Pre-school ballet sensation set to sprinkle its magic on Australia

Alex Dunlop and her dad Brad Saunders join babyballet as Master Licensees for Australia

Global pre-school dance sensation babyballet appoint new licensees for Australia, to build its unique brand of fun and confidence to tots throughout the country.

With a syllabus aimed at developing pre-schoolers’ confidence in dance, without the competitiveness of exams, the award winning babyballet has won praise for its inclusive and welcoming classes.

Founded in the UK in 2005, babyballet’s early years dance and ballet syllabus offers four stages of ballet dance classes for children aged from six months to six years, plus a tap-dancing class for children over three years. Globally, babyballet operates over 100 licensed sites with 25,000 children attending each week. Brand growth has also included parties, branded uniform, merchandise, children’s characters and stage shows.

The company has now joined forces with professional dancer and teacher Alex Dunlop as The Master Licensee for Australia. She will oversee the training and support of the existing licensees across the country, as well as the recruitment of dance teachers and studio owners as new babyballet licensees.

She will be working closely with her dad, Brad Saunders, a former Chief Financial Officer for a large corporate and a Chief Operations Officer for a fast-growing Australian company.

Alex, who has performed at events such as Mardi Gras, the AACTA awards and So You Think You Can Dance, has been teaching babyballet classes in Australia since the company launched here in 2017. She also brought the brand to Helensburgh, New South Wales, in 2022 when she became a babyballet licensee herself, and that zone now teaches over 90 pre-schoolers every week.

Twinkle and Teddy in front of the Sydney Opera House

Alex said: “What makes babyballet different to other pre-school dance classes is the syllabus. It has been so well thought out and is very special. When I teach it in class it is absolutely incredible how focused the children are, they are hanging on to my every word and that’s because the programme has been put together so well. babyballet is gold for pre-schoolers, it’s just magical how engaged the children are, which also makes it an excellent programme for teachers and studio owners to deliver.”

When Alex began teaching her babyballet classes in Helensburgh she was in profit from day one. Her classes are currently at capacity, and she is putting on additional ones to cater for the demand.

Brad said: “I have many years’ experience working to expand companies in Australia and overseas in financial roles as a business partner and leader. I hope to share my experience with Alex’s passion and flare for dance and her industry.”

babyballet Founder and CEO, Claire O’Connor, is thrilled to welcome Alex and Brad as Master Licensees

Claire O’Connor, CEO of babyballet, said: “I’m so excited to welcome Alex as our Master Licensee for Australia and to bring Brad on board too, with his vast experience of the commercial world. I have no doubt they will be a winning team in recruiting new licensees and sprinkling the babyballet magic far and wide across Australia.

“The babyballet syllabus has already been well received in Australia because it has been created to make learning to dance at such a young age fun and to build children’s confidence in those very important early years. It is focused on developing pre-schoolers’ educational, physical, social and emotional skills. Almost 18 years on from my first ever babyballet class held in the UK, I’m thrilled that the concept will be taken to its full potential across Australia in Alex and Brad’s capable hands.”

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a babyballet licensee or joining a class, please take a look through the links below

Find babyballet classes in Australia

Find out more about becoming a babyballet licensee

-ENDS-

Issued on behalf of babyballet Ltd by Gravity PR. For more information and interviews, contact mel@gravitypr.co.uk

Notes to Editors

About babyballet

• babyballet was founded in 2005 by CEO, Claire O’Connor.

• babyballet offers a pre-school dance and ballet syllabus through four stages of ballet dance classes for children aged 6 months to 6 years, plus a tap-dancing class for children over 3 years

• The company’s Head Office is in Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK

• babyballet has over 100 franchised/licensed sites in the UK, Australia and New Zealand

• babyballet operates more than 2,000 classes per week attended by around 25,000 children

W: babyballet.com

Instagram: @babyballetworld

Facebook: @babyballet Australia

Twitter: @babyballet