OUR FOUNDER

The Dancer behind DTLS

Lauren MacKinnon

Studio Director, Dance Teacher & Choreographer

Bachelor of Arts - Media

Master of Teaching (Drama & Dance)

I’m the Founder of Dancing Through Life Studios. I am a certified Dance Teacher (with a background in Media and Marketing) who helps adults to rediscover their love of dance and improve their physical and mental health in the process.

After 10 years of teaching dance to children - it was time for me to focus on my bigger passion which has always been choreography and musical theatre. In 2013, I auditioned for Grease in the Ensemble with an amateur theatre company, thinking it was going to be a ‘one off’ performance - fast forward to 2023 and I have performed in and choreographed over 20 shows!

Dancing Through Life Studios was initially created as a dance studio for musical theatre performers to have a local dance studio to attend where they could brush up on their technique before auditions or to maintain their skills in-between shows.

However as the studio began to grow I was surprised at the number of adults who were just like me. Adults who wanted a dance studio that was dedicated just to adults, that was close to home, that was non-competitive, that had a fun social environment, and where performances were non-compulsory.

When I reflect on my life - through my school years, to my uni life and working career - dance has always been my constant. Not only has it been my main source for physical exercise but it’s my happy place where I could be free to truly express myself. It’s unfortunate that as adults we often neglect the hobbies that we once loved as a child. My hope is that Dancing Through Life Studios becomes a studio that allows adults to reconnect or discover their love of dance.

After 5 years - Dancing Through Life Studios is so much more than anything I could have ever imagined. It has become a family of adult dancers from all walks of life who love to learn, socialise, get fit and enjoy dance. Thank you to each and every one of our dancers for making DTLS more than a place to dance but a welcoming, non-judgemental, safe space, for other adults to rediscover their love of dance.

And so I leave you with a quote from my favourite songwriter Stephen Schwartz...

"Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters. It's just life, so keeping dancing through."

Lauren's Biography

Lauren's love of dance started at the age of 4, learning classical ballet. The next year she began jazz ballet and tap and has never looked back!

Lauren's love for the stage expanded after school, performing with local theatre companies. Her onstage performances include; Grease (Hornsby Musical Society, 2013), Follies (HMS, 2013), The Producers (HMS, 2014), Gypsy (HMS, 2015), Guys and Dolls (HMS, 2016), We Will Rock You (HSM, 2018), Rock of Ages (Sydney Youth Musical Theatre, 2018), Anything Goes (HMS, 2018) and Chicago (BTC, 2022).

She has trained with industry professionals dancing at Millennium Dance Complex (LA, California), Mad Dance House (Brisbane), Sydney Dance Company, Brent Street, and Tap Dogs (Sydney) within the styles of Hip Hop, JFH,Theatre Jazz, and Tap. She has also taught at various dance schools across Sydney including Nova Studios, The Australian Institute of Performing Arts, Groove Nation, and Pisaciou Entertainment.

Her passion for dance teaching and choreography developed during her Bachelor of Arts (Media) and Master of Teaching - Secondary (Drama and Dance) degrees. It was during her studies when she founded Dancing Through Life Studios in 2019.