chapter in classical excellence since January 2026. As an ex-professional ballerina, now Vaganova-based ballet and contemporary dance teacher, contemporary artist, and choreographer, Miss Bella’s expertise in the fine arts stretches far. Her career as a ballerina first began at Queensland National Ballet School, training under notable figures such as Matthew Lawrence (ex-principal dancer of Australian Ballet and current Ballet Master of Queensland Ballet), Martyn Fleming (ex-principal dancer of English National Ballet, Bejart Ballet Lausanne), and Karen Donovan (ex-principal ballerina of Birmingham Royal Ballet and teacher at the Royal Ballet School). Whilst at QNB, Isabella received top marks for her ‘Senior Level’ Ballet Conservatoire exam, multiple 1st Place solo competition awards, and attained her Advanced Diploma in Dance (Elite Performance). Following this, Isabella then received a place at the Upper School of Elmhurst Ballet School (in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet), and moved to the United Kingdom in 2017 to complete her training. Here, she was fortunate to take 1st Place in the 2018 Elmhurst Solo Competition, and Runners Up in the Elmhurst Choreographic Competition, and trained under the guidance of Gloria Grigolato (ex-principal and soloist ballerina at Semperoper Ballet Dresden, Leipzig Ballet, and English National Ballet). Upon graduation, Isabella then received a professional ballet contract for Divadlo J. K. Tyla (DJKT) Ballet Company, Czech Republic, but unfortunately retired prior due to injury.
Since retiring, Isabella has passionately transitioned into a career of dance teaching, whilst also continuing to develop her own artistic work across choreography, photography, and the contemporary arts. She remains dedicated to coaching the next generation of young aspiring dancers, as a qualified teacher of the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet’s Vaganova-based ‘Ballet Conservatoire’ Syllabus, and PBT Conditioining. Miss Bella has taught at schools across QLD and VIC, including Queensland National Ballet School (full-time + afternoon program), the National St Kilda (full-time program), and Jiayin Masterclass Academy (pre-professional elite + afternoon program). Additionally, Isabella has continued her studies, gaining her Honours (First Class) in Fine Art at RMIT, Melbourne. This great mixture of training from across the creative industries has led to many notable achievements, such as being selected as a choreographer for ‘IndepenDance’ 2024 (as supported by Arts Queensland, and presented at Qld Ballet’s Thomas Dixon Centre), exhibiting multiple works at ‘Hatched: National Graduate Show’ 2025 at PICA, Perth, and was recently selected for the ARIXCHANGE residency between Blindside Gallery, Melbourne, and Sawtooth Gallery, Launceston. Isabella has also received multiple awards and scholarships for her pursuits in the contemporary arts, including the 2024 Hilde Chenhall Memorial Scholarship at QUT, and the 2025 Varney Foundation Prize at RMIT.
SYBA Artistic Director Miss Bella is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leading young dancers. Her classes are focused on the gradual methodological development of Vaganova-based technique, whilst instilling a deep love and respect for the arts in each and every student. The dance studio should always be an inspiring and safe space for dancers to come learn, express themselves, and work hard. Developing this mindset is key to the future of each young artist, whether that leads them towards a professional career in dance or the many other opportunities that life brings.
Adults Ballet + Conditioning
Miss Astrid will be teaching on Mondays with South Yarra Ballet Academy during 2026. Classes include: Workshops, Adults Ballet Beginners, & Adults Private Coaching.
* Intermediate/Advanced Adults Ballet, & Pilates + Stretch classes coming soon!
Astrid Fiek is a dedicated ballet and conditioning teacher with a strong focus on technical development, safe training practices, and injury prevention. She brings a thoughtful and informed approach to the studio, supporting students of all ages and abilities in building strength, alignment, and confidence in their movement.
Astrid trained at the renowned Alberta Ballet School, where she developed a versatile foundation in both classical and contemporary, character, repertoire and flamenco technique. Her training continues to inform her teaching, allowing her to deliver structured, progressive classes that support long-term development. At 19, Astrid began her professional career with Swiss Offspring Ballet company, Zurich, where she performed across Switzerland and Europe in both classical and contemporary repertoire. During this time, she worked with respected choreographers including Franz Brodmann and Benoît Favre, gaining valuable performance experience that now enriches her teaching practice.
Alongside her work in dance, Astrid is currently studying Exercise and Sport Science/Physiotherapy at Swinburne University. This academic training underpins her teaching, with a strong emphasis on anatomical awareness, conditioning, and supporting dancers through the physical demands of training and injury management. She has also completed a Reformer Pilates teaching certification under the guidance of Anna Simondi in Zurich, further enhancing her ability to integrate strength and conditioning into her classes.
Astrid has been trained and mentored by leading industry professionals, including Jasmina Stefkovski (Director, Melbourne Academy of the Arts), Ashley McNeil (Director, Alberta Ballet School Canada), Janet Tait (formerly Ballet Victoria, London City Ballet and Western Australian Ballet), Murray Kilgour (former Royal Ballet School, London), and Franz Brodmann (former Opernhaus Zürich, Stadttheater Bern and Stadttheater Luzern). Outside the studio, Astrid continues to develop her practice through Reformer Pilates and ongoing professional learning, consistently seeking to bring informed, engaging, and supportive training environments to her students.
GUEST Classical Ballet Coaching
Miss Hiroko will be guest teaching with South Yarra Ballet Academy during 2026. Available on request for limited Private Coaching sessions in Classical Ballet, Repertoire, Pointe, Exam Preparation, and Stretch/Conditioning.
Hiroko Kaneko began her ballet training in Tokyo at the age of three, completing her early education under the BC syllabus. Her formative years in ballet instilled a strong technical foundation, discipline, and an appreciation for the artistry of classical dance. She later relocated to Melbourne after being accepted into the full-time training program at the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet, where she completed both her Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Dance (Elite Performance).
In 2014, Hiroko joined Tokyo Komaki Ballet and was awarded third place at the ZAMA All Japan Ballet Competition in the same year. In 2016, she performed professionally with the Mongolian State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, dancing an extensive range of classical repertoire and gaining valuable international performance experience.
After returning to Melbourne in 2022, Hiroko transitioned her focus toward teaching, driven by a genuine passion for sharing her knowledge and supporting the next generation of dancers. Drawing on her professional performance background and international training, she is committed to helping students build strong technique, musicality, and confidence in a safe and encouraging environment. She is a qualified BC syllabus teacher and holds certifications in Peak Pilates and Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT). Hiroko values thoughtful, sustainable training and takes pride in guiding each student’s individual growth, both technically and artistically.
Guest Junior Ballet Coaching
Headshot picture coming soon!
Miss Lydia will be guest teaching with South Yarra Ballet Academy during 2026. Classes include: Workshops, Kinder Ballet, Pre-Primary, and Primary in the Ballet Conservatoire Syllabus.
Lydia Cagney Morris is an accomplished dance educator, adjudicator, and studio director with over three decades of experience across the performing arts, education, health, and fitness sectors. She began her formal ballet training in Tasmania through the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus before relocating to Victoria, where she expanded her studies to include the Cecchetti Ballet Method and ISTD syllabi in Tap, National, and Modern Theatre, achieving major-level certifications. Lydia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Performance Studies (Dance/Drama), Cecchetti teaching qualifications to Licentiate Diploma level, a Diploma of Dance Teaching and Management, and a Diploma of Early Childhood Education.
Her professional development includes extensive ISTD Modern Theatre and Contemporary training with Senior Examiners Marianne Jepson and Tereza Theodoulou in Australia and the United Kingdom, as well as international teaching experience in the USA and Ireland. For twenty years, Lydia served as Organiser of the Victorian Cecchetti Choreographic Competition, mentoring young dancers in creativity, composition, and improvisation.
Based in Melbourne, Lydia is a respected studio owner and freelance teacher whose students have progressed to full-time training and professional pathways at leading institutions across Australia. Her students have received numerous accolades, including Cecchetti Victoria Ballet Excellence Awards, Cecchetti Medal Test Competition wins, and international recognition, most notably a semi-finalist placement at the 2020 Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland. Now in her 25th year as an adjudicator, Lydia judges extensively across Australia and New Zealand and is widely recognised for her constructive, encouraging adjudication style and commitment to nurturing confident, expressive performers.