Lights, camera, Dance Academy.

Principal photography on the first ever Dance Academy movie commenced yesterday.

The film, due for release in cinemas early next year sees returning cast including Xenia Goodwin as Tara Webster plus Dena Kaplan (Abigail), Thomas Lacey (Ben), Jordan Rodrigues (Christian), Alicia Banit (Kat), Keiynan Lonsdale (Ollie) and Tara Morice playing Miss Raine.

Dance Academy: The Movie, to be shot in Sydney and New York, picks up eighteen months after the end of the ABC3 series, with the characters living completely different lives to their life in the Academy.

Producer and Executive Producer, Joanna Werner said: “I’m thrilled to be starting the shoot for Dance Academy, this feature feels like a long time in the making and I’m amazed with the talent of the cast and crew we have assembled. I can’t wait to see it in cinemas next year.”

Director Jeffrey Walker said “Dance Academy is incredibly close to my heart, working on this picture with Sam Strauss and Jo Werner is like coming home. The characters have matured with the audience and the film promises to deliver an incredible insight into the world of dance, not often seen.
Australian cinema greats, designers Chris Kennedy and Tess Schofield, along with Director of Photography, Martin McGrath are collaborating with me to deliver a huge, widescreen cinematic experience.”

Creator and writer Samantha Strauss said: “We are so excited to be reunited! There have been many grand jetes up and down the corridors. The dancing is breathtaking and it’s so special to work with this cast again now they’re all grown up… not to mention lure Jeff Walker back from Hollywood. Happy, happy days!”

Dance Academy is currently screening in 160 countries around the world, including ZDF in Germany, Netflix in the US, and Nickelodeon in the UK. The film’s Executive Producers are Louise Smith, Bernadette O’Mahony, Vicki O’Neil, Arne Lohmann and Nicole Keebe and produced by Werner Film Productions.