Meet our 2024 JOKSOD Student Teachers

Savvy Laurito

• Has been a JOKSODian for 10 years!
• This is her 3rd year of being a Student Teacher
• Is helping with our Beginner Classical, Beginner Jazz, Intermediate Jazz classes and Under 6 Troupe! 
• She was was overjoyed and beyond grateful to be asked to be a student teacher.
• Savvy says:

'"I look up to all my teachers and past student teachers at JOKSOD, so now to hopefully be someone the younger girls look up to means the absolute world to me. To be able to watch the younger student growth throughout the year and be apart of their dance journey has to be one of the most special things there is. By becoming a student teacher it gives me so many opportunities to grow as a dancer and a person and to get a real feel for what it is really like on the other side of a dance class. Being a student teacher has and will continue to teach me so many life lessons, it helps me be more organised, to really listen and look at the small details. Hopefully one day if i ever become a real dance teacher i can put all the things i have learned from my teachers and from being a student teacher into life one day on the other side of a dance class."

Lily Woods

• Has been a JOKSODian for 5 years and a dancer for much longer!
• This is her 3rd year of being a Student Teacher
• Is helping with Beginner Classical Class, Pre School Fairy Magic, Junior Jazz and Under 10 jazz troupe!
• She was super excited to be asked to be a student teacher.
• Lily says:

"For me I love getting to see the growth of the Younger Students throughout the year. I love not only seeing their technique improve but also their confidence. I love having the opportunity to learn from the JOKSOD teachers about how to run dance classes and how to teach the younger students as one day i would love to be a dance teacher. This year i feel like i will learn valuable leadership skills about how to manage a class, i feel like i will learn more on how to correct mistakes and help the students improv."

Ashlea Rush

• Has been a JOKSODian for 12 years!
• This is her 3rd year of being a Student Teacher!
• Is helping with our Grade 3 Exam and 10 & Under Classical and Neo troupes.
• She felt so honoured to have been given the opportunity to be a student teacher when she was asked. 
• Ashlea says:

"There are so many things i like about student teaching but I really love seeing the students grow and improve every single week. I really enjoy watching their confidence grow and their technique develop throughout the year. I feel like being a student teacher helps not only the students confidence grow but also mine. I will learn many useful skills like assisting students to improve and understand the corrections they are given."

Alannah Mills

• Has been a JOKSODian for 10 years!
• This is her 2nd year of being a Student Teacher!
• Is helping with our Sub-Junior Classical and Primary Exam class
• She felt honoured to be chosen to help with the younger students at JOKSOD
• Alannah says:

"To me being a student teacher means that I get to share why I love dance with younger kids and help them improve and challenge themselves. I believe I will get lots of things out of student teaching however I think the most rewarding thing is watching the students you help grow and improve and really making a connection with them."

Ebony Ricupito

• Has been a JOKSODian for 12 years!
• This is her first year of being a Student Teacher!
• Is helping with our Junior Contemporary, Sub-Junior Jazz, 10 & Under contemporary troupe and 8 and Under troupes.
• She felt so excited and grateful to be asked to be a student teacher.
• Ebony says:

"Being a student teacher has always been something I’ve wanted to do at JOKSOD, since I was a little girl. I remember looking up to so many of my students teachers when I was younger, so I’m very happy that I can now be the student teacher and hopefully younger dancers can look up to me. Being a student teacher means a lot to me, I love seeing everyone grow as a dancer and improve throughout the year. I love being able to help dancers out with steps or combinations that they are stuck on. Becoming a student teacher will help me grow as a dancer and as a person. I know that in the future if I ever become a dance teacher or anything that relates to that, I will take everything i’ve learnt from being student teacher with me. I’m so beyond happy that Miss Jo has given me this opportunity."

Adele Vokes

• Has been a JOKSODian for 3 years!
• This is her first year of being a Student Teacher!
• Is helping with our Junior Classical and Pre-Inter Classical.
• She felt so excited to be asked to be a student teacher.
• Adele says:

"I like to assist in building confidence with the littlies and work on their technique. I enjoy the weekly training classes and assisting their ability to grow in their technique in classical class." 

Macey Andreana

• Has been a JOKSODian for 8 years!
• This is her first year of being a Student Teacher!
• Is helping with our Beginner Classical and Pre-School Fairy Magic classes.
• She felt so excited to be asked to be a student teacher.
• Macey says:

"I love any chance that I get to connect with the junior school and I love making new friends. Being a student teacher means that I can assist the class teacher by helping these younger dancers with their posture and placement. I really enjoy watching them when they remember their corrections and see their excited faces when they learn to do something new. I also love that they know I am there to help them if they feel a little unsure. I will feel more connected with the younger students and also learn more about myself."