MEET THE ADC TEAM
To find out more, click on our faculty members, below.
Meet Your Teachers
Alyse Verstraten
Alyse Verstraten started dancing at age three, doing ballet for five years before starting rhythmic gymnastics at age 8, winning several awards for both over a 15-year span. She represented Canterbury in rhythmic for 7 years and went overseas to compete, going back to ballet for another five years after she reached the national level in her gymnastics.
Over her many years of dancing she has studied jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and since joining ADC a year ago has been involved in almost all of the classes available here, expanding her horizons to hip hop, circus and more.
Meet your Teachers
Kimberley James
Our Creative Director Kimberley James has taught thousands of dance students over the last 20 years, directed dozens of live shows, starred in dance shoots all over the world, and created countless beautiful choreographies for kids and adults alike. She has been teaching children (and adults) of all ages for two decades, including many kids classes at schools like Bayfield Primary in Herne Bay, Auckland, Dominion Road School, Ponsonby Intermediate, and Ponsonby Primary.
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She is now also a mother of a busy, active toddler herself - understanding the needs of a bouncing-off-the-walls pre-schooler like only a mother can 😅
See her dance, and testimonials here.
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Director of all of our shows across 15 years, including our last sold out show RISE:10 last year, Kimberley has received awards for her philanthropy from CanTeen NZ, and supported youth organisations Zeal, OneFifty Dream Days, The Cancer Society, and Ronald McDonald House across the years, helping kids and adults alike, through the medium of dance.
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Spend a minute in the same room as Kimberley and you'll see that she is vibrant, energetic, and her passion and positivity are absolutely infectious - this superpower helps her to uplift massive groups of people and individuals wherever she goes! We love you Kim!
SWEETS
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Meet ADC's Management Team
Jaymee Cottle
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ADC's Manager Jaymee is not only essential to the ADC Team, but she is also an important Essential Worker here in NZ, looking after the nation's children as one of the top persons at Oranga Tamariki (Govt Body: NZ's Ministry for Children). Needless to say, children and their safety are her top priority in her daily life!
Jaymee has helped create and manage a team that is productive, positive and always moving forward. She has helped spearhead our latest Student Shoots - Bad Liar, and our elements series - ADC's FIRE and WATER shoots with her husband and our resident Stuntman/ Safety Officer Andrew Cottle (Avatar, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of The Rings) - who does all the rigging of our Circus classes, and our latest back to back sold out RISE shows, celebrating 10 years of Auckland Dance Company.
As well as being a part of our all of our classes, Jaymee is in Management for the Ministry for Children - caring for our nation's youth, and is seen (very aptly) pictured here, as Wonderwoman in ADC's 2019 Faculty Superhero Shoot.
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ADC Events Manager
Tessa Denyer
Tessa is the driving force behind some of ADC's latest videos and shows - as ADC's Event Manager and Head of ADC HQ she is a formidable, organised, and structured leader, and a caring presence for both the ADC Team and all of our students. As well as dancing in multiple events with us, and running multiple shows across the years, Tessa is also a wonderful Science Teacher at Diocesan - so you're in safe hands! (and you may also learn some Science).
Working behind the scenes at our sold-out show at ZEAL, and our latest RISE 10 show, helping to organise ADC's extensive Wardrobe Department as well as spearheading the costumes. See Tess perform in one of our favourite pieces, Right By You
Tess has a degree in Science, majoring in Biochemistry.
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ADC Accounts Manager
Lisa Zheng
Lisa (seen here in our ADC Faculty Shoot as YUKIO from the Wolverine movie) is ADC's Accounts Manager and an integral member of ADC HQ she is a structured, organised, and can weild an excel spreadsheet like she wields a sword. Swift and efficient!
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Lisa has been with the company for 6years. As well as dancing in multiple events with us, and running multiple shows across the years, she also puts people in place at the Auckland District Health Board - helping keep our hospitals running. An essential worker, and an incredible heart. We felt very safe in her hands over Lockdown!
Working behind the scenes all of our shows, including our latest sold out RISE 10 show, Lisa is one of most trusted, and wonderful team members here at HQ!
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ADC Director of Photography
Rafael Bonatto
Our Videographer and Director of Photography Rafael Bonatto (seen here in a campaign he shot, as Wolverine) is head of 3D and filming at Auckland's Media Design School.
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He has been working with ADC since 2012 and has shot every show and shoot since then with us! He is kind, caring, incredibly talented, and a father of two under 7.
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Rafael has shot Bad Liar, and our elements series - ADC's FIRE and WATER shoots and our latest back to back sold out RISE shows, celebrating 10 years of Auckland Dance Company.
Rafael shot all of our faculty campaigns, including our Tekapo Shoot all the way back in 2012, our Constellation Shoot in 2018, and our Superheroes/Villians shoot last year.
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He is an integral part of the team and we love him dearly!
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