INDUSTRY LEADING TEACHERS
Our teachers have all been carefully selected to ensure you and your children receive the very best. Educated, qualified and experienced, they are a wealth of knowledge and a source of inspiration to our students.
Above all, our teachers are compassionate, enthusiastic and positive professionals who show genuine care for our students and their growth. They always make their students a priority and continue to make us proud year after year.
Ms Olga Lissovskaia
Director & Principal Choreographer
Classical Ballet & Prep Dance program
Olga is Maximo's principal choreographer with over 30 years of experience teaching ballet and other forms of dance. Olga recalls discovering her passion for ballet as early as 3 years old. She started dancing at the age of 6 at the studio that she overtook as director & principal choreographer many years later. And her early love for ballet has grown into a life-changing career.
After many years of dance lessons, Olga went on to study the art of dance, completing a Graduate Diploma in Cultural & Educational Work majoring in Dance at the State College of the Arts. She continued her studies in the field of choreography and went on to study Ballet Choreography and Production at the Kemerovo State Academy of Culture and Arts, expanding her knowledge and skills as a choreographer and teacher. After a few years of teaching, Olga returned to study again & completed a Master's-equivalent degree, further expanding her dance knowledge and teaching skills.
After moving to Australia, Olga accepted the challenge of working in a completely new dance environment and attained positions at two different dance schools in Queensland. She proved her natural talent for teaching and her students received excellent results in examinations and local competitions.
After gaining extensive experience at local dance schools and becoming familiar with her new home, Olga decided to combine her studio-running experience with her newfound experience teaching in Queensland to create her very own dance studio right here in Brisbane. In 2004 she laid the foundation for Maximo Dance Studio and the rest is history! Over the years, Olga has inspired many of her students to become professional dancers, choreographers and teachers themselves. She continues to provide the highest quality of dance education to her students and enjoys sharing her passion for dance every day.
Ms Nicola Lim
Dance Teacher
Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Acrobatics, Prep Dance Program
Nicola has been dancing since the age of three and has performed both nationally and internationally, scoring highest as a soloist in many competitions. She began her choreography career at the early age of fourteen, choreographing both group and solo performances and was soon after awarded the Best Choreography Award in recognition of her talent.
Nicola has a strong passion for dance, both training and teaching various styles including lyrical, contemporary, jazz and acrobatics. She is currently studying a double degree in Dance and Education at the Queensland University of Technology and is excited to share her knowledge and love of dance with the students at Maximo Dance Studio.
Ms Georgina Kueter
Dance Teacher
Jazz, Musical Theater, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Prep Dance Program
Georgina studied at the Australian Dance Performance Institute, graduating with an Advanced Diploma in Musical Theatre. Since then, she has travelled the world for the better part of 10 years, gracing the stage in an abundance of countries. She's performed for companies such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Universal Studios Singapore, Dubai Parks & Resorts, as well as Resorts World Genting. Georgina teaches a wide variety of dance styles to all age groups. Her love for dance has allowed Georgina to develop a strong passion for fitness as well, making her an energetic & highly skilled fitness trainer. Georgina loves sharing her knowledge and passion for dance and fitness with her students.
Ms Alessandra Palmisano
Dance Teacher
Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Prep Dance Program
Alessandra began dancing at a young age and quickly developed a life-long passion that has turned her hobby into a career, both as a performer and a dance teacher/choreographer. She studied in several prestigious dance schools in Rome, Italy with some of the best choreographers and teachers in the world; exploring different styles and in turn, developing a special passion for Contemporary dance.
Her classical ballet training was in the Vaganova method, which she believes to be the best method of classical teaching through her own experience.
When Alessandra moved to Australia, she furthered her education by completing a Certificate 3 in Teaching at the Australian College of Dance and received an Award for Excellence for her outstanding level of determination and commitment towards her studies. Currently involved in a number of dance projects, Alessandra teaches at several schools across Brisbane and is working on developing her own teaching method that combines over 30 years of experience in the field of dance, in order to improve the performance, experience and perception of the dancers.
Ms Samantha Todd
Dance Teacher
Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Musical Theater, Hip-Hop, Acrobatics, Prep Dance Program
Samantha began her dance, singing and acting training later than most in the industry, at the age of 12, after competing at an international level in gymnastics/acrobatics since the age of 4. Her eagerness in her newfound passion allowed her to learn quickly and progress faster than most.
She performed in the professional production of "The Sound of Music", won the overall highest scoring soloist and participated in the USA Get the Beat competition twice. She has also furthered her music and acting training and featured in films and community theatre shows on the Gold Coast.
She soon discovered her passion for choreography and began to teach and bring her creations to life in 2018, while continuing her studies and obtaining a Certificate 3 in Dance Teaching. Samantha is currently studying for a bachelor's degree while continuing to teach at dance schools across Brisbane keeping her heavily involved in the arts.
Ms Lorna Greenland
Dance Teacher Assistant
Prep Dance Program
Lorna has an incredible passion for dance, theatre and the arts and over 20 years of dance training in classical ballet, contemporary and jazz. Her professional career saw her travelling around the world, competing in cheer competitions throughout Europe.
With a Diploma in Theatre Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media, Lorna has over 10 years of experience in events and theatre production. However, her passion for dance keeps her heavily involved in the dance industry. She is an avid dancer, a fitness enthusiast and a cabaret performer in many productions around Queensland.
Lorna is eager to share her dance knowledge and theatre experience with our students here at Maximo, and you'll find her assisting our teachers in the studio as she continues to learn and grow into a wonderful teacher.