Term 4 Class Enrolments NOW OPEN!
Welcome to LHCA!
MEET OUR TEAM OF TEACHERS
Say hello to ⎯
Cie
DIRECTOR + HIP-HOP AND PRE-SCHOOL DANCE TEACHER
Cie is the Director of LifeHouse Creative Arts, having nurtured a dream of beginning a creative arts school for the community for many years. She is passionate about seeing people find joy in creativity, and loves that moment when a child smiles during a lesson, having honed a new skill or finally ‘got it’ as they repeat their steps.
A dancer since primary school, many of Cie's childhood memories revolve around the fun of sport and movement. She always found herself drawn to the team aspect of creativity and performance — more focussed on the joy of the experience than the pull of competition.
For the last two-plus decades Cie has built upon her personal experience as a dancer, leading church dance groups of all ages. Her role has seen her regularly choreograph multi-layered performances for Christmas carols and other community events, including a combination of dance styles, from Hip-Hop to Jazz and Contemporary.
Cie is the Senior Pastor of LifeHouse Church along with her husband, and a mum of four. She is a people person, beach lover and passionate foodie. In her spare time, you’ll find her walking along one of our beautiful local beaches or down at the marina getting an ice-cream.
Say hello to ⎯
Louise
MUSIC, VOCAL AND DRAMA TEACHER
Louise has been singing, writing songs and making music her whole life.
As a Primary Music Specialist Teacher with the NSW Department of Education for 16 years, Louise had the privilege of teaching thousands of students through music, dance, drama and singing. In her role, she co-ordinated in-school performances, whole school concerts, eisteddfods and community performances. Some of her favourite memories from her time with the Department of Education include starting a school concert band and taking groups of students to perform at the Sydney Opera House and Schools Spectacular. Louise also co-directed the Bongil Bongil Community of Schools Musicales in 2013 and 2016 and in 2019 was awarded a grant to co-ordinate and lead a week long combined schools Music and Dance Festival involving 350 students from 13 local schools!
Needless to say, Louise loves music and the performing arts. She has a special place in her heart for working with children and giving them an opportunity to discover and develop the gifts and talents within.
Louise is married to her high school sweetheart, and has 3 adult children and one beautiful grandson.
Meet ⎯
Pete aka "Dougy"
BREAK DANCING TEACHER
Known by his friends and students as Dougy, Pete is an energetic creative who is passionate about seeing people pursue their potential.
Before moving to Coffs Harbour, Dougy was the founder and director of a Sydney-based dance studio, which tutored over 400 students during his four years in the role. The studio entered teams into State and National competitions, including the McDonalds City of Sydney Performing Arts Challenge. A ‘pinch-me’ moment from this time was performing at the Sydney Opera House.
Dougy is a local business owner and painter by trade. He loves adventuring, trying new things and taking risks, but on the odd weekend you might also find him fishing off the beautiful Coffs Coast. Dougy is a husband and a father of six young kids — all budding adventurers.
Dougy is excited to help students develop their skill from beginner to advanced, moving beyond what they thought was possible and growing in their confidence.
Say hello to ⎯
Shay
JAZZ AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE TEACHER
Shay has been dancing since she was five years old. She describes herself as “always on the move”, whether that’s physically moving or exercising her mind and imagination. Shay has always loved both Jazz and Contemporary dance, each for their own unique take on creativity. Jazz is her go-to genre for fun, energetic movement and up-beat music that always makes people smile. Contemporary allows for more expression and is rich with different techniques and layered elements.
Being a dance teacher has always been a dream for Shay. “I am looking forward to meeting all the students and getting to know them, teaching them skills, and having fun in a positive environment.”
Shay's happy place is being with family and friends at the beach.
Meet ⎯
Michelle
VISUAL ARTS TEACHER
Michelle discovered her love for painting in 2008. In her younger years, art was more of a conundrum than a passion. However, at the age of thirty — while pregnant with her twins — she experienced a profound shift. As Michelle marvels, “Who would have thought that being pregnant with twins would have such an effect on one's creative capabilities?” Michelle completed two terms of professional art classes and just as she finished, sold her first piece of artwork — the first of many.
Michelle’s favourite visual art genres are Abstract Art and Realism, or Abstract Realism, which is a marriage of the two. She enjoys using a variety of mediums, but predominantly works with oils and acrylics. She has fun exploring a range of different styles using patterns, texture, and colour to create her works. Most of her inspiration is drawn from nature.
Michelle describes her journey into the art world as “miraculous”, and finds it a joy to pass the positivity of her experience, her skills and her passion for art on to others.
Say hello to ⎯
Jesse
STREET ART TEACHER
Jesse is a talented Illustrator who started drawing when he was in year 11 at school. Looking back, he admits to spending more time in class drawing characters in his school books than he did on his actual school work. His love for art shaped an exciting path for him though, beginning with his preliminary major work being displayed in a local Bellingen gallery.
These days, Jesse does commission work for clients, illustrating his designs on non-traditional 'canvases' like shoes and skateboards, as well as being engaged for large-scale mural projects. Jesse loves getting an everyday object and making it come alive with characters, design and colour, primarily using Poscas in vibrant combinations.
Jesse is newly married, and works full time as a painter. He spends most of his free time volunteering with kids and teenagers as a Youth Ministry Leader. In between, you can find him out on his bike, or at the beach.
Meet ⎯
Sydney
GUITAR AND DRUMS TEACHER
Sydney is a talented musician who started learning music from a young age. Growing up in a musical family, she is an all-rounder who began learning guitar from the age of seven and drums from the age of twelve. Sydney has been the lead singer in her family’s band since she was in year seven at school, and has pursued music as a passion throughout her life. As a recent year 12 graduate and first year uni student, Sydney’s passion for music continues to grow as she develops her craft - singing at church, in the jazz band ‘Six Again’, fronting her family band ‘Hometown Revival’ and playing gigs on a semi-regular basis.
She is excited to share her skills and love of music with students at LHCA. In her free time, Sydney loves spending time with her friends and family .
Say hello to ⎯
Eric
ROCK SCHOOL (BAND) TEACHER
Eric Blair is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in music. Eric holds both a Bachelors and Masters of Music, completed in the US, and he has a passion for teaching, performing and playing in bands. As a versatile musician, Eric possesses an understanding of various musical genres and instruments, making him the ideal mentor to guide your child on their musical journey within a band setting.
Eric also teaches music at the high school level and leads his own family band, which frequently performs at local community events. When he's not in the world of music education, you can often find Eric unwinding at the local coffee shop, soaking up the sun at the beach, or spending quality time with his family.
Introducing ⎯
Keren
GROOVEHOUSE BEATS TEACHER
Keren has a deep love for both music and people!
She has worked with neurotypical and neurodivergent people of all ages for 30 years in her Music My Way piano studio and Music for Life disability sessions. Keren holds an Associate Performance Diploma from Trinity College London (ATCL — Pianoforte), and is completing her BArts (Music and Psychology).
Along with Adrian Penny and a fabulous volunteer team, she runs the free ‘GrooveHouse all-in’ music and movement group for all abilities — now in its eighth year. Keren loves how music is accessible to everyone, and how utilising a wide variety of instruments and activities can bring joy, enhance cognitive, motor, speech & sensory skills, help with self-regulation and relaxation, and build confidence and opportunities for self-expression.
Keren and her husband are raising 3 wonderful young adults including a daughter with non-verbal autism, and complex motor and intellectual delays. In her spare time, she loves bike riding, being adventurous, swimming and cake!
Say hi to ⎯
Mick
GROOVEHOUSE BEATS TEACHER
Mick has lived a richly musical life! He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, has featured on internationally released albums and movies, and has extensive live performance and sound production experience.
Locally, he is well known for his contribution to the Tallowood Bush Band, performing with the group since 1980.
For 8 years he has volunteered his time at GrooveHouse music and movement group for young people with disabilities, where he rocks the banjo mandolin and is loved by all the kids who cannot wait to sit and listen to ‘Pa’.
He has been a private tutor at Jetty High school, and at his own studio he teaches flute, guitar, mandolin and plays a mean tin whistle too! Mick has studied Middle Eastern and African drumming and is looking forward to enjoying the joy of a drum circle beat with the students.
When he’s not making music he loves to work on organic production of foods and building great garden spaces.
Say G'day to ⎯
Sam
GROOVEHOUSE BEATS TEACHER
Sam is a multi-intrumentalist who loves to share the joy of music with others.
He plays bass guitar, clarinet, and saxophone, performing regularly in two live bands — the much-loved children’s entertainment group The Toads, as well as a New-Orleans-style brass band, the William Street Band.
Sam is also trained in African Drumming facilitation.
He is looking forward to being part of our GrooveHouse Beats class because after many years of playing, music is still simply great fun! He’s keen to share that joy with other class members and inspire young men to get involved in music!
Sam is currently studying Primary School teaching, while leading Christian Surfers Mid North Coast. For fun, he loves surfing, fishing and of course, playing music.
