Melbourne dance community rocked after female teacher is hit with 33 child sex charges involving two students – with alleged offending said to span almost a decade

A Melbourne dance teacher has sent shockwaves through the performing arts community after she was charged over alleged sexual offences.

The teacher/choreographer, who can’t be named for legal reasons, has been slapped with 33 charges against two students, including sexually penetrating a child under her care, authority or supervision.

Some details of the charges are too confronting to publish, but court documents allege several incidents involving a 17-year-old occurred during 2018.

The teacher has obtained a suppression order over her identity, which the media and Office of Public Prosecutions opposed.

Additionally, she is charged with multiple counts of intentionally sexually touching a child in her care.

The accused was also charged with communicating with a child aged under 16 with the intention the communication would lead to sexual activity.

This alleged offending is said to have occurred between 2015 and 2017.

The woman is also accused of encouraging a child under her care or authority to engage in sexual activity for her own sexual arousal or gratification.

She is further accused of sexually touching a second complainant, who was a child in her care, supervision or authority, in a sexual manner multiple times in various Melbourne locations in 2024.

She was charged with a total of 19 sexual offences against the second complainant.

The teacher’s alleged conduct against the two complainants spanned almost nine years, between 2015 and 2024, according to charge sheets released by the court.

A female Melbourne dance teacher, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with 33 child sex offences