Sunshine Coast Daily readers vote for region’s best dancer

An experienced dance teacher and studio principal has been voted by readers as the Sunshine Coast’s best from more than 40 nominees.

Encore Your Dance Family principal Kate Matti has been voted the Sunshine Coast’s best dance teacher. Picture: Encore Your Dance Family

After more than 40 nominations of dance teachers from Noosa to Caloundra, the Sunshine Coast Daily reader-voted best dance teacher can be revealed.

Kate Matti of Encore Your Dance Family dance studio was voted as the best, followed by Karla from Starz Dance Academy, Chloe Paix of Studio 2 Dance, Nikita Whalley from the ELITE Dance Institute, and Sophie Barlow from Dance Energy Studios

Ms Matti described the accolade as an honour.

“It’s cool, I didn’t even know until one of the mums sent me it,” Ms Matti said.

“It’s so exciting to know that I’ve touched so many kids‘ lives in a positive way, it’s really what I do it for.

“I would like to say to the person that nominated me and all the people that voted for me thank you for trusting us with your child‘s dancing journey and to keep supporting their kids at any studio that they’re at across the Sunshine Coast.”

The Noosa-raised dancer felt like she had a calling to become a teacher.

“I went onto do my studies as a teacher and do a little bit of professional work, but I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher,” Ms Matti said.

“I started teaching at my home school when I was only 13 and I taught in competitive cheerleading and sports aerobics, as well as dancing.

“What I like most about dancing is the confidence that it gives you, I think for any person, any age, when you can move your body in a space where you feel empowered, you feel safe, you feel comfortable, there’s just that can beat that feeling and I love sharing that feeling with others.”

She joined Encore Your Dance Family about 15 years ago, going onto become principal of the dance studio.

“It’s been a really cool journey to have nurtured so many kids over the years on the Sunshine Coast,” Ms Matti added.

“Not just kids that have gone onto professionally work in dancing, but also just to create confident young humans is pretty rewarding.

“The business has grown over the years, we’ve gone onto open three locations across the Sunshine Coast at Kawana, Aura, and Caloundra, we’ve got a circus programme, adults programme, and next year we’re opening an encore school.

“We also offer free trials for everyone for their first lesson, so come along and have a go.”

Ms Matti believes the dance industry has a strong future on the Sunshine Coast.

“I think it has a massive future on the Sunshine Coast,” she said.

“The dance community on the Sunshine Coast is quite close, there’s a big commercial base, we’re seeing a lot more kids from the Sunshine Coast growing up and getting jobs internationally and I’m excited for that to keep growing.”