# Dance Academy (2010)

> Talented young dancers train under pressure at Sydney's National Dance Academy, where a country girl's ballet dream collides with rivalry and new friendships.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/29926

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 65
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, family, comedy
- Created by: Joanna Werner, Samantha Strauss
- Network: ABC Me
- Cast: Xenia Goodwin, Alicia Banit, Dena Kaplan, Isabel Durant, Thom Green, Jordan Rodrigues, Thomas Lacey, Tim Pocock
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1551948/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: earnest, warm, competitive, uplifting, playful

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively, praising its dance-focused youth drama and appealing young cast.

## Synopsis

Dance Academy (2010-2013) is an Australian teen drama series created by Joanna Werner and Samantha Strauss for ABC Me. Set at Sydney's National Dance Academy, it follows Tara Webster (Xenia Goodwin), a sheep farm girl determined to become the next great ballerina. Alongside her are Samuel Lieberman (Thom Green), an heir to a family of doctors, and Christian Reed (Jordan Rodrigues), a young offender, both outsiders who slowly find their place. Kat Karamakov (Alicia Banit), the star ballerina's daughter, draws them into her circle with her brother Ethan (Tim Pocock), an older student already aspiring to choreograph. Their engine is the punishing course itself, where every class, audition and rehearsal tests their stamina and nerve, while Abigail Armstrong (Dena Kaplan) schemes to undercut everyone in her path. The three-season run moves at a brisk pace, blending warm friendships, romance, and competitive pressure in a bright, earnest register with plenty of humor and dance performance. Fans of Fame and Glee will find resonance in its mix of youthful ambition, performing arts training and the tensions of a close-knit student body. It is a gentle, family-friendly drama with an uplifting heart and a strong focus on the physical and emotional demands of ballet.

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