Police investigating Sydney dance teacher after reports of grooming

NSW Police confirmed they are probing claims made by young dancers that a female dance teacher groomed them, allegedly gave them drugs and alcohol and sent them inappropriate messages.

Complaints about a female dance teacher have been made to police by a number of her students.

A well-known Sydney dance teacher is under police investigation after a group of young women alleged she groomed them, supplied them with drugs or alcohol as minors, and sent them inappropriate images of herself.

The women made a report to police against the female dance teacher, after the Telegraph revealed she had been removed from staff at an expensive Sydney dance school.

In a statement to the Telegraph, NSW Police confirmed they are probing the claims.

“Officers have commenced an investigation following an allegation of sexual touching at a dance studio between 2017 and 2022,” a NSW Police spokeswoman said.

“As investigations are ongoing, police will not be making any further comment on the matter.”

It’s alleged the dance teacher “fixated” on the girls when they were aged between 15 and 17, initially taking them under her wing and offering guidance, advice and support in the dance industry.

However, each of the girls say the dance teacher quickly became possessive, and instructed them to keep their friendships with her a secret.

“She made me keep our relationship a secret, insisting we hide it in public as much as I could,” one of the women said.

“But behind closed doors we spent so much time together, cuddling, staying overnight, pick-ups early and drop-offs late from school, behaving in ways that were inappropriate.

“I was very vulnerable at the time and felt trapped in a lie that it was all normal.”

Each of the women who spoke to the Telegraph claimed they stayed in beds with the dance teacher both at her home and their family residences.

They say she would “cuddle” them, and kiss them on the cheeks and neck.

They also alleged she bought them alcohol, and gave one of the women cocaine when she was 17, which she instructed her to rub on her gums.

The three women claimed she sent them photos on social media and over text, where her breasts and buttocks were on display.

In one of the photos seen by the Telegraph, the dance teacher took a photo of her buttocks from behind with the caption: “do you like my butt”.

In another she is pictured showing her bare buttocks in a mirror selfie.

The Telegraph has also seen extensive text messages between the women and the dance teacher.

In one message, the teacher commented on a picture of a 17-year-old dancer saying “look at your f***ing body”.

In response to another photo, she wrote a comment explicitly referring to being sexually aroused.

The women decided to contact NSW Police regarding their claims, saying they believed their past complaints to other dance teachers and studios were “brushed off”.

“Girls and boys who look up and idolise their teachers should never be put in a position where they feel coerced into inappropriate relationships, hidden behind a veil of love and affection and favouritism,” one of the women said.

“It’s all fun and games when it’s a female teacher and student, but if that was to be a male to a young girl he would be, or is, in jail.”

In response to questions asked by the Telegraph, a lawyer representing the dance teacher said: “We confirm that our client is unaware of, and denies, all specific allegations raised.”