Leanne Driel

Leanne Driel is one of Perth’s premier tap dancers and teachers. She has been dancing since the age of 5 - a love of dance and music developed quickly, setting Leanne on her way to relentlessly pursue her passion for tap dancing around the globe.

Leanne has studied the art of tap dance extensively around Australia and the USA, completing two Tap Teaching Certificates with the American Tap Dance Foundation. Focusing on tap history and pedagogy, studying under many notable teachers such as Barbara Duffy and Heather Cornell. She also holds a theatrical teaching certificate with Comdance and is a collaborator on Jesse Rasmussen’s Tap Dance Syllabus, launched in 2025.

Leanne has been involved with the Australian Tap Dance Festival since its inaugural year, joining the teaching faculty in 2018. She is a permanent teacher at The Dance Workshop, Perth’s #1 adult dance studio. She is also the founder of the Perth Tap Jam community and the WA Tap Dance Orchestra.

Leanne’s many credits also include the tap dance pantomime ‘Sole Mates’ (creator/choreographer) and Lucha Royale for Perth Fringe Festival, Tarzan and Anything Goes for Stray Cats Theatre Company, Lady Velvet Cabaret, RAW Artists, Fiesta Choreographers’ Ball, ROAR Choreographers’ Ball and Shakespeare WA, as well as numerous pop-up performances and work with local music artists and cabaret performers around Perth. Leanne was also the recipient of Capezio’s Future of Tap Award in 2016.

Leanne has a passion for teaching and has taught all around Australia and New Zealand, with her tap classes known for their fun and musical components, her swinging style and sharing some of tap’s amazing history through both steps and stories.

Leanne is grateful for all the knowledge passed to her by her current and former teachers and mentors. She is committed to studying and sharing the art of tap dance and tap dance history and inspiring dancers of all ages, levels and barriers to embrace the joy of TAP!