Dance Factory

What Dance Factory does

Dance Factory is a privately held, for-profit dance education institution headquartered at 225-227 Swan Street, Richmond, Melbourne, that has operated continuously for more than 40 years under the ongoing involvement of co-founders Dulcie Lee (Principal) and Vicki Lee (Director). It delivers instruction across multiple dance styles to children, teenagers, adults, international students, and partner-school cohorts, with the curriculum structured around the proprietary Dance Factory Teachers Association (DFTA) syllabus — an eight-level graded framework introduced in 1982 — and led artistically by Mark Laguerre.

The institution is registered as a Registered Training Organisation and listed on CRICOS, enabling it to issue nationally accredited qualifications from Certificate II through Diploma level, including VET Dance programs delivered under formal auspice arrangements with Victorian secondary schools and independent dance studios. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of channels: casual and term-based class enrolments, ten-class passes, private lessons, studio hire for weddings and corporate events, holiday intensives, and accredited tuition. Faculty are practising industry professionals with current or recent credits in stage, screen, and cruise-line productions, and alumni have been placed in major commercial productions including Hamilton.

The operating base is concentrated at the single Richmond campus (five studios) with headcount of 11–50 employees, no external equity funding, and no disclosed M&A activity. Distribution has been extended beyond the campus through the auspice channel, and product range has been expanded with the upcoming Diploma of Musical Theatre (2026), VET Dance 2027 enrolments, and Summer Night Classes targeting adult learners from January 2026.

Name

Dance Factory

Legal name

Dance Factory

Website

https://dancefactory.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dance Factory is a Melbourne-based dance education institution offering accredited and casual classes across multiple styles, serving children, adults, international students, and partner secondary schools via RTO auspice arrangements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Dance Companies (71112), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Dance Floor, Staging & Platform Rentals (HSACAFAD), Dancers, Choreographers & Dance Troupes Booking (HSACAHAD)

Keywords

• Dance education services
• Accredited dance courses
• Performing arts training
• Dance school instruction
• Vocational dance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Dance Classes and Courses: Revenue from casual adult classes, short courses, full-time and part-time accredited courses. Classes offered across multiple dance styles and skill levels from beginner to advanced.
2. Private Lessons: One-on-one tuition in all dance styles for technique improvement, competitions, and weddings. Offered at premium pricing for 30-minute and 60-minute sessions.
3. Studio Hire: Rental of dance studios to external groups for classes, auditions, rehearsals, workshops, and lectures. Studios feature sprung floors, sound systems, and kitchen facilities.
4. VET Dance Programs: Vocational Education and Training in Dance for secondary school students (Years 10, 11, 12), providing nationally recognized qualifications integrated into VCE. Auspice arrangements with partner schools.
5. Wedding Dance Services: Private lessons for couples preparing first dance routines for weddings. Custom choreography and teaching services.
6. Group Dance Workshops: Dance workshops and group lessons for schools, companies, and clubs. Delivered at Dance Factory studios or on-site at client locations. Includes team building and school incursions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dance Factory is a Melbourne-based dance school that delivers in-person dance instruction across jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, musical theatre, and contemporary for children, teenagers, adults, and seniors. The school operates as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), offering nationally accredited Certificate II through Diploma qualifications in dance, dance teaching and management, musical theatre, and professional dance, alongside casual classes, short courses, private lessons, wedding dance choreography, studio hire, and group workshops.

Product overview

Dance Factory is a dance education institution in Melbourne, Australia offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs across multiple delivery formats. The core offering includes accredited certificate and diploma courses (Certificate II-IV, Diploma of Dance, Diploma of Dance Teaching and Management, Diploma of Musical Theatre, Diploma of Professional Dance) delivered through full-time and part-time modalities. These are complemented by non-accredited programs including casual adult classes, short courses, performance classes, kids and teenagers programs, and senior-specific Over 60's classes. Dance Factory also provides specialized services including private lessons, wedding dance choreography, children's dance parties, and studio hire. For institutional partners, Dance Factory operates as an RTO (Registered Training Organisation) offering VET Dance programs and auspice arrangements for secondary schools and dance schools. The DFTA (Dance Factory Teachers Academy) syllabus provides a proprietary teaching framework distributed to partner schools across Victoria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Time Dance Courses

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% success rate for RAD examinations from Primary through Advanced 2
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Victorian Secondary SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuspice arrangements where Dance Factory acts as Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to deliver VET Dance programs at secondary schools. Schools with suitable staffing and facilities can offer nationally recognized dance qualifications without becoming RTOs themselves. VET clusters also possible where schools share facilities and staff expertise.
• Dance Schools (Non-RTO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuspice partnerships with dance schools that are not RTOs, allowing them to deliver accredited courses under Dance Factory's RTO status. Options include Dance Factory providing teachers and assessors at additional cost.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Conlan College: Sydney-based performing arts college offering full-time and part-time courses in dance and musical theatre. Comparable to Dance Factory in course structure, accredited qualification offerings, and career-preparation focus.
• Patrick Studios Australia: Adelaide-based dance studio offering classes, workshops, and performance opportunities across multiple styles. Comparable in offering diversity (kids, adults, performance prep) and studio-based operating model.
• Jason Coleman's Ministry of Dance: Melbourne-based dance school offering full-time and part-time performing arts courses, casual classes, and industry preparation. Closest geographic and offering peer to Dance Factory with comparable course structures and credential outcomes.
• Brent Street: Sydney-based performing arts school offering full-time courses, part-time classes, and workshops across multiple dance styles. Comparable in offering breadth, target demographics (kids through adults), and professional pathway positioning.
• Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy: Sydney-based classical ballet and dance academy providing structured syllabus-based training and performance opportunities. Directly comparable to Dance Factory's structured multi-level approach and focus on examination/performance pathways.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Dance Theatre: Adelaide-based contemporary dance company with associated education programs. Comparable in dance specialization and professional performance pathways, though more focused on contemporary dance production.
• National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA): Australia's premier performing arts education institution offering conservatoire-level training in dance, musical theatre, and related disciplines. Comparable as a credentialed performing arts educator but at a higher institutional tier.
• Victorian College of the Arts (VCA): University-affiliated tertiary performing arts institution in Melbourne offering degree-level dance programs. Overlaps with Dance Factory's Diploma portfolio at a higher credential level and competes for advanced students.
• Sydney Dance Company: Major Australian contemporary dance company with school and education programs. Overlaps with Dance Factory's professional pathway positioning and elite performance training, though focused on contemporary genres.

Emerging players

• National Theatre Melbourne (Drama School): Melbourne-based performing arts training institution with dance and musical theatre programs. Partial overlap with Dance Factory's musical theatre offerings and shares the Melbourne geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/225swan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dance-factory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dance Factory