Ellicia McDonald

Ellicia put her first pair of dance shoes on at the early age of 4 years old and has not looked back since, having studied ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary dance styles since this age.  At the age of 17 years old Ellicia successfully passed and received her advanced certificate in the Royal Academy of Dancing, one of the most technical ballet syllabuses taking a minimum 11 years to complete.

After auditioning and receiving entry into the full time courses at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Brent St in Sydney, Royal New Zealand Ballet School, and Dance World 301 in Melbourne, Ellicia also auditioned for a production company based in Sydney with whom was putting together a production for a 5 month contract in  Japan.  Ellicia was successful in gaining a place as part of the cast and at 18 years old became a professional dancer.

From her time in Japan, over the next 6 years following Ellicia spent 2 years in the USA and the Carribean, 3 months around northern Europe, and 3 years in India, performing musical theatre, revue shows, magic shows, adagio and commercial performances, film and music videos (including Bollywood), as well as modelling in a number of runway shows, tv commercials, print ads.  Ellicia has also travelled for one off shows to Dubai, Maccau, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, and India.

Ellicia moved back to Australia 2 years ago to be closer to her family.  She now dances commercially around Sydney for various.  Ellicia was introduced to latin dance 12 months ago, in which she fell in love with it.  In this time Ellicia has extensively studied Zouk, Salsa and Bachata, resulting into her invitation to join the Modus Vivendi Project in August 2009.  In October of 2009 Ellicia and her prtner Mitch received 3rd in the national Australian Bachata competition.  Ellicia joined the LDA teaching team in January 2010, and is looking forward to being able to bring a taste of her strengths from her different dance styles and experiences and sharing that with the latin students at LDA.

The Instructor

-Teaching since 17 years old.

-Taught ballet, tap, jazz, comtemporay styles in Australia, including Wagga Wagga, Canberra, and Sydney. And internationlly in Japan, India, USA

-Taught latin styles since this year

The Performer

-Musicals and Revue Shows= 'Take 2', 'Jazz Hot', 'Swingin With the Big Band', 'Around the World', 'Century Cafe', 'Kevin and Caruso Magic Show.

- Commercial Work (both dancing and/or modelling) = Leading dancer for the 2006 Indian fashion awards, Jet Airways, Hitachi, Sony, Hyundai, Skoda, Haier AC, Nokia, Ondia TV, Airtel, United Colours of Benneton, Puma, Daks London, Dominoes

- Latin Performances- Sydney Salsa Congress 2010 LDA Pro Zouk Team, Sydney Salsa Congress 2010 MVP, LDA Ball 2009, Australian Bachata Competition 3rd place winner, Brazilian Zouk Congress 2009 performer, ADF 2009 Zouk performer, Ausralian Bachata Festival 2009 performer,  Doudoule 2009 performer.

- Lead role in song for 'Come on Come on' in Bollywood film 'Baabul'

- Lead role in Bollywood muisc video for well known Bollywood singer 'Sukhwinder Singh' for song 'Is Dil Se'

The Choreographer

- Assisted choreographer for Las Vegas style magic show for Kevin and Caruso, called 'Deja' for Carnival Cruise Lines- USA 2002

- Choreographed various commericial shows for 'Friedrichs Promotions' and 'Di Heaton Dancers'- Sydney since 2008

- Bollywood choreographer for Sydney based dance group 'Mystique'