All About Our Dance Conservatoire
Teaching Faculty
Johane Casabene
Artistic Director
Fellow & Tutor I.S.T.D. (London)
Masters in
Dance & Related Subjects
(L.U.D.T.) Italy
Affiliate Teacher of The Royal Ballet School
Member of the BTDA (UK)
Johane Casabene has been teaching dance, mainly Classical Ballet, as well as Modern Jazz and Contemporary, for 30 years. She is a Fellow and Tutor of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (I.S.T.D.), a highly reputable dance organisation based in London and an appointed Affiliate Teacher for the Royal Ballet School. She is also a Registered teacher of the BTDA, UK. Johane is a member of the Association Française des Maîtres de Danse Classique and of the Spanish Dance Society.
At seventeen she left Malta to pursue her studies abroad where she obtained a Masters in Dance and Related Subjects from the Libera Universita’ di Danza e Teatro (Mantova - Italy). Whilst in Italy, she toured with the Balletto Regionale di Mantova. She also furthered her dance studies in England and France. She has worked with exceptional artists like Jorge Esquivel (Primo Ballerino of the Opera di Cuba, now at the New York City Ballet), Carlos Palacios, Paul Maieorescu (Director and Ballet Master, State Opera, Rumania), Steve La Chance (known on the popular TV show ‘Amici’), Suzanna Egri, Jean Charles Gil (Director, Ballet d’Europe) and many others. Johane has directed, produced and performed in numerous dance shows both at the Manoel Theatre and the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Malta. She has collaborated in national events, performances under the auspices of the President of Malta and many others with national television stations. She also performed in various dance festivals and events overseas. Johane has judged and participated in various competitions and led students to international stages. She has choreographed pieces for various national and international Arts & Dance Festivals and events.
Over the last 30 years Johane has worked on the setting up of the first Dance Conservatoire (JCDC) in Malta, which is intended to provide the right structure where young Maltese dancers can reach a professional level. Many of the students have embarked on a career abroad after pursuing their studies at JCDC. Some are now professional dancers in their own right and others are working as freelance performers, directing their own companies, as choreographers and teachers both locally as well as abroad. Johane was a Founding Member of the Malta Youth Ballet Foundation and formulated the Diploma in Professional Dance at level 5 EQF/MQC and the BA in Professional Dance at level 6 EQF/MQF.
Johane strives to improve the level of dance training locally and to expose her students to the best opportunities possible in their formative years. She believes in collaboration and perseveres with her team of teachers and collaborators to provide and expose these young dancers to this approach to learning and current dance trends at the Conservatoire.
Johane values the need for constant professional development and regularaly attends courses to keep abreast with current training methods and artistic trends. She has recently been appointed an Affiliate Teacher of the Royal Ballet School, which will allow her students to follow the newly structured ATAP Programme of the Royal Ballet School. She is reading for a Masters of Arts in Dance Studies - Practice as Research - University of Malta, where she is researching the work of Enrico Cecchetti, one of the greatest ballet masters of the 20th Century and that of his son Grazioso Cecchetti, whose method of training is also applied at the school.
Johane endeavors to nurture and promote the art of dance which she is so passionate about throughout her career.
Ballet
Alison Bird
MA (Dance Studies); MATESOL; LISTD
Alison originally trained in her home town of Southampton followed by three years training at London College of Dance. Having come to Malta she taught at the Tanya Bayona Academy of Ballet, followed by sixteen years at College of Dance. Alison then taught ballet, modern and tap at Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire. During her time in Malta Alison has performed and choreographed both locally and overseas.
Meanwhile, Alison read for two master’s degrees one in Dance Studies, followed by one in English. She has taught English as a foreign language and now teaches English at secondary level.
Alison is very much looking forward to teaching ballet again at the Dance Conservatoire as dance has always been close to her heart and she welcomes the opportunity to share this love.
Monique Pellegrini Petit is a distinguished dance teacher and choreographer with a deep commitment to the art of ballet and contemporary dance. She holds a Licentiate in the Cecchetti method from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in the UK and received her formal training in ballet, contemporary, and Spanish dance at The Tanya Bayona Princess Poutiatine Academy of Ballet under Tanya Bayona. Monique's talent led her to become a member of the TB Dance Theatre Company, where she performed in the UK, France, and locally. Her dedication was recognized when she was awarded a prestigious dance scholarship by the French Embassy.
In 1988, Monique founded Point 2 Ballet Studio, which later transformed into the Central Academy of Ballet in 1996. As principal of the academy, she choreographed and directed numerous notable ballet productions, including
Beauty and the Beast, My Fair Lady, Aladdin, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Her collaborations extended internationally, involving renowned artists from the UK, France, and Russia, with dancers from The Moscow Theatre Ballet and the Bolshoi Theatre, where Monique brought to life impressive renditions of The Nutcracker and Don Quixote.
Her production of A Midsummer Night's Dream marked the 25th anniversary of the academy, a significant milestone in her career.
Monique's choreography spans both classical ballet and contemporary styles, showcased through the performances she produced with The Central Dance Company. Many of her students have gone on to successful careers as dancers and teachers, carrying forward the legacy she helped nurture.
After several years of teaching Monique now continues to pursue her passion for dance as a freelance teacher, enriching the dance community with her vast experience and love for the art form, she is very happy to now form part of the JCDC faculty.
Monique Pellegrini Petit
Licentiate (I.S.T.D.)
Cecchetti Method
Natasha Nikolic
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Honours)
DDE, ISTD (London)
Ballet Teacher
Natasha started training at a very young age and joined the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire at the age of 11. Since then, Natasha participated in various school events and productions including Cinderella, La Sylphide, La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, Pinocchio, The Wizard of Oz, and some of the President's Annual Concerts.
Natasha completed her ISTD Advanced Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Level 4) and ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Level 3). In the meantime, she also obtained a Bachelor Degree in Software Development at the University of Malta (EQF/MQF Level 6).
Natasha has been part of the JCDC Teaching Faculty for the last four years. She has obtained her DDE Teaching status in Classical Ballet after being coached and trained by Ms Johane Casabene herself.
Modern & Commercial
Federica Nicastro
Ballet & Modern Theatre Jazz Teacher
Diploma in Professional Dance
Adv 2 Cecchetti
Federica started her training at the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire at the age of 12. Since then, she participated in various events and productions produced by the school amongst others La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, President's Annual Concerts and lately Pinocchio in which she was the Volpe.
Federica has obtained her Advanced Cecchetti and ISTD Modern Theatre at Intermediate level. She also followed a 2 year full-time course with the Malta Youth Ballet Foundation, obtaining her Diploma in Professional Dance EQF/MQF Level 5. Federica plans to continue her studies in dance and is excited to start teaching. She is a member of the JCDC teaching faculty and is working towards her DDE in Modern Dance.
Contemporary, Modern & Tap
Gabriele, born in Rome, Italy, in 1993, began his studies in dance at the age of ten at A.S. Full Dance. Here, Gabriele learnt a variety of dance styles including jazz and tap dance. Between 2003 and 2014, he gained professional experiences in tap dance, achieving seven gold medals at the World Championships, in Germany, and a theatre season at Salone Margherita, Rome, at the age of eighteen.
It was in 2012, after three weeks of study in New York at the Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway where he developed an interest in contemporary dance and ballet, which he then studied for three years at the National Dance Academy, Rome. In 2016 Gabriele graduated from the Academy with top marks.
In 2017, Gabriele joined Transitions Dance Company, London, and he got the chance to tour around the UK and Europe performing the works by Richard Chappell, Hagit Yakira and Jarko Partanen. In the same year Gabriele followed his academic studies and then he got a PG Degree in Dance Performance at Trinity Laban, London.
In 2018, Gabriele joined Moveo Dance Company under the Artistic Direction of Dorian Mallia. As a dancer, he has performed in theatre productions, dance shows, musicals, operas, and music videos.
Gabriele has taught dance in Italy, the UK, Romania, and Malta. His choreographies have earned gold and silver medals in local championships, and his contemporary piece “Niobe” was selected for the Washington International Dance Festival in 2023 (USA). Gabriele is very passionate about dance and is very motivated to pass on his knowledge and share his experience as a professional dancer to the students at JCDC.
Gabriele Farinacci
Contemporary Dance,
Modern Theatre Jazz Dance
& Tap Dance teacher
BA in Contemporary Techniques (Italy)
PG in Dance Performance (UK)
Tap World Champion (I.D.O.)
Contemporary
Douglas Comley
BA Honours Performance Arts
Creative Arts Wales award winner Douglas Comley completed his studies at Middlesex University London with a BA Honours Performance Arts.
He began his professional dance career under the direction Nigel Charnock (DV8) for Nexus Dance. He then went onto working as a performer with companies including Vincent Dance Theatre, Attik Dance, Daghdha Dance and projects for Lighthouse Theatre and National Dance Company of Wales (Diversions).
Whilst in Wales he lectured at Gower College of further Education and directed Dynion Male Dance Theatre and The County Youth Dance Company.
Throughout this period he was involved in the design, choreography and implementation of several large-scale opening ceremony events including Rugby World Cup, Commonwealth Games and World Gymnaestrada.
Douglas currently works in Malta with Opening Doors Association, Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire, Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre, Malta Dementia Society and Theatre Anon.
Commercial & Hip H0p
Luke Brincat, local professional dancer, choreographer & mentor. Luke has been in the local industry for over 10 years and is mainly trained in Hip Hop however as a passionate and dedicated artist has gained knowledge in many other styles of dance; which during more recent years has lead him to venture into the Commercial Dance world.
Luke has gained training through several workshops around Europe and has also trained in world renown Millenium Dance Complex in LA. Locally, he has worked with several local artists such as Aidan, Giada, Destiny, Matt Black, Brooke and more. He has choreographed for several events such as Eurovision, XFactor, Malta’s Got Talent, Miss Malta and EuroPride.
Thanks to many years of experience Luke provides a varied training program that allows his students to learn, grow and develop whilst also preparing them for the dance industry.
Luke Brincat
Spanish
Svetlana Silina
Ballet & Spanish Dance Teacher
A.I.S.T.D. (London)
Diploma Profesora de Baile (SDS) Diploma Teacher of Choreographic Discipline (TCD)
MGUK Russian organiser SDS
Svetlana Silina started her classical ballet training in a private school in Moscow where for ten years she was taught, by amongst many others, Lubov Jakunina and Alexandre Prokoviev, former Bolshoi graduates. In 1976, Svetlana performed in classical roles in organised concerts in Moscow. In 1989 she graduated – specialising in Culture – from the Moscow University. Here she graduated as both a Classical Ballet Maître and a teacher of Russian Folk Dance. Svetlana began teaching at one of the leading Russian Folk Companies for children. Here she taught both Classical Ballet and Russian Folk Dance.
During this period she also performed with a Russian Folk Group touring most regions in Russia. In 1996, Svetlana made Malta her home and was a member of the teaching faculty at the Central Academy of Ballet for seventeen years. In 2000 she was invited to teach in a Summer School in Udine – Italy.
In Malta Svetlana has choreographed for several dance performances and events, as well as performed in various ballet shows. Choreographies included classical ballet, Russian Folk, Oriental dances, Hungarian dances, Mexican dances as well as Classical Spanish and Flamenco dances. She also choreographed for a scene in the TV movie “Julius Caesar” (2002) and has also performed on several occasions on PBS - the national television station in Malta.
Whilst having 30 years of teaching experience with both adults and children alike, she believes that it is essential to continue with one’s own professional development in order to grow as a professional as well as to broaden ones’ knowledge. She is still motivated to keep learning and has a great interest for universal dance in general.
Svetlana also holds her Associate status from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Cecchetti Faculty, as well as IdB (I) & IdB (II),PdB from the Spanish Dance Society. Svetlana is currently being trained to become an examiner for the Spanish Dance Society. In 2004 she was appointed Head of Spanish Dance at the Malta Drama & Music Centre. In 2017, she became Head of Spanish Dance Faculty at the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire. She still holds both positions to date.
Teaching Assistants
Renee Fenech
IdB1 (Instructor de Balie 1)
Spanish Teacher and Ballet Teaching Assistant
Renee Saliba started her classical ballet training in 1994 at the age of four. In 1997 she joined the Central Academy of Ballet where she continued to train under the direction of Monique Pellegrini Petit and Mireille Coleiro. Her love for dancing led her to take up Spanish Dancing in 2000 under the direction of Svetlana Silina always achieving excellent results within all her examinations with the Spanish Dance Society. Her passion for Spanish Dancing has led her in passing her IdB1 (Instructor de Balie 1) in 2016.
In 2017 she joined the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire where her studies have continued and is currently studying to obtain her Advanced 2 in the Cecchetti Method and other qualifications with the ISTD as well as working towards obtaining her IdB2 with the Spanish Dance Society.
During the years she has performed in numerous dance performances including Alice in Wonderland (2023), The Sleeping Beauty (2015), A mid-summer’s Night Dream (2014), The Nutcracker (2012), Don Quixote (2010) and Dance Power 2 (2003) amongst others. She has also choreographed a number of dances performed at various performances and TV productions such as Ohloq Tbissima whilst also performing herself.
Klara Vassallo
BA (Hons.) Maltese
ISTD Advanced Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Lvl 4)
ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Lvl 3)
Klara Vassallo started her Ballet training at the tender age of 3. Since then, she has participated in various performances with the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire including those in the Dance Festival with their collaborative piece (arti)kolazzjonijiet, Alice in Wonderland and the Malta International Arts Festival. She has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Maltese from the University of Malta (EQF/MQF Level 6), and is currently researching for her Master of Arts in Maltese (EQF/MQF Level 7).
She is currently undergoing training for her ISTD Advanced 2 Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Level 4) and has completed her ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Level 3). She is an assistant-teacher at the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire, working to obtain her DDE Teaching Status in Classical Ballet.
Klara writes and performs poetry in both Maltese and English, and has achieved recognition by placing first in the Doreen Micallef National Poetry Contest. In 2022, she published her first chapbook, ħoss ħsejjes — a collection of prose poetry that explores the sounds of her childhood and how these resonate within and out of her as a woman.
Additionally, Klara has theatrical arts at heart, enriching her creative expressions with a profound love for the stage and all that happens around and off it.
Krista Vella
ISTD Advanced Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Lvl 4) ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Lvl 3) BA Commerce Degree (EQF/MQF Lvl 6)
Krista started training at a young age and joined the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire at the age of 9. Since then, Krista participated in various JCDC events and productions, some of which include Pinocchio, The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland.
She also took part in national events and President's Annual Concerts. Krista earned her ISTD Advanced Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Level 4) and ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Level 3).
She is an assistant-teacher and is in the process of obtaining her DDE Teaching Status in Classical Ballet. She has just graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Malta (EQF/MQF Level 6).
She will also be reading for a Masters in Accountancy throughout next year. She is excited to complete her teaching qualification and to be part of the JCDC faculty to pass on her passion for dance to the younger generation at JCDC.
Odette Pulis Hopkins
ISTD Advanced Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Lvl 4)
ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Lvl 3)
Spanish Dance Society Intermediate Flamenco Dance
Odette Pulis Hopkins began her training with the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire at a very young age. She has since taken part in various school events and productions some of which include La Sylphide, La Bayadere, Pinocchio, The Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland. Odette also participated in various local and international competitions. She has performed at the Ariston San Remo, Italy, and took part in choreographies created by JCDC as part of the International Arts & Dance Festivals.
Odette earned her ISTD Advanced Cecchetti Ballet (EQF/MQF Level 4), ISTD Intermediate Modern Theatre (EQF/MQF Level 3) and Spanish Dance Society Intermediate Flamenco Dance. She is an assistant-teacher at the Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire, working to obtain her DDE Teaching Status in Classical Ballet.
Meanwhile, she is also studying to obtain a Bachelor Degree in Nursing at the University of Malta (EQF/MQF Level 6).
Our Resident Pianist
Maria Attard
B.A Hons, ATCL
Pianist
Maria (B.A Hons, ATCL) started taking piano lessons at the age of 6 under the tuition of the late Ms. Dorselle Mifsud Bonnici. She continued her music studies at A Level at GF Abela Junior College, where she joined the JC orchestra and took part in over 100 concerts, both national and international. At Universtiy she studied under the tuition of Prof. Michael Laus and Dr Hans-Jürgen Nagel, with Piano performance as her main subject. She graduated with honours in B.A Hons in Music Studies. Today, Maria is Malta's only full-time ballet pianist at Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire, where she accompanies both syllabus and open classes. She is also a piano teacher and works with Malta's national dance company, Zfin Malta.
