About Us
Our Mission
ConnectEd Dance Company aims to connect Hamilton and Waikato children with the many marvelous developmental benefits of dance! We provide affordable and accessible community dance classes, workshops, community events, and in-school dance programming for Early and Primary school aged children (ages 3 to 12 years old).
We believe dance is a vehicle for meaningful connection to several aspects of wellbeing. Our company teaches dance to develop physical, emotional, intellectual, and social connections that support growth of the whole child.
Physical/Intellectual: Our curriculum seeks to impart safe and functional technique and dance skills for fitness, strength, coordination, and body awareness. We do this through an educational dance element/concept lens. Dance elements impart skills and steps in a nurturing and engaging way, providing children with a language of movement they can understand, utelize, and create with. This develops kinaesthetic connection with body and mind, leaving our dancers intrinsically capable and motivated to express themselves through movement. Additionaly, we aim to provide a variety of contexts and styles to try!
Emotional/Social: We aim to connect dancers with their artistic voice by providing them with skills and tools to create (alone and in groups), perform, and reflect on dance in an environment that encourages contribution, creativity, confidence, and citizenship. Character building is also woven into our curriculum in fun and exciting ways!
ConnectEd Dance Co.
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Adhere to DANZ Professional, Ethical Codes
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OneMusic (APRA/AMCOS) licensee
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Safewise Developed Health & Safety system
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2022 Waikato Sport & Active Recreation Awards Finalist
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2023 Waikato Sport & Active Recreation Awards Winner
Liahona Walus BS, MHSHP
Owner/Artistic Director/Teacher
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Certified Intellidance®️ Kids instructor
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Certified Rhythm Works integrative dance instructor
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Member Dance and the Child International
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Advanced Ballet/World Dance Brigham Young University
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First Aid Certified/Police vetted instructor
Miss Lia
Greetings! Ko Liahona ahau. Tainui te waka, ko Whitireia te maunga, ko Kenepuru te awa, ko Ngati Toa, Ngai Tahu, Ngati Tama, Ngati Koata te Iwi, ko te Marae o Toa Rangatira.
I am a mum and passionate dance educator. I hold a Masters Degree in Health Sport and Human Performance (First Class Honors) from the University of Waikato, studying community dance education. I have been teaching dance to children for 8 years and prior to that completed a 4 year dance major at Brigham Young University, Provo, USA. There, I studied World Dance, Ballet, Contemporary, and Ballroom technique, teaching methods and choreography for ballet, world, and contemporary styles, anatomy, kinesiology, dance history and more. I was privileged to perform nationally and internationally with the famed BYU Folk Dance Ensemble for 3 years, a group who I watched as a young 11 year old girl on a tour to Wellington and just knew I'd join one day! My training and experiences ranges from the marae to the classroom, studio, and stage all the way to parading down the cobblestone roads of Europe! My experience with dance in several contexts has connected me with my creative voice, my heritage, my vocational purpose, and some of my closest friends. I aim to provide dance education that similarly creates a variety of opportunities and dance contexts for ConnectEd dancers in Waikato schools and our community.
Miss Amy
Ko Maungatere te maunga
Ko Rakahuri te awa
Ko Tuahuriri te tangata
Ko Tuahiwi te marae
Ko Maahunui te tuarua te wharenui
Ko Amy toku ingoa
Ko Ngai Tuahuriri te hapu
Ko Ngai Tahu te iwi
I'm a mum of 3 kids, I've been dancing for over 20 years. My love of dance started with ballet when I was 7 and as I grew older I branched out to jazz, contemporary and hip hop. I started teaching dance when I was 15, under the direction of Dance Techs studio director Suzanne Fenton. I am really passionate about education and teaching, I received my post graduate diploma in teaching in 2013, just before I had my first child, and have recently completed my master of education.
Amy Smith BSLT, PGDipTL (Primary) ,MEd
Teacher
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NZAMD Advanced Certification Ballet/Jazz
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Level 5 Hip Hop and Contemporary
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First Aid Certified/Police vetted instructor
Courtney Richmond BA, MA
Teacher
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NZAMD Advanced Certification Jazz
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NZAMD Level 5/6 Tap & Contemporary High Honors
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RAD Ballet to Grade 8
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First Aid Certified/Police vetted instructor
Miss Courtney
I have been dancing for as long as I can remember, it has been a constant passion throughout my life. I moved to Hamilton from a small town on the Kapiti coast to pursue my Univeristy studies and to further my interest in dance at a tertiary level. Eight years on, I now have a Masters in Theatre Studies focusing on inclusive performing arts education in New Zealand, and continued to develop my passion for dance and dance education. When I’m not dancing I love hanging out with friends and family. I always have a craft project on the go (currently crocheting a dinosaur!) and can always be relied on for a good reading recommendation!
Whaea Andrea
Andrea Tock
Administrator
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Police vetted staff
I am a proud mum of 3 kids, born and bred in Hamilton. I am passionate about supporting tamariki and their whanau benefit from the amazing things dance brings. I have enjoyed learning about many different styles from our teachers here at ConnectEd Dance Co and love to watch all dance styles and appreciate each one as an art form.
"Our daughter loves her dance classes. They are well organized and fun. The activities change frequently, include props, teach various dance skills, and match the attention span of the students. Liahona is professional in her manner, patient with children, and flexible. She also uses imaginative and relatable stories to help the children visualize what the dance moves could look like as they try them."
Josiah E.
"Miss Lia's approach to dance is wonderfully engaging. Every class is different, colourful and so much fun. Her love of dance and skill of teaching make for incredibly enjoyable classes - to participate in and watch."
Ann G.
“My daughter been dancing with Miss Lia for over 2 years since she was 2 and its been amazing for her development. She is a twin and at a young age I noticed she struggled to do things without her brother so I wanted to find something special for her to do. She was hesitate at first to do something without her brother, but Miss Lia was so patient and her love for dance flourish and so did her confidence and social skills.”