Bio content provided by individual
Teacher Bio
Stephen Agisilaou is an Australian artistic director, choreographer and educator whose career has been defined by a refusal to conform to traditional boundaries. Beginning his formal dance training at 17, after years of self-taught improvisation, he graduated with a Diploma in Performing Arts and continued his classical training under legendary ballerina Gelsey Kirkland.
...Read moreStephen Agisilaou is an Australian artistic director, choreographer and educator whose career has been defined by a refusal to conform to traditional boundaries. Beginning his formal dance training at 17, after years of self-taught improvisation, he graduated with a Diploma in Performing Arts and continued his classical training under legendary ballerina Gelsey Kirkland.
Early in his career, Stephen performed and choreographed for television, music videos and commercials, including work for So You Think You Can Dance. He later spent three years as a principal dancer with MOVE: The Company in Canada, working alongside choreographers Joshua Beamish and Amy Gardner.
Blending his commercial background with contemporary ballet, Stephen founded Vertical Shadows Dance Company, where he served as Artistic Director for a decade. The company became known for ambitious, genre-defying dance theatre and consistently strong critical response. Productions included The White Prince, which brought former Australian Ballet artists Damien Welch and Marc Cassidy back to the stage.
Stephen’s choreography has been commissioned by major international brands and events including Samsung, Red Bull, The Australian Open, P&O; International, The Venetian/Sands Hotel Macau and Stereosonic Music Festival. His theatre credits include Spring Awakening, Blood Brothers, Prodigal, Good Morning Hong Kong, The Pajama Game and Don Pasquale for Berkshire Opera Festival. He has also worked with Opera Australia and co-directed and choreographed Anthony Breslin’s immersive TRYBE: An Opera in Paint.
His work has received honors from the Institute of Classical Dance, Short & Sweet Dance Festival and WIND International Film Festival. His film New York City screened at more than 12 international film festivals. Stephen now works internationally as a freelance choreographer and serves as Artistic Director and curator of the Palm Springs Dance Project in California. His multidisciplinary practice continues to move between concert dance, theatre, opera, film and large-scale commercial projects across world.
Read less
Class Descriptions
Stephen guides dancers through warm-up, improvisation, progressions, and ultimately, movement training in his signature style. As a dedicated teacher, he places a strong emphasis on each participant’s personal movement, employing unique coaching methods that challenge students’ mental approach to dancing. This approach fosters self-analysis, enabling students to identify their current level within the class and develop new strategies for achieving faster and more significant personal results.