"An Inspiration, a thought, a creation reflected upon our movements, and lines, well-disciplined, well refiearsed, well-performed...

    An enjoyment, a lift from the Divine to give to those who watch and appreciate the beauty of dance, the love of dance, the pain of dance, for dance is our spirit, pure and unaffected..."

 

The College of Jazz Dance was first established within the Safari Sanctuary Fitness Centre in Sliema in September of 1989 by Felix Busuttil and Justin Roy Barker. In October 1992 the College moved to its present premises in San Gwann. The College of Jazz Dance is the biggest Dance School on the island. Currently it boasts of some 500 students with three dance studios and a teaching faculty made up of twelve teachers: four in the Classical Ballet department, two in the Spanish Dance department, five in the Jazz Dance department and one in Hip Hop. The College holds an annual school show every scholastic year without fail. In addition the College collaborates in all major dance productions staged by the YADA Dance Company. Every year the College awards five major scholarships.
 

The YADA Dance Company is a thriving source of creativity made up of some forty dancers all hailing from the College of Jazz Dance. Established by its founder and mentor Felix Busuttil in 1984, YADA has produced some of Malta’s best dance productions over the past years. To name only few : Dance Spectacular (1994), Firedance (1997), Tango (1998), Dirty Dancing (2001), Madonna-The Dance Show (2002), Moulin Rouge (2003), and mostly recently Circle of Senses (2007). Many of Malta’s reknowned choreographers have contributed in such productions, namely: Justin Roy Barker, Vivienne Fielding Refalo, and Alison Bird, as well as others based abroad such as Theresa Kerr and Silvio Oddi. The Company is very versatile and its repertoire ranges from glamorous cabaret shows to top TV shows to Operas and Operettas as well as major theatre productions. Yada has also performed abroad on numerous occasions in Dubai, Turkey, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, India, Denmark and in Cyprus. In March 2010 YADA celebrated its 25th. Anniversary with a performance which filled six full nights at the MCC. Earlier on this year it produced another successful performance Michael Jackson Forever at the MFCC as a tribute to the King of Pops.

Felix Busuttil Dip.L.S.C.
Artistic Director/Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
Tanya Bayona Princess Poutiatine Academy of Ballet; London Studio Centre (UK)
Credits:
(Local) - Dance Spectacular, Era, Minestrone, Tango, Dirty Dancing, Madonna-The Dance Show, Moulin Rouge, Christus, Strait Street, Footloose(Main Role), Circle of Senses, 25 Anniversary Show, Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company; 25th. Anniversary of Independence Day; Opening of Small Nations Games 2003, CHOGM 2005; Dance Power I & II & III (Dance Council-Malta). (Foreign) – Battersea Show Palace – United Kingdom; Bize Lizu – St. Petersburg, Russia. (TV Appearances) – Ghidli Xi Imiss, Tiramisu`, L-Isfida (series I,II & III), Showtime and Kollox Sibt.
 

Justin Roy Barker Dip.L.S.C.
Artistic Director/Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
London Studio Centre (UK); Vaganova Academy (St. Petersburg, Russia)
Credits:
(Local) – Dance Spectacular, Firedance, Tango, Phantom, Madonna-The Dance Show, Graffiti, Strait Street, Circle of Senses, Christus (Main Role), Yada’s 25th. Anniversary Show and Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company; Pre-Opening of Small Nations Games 2003; CHOGM 2005; The King & I – Masquerade Theatre Co.; Thank You For The Music, Fiddler On The Roof – Actreat; Dance Fusion – Alegria Dance; Dance Power I & II & III (Dance Council-Malta). (Foreign) - Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty -London City Ballet; Sold - Boy George (Music Video); Ginosa. (TV Appearances) – Ghidli Xi Imiss, Tiramisu`, L-Isfida (series I,II & III) and Showtime. 

Felix Busuttil Dip.L.S.C.
Artistic Director/Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
Tanya Bayona Princess Poutiatine Academy of Ballet; London Studio Centre (UK)
Credits:
(Local) - Dance Spectacular, Era, Minestrone, Tango, Dirty Dancing, Madonna-The Dance Show, Moulin Rouge, Christus, Strait Street, Footloose(Main Role), Circle of Senses, 25 Anniversary Show, Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company; 25th. Anniversary of Independence Day; Opening of Small Nations Games 2003, CHOGM 2005; Dance Power I & II & III (Dance Council-Malta). (Foreign) – Battersea Show Palace – United Kingdom; Bize Lizu – St. Petersburg, Russia. (TV Appearances) – Ghidli Xi Imiss, Tiramisu`, L-Isfida (series I,II & III), Showtime and Kollox Sibt.
 

Justin Roy Barker Dip.L.S.C.
Artistic Director/Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
London Studio Centre (UK); Vaganova Academy (St. Petersburg, Russia)
Credits:
(Local) – Dance Spectacular, Firedance, Tango, Phantom, Madonna-The Dance Show, Graffiti, Strait Street, Circle of Senses, Christus (Main Role), Yada’s 25th. Anniversary Show and Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company; Pre-Opening of Small Nations Games 2003; CHOGM 2005; The King & I – Masquerade Theatre Co.; Thank You For The Music, Fiddler On The Roof – Actreat; Dance Fusion – Alegria Dance; Dance Power I & II & III (Dance Council-Malta). (Foreign) - Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty -London City Ballet; Sold - Boy George (Music Video); Ginosa. (TV Appearances) – Ghidli Xi Imiss, Tiramisu`, L-Isfida (series I,II & III) and Showtime. 

Daron Galea Dip. C.O.J.D.
Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
Alison White Studio; College of Jazz Dance.
Credits:
(Local) – Movie Magic, Zoomanity, Dance Issues – College of Jazz Dance; Madonna-The Dance Show, Era, Moulin Rouge (Main Role), Tango (Main Role), Footloose (Main Role), Strait Street, Circle of Senses, 25 YADA Anniversary Show, Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company. (TV Appearances) –L-Isfida (series I,II & III), Tista Tkun Int, Kollox Sibt.

Fiona Mckeown Dip. C.O.J.D.
Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
Alison White Studio; College of Jazz Dance.
Credits:
(Local) – Celebration, Pot Pourri, Dance Issues, Zoomanity, Dance Soup, – College of Jazz Dance; Madonna-The Dance Show (Main Role), Christus, Moulin Rouge, Strait Street, Footloose (Main Role), Circle of Senses, 25 YADA Anniversary Show – YADA Dance Company; CHOGM 2005 (Main Role).
 

Anna Galea Dip. C.O.J.D
Jazz Dance Teacher
Training:
Daphne Lungaro; College of Jazz Dance
Credits:
(Local) – Century, Celebration, Zommanity, Dance Issues, Circus – College of Jazz Dance; Phantom, Christus, Madonna-The Dance Show, Circle of Senses, 25 YADA Anniversary Show – YADA Dance Company.
 

Nina Winter L.I.S.T.D. (Dip) Idb (1)

Head of Ballet Faculty

Training:
Royal Ballet School; Elmhurst Ballet School (UK).
Credits:
(Local) – Malta Arts Festival 1996; Dance Spectacular, CHOGM 2005, Bailamos El Flamenco, Millenium Celebrations, Nutcracker, Scrooge, Some Enchanted Evenings, The Magic of Musicals, 25 YADA Anniversary Show, Michael Jackson Forever (YADA Dance Co.) (Foreign) – Fete, Ballet Blues, Lorca – Adonais Ballet Company (UK); Ginosa. (TV Appearances) - L-Isfida (series I,II & III).
 

Audrey Ellul Sullivan A.I.S.T.D.; Dip C.O.J.D.
Ballet Teacher
Training:
Tanya Bayona Princess Poutiatine Academy of Ballet; College of Jazz Dance.
Credits:
(Local) – Zoomanity, Celebration, Dance Issues – College of Jazz Dance; Moulin Rouge, Madonna The Dance Show, Circle of Senses, Footloose, Strait Street, Christus(Main Role), 25 YADA Anniversary Show, Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company; (Foreign) – History of Cyprus. (TV Appearances) Kollox Sibt.
 

Lisa Brincat Dip. C.O.J.D.
Ballet Assistant
Training:
Ms. Anne Gatt; College of Jazz Dance; Cecchetti Summer School; Kledi Kadiu Dance Academy (scholarship)
Credits:
(Local) – Dance Soup, Zoomanity, Dance Issues, Circus – College of Jazz Dance; CHOGM 2005, Footloose, Circle of Senses, 25 YADA Anniversary Show – YADA Dance Company (foreign) – History of Cyprus;
 

Roberta Agius A.I.S.T.D.; Dip C.O.J.D.
Ballet Teacher
Training:
Pointe Two; College of Jazz Dance
Credits:
(local)www.dance05.com, Zoomanity, Dance Issues, Circus – College of Jazz Dance; Dirty Dancing ,Christus (main role), Moulin Rouge, 25 YADA Anniversary Show – YADA Dance Company; Troy (the movie). (Foreign) – History of Cyprus Cyprus; Cabaret India.
 

Lara Lanfranco Id.B(II), Dip. C.O.J.D.
Spanish Dance Teacher
Training:
College of Jazz Dance; Deborah McNamara; Daphne Lungaro School. WE
Credits:
(local) Zoomanity, Dance Issues – College of Jazz Dance; Firedance, Phantom, Moulin Rouge, Strait Street, Bailamos Flamenco, 25 YADA Anniversary Show, Michael Jackson Forever – YADA Dance Company.
 

Annemarie Busuttil Pd.B
Spanish Dance Teacher
Training:
Tanya Bayona Princess Poutiatine Academy of Ballet; Deborah McNamara.
Credits:
Zoomanity, Dance Issues – College of Jazz Dance; Luisillo Spanish Dance Award; Millenium Festival. 25 YADA Anniversary Show
 

Leanne Vella Dip. C.O.J.D.
Hip Hop Dance Teacher
Training:
Daphne Lungaro,
College of Jazz Dance
Credits:
(Local) – Zoomanity, Dance Issues, Dance Soup, Circus– College of Jazz Dance; Dirty Dancing, Christus, 25 YADA Anniversary Show – YADA Dance Company; High School Musical (Main Role) – FM Productions, Dance Project –
Dance Project. Co.