Our Story - the beginning

The Ransley Ballet and Dance Centre originated in the suburbs of Sydney.

The school was guided and managed by Florence Ransley, with her very young daughters

• Dawn, the teacher
• Shirley, the pianist and
• Joy the student.

The history of Ransley Ballet is the history of four generations of Ransleys' love of the art of dance, their internationally recognised talents as dancers in their own right, their ability to nurture and foster the talents of the children as teachers and encourage the future stars as examiners.

Joy Ransley - London

Joy, at the age of 16, took up a scholarship at the London Royal Ballet School.

Joy  in the Netherlands

After two years of intensive training and performances with The Royal Ballet Co, Joy joined The Netherlands National Ballet Co, dancing in the Corps de Ballet and as a soloist.

Dawn Ransley

Dawn Ransley

The first Dance School in Sydney

On her return to Australia, Joy and Dawn established a successful dance school in central Sydney.

The School specialised in classical ballet as well as offered modern and contemporary dance styles.

Joy became a RAD Children Examiner and a vocational examiner. 

Image: first dance school in Sydney in their very first performance in 1948 

Image: Dawn & Joy receiving their Presidents award from the RAD

The 70s and 80s - Irish Dance

The Ransley Ballet and Dance Centre achieved great success with Irish Dancing, with the only Australian girl, Shirley's daughter Fiona Gaye Snowden, winning a World Irish Dance Championship and holding the record for twenty years.

They were also awarded 2 "World Titles" for their spectacular "Figure Dancing".

Image: Fiona Gaye Snowden

Ransley Ballet at the Gold Coast

1982-83 had seen Ransley Ballet and Dance Centre relocating to the Gold Coast, devoting their time and expertise to ballet and theatre, following the traditions set by Kathleen Gorham, who played and important role in, and had a positive influence on the Ransley's approach to teaching.

Image: One of the first performances

• Christmas at the Opera House Christmas at the Opera House
• Christmas at the Opera House Christmas at the Opera House
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Ransley Ballet and Dance Centre Today

The caliber of training offered at by Ransley Ballet and Dance Centre is of the highest quality, with the teaching philosophy being "to focus on providing individual care and guidance to all of our students throughout their time with us". This approach continues to add new success stories to the already long list of brilliant dancers, in both classical ballet and musical theatre.