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The ELLA Foundation

@ella.foundation

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Are you a dance teacher, studio owner or educator wanting to strengthen your culturally responsive practice?

Join The ELLA Foundation for a free online session exploring First Nations cultural responsiveness in dance.

Facilitated by Ella Havelka, the session will bring together First Nations artists for a panel discussion and open Q&A. Together, we’ll explore practical ways dance schools and educators can create more culturally responsive and culturally safe environments for First Nations students, families and communities.

📅 Thursday 22 October 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00 pm AEDT
💻 Online and free to attend

This session is part of our AusArt Day fundraising campaign. If you’re able to, we’d love you to support our work by donating or sharing the campaign with your community.

Register now through the link in our bio.

#AusArtDay #CulturalResponsiveness #DanceEducation #FirstNationsDance #TheELLAFoundation @33creativeaus by @ella.foundation

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3 days ago

Indiana Roberts - National College of Dance Presentation Day 2026! Runner up for Jr overall Classical Ballet Award. You are consistent, passionate and dedicated to this of yours and I hope you are proud of this achievement today. The journey is certainly the most interesting part- keep loving and enjoying all the small moments your heart will get what it desires xxxx by @ella.foundation

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6 days ago

The Australian Ballet’s first Indigenous dancer has drawn on both her First Nations heritage and her classical training to become a unique artist.

Like many ballet dancers, Ella Havelka can trace her fascination with the art form back to an early encounter with Swan Lake. Her mother Janna decided, for no particular reason, to borrow an old VHS of the production from the library. “I saw movement with a story, a purpose,” says Ella. “I thought, ‘I want to try that!’”

Read more at the History Makers link in bio.

📸 @cybelemalinowski
🩰 Alum of The Australian Ballet School
#TheAustralianBalletSchool #ABS #BalletTraining #BalletSchool #BalletInsta #BalletDancer #LoveBallet #Ballet #Pointe by @ella.foundation

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a month ago

🎉 MIDNIGHT DREAMING DANCE CO GIVEAWAY! 🎉
Want to join the Midnight Dreaming Dance Co family and perform on the Civic Theatre Newcastle stage at our End of Year Showcase? ❤️🖤💛

We’re giving ONE lucky dancer the ultimate Term 4 Dance Package!

✨ WIN:
Term 4 dance fees
Dance costume
Midnight Dreaming Dance Co uniform
Training, mentoring & rehearsals with our team
PLUS your chance to perform at our End of Year Showcase at Civic Theatre Newcastle! 🌟
HOW TO ENTER:
Follow Midnight Dreaming Dance Co
Like & share this post
Tag 3 friends who would love to dance with us
For an extra entry, share this post to your story and tag us!

🖤 Open to new and existing dancers.
📅 GIVEAWAY ENDS 30 AUGUST 2026
This is your chance to build confidence, make new friendships, connect through culture and become part of the Midnight Dreaming Dance Co family.
🔥 TERM 4 — LET’S MAKE IT OUR BIGGEST YET! 🔥

Tag your friends and get entering! 💃🏽❤️🖤💛
#MidnightDreamingDanceCo #NewcastleDance #DanceGiveaway #CivicTheatreNewcastle #AboriginalDance IndigenousDance CultureThroughDance NewcastleNSW taken in Newcastle, New South Wales by @ella.foundation

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2 months ago

Going through the archives and found this little gem — 7-year-old me competing in Physical Culture for Dubbo RSL, in both group and individual competitions. 🥹

Make sure you watch until the end, where I very confidently correct the judge for mispronouncing my name. 😂 Clearly not much has changed!

Physical Culture was really my first introduction to dance and performance. My mum did Physie, and apparently I would watch her and copy along as a baby, so as soon as I was old enough to join classes myself, it was a no-brainer.

Even at seven, I was incredibly focused and loved the discipline, confidence and sense of achievement that came from training and performing. The following year I started ballet and never looked back.

Looking back at videos like this is also a little reminder of why I started The ELLA Foundation — because you never know where that first opportunity to dance might lead a young person.

Very grateful for these early years and the foundations they gave me.

The big hair and fake tan, however… I’m happy to leave those in the archives. 😂 by @ella.foundation

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2 months ago

✨ FREE OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST NATIONS YOUTH ✨

Don’t miss this incredible four-day dance program on Wiradjuri Country in Wagga Wagga!

First Nations young people will come together to learn, create and connect through dance, culture and storytelling, working alongside an inspiring group of artists and mentors including The Australian Ballet’s Education and Outreach team.

The four days will culminate in a community showing, giving participants the opportunity to share what they’ve created with family, friends and the wider Wagga Wagga community.

🎟️ — sign up now!

🔗 Link in bio

📸 @jackofheartsphotos
👯‍♀️ Barradambang Dancers | Alexander Mitchell | @oliviaa.scott by @ella.foundation

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2 months ago

Yurali Ensemble | April 2026 🖤

So incredibly proud of these young First Nations creatives who have created their own version of Swan Lake — bringing their voices, and perspectives and culture into this iconic work.

The story and cultural foundations of this work were guided by Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Lorraine Tye, whose knowledge, generosity and guidance helped shape the journey of this project.

A huge thank you to our incredible artists and mentors who supported this creative process:
@oliviakirkman_ @kitanaprice @aurielle_smith @ellahavelka

📸 @nonicarrollphotography
🎵 @soundslike____

This program was supported by Creative Nations, administered by Create NSW (NSW Government), with additional support from the generous donors and sponsors of The ELLA Foundation.

Thank you for supporting opportunities for young First Nations people to explore culture, creativity and storytelling through dance. by @ella.foundation

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4 months ago

It’s a beautiful day to be a blak ballerina 🌹🤎🦢🩰

Kayla-Rose looks so sweet in her performance costume for the Yurali Ensemble Ballet! Kayla’s confidence has greatly increased, she has also improved so much in her dancing since we returned home from Sydney. Thank you to @ellahavelka , her @ella.foundation teachers and her new dance friends for their support of our little one.

#yuraliensemble @ella.foundation
Photography by Noni Carroll: @nonicarrollphotography taken in Danceworks Sydney by @ella.foundation

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5 months ago

Yurali Ensemble — April 2026 ✨

What an incredible three days. This free First Nations ballet program brought together 21 young, aspiring artists to learn, connect, and create their very own Swan Lake.

Across the program, students explored ballet technique, traditional weaving practices, and choreographic tasks—culminating in a special performance for their very proud families.

They were guided and mentored by an inspiring team of First Nations artists: @oliviakirkman_ , @kitana_27 , and @aurielle_smith. Costumes were donated by @ausballetschool, hand-painted by our director @ellahavelka and sewn with love by @theresa_cheah.

A heartfelt thank you to @nonicarrollphotography for capturing these moments, and to @danceworks_sydney for hosting us.

This program was proudly supported by the generous donors and sponsors of The ELLA Foundation and @creatensw through the Creative Nations Program.

#yuraliensemble #firstnationsballet #communitythroughdance by @ella.foundation

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6 months ago

It’s a beautiful day to be a BLAK ballerina 🩰
It was the final session of the Yurali Ensemble Ballet workshop, finishing with a stunning performance altogether referencing Swan Lake and Wiradjuri Country and swan stories. We wish this workshop with @ella.foundation would never end! 💫

Thank you so much to @ellahavelka , Nana Janna, Kayla-Rose’s beautiful teachers @oliviakirkman_ @aurielle_smith @kitana_27 and our support system near and far. Kayla-Rose has made so many gorgeous new dance friends, who made her feel welcome and included - Please keep in touch with us! We love this dance journey together.

We will never forget our special Sydney trip!
🖤💛❤️💚💙🤍 taken in Gadigal Country by @ella.foundation

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6 months ago

The most amazing 3 days with the Yurali Ensemble Ballet Program ❤️🖤💛 @ella.foundation

Dancing, creating, building beautiful friendships, and strengthening our connections to culture.

@theacademy.au @theacademy.prep by @ella.foundation

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6 months ago

Not long now until the Yurali Ensemble Ballet Workshops ✨

We’re so excited to introduce our incredible teaching artists, who will be guiding and inspiring the next generation of young dancers over three powerful days.

🖤 Olivia Kirkman is a proud Dunghutti woman who has trained to RAD Advanced 1 level, performed in Garrigarrang Badu with Jannawi Dance Clan, and is currently a trainee with The Australian Ballet’s Education and Outreach team.

💛 Kitana Price is a proud Wotjobaluk dance artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) from the University of Melbourne, and is currently an education trainee with The Australian Ballet’s Education and Outreach team.

❤️ Aurielle Smith is a proud Kamilaroi performing artist and graduate of Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, member of the NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company (2021–25), and is currently training with Sydney Dance Company’s PPY program.

We can’t wait to share this space with you all ✨

#YuraliEnsemble #FirstNationsDance #NextGeneration by @ella.foundation

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6 months ago