Karen Feldman claims top spot in best dance teacher vote

The owner one of Victoria’s largest dance studios has again been voted Geelong’s best teacher.

Karen Feldman is the back to back winner of the best dance teacher in Geelong. Picture: Alan Barber

Karen Feldman has been voted Geelong’s best dance teacher for the second year running.

She has operated her Geelong dance studio for almost two decades and with 15 dance spaces, she said it was possibly the largest of its kind in the state.

Ms Feldman said the win was one for her team of 25 teachers.

She received 39 per cent of the more than 160 votes.

“We have such wonderful teachers,” she said.

Ms Feldman teaches all age groups from toddlers to adults in contemporary, hip-hop, jazz styles and a toddler movement class.

“My favourite thing about teaching would be the joy I see from the children who come along to classes and it's the daily interactions with students,” she said.

“I can see their love of dance and joy they are expressing through movement every time they come to class.”

Dance teaching was a family affair for Ms Feldman who learnt from her sister who ran The Miss Emily Hamilton School of Dance.

“I had the most amazing apprenticeship with her,” she said.

“From primary school I would go to Melbourne on a Friday night and my sister would drive me to Seymour and we ran her dance school.

“Every weekend I just watched what she did and when I turned 20 I said I wanted to do the same and I did.”

Ms Feldman said her dance studio bucked the trend of traditional dance classes.

“We allow parents in the majority of our classes to stay and watch the classes, we have a pay per week system so people don’t have to pay term fees, and we don’t wear make-up at concerts,” she said.

Karen Feldman has been voted the best dance teacher in Geelong in 2024. Picture: Alan Barber.

“They’re just a few little things, but I think people who come along to our studio are aware we make dance fun and enjoyable.

“It’s not too serious and we make it appropriate for children.”

The top five dance teachers, as voted by Addy readers:

1. Karen Feldman – Karen Feldman’s Dance Studio

2. Georgia Cowling – Cheer Geelong

3. Nikki Hyland – Geelong Dance Movement

4. Tija Bormanis – DanceWorks Geelong

Equal 5th. Dimmi Sunderland – DanceWorks Geelong, Jordan Punsalang – Parallax Performing Arts, and Sandra Clack – Sandra Clack Ballet Centre

The next Geelong Advertiser’s Best Of competition will be burgers.

Nominations open on August 20.

Originally published as Karen Feldman claims top spot in best dance teacher vote