NSW Spring Syllabus Intensive 2026

Debra Whitten, RAD Examiner

Debra Whitten (A.R.A.D Solo Seal) is an Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance and is also an appointed Solo Seal Examiner and Standardisation Examiner. After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts with a Diploma in Dance, Debra opened her own school the Debra Whitten School of Dance which offers classes from 2 years- vocational full time training. As a well respected RAD Examiner she travels throughout Australia and overseas, which gives her a high exposure to up to date training methodologies, syllabi content and examiner criteria. Debra has trained numerous successful and outstanding dancers at both her own school and as a faculty member of the Queensland Dance School of Excellence for over eighteen years.

Elissa Mairet, RAD Examiner

Elissa grew up in Sydney training with Aina Reega and then Prudence Bowen at Ecole Classique, where she passed her Advanced and Solo Seal exams aged 15. She competed in the Genee awards and Prix De Lausanne and accepted into The Australian Ballet School graduating with Diploma of Dance. Elissa danced with Opera Australia and extra roles with the Australian Ballet, before auditioning through Europe and Scandinavia. Upon return, Elissa completed Diploma of Teaching with the RAD, and has enjoyed a teaching career of over 30 years. Training dancers in Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and rural NSW, she now lives and teaches in Toowoomba, and is honoured to be an examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Karen Suttie, RAD Examiner

Karen is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance and has been teaching and operating her own school for over 28 years. Trained in Newcastle under the guidance of Roxanne McCourtie and Tessa Maunder, she has a passion for Classical Ballet that led her to undertake the Royal Academy of Dance Teachers Certificate and Teachers Diploma, receiving both. Over the years she has coached many students, with finalists and winners in the Isobel Anderson Awards, Alana Haines Awards and other overseas competitions. Many former students have also been accepted into pre-professional training schools and both domestic and international companies to pursue their dancing careers.
She has recently completed her Certificate IV in training and assessment; is appointed to the Royal Academy of Dance Panel of Examiners; and tutors’ students for RAD Examinations across Australia.