Rixi Stander

Rixi Stander is an experienced and accomplished dance and drama educator, adjudicator, and performing artist with an extensive background in choreography and arts education.

Originally from South Africa, Rixi has trained extensively across a wide range of dance genres, including Hip Hop, Disco Freestyle, Modern, Latin, Rock & Roll, Spanish dance, Contemporary, and Jazz, performing and competing successfully in each of these styles. She began her professional career as a dancer with the Performing Arts Council of the Free State (PACOFS), where she gained invaluable experience in stage production, performance technique, and artistic professionalism.

Now based in Australia, Rixi has become a respected member of the performing arts community. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Ramay Studio of Dance, where she leads innovative programs, mentors students through competition experiences, and produces annual showcases that inspire creativity, confidence, and excellence in young performers.

Alongside her studio work, Rixi currently serves as a Dance and Drama Educator and Performing Arts Coordinator in a secondary school setting, where she is dedicated to strengthening the performing arts culture within the school and broader community.

Her work focuses on fostering artistic growth across a diverse range of dance and drama disciplines, encouraging students to develop both their creative expression and performance skills. Rixi also directs original drama productions that integrate dance, acting, and music, offering students rich and immersive performing arts experiences.

Rixi holds a Master of Education specialising in Student Behaviour and Wellbeing and a Bachelor of Education specialising in Dance and Drama. She also holds a Certificate in Dance Teaching and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Her combination of professional experience and academic expertise provides a strong foundation for understanding performance, learning, and motivation from both an artistic and educational lens.

Rixi brings warmth, fairness, and professional insight to her adjudication. She values both the technical and expressive qualities of performance and takes great pride in providing constructive, encouraging feedback that helps dancers and actors refine their craft. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Rixi offers a balanced and holistic perspective, celebrating creativity, musicality, storytelling, and technical precision in equal measure.