Caper School of Performing Arts – Bella Vista is a well-established sports club located in the Hills District of Sydney. With over 18 years of experience, the school offers a wide range of dance classes for children of all ages, starting from two years old up to teenagers. Whether they are beginners or advanced dancers, Caper provides a variety of classes including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, acrobatics, contemporary, lyrical, and musical theatre.
The school is owned and operated by sisters Kate and Beth McDermott, who have a shared passion for dance and teaching. Caper was founded with the aim of providing premium dance tuition to preschoolers, recreational students, and advanced dancers. The name “Caper” symbolises a playful leap or form of movement, which perfectly encapsulates the vibrant and lively atmosphere that defines the culture of the school.
At Caper, students are welcomed into a friendly, professional, and nurturing environment. The school has a strong teaching philosophy that emphasises solid technique and performance skills. The experienced staff are dedicated to training students to reach their personal best in dance while also fostering increased self-esteem, creativity, and social skills. The school believes in recognising and celebrating effort, and offers both formal and informal merit systems to acknowledge students' progress.
Caper takes pride in offering the best of both worlds to its students. Whether they dance for fun and fitness or aspire to become professional dancers, there are classes and opportunities tailored to suit their needs. The school provides a range of benefits beyond dance, such as increased self-esteem, creativity, and social skills.
The McDermott sisters' journey to opening Caper started when they were 10 and 12 years old. Their childhood dreams became a reality when they founded the school. Their aim was to create a dance studio that they themselves would have loved to attend as students. Having experienced the transformative power of dance in their own lives, Kate and Beth wanted to share their passion with young students and facilitate friendships while helping children develop confidence through skill progression.
Alongside their teaching qualifications and performance and choreography experience, Kate and Beth were driven by their hearts to open a dance school. They truly value each and every student who joins Caper, recognising that they may come for various reasons – whether it's for social, physical, or recreational purposes, or because they have already discovered a passion for dance. Their goal is to see all students reach their full potential while having fun and forming friendships.
With four young children between them, Kate and Beth acknowledge that running a dance school requires alternative working hours and patient husbands. Nevertheless, they hope that their children will be inspired by their example of pursuing a career they love whilst working with purpose.
Caper School of Performing Arts offers a comprehensive range of dance classes for preschoolers, children, and teenagers in the Hills District. The school is proud to offer a friendly and nurturing environment for students to learn and enjoy various dance styles, such as Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, and Musical Theatre. Caper is also the official location of Ready Set Dance in Bella Vista.
For those interested in joining the Caper School of Performing Arts, free trial lessons are available to help students begin their journey into the world of performing arts.