New studio helps fulfil local dancer Eden Coughlan’s dream

Copper City Dance Centre held a Meet & Greet on Saturday. Pictured are dance teachers and students Georgia Boland, Bella Coughlan, Lucy Scott, Zannette Clements, Elli Fuller; Eden Coughlan, Eloise Griffiths and Zannie Ham.

A new dance studio, Copper City Dance Centre (CCDC) has started up and its talented teachers have begun teaching a variety of dance classes to over 100 enrolled students.

Opening a dance studio has been a life long dream of local woman Eden Coughlan.

“It had always been my goal to own a dance studio in Cobar and to be able to give back my experience to the kids,” Eden said.

“While I love performing, my passion for dance has always been in teaching others.

“Nothing compares to seeing a child having fun, learning and expressing themselves in a structured and supportive environment.”

Eden has been dancing for a little over 10 years and was taught by a number of local dance teachers for eight years before a hip injury took her away from performing.

After her recovery she became a Member of Australian Dance Vision and began studying for a Dance Teaching and Management Certification through the Australian Dance Institute.

This involved regular trips to Sydney to be taught by industry professionals in many styles of dance.

“I have now taught dance in Cobar for seven years. I began teaching solo lessons when I was 15,” Eden said.

Throughout her years of dancing Eden has learnt Classical Ballet/Pointe, Modern/Lyrical, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Kicks Turns Leaps, Jazz Funk Hip Hop, Broadway Theatre and Acro.

Eden will have the teaching help of Zannette Clements, Zannie Ham and Georgia Wilson.

Zannette has extensive experience in Acro and circus skills and has travelled nationally and internationally with CircusOz and has been trained by some of Russia and China’s most accomplished teachers.

Zannie started dancing at four and was previously taught by Eden. She will complete her Dance Teaching Certification this year and will teach  beginners as well as some junior and musical theatre classes.

Georgia Wilson will be teaching the Cheerleading class and has 10 years experience dancing and has cheered with the University of Newcastle Co-ed Seahorses while she was studying business.

Two junior teachers, Summer Bullion and Bella Coughlan, will be assisting the teachers with classes.

Enrolments at CCDC have been better than Eden expected with 115 enrolments as of Monday morning, and will continue to be taken throughout the year.

“Our most popular classes are Contemporary and Hip Hop and they are already at capacity,” Eden said.

CCDC is currently operating at Cobar Youth & Fitness Centre however will soon be moving into their permanent home in Linsley Street.