The Geelong Advertiser has officially opened nominations for the region's best dance teacher in 2026, inviting the community to recognise the instructors who rule the dance floor.
This initiative is part of the Best Of Geelong series, which seeks to highlight local dance teachers who go above and beyond in their craft and community involvement.
Karen Feldman, who claimed the top spot in both 2023 and 2024, expressed her humility at achieving the back-to-back win. She noted the strong mutual respect among dance teachers across Geelong.
"Geelong has such a passionate dance community, so to be recognised by students, families and the wider community two years in a row was really special," Ms Feldman said.
She hopes to see a diverse mix of teachers nominated this year, especially the quiet achievers who make an enormous impact every single week.
"Teachers like Val Hannah, who has been teaching in Geelong for over 70 years, or Jacqui Dressens, whose African dance and rhythm classes are known for creating such an inclusive environment where people of all ages and abilities can experience the joy of dance and movement," she added.
Ms Feldman has operated her Geelong dance studio for two decades, featuring 15 dance spaces. The studio teaches all age groups, from toddlers to adults, in contemporary, hip-hop, jazz styles, and a toddler movement class.
"I've always focused on creating a positive, inclusive and genuinely fun environment," Ms Feldman said. "Technical training is important, but so is building confidence and creating a safe environment for children."
She emphasised that families know the studio truly cares about every child who walks through its doors, whether they dance once a week or dream of performing professionally.
The Best of Geelong series has been relaunched to help readers discover incredible businesses and individuals in the community. The competition proceeds in three stages:
Stage 1: Nominations
An initial call for nominations is made over a two-day period across social media accounts and the website.
Stage 2: Voting
After nominations close, the voting stage opens on the website. The businesses or individuals that received the highest number of nominations progress to the voting stage, which runs for one week.
Stage 3: Winner Announcement
Once voting has closed, a winner is announced on the website, usually a few days after the voting stage concludes. Up to nine other businesses with the highest votes in the poll are also announced.
The Geelong Advertiser reserves the right to disqualify any entries to the Best Of competition.
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