Meet the Team
OUR BOARD MEMBERS
Alex Dellaportas
DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT
Alex is the Director and President of Spark Productions Australia Inc. and Artistic Director and resident choreographer of Spark Youth Dance Company. Alex started dancing at the age of two, quickly falling in love with ballet and contemporary dance and is now especially passionate about choreography and arts management. She has loved music all her life and has always used music and dance together to tell interesting stories from history, her own experience, and the world’s fascinations.
During her years at Rosebud Secondary College, Alex took on the role of School Captain and co-choreographed two award-winning productions for Wakakirri in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, she choreographed The Nutcracker for SYDC and has since choreographed three other full-length works for the company, each with their own touring seasons; Shatter (2017) and Ariadne (2018) and Snow and Rose (2019). Shatter was nominated for an Australian Dance Award in 2018. In 2018 she also made a short piece Weight for SYDC’s triple bill Triplicity. Alex has also choreographed works that have been showcased at the Victorian Dance Festival and at the A Woman’s Place Festival in partnership with Dreamhouse Theatre Company. She regularly speaks at various events including the Victorian Government’s inaugural Youth Summit in 2017 and Wakakirri’s Career Days. Alex brings passion and a fierce belief in the power of dance to the everyday magic that Spark creates and is always exploding with new ideas as she leads the company into an era where young people have a stronger voice than ever before.
Harrison Croft
SECRETARY
Harrison is 18 years old and has been working with Spark for three years. Currently studying in Year 12, Harrison dedicates his spare time to supporting the local arts scene through community theatre. As well as his work for Spark, Harrison has been a member of Rosebud Theatre Group for almost 10 years, now managing their technical requirements for their season each year. As a dancer for 12 years, Harrison loves the work that Spark does to foster a love of the arts and self-identity through the medium of dance, but his true artistic passion derives from the technical aspects of production. He has been both volunteering and working as a freelance lighting designer and audio operator for 4 years and hopes to pursue this passion into university and beyond. Harrison would like to thank Alex and Spark for providing the opportunity to other young people like himself, to pursue their passion in the arts.
Liz Dellaportas
TREASURER
Liz is our wonderful Treasurer and beloved “Spark Mum”. In her spare time, Liz is the Director of Aspire Accounting Professionals which she founded in 2000, after an early career working for State Bank Victoria and National Australia Bank. Her desire to “actually help people” led her to take up positions in two public accounting firms on the Mornington Peninsula before leaping out on her own at the same time the GST was implemented in Australia. She loves seeing new businesses get started and watching established businesses reward their owners beyond turning a profit.
Having grown up on the Mornington Peninsula, Liz has loved raising her family here together with her musician/photographer husband. She loves to read, literally anything, and has been known to lead worship at her local Salvation Army church. Browsing antiques stores, watching great movies or series, dreaming about a return trip to Europe and watching her children spread their wings. Or simply enjoying the wonderful picturesque location she feels privileged to live and work in. She has loved being part of the Spark board since its inception and looks forward to many years working with the wonderful young people of Spark.
Jacqi Russo
BOARD MEMBER
Jacqi brings expertise in the areas of art, design and wellbeing…and parenthood.
As a freelance artist, Jacqi works with clients in Australia and overseas on art and illustration for branding, packaging design and commissioned original art. Jacqi is also an accredited senior yoga instructor of 12 years, working in education, corporate, and defence force settings to bring physical and mental health to the forefront of conversation in these environments.
Jacqi is also the mother of two enthusiastic, creative types for whom Spark has become the go-to for honest, authentic expression and connection.
Rohani Bixler
BOARD MEMBER
Laura Campbell
BOARD MEMBER
Laura is a woodwind musician from Melbourne, Australia. She specialises in clarinet performance and teaching woodwinds including clarinet, saxophone and flute.
Laura completed her Bachelor of music under clarinetist David Griffiths, and received masterclasses from musicians including Sabine Meyer and Paul Meyer. Laura has used her music experience to create her own career pathway, through becoming a woodwind teacher both privately and in schools, as well as creating a name for herself on social media under @laura_clarinetist on instagram, and launching her business Virtual Concert Band.
Laura is passionate about exploring different avenues in music, to create value for young musicians, and help keep her passion alive. Her social media presence has brought her to work with brands such as Backun, D’Addario, Legere, Soundbrenner and RatStands. Laura has had the pleasure of playing virtually with Corrado Giuffredi, and even making an appearance on 2 episodes of the Clarineat Podcast by Sean Perrin.
Laura aims to bring wind musicians from around the globe together through her Virtual Concert Band endeavours, and to inspire the younger generation through her online content, and teaching.