The prestigious 2025 Ready Set Dance Awards have been announced, and DANCE NETWORK has been recognised as Ready Set Ballet Studio of the Year.
These awards are presented by Australian Industry Leader, Ready Set Dance, as an opportunity to nationally recognise the tremendous hard work, effort, determination and achievements of eligible Dance Studios also known as Ready Set Dance Official Locations.
The Ready Set Dance Program is a preschool curriculum that is taught in over 400+ Dance Studios across Australia, New Zealand and North America. Supported by Early Childhood Specialists, the Ready Set Dance programs have been meticulously developed so preschoolers can enjoy the magic of dance whilst simultaneously reaching developmental milestones.
At the heart of Dance Network is a story of passion, resilience, and community. Established in Hoppers Crossing in 2000 and led by Director Julia Grenda since 2017, a second location was established in 2020 in Port Melbourne, the studios have become a nurturing space where children grow in confidence, creativity, and coordination through the power of dance.
“We weren’t just teaching steps, we were building a place where kids feel safe, celebrated, and supported,” said Julia.
The award-winning READY SET DANCE program, designed specifically for preschoolers, perfectly aligns with our studio’s values. Its dynamic mix of movement, music, and fun provides the ideal foundation for developing not just dance skills, but self-belief.
Hearing they had won the award was a deeply emotional moment for the team.
“I teared up,” Julia shared. “It felt like every early morning and late night running a performing arts studio, every class and every quiet effort behind the scenes had come together,”
“This award is more than recognition; it’s a reflection of the love and intention we’ve poured into creating a space where every child feels they truly belong.” Julia said.
This award recognises studios that go above and beyond to create meaningful early childhood dance experiences. Our team at Dance Network has built something truly special, and our READY SET DANCE journey is a testament to what’s possible when passion meets purpose.”
The win also celebrates the studio’s long-standing commitment to inclusivity, particularly its efforts to keep ballet accessible and inspiring for all ages.
“In today’s world, energetic styles often take the spotlight, and while we love those too, we’ve worked hard to ensure ballet isn’t left behind,” said Julia.
“It’s the foundation of all dance and was my first love. Making it inclusive and available to every student, from our tiniest dancers to our senior students, has been one of our proudest achievements.” she said.
The Ready Set Dance awards celebrate the excellence, passion and commitment of Ready Set Dance Licensees.
This year the Ready Set Dance Directors were absolutely blown away by the quality of submissions, and with over 400+ Dance Studios vying for these prestigious awards, it is an incredible achievement to be announced as a winner. Ready Set Dance has been the industry leader for over 10 years but Founder, Belinda Agostino states,
“This would not be possible without our network of passionate brand ambassadors throughout Australia and New Zealand that provide preschoolers with a positive and playful experience.”
READY SET DANCE also features on Nick Jr and YouTube as fun and energetic short-form dance videos designed to entertain the preschooler of today.
The periodic programming around existing shows encourages kids to engage in short physical activity, getting their bodies moving, heart pumping and oxygen flowing to their brain on a regular basis.
Differing from other dance shows on the market, the series is underpinned by a core educational curriculum designed to teach kids fundamental movement skills while building confidence, coordination and creativity.
Dr. Cathie Harrison, early childhood specialist, who served as a consultant during the innate stages of the program development says that “READY SET DANCE is the perfect example of how dance can act as a holistic learning tool to effectively integrate various domains of development such as physical, sensory, language, cognitive, social and emotional skills,”
“Young children are in a period that requires them to use movement and senses to explore and engage with the world.” she said.
Ready Set Dance also partners with Australian children’s entertainer ‘Emma Memma’/Emma Watkins. The partnership includes vibrant songs such as When We Dance Together’ and ‘Dance Friends’. These super fun songs uniquely combine dance and Auslan (Australian Sign Language), celebrating the joy of dance and its incredible power to bring everyone together.
 wins National Ready Set Dance Award presented by Australian Industry Leader){kind=link}