For 32 years, Ms Sherriff has been operating TDA Performing Arts in Benalla, but it all started when she was holding her newborn in her arms.
Ms Sherriff had “just given birth” when her eldest daughter, Beth, who at the time was 18 years old, told her how devastated she was that a local dance school was closing down.
“I sat there, and I went, ‘you’re a qualified teacher’,” Ms Sherriff said.
“She said, ‘I can’t do it by myself’. And I said, ‘well, I’ll jump in and help’.
“And that was it. Kate was two weeks old when we took over, and we were 10 weeks off a concert, and we just threw it altogether.”
Three decades later, Ms Sherriff, who now runs the business solely, has created a thriving hub for the arts.
From hip-hop to ballet, acrobatics to jazz, and everything else in between — TDA Performing Arts has it all.
Ms Sherriff said TDA had provided an opportunity for local kids who might not enjoy traditional sport to stay active and find community.
“Some kids don’t fit into netball and basketball and the rest of it, so this is their sport,” she said.
“We try to make it a super friendly, supportive group. They learn the discipline, and they come out the other side with a whole lot of friends at the end of it.”
While it’s been a fun, active outlet for young people in the region, the dance school has also resulted in lifelong passion for many of its students.
“I’d say almost every little girl in town has been through my door at one stage or another — it might be for two weeks, it might be for 15 years,” Ms Sherriff said.
“We’ve probably had 60 kids who have gone on to do it as a career.
“We’ve had kids who have worked overseas, or in Melbourne or doing hair, makeup and backstage support staff.”
TDA offers a range of classes for students from two years of age to adulthood.
Over the years, the school has treated its students to a wealth of knowledge, not only from Ms Sherriff but also from highly regarded instructors, such as “the choreographer for Hamilton”, “Rockettes” and “people from all around the world”.
After all this time, Ms Sherriff, who says dance “becomes part of your soul”, has continued to live by TDA’s motto.
“We just try to say to the kids, there’s more than Benalla — there’s a big, wide world out there. You can always come back, but just go and see what else is out there,” she said.
“Our motto is big dreams start little. I was saying that to the kids the other night, and they were asking what it meant.
“I said, ‘you’re little, but you’re allowed to have big dreams’.”
For more information on TDA Performing Arts, visit tdaperformingarts.com
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