Artistic Director

Michelle Maxwell

Michelle began her dancing at the age of 4 and has been ever since.

In 1993 Michelle completed the RAD Teaching Diploma under the guidance of Patricia and Valma Saill and Valma Briggs-gaining a Distinction. Michelle's teaching career started when she was 18 under the guidance of her childhood Ballet Teacher, Priscilla Kurtz.Starting out in Classical Ballet and Jazz-then expanding into Contemporary which is where her passion for Choreography began. Another area of great interest to Michelle is the field of Dance Medicine, she has been an active member of IADMS (International Association of Dance Medicine & Science) since 2004, and regularly attends their Conferences, keeping her up to date with the latest advances in the world of Dance Medicine.

Over her teaching career Michelle has been fortunate enough to work at several prominent Sydney studios such as: Saill Academy of Dancing, Deidre Bronner School of Ballet, Wendy Gibbs School of Ballet, Illawong Dance Studios, and Academy Ballet with Nicholina Kuner. She is highly committed to her dancers adopting a 'tough' but 'fair' attitude towards their training. Constantly searching for new opportunities and contacts for her Company members.

In 2005 Michelle organized an independent study tour of prominent schools and companies throughout Europe.                                                                   

This is where she met her now good friend-Maurice Causey at the Netherlands Dance Theatre Studios where he was Ballet Master at the time. Maurice came to Australia later that year and gave an exclusive workshop to Michelle's students, which they still describe as 'amazing' to this day!

She has wanted to start her own 'Junior Company' for 15 years, and is both proud and excited to finally see her dream come to life through AUSTI!

ASSISTANT PRODUCER - CHELSEA Byrne

Chelsea was an inaugural company member in 2011, performing in the AUSTI.’s first season Too Soon to Tell and with the company in Sydney Fringe Festival, Viva La Gong, and Treasures From The Vault in the same year. AUSTI. inspired Chelsea to study a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance Making (Choreography) at Victoria College of the Arts (VCA). She has since completed a Master of Dance (VCA) and is active in the Melbourne dance community.

Chelsea is an independent dance artist who has worked with Helen Herbertson, Victoria Hunt, Amanda Lever and Tess de Quincy, and performed at Inhabit Festival, Dance Massive, Melbourne Fringe, Midsumma and Dancehouse. She is a core member of Root Synthesis Collective making live and screen based work. Chelsea also co-directed the part-time preprofessional program at The Space Dance and Arts Centre, contributed to dance curriculum for several organisations, coordinated Big Dance 2018 in Victoria and in 2022 launched Youth Dance Maker’s Initiative.