KAREN BARKER

Resume of Karen Barker-Rogers
DOB: 17.02.1957
Karen Barker Solo Seal, A.R.A.D Dip Aus Ballet School.

Karen Barker was born in Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley. Karen at 4years of age commenced ballet training at Toronto with Beverley Hepburn. The following four years, Karen trained in Cootamundra with Molly Windred before returning to Newcastle to continue her training for the next five years with Tessa Maunder. At 15years of age Karen was accepted into the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne, graduating at 17years of age and receiving her Diploma.
After several months with the Australian Ballet Company, Karen joined the Kolobok Dance Company, under the artistic direction of Madame Berezowsky, to tour extensively throughout Australia for 4 years as principal dancer. In 1978 Karen accepted an invitation as Principal Dancer with the London based Dance Company, Kasatka Cossacks. During her four years with the company they toured Canada, South East Asia, Europe, United Kingdom, and South Africa, also performing several Royal Gala Performances and performances on BBC Television.
During her world tours Karen was fortunate to study dance in Moscow and Leningrad and also to attend Master Classes in Canada, Europe and London with the opportunity to visit local ballet schools to study their teaching methods. In between tours Karen completed and obtained her Solo Seal at the London Royal
Academy of Dance and later she was invited to conduct Solo Seal
classes whilst touring in South East Asia.
In 1982 Miss Karen returned to Australia to dance with the Sydney City Ballet Company under the direction of Marilyn Jones.

In 1983, at 2 6yrs of age Miss Karen returned to Newcastle and was the principal of the Newcastle Dance Centre for 5 years. During this period she was unable, due to teaching responsibilities, to accept an invitation to rejoin the Kasatka Cossacks on a tour of the U.S. however later rejoined the Company as guest artist to tour Ireland with her earlier Artistic Director, Madame Berezowsky as guest choreographer.
The next decade saw Miss Karen begin her own family and become a guest teacher and adjudicator throughout Australia. Miss Karen was also a principal teacher and examiner for the Character based syllabus "Khorobushka" and a regular guest teacher at the annual Peggy Sager Summer School in Queensland. After her parents retired, Karen owned and operated The Dancewear Centre in Central Newcastle for 6 years before opening schools in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle suburbs for pre school children with her own unique programme to introduce children to classical ballet training. This programme now accommodates over 300 students.