Brett Morgan OAM grew up in Lansvale NSW which is where his life-long passion to give back to regional Australia dance students comes from. Awarded the Order of Australia in 2021 for his contribution to Australian Arts (in particular Dance) and also in 2013 being the recipient of the Centenary Medal for his Contribution to Australian Arts, Brett made it his mission to ensure that regional dancers or students, outside of the city parameters, received coaching and training opportunities that would normally be unattainable due to finances or distance.
Having trained at the Saills Academy with Valma Saill and Valma Briggs, he gained a position within the Australian Ballet School and later graduated to become a company member with the Australian Ballet Company. This provided the opportunity to perform all over the world to dignitaries and royalty and within his time there performed more than 40 soloist and principal roles to critical acclaim. Brett later joined Sydney Dance Company having a long career of over 17 years working his way up to Associate Artistic Director under the guidance of Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon. In 2013, Brett created his own company with fellow dancer Teagan Lowe called Mod Dance Company.
At every opportunity throughout his long career Brett has provided workshops, classes and coaching lessons to schools and students throughout Australia (and all over the world) and continues to teach and impart his knowledge due to the love and passion he has for the arts and the people. With such a wonderful career full of amazing experiences he felt the need to give back, to repay the community and the world of creative arts that afforded him the life he had only dreamed of as a boy from Lansvale.
Jumping at the chance to be the Artistic Director and owner of National College of Dance in Newcastle NSW, he now works tirelessly to ensure students have the highest level of full time pre professional training in Australia. He also provides free workshops to regional schools and offers 100’s of students, since joining the college, an opportunity to fulfill their dance dreams. Brett’s passion lies in ongoing collaborations with other local, regional and national creative arts companies and since his time in Newcastle he has orchestrated many collaborative projects between dance and live music, incorporating local musicians, costume designers and artists, an opportunity most students would only see once in a lifetime.
In the years since Brett became the Artistic Director and then owner of National College of Dance, the school has been rated in the top 3 schools in all national dance competitions in both the Classical and Contemporary dance competitions and had finalists in:
2010 – the prestigious City of Sydney Eisteddfod Ballet Competition, Rhys Kosakowski;
2011 – two finalists, Lawrence Lambert and Dan Wilkinson;
2013 – two finalists, Belle Beasley and Caleb Durbin (winner). Accepted to the Prix De Lausanne (2 of only 8 Australians to be accepted).
2018 – Grace Humphris.
2019 – Grace was accepted to the Prix De Lausanne with NCD student Chloe Reynolds.
In our last graduating year of 4 years every student has been offered a placement, which is a tribute not only to Brett but the team of teachers and mentors he has brought together at National College of Dance.
Even after such a successful career and then creating a school that has produced exquisite dancers, who are now all over the world, Brett is best known for his humble nature and steering away from the spotlight himself. His passion and his belief is that every student, young or old, should be treated as individuals and all given the same opportunities, training and mentoring as the next. Brett has such an amazing ability to draw on any dancer’s passion and desire to succeed that even though they may not necessarily be deemed the Prima ballerina by society’s standard. He is somewhat of a ‘people whisper’, a true believer and master of drawing out the best in people until they can see it for themselves.