The Artistic Team
Our Story
In 2022, two like-minded and experienced artists from opposite sides of the world connected, driven by a shared vision to fill the gap of classical ballet found missing in South Australia’s arts landscape. This passion fuelled their partnership, and Adelaide Ballet was born. In 2024, Adelaide Ballet proudly debuted to a sold-out audience at an Immersive Light and Art venue, marking a significant milestone. With growing momentum, the company secured its 2025/26 season at ILA, establishing it as our home theatre. By January 2025, Adelaide Ballet secured a dedicated studio space in Tusmore, Burnside. Built in 1936, this heritage-listed building marks a vital step in the company’s growth—a space where our dancers can rehearse, creativity can thrive, and classical ballet finally has a home in South Australia.
Winner 2025 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Award
Sarah Humeniuk
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Sarah began dancing at four years old. At 15 years old, Sarah was accepted into the Royal Ballet School London (on scholarship third year). During her time at the school, she was always involved in the choreographic areas and won many awards. After graduating, Sarah performed with the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, and Birmingham Royal Ballet. She then toured Europe dancing with various companies, including Paris Opera.
She worked with such greats, including Margot Fonteyn and Michail Baryshnikov, as well as more modern masters, including Christopher Wheeldon (An American in Paris, Like Water for Chocolate, Alice and other works). Lucinda Dunn, Adam Blanch, and Ross Coleman. Sarah began performing in many musical theatre productions in her late twenties, including Shout, My Fair Lady, and Joseph. In recent years, she choreographed for theatre companies in Adelaide. Sarah has been teaching and choreographing for 25 years.
Currently, Sarah teaches and choreographs all genres of dance. Her speciality in classical technique includes RAD, Cecchetti, ISTD, Borovansky, and the Royal Ballet method. Many of her long-term students have become accomplished professional dancers with some of the world’s leading ballet companies. Sarah is a committed educator and mentor for elite young dancers and is passionate about creating meaningful pathways and training and development opportunities for Australia’s next generation of dance artists.
Founder & Artistic Director
Rejane Garcia
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Born in Brazil, Rejane Garcia is a tutor, choreographer, and artistic director who has performed and taught all over the world. She began her training in classical ballet at Maria Olenewa State Dance School in Rio de Janeiro at the age of nine, following the Vaganova Method and graduating in 1997.
Rejane received a scholarship to study at Centro Pro-Danza in Havana, Cuba, under the directorship of Laura Alonso, where she gained professional experience by performing with Ballet Laura Alonso as an apprentice. In 1999, she moved to London to study classical ballet at the London Studio Centre with Margaret Barbieri, where she was awarded a scholarship. She later pursued teacher training in ballet technique with the Royal Academy of Dance under the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA).
As a UK-based freelance dance artist, Rejane worked with Images Ballet Company, Dora Frankel Dance, Nu Tempo Dance Company, Second Hand Dance Company, and Surrey Dance Collective with choreographers such as Gary Clarke, Wayne Sleep, Boris Storojkov, Mark Baldwin, Jean Abreu, Dora Frankel, and Rosie Heafford, among others. She performed and taught at institutions including the British Museum, City Academy, The Place, Saddler’s Wells, Cochrane Theatre, and Channel 4.
Rejane is passionate about access to dance and dance education and has taught for all ages and abilities, from professional ballet dancers from the English National Ballet to groups of children and adults with disabilities and over 60s.
On her latest trip to Russia, Rejane taught at the World Congress in Dance Research and was awarded by the International Dance Council-Unesco for her contribution to arts and heritage.
Since relocating to Adelaide in 2019, Rejane has been a dedicated teacher and coach passionate about shaping the future of South Australia’s ballet scene through purposeful training and development opportunities.
Founder & Artistic Director
Valerie Tereshcheko
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Valerie Tereshchenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and took her first ballet class shortly after immigrating to Australia at the age of six. Valerie completed her senior training at The Australian Ballet School before joining The Australian Ballet in 2009.
During her career with The Australian Ballet, Valerie performed a wide range of classical and contemporary repertoire both in Australia and internationally. Highlights include a two-month exchange with Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam, guest performances with Houston Ballet in Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, and dancing on the opening night of The Australian Ballet’s return to London’s Royal Opera House after thirty-five years.
Beyond the stage, Valerie is particularly proud of her work as a union representative for the dancers of The Australian Ballet with MEAA, her contributions as a board member for Ballet Without Borders, and, most importantly, the friendships and community she has built throughout her career.
After more than sixteen years with the company, Valerie recently retired and relocated to Adelaide, where she is enjoying her new role as a mother and pursuing a long-standing passion for the environment through a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management.
Coach & Repetiteur
Karen Kan
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Born in Hong Kong, KK started her ballet training at 11 and trained with former principal dancers of the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Ballet Philippines, Louis Strike-Beacon and Verna Fajilan-Brazil.
She completed her RAD Advanced 2 with distinction and was a finalist in the Stars Awards Competition organised by The Hong Kong Ballet Group in 2009 and 2010. She then received the Tsinforn C. Wong Memorial Scholarship in 2011 to train in Europe at the Northern Ballet School(UK), Hungarian Dance Academy(Hungary) and Contemporary Dance School Hamburg(Germany).
As a corps de ballet with Manchester City Ballet (UK) and a coryphée with The EnP Dance Company(Hong Kong), she has performed in Giselle, Paquita, Sleeping Beauty, La Fille mal gardée, choreographies in Balanchine ballet style and contemporary dance.
KK continued her Bachelor's training and graduated in 2019 from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Before committing to her Master’s study, she had worked with The EnP Dance Company, East Side Dance Company, Matteo Ricci The Musical, Theatre du Pif, and Passoverdance to perform in the Hong Kong Arts Festival and in CODA Oslo International Dance Festival (Norway).
KK is also passionate in teaching. She started teaching while her Bachelor's training in Hong Kong. She has taught thousands of students since 2015 and has been awarded the Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance in 2020 (UK).
In 2025, KK graduated with her Master's from Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne and joined Adelaide Ballet as a Head Teacher for the Children’s Program.