THE DIRECTORS
 Tracey Stretton
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
B.A., Dip Tchg., Dip Dance Drama in Education
Tracey graduated from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and then completed her Diploma in Teaching. She then furthered her training with a Higher Diploma in Teaching and a post-graduate Diploma of Dance and Drama in Education from the Auckland College of Education. She has worked for the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and for the Ministry of Education as a Drama and Dance moderator and assessment writer. She has held Head of Drama and Dance positions at Kristin School, Avondale College and the Senior College of New Zealand. She loves to perform and has landed a couple of guest roles on Shortland Street. She oversees the artistic content in the classes and end of year shows and trains the Performance.net tutors in master classes on Dance, Drama and most importantly, teaching pedagogy.
Michael Stretton
MANAGING DIRECTOR
B.A., Dip. Tchg. T.T.C.
Michael graduated from the Auckland College of Education with a Diploma in Teaching and furthered his training with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland. He has taught the age group spectrum from 5 yr old New Entrants @ Kristin School to students in The University of Auckland Foundation Programme in their twenties. He has held the Head of English position at Ponsonby Intermediate School and English Curriculum Co-ordinator within the Academic Colleges Group. Micheal works with Schools in Auckland to set up the Performance.net Scholarship Programmes and manages the venues, tutors and marketing.
Tracey and Michael have three young children who perform in their own way about the family home.
Melanie Sax
DANCE TUTOR
C. Perf (Dance and Drama)
 Melanie Trained at Excel School of Performing Arts where she completed an Advanced Certificate of Performance in Dance which covered Jazz, Contemporary, Hip hop, Choreography, Performance, Cultural dance and Drama. She was then selected to tour nationwide in her second year performing in schools, churches and theatres throughout NZ. She has completed all her R.A.D Ballet grades, Grade Eight passing with Honours and gained Intermediate in Ballet, and Jazz with Honours. She has modeled at New Zealand L' Oreal Fashion week 05, for Annah Stretton and continue to do part time modeling. Loves choreographing and children. She has competed and performed in various Wearable Art Competitions throughout New Zealand, and is currently studying fashion.
Andries Mentz
DRAMA AND MUSICAL THEATRE TUTOR
Dip. Screen Acting, Dip. Film & Televison Prod.
 Andries is a senior member of The Performance.net team and his classes are fun, challenging and exciting. He at South Seas Film and Television School, graduating from two separate courses; Film and Television Production and a Diploma in On Screen Acting. Andries has acted in over a dozen short films including a role in the feature film Memories of Tomorrow which was shownthe Asian Film Festival ’05. Andries has been frequently involved in pantomime theatre and has worked in such classics as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty. Andries brings a youthful energy to his classes and young people in particular respond well to his dynamic energy. He has produced and directed many shows for The Performance.net including our 2005 season of Wunz Upon A and The Wiz in 2009. He also worked with Tracey Stretton as Assistant Director on our 2008 season of Little Shop of Horrors. We are just delighted to have Andries as such a strong and vibrant member of the team.
Natalie Jane Morris
DRAMA MUSICAL THEATRE AND DANCE TUTOR
Bachelor Arts (English, Classics, Theatre)
Natalie-Jane Morris has trained as an actor for theatre, film and television. Her training started at a young age with the Uxbridge Theatre Company for four years. She has completed various acting courses specialising in physical theatre and voice accentuation. Natalie has completed a Bachelor of Arts focusing on English (Shakespeare + Medieval Literature), Classical Studies (Greek & Roman Mythology, Culture and Theatre) and Theatre. She has also trained for four years as a Latin American and Ballroom Dancer, receiving honours level in her final exams. She has worked in over 13 theatrical performances, and five on-screen roles and can’t get enough! Natalie brings a great burst of positive vitality into her classes and takes delight in watching her student’s confidence and dramatic skills grow. We are delighted to have her as a part of the Performance.net team.
Melissa Jones
DRAMA AND DANCE TUTOR
Bachelor of Education (ECE)
Melissa graduated from Macquarie University (Sydney) with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) including many Performance electives. Her involvement began in the arts as a child with drama classes at the Sydney Talent Company and since then she has been involved in various Australian theatre, film and television projects. Melissa was awarded a scholarship with the Pact Youth Theatre in Sydney and worked with the Impact Ensemble for the 2002 Year of the Outback finale performance ‘Wide Open Road’ at the Sydney Opera House. Her classes are vibrant and she inspires her students to be the best that they can be in theatre and in life. We are delighted to have Melissa as a part of The Performance.net team.
Liz Harrex
DRAMA, MUSICAL THEATRE AND DANCE TUTOR
Dip. Performing Arts (Drama/Vocals)
 Elizabeth graduated from Excel School of Performing Arts in 2007 where she majored in Drama and Vocals. She has had a wealth of experience performing in musicals and theatre productions including Bugsy Malone, The Crucible and Pandomonium’s Theatre Beyond the Blue. She is also a talented dancer and in 2002 she danced as pre entertainment at Carisbrook stadium for the All Blacks vs. South Africa clash. Elizabeth has received numerous awards in Performing Arts during her training including Morton Family Cup for Excellence in Drama 2006 from Excel Performing Arts School and she has achieved Grade 7 Trinity Speech Board Speech and Drama. She is also a musician and has achieved Grade 6 Piano from the Royal School of Music London. Elizabeth is a bubbly and enthusiastic teacher with infectious positive energy that her students thrive off. We are delighted to have her on board The Performance.net team.
Liz Baldwin
DRAMA TUTOR
BA, NZTTC, Dip Tchg
Liz has spent her life in theatre and education. She has over 25 years experience teaching, directing and performing in theatre, television and film in NZ, Asia-Pacific region and Europe. She was closely involved with the Hong Kong Youth Arts Festival in a number of projects, notably Ssshh 1 and Ssshh 2 which toured Hong Kong and the Edinburgh Fringe Festivals ’97 and ’99 where they gained nominations for a Fringe First. She has worked in Asia and Europe as an educator and director with ISTA (International Schools Theatre Association), worked as a performing arts teacher in NZ and international schools for 15 years, performed professional theatre and film in over 60 productions and co-founded two theatre companies. Liz is the mother of three delightfully delicious toddlers who have taken her on a discovery of learning quite beyond her expectations!
Annabelle Payne
DANCE TUTOR
 Annabelle began her professional training at age 11 where she joined the Production Company Kaleidoscope Performing Arts. It was here that she picked up her experience in stage production and performing. She then went on to compete year one of her degree in Dance at AUT University adding to her dance knowledge in Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet, Ballroom, Bellydancing, Tap and Kapa Haka. Annabelle went on to further her experience in Ireland teaching Hip Hop in Universities and Schools nationwide with Backstage Performing Arts Academy. She also set up her own Dance company Mizdemeanor Entertainment and produced entertainment shows across the country and provided talent for corporate functions, advertising and events. She is a passionate dance teacher who has extensive knowledge to share with her students and loves the challenge that teaching offers her. She has a belief that she can ‘bring the best out in every student’. She has since returned to NZ and begun her work by choreographing at Unitec University in late 2007. She is a dynamic teacher and her classes are challenging and fun. We are delighted to have her on board The Performance.net team.
Melissa Breckon
DANCE TUTOR
BDance
 Melissa has trained in various dance forms from a very young age, including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, and Hip Hop dance. She has competed all over the country in dance and received various awards and scholarships for her achievements.
Melissa loves choreography, teaching, and educating people about dance. During her last three years studying dance she has been able to advance her skills within these areas, and having now graduated from AUT University with a Bachelor of Dance is now looking forward to building her career within the dance industry. We are delighted to have her on board the Performance.net team.
Robyn Paterson
DANCE & DRAMA TUTOR
Bachelor Performing Arts
 Robyn Paterson has much experience in film, television and theatre. Originally born in South Africa, but growing up in Hamilton, Robyn took to drama and dance early, landing her first role on stage when she was three years old. She also was involved with the Riverlea Theatre Company in Hamilton, as well as Star Makers drama class and Opera Waikato, where she appeared in productions of “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Oliver!” and the French Opera, “Carmen”. She the moved to Auckland where she now holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts majoring in Acting, after graduating from the Unitec School of Performing Arts. She has appeared in over a dozen short films including “Golden History” and landing a role in the 2009 German Telefeature “Paradise at the End of the World.” She also landed a lead role in the play “Sit On It” for Auckland’s very first season of The Young and Hungry Arts Festival for Up and Coming New Talent ‘09. She has trained with many acting coaches including Miranda Harcourt and L.A acting coach Keren LeClair-Greene. She now trains in the art of Meisner. Robyn’s classes and packed with energy and she brings a creative spark to help students create and develop their own creative abilities. She loves teaching her students how much fun drama can be, but also the techniques and skills of the craft. We are delighted to have her on board the team at Performance.net
Katrina Wessesling
DRAMA AND DANCE TUTOR
 Katrina has had a wealth of experience on stage and has performed in numerous productions including Les Miserable, Into the Woods, Annie, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She has trained in theatre, film and voice for the past 5 years and has been acting for 8 years. She is a Junior Associate for Toi Whakaari and is currently taking a gap year before attending the Drama School fulltime in
2009. She is represented by Odd Management and has recent industry experience.
Katrina has been directing and choreographing for Stage Challengefor the past few years where she has picked up many awards including a first place in Student Direction and an award in Dramatic Choreography.
Katrina is an enthusiastic, confident and creative actor and tutorwith much to offer and we are delighted to welcome her on board the team at The Performance.net.
Erin Wright
DANCE TUTOR
C.Perf (Dance & Drama)
 Erin is a trained dancer who has recently graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts from the University of Auckland. For the past five years she has been teaching the NZAMD Syllabus (New Zealand Association of Modern Dance) to students in the East Auckland area. Dancing since the age of three, Erin has competed in competitions all around New Zealand and has won various awards and nominations for scholarships. Erin enjoys performing and has performed at a variety of
events around the world including the Americas Cup in New Zealand and dance festivals stretching as far as Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Erin is trained to Advanced level in Modern Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop Dance, Ballet, Irish Dancing and more recently Contemporary Dance. Erin also has drama experience, having studied it throughout high school, with lead roles in small productions. She loves to work with people of all ages and abilities, to give them experience, understanding and a love of the arts.
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