Tamsin McLinden (Tammy)
Studio Director, teacher
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) - Graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts.
Certificate IV in Dance Teaching and Management - Graduate of Transit Dance.
Certificate II in Dance - Graduate of The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
Certified Rhythm Works Integrative Dance Instructor.
Accredited Kinderballet™ teacher.
First Aid Trained (level 2)
Tamsin believes that dance can play an important role in a person's life. This role shifts and changes as we develop and grow, but always provides invaluable lessons that often have little to do with pointing our toes. Having danced since early childhood she feels incredibly grateful that dance has always been a constant in her life and that she has been able to reap the many benefits that come with dance education such as confidence, resilience, an ability to take on constructive feedback and of course many wonderful friendships.
Tamsin grew up in Perth, Western Australia and attended Betty Bentley Dance Academy for 12 years, completing Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) grade examinations. In 2009 she was accepted into The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) to study a Certificate II in dance. During this time, Tamsin also danced with STEPS Youth Dance Company, which she still feels was one of the most important experiences of her childhood/ teenage years. Dancing with STEPS sparked an interest for Tamsin in pursuing a career in Contemporary Dance. The most significant memories of STEPS that she cherishes and wishes to pass onto future generations is the value that the professional (adult) choreographers saw in the ideas and contributions from the youth company members as well as the camaraderie among the dancers. .
After finishing school, Tamsin was accepted into The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance). She thoroughly enjoyed studying at the VCA and worked with some wonderful choreographers during her time there, such as Fiona Cameron, Nat Cursio, Anna Smith, Becky Hilton and Stephanie Lake.
Whilst studying at VCA, Tamsin collaborated with peers to create Cerebral Cortex, a triple bill that was presented in the 2014 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Upon graduating, she performed in Eve Newton-Johnson's work Everything's Coming up Roses as part of the double bill As Much Again, presented at Dancehouse for the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
In 2015 she also performed in Tom Lee Richard's film clip of The Wearing Kind.
Tamsin began teaching at Dance Habit in Maribyrnong, Victoria in 2015 and here realised that working with children is definitely her calling in life. Her experiences at Dance Habit truly shaped the teacher she is today and she feels very lucky to have been given the opportunity to develop and grow as a dance teacher in such a nurturing and supportive environment.
In 2016 Tamsin discovered Kinderballet and began teaching the incredible programs. Through Kinderballet, she learned more and more about the specific skill set required to teach preschool aged children, and was very keen to fine tune these skills.
Tamsin launched Nook Dance Centre in January 2019. She hopes to provide her students with similar incredible experiences and opportunities to those that she has experienced, and to help her students on their way to a wonderful, life-long relationship with dance.