Zoey Schmitt – Ballet & Jazz

Zoey's passion for moving started from a very young age. Her earliest memory is dancing to Madonna songs at home, leaping up and down off furniture and pretending to be a pop star!

When ballet classes were offered at her Primary School, she gladly took them up and loved skipping, hopping and fluffy about barefoot and fancy free.

As teachers changed and the years went on Zoey was noticed as having some talent and recommended she attend a dance school. At Centrestage School of Dance she had a broad experience of dance classes including Jazz and ballet. 

Then studying at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School from years 7 - 10, which further exposed her to all sorts of dance styles. Finally completing a further three years at the Australian Ballet School to narrow and intensify her ballet and dance related studies.
On completion of her training at the Australian Ballet School, Zoey was accepted in to the Australian Ballet Company as a Corps de Ballet dancer.

During her 4 year tenure with the Company, Zoey had many wonderful opportunities and experienced some wonderful repertoire.

However, after acquiring a chronic knee injury during this period in the company, Zoey's motivation and inspiration changed. 
Leaving the dancing world to "have a life" her direction shifted toward Pilates and rehabilitation of the body. Zoey then became a qualified Pilates Instructor with the Australian Pilates Method Association and subsequently managed, owned and taught at a Pilates Studio in East Melbourne for 6 years.

After recently moving to Castlemaine in the beginning of 2017, Zoey quickly discovered Over the Moon Yoga and Dance Studios. Sending her young children there for dance classes. 

Returning to her dance roots, Zoey gladly took up the opportunity to take workshops in both the Winter and Summer Schools at Over the Moon.

Since seeing her children thrive in their experiences at the School, and also witnessing the many other students, teachers and families that bring it all together, her inspiration for teaching was ignited.

Zoey also started facilitating a regular dance and drama program with Windarring Kyneton, a centre for people with a disability. Clients from the Castlemaine and Kyneton Windarring congregate once a week to partake in dance and drama activities.

Zoey’s teaching ethos is clearly to share the enjoyment of moving the body and dancing freely to music. To try and nurture her students’ love of dance and help them achieve their personal goals or discover their own potential and ability.