40 years (and more)

The McDonald College in Sydney is celebrating an anniversary, but it retains its family atmosphere, writes Geraldine Higginson.

Now in its 40th year, the McDonald College has grown in size and stature within the Australian and international dance community. The first intake consisted of 75 students – today there are just under three hundred. While the ability to combine dance, acting and academic training at one institution has always been a big part of its appeal to both students and their parents, another aspect is the family-like environment: 10 of the current teachers also having been former students of the College. These include Jane Kesby (Head of Classical Ballet) and Sarah Minol (Head of HSC Dance) who both have a long history and knowledge of the school.

Minol (formerly Sarah Letters) trained at the McDonald College from 1992 to 1997. “When I started, I was in Year 6 and then stayed until Year 11. In 1998 I was accepted into the Australian Ballet School.”

Sarah says her most memorable teachers at McDonald College were, without a doubt, Josephine Jason and Alan Cross (who taught at the school from 1987 for about 25 years and built up the student company, Premier State Ballet). "They were my classical ballet teachers and helped me to develop confidence, artistry, wonderful dance technique and a love for ballet. I am so grateful to them for everything they taught me."

One of the earliest founders of the school in its present form was Margaret Markham, the daughter of Ann McDonald, after whom the College is named. In 1962, together with Maxine Kohler and Ann Fraser, she took over her mother's school, the Ann McDonald College of Dancing, which had been established in 1926. In 1983 they acquired the historic Arnott’s Biscuit family home in Strathfield and Croydon, which became a boarding house for students, and in 1984 they opened their doors as the McDonald College, with the Ann McDonald College still running.

Markham gave Minol a scholarship to the school. "Without it I would never have been exposed to such amazing opportunities. I am also very grateful to Maxine Kohler, for her teaching and guidance throughout my years as a student and now as a staff member at the College.” Kohler was appointed to her current role of Principal in 2005, following Markham's retirement.

Over the years McDonald College continued to expand, acquiring more buildings and facilities and adding more levels and streams to its curriculum. A kindergarten was introduced in 2002 and in 2003 the Birchgrove Gifted and Talented School was incorporated. The College now encompasses all school levels to Year 12.

Both Minol and Kesby feel the current student experience in many ways is very similar to when they themselves were students at the College. As Minol recollects: “We were so lucky to do performing arts every day as well as our academic studies. The performance experiences the students have access to at the school are fantastic. The McDonald College is an incredible place where you can get a great balance of doing what you love as well as getting a wonderful education. There are more streams at the school now and the facilities are different to when I attended.

"In Year 6 I remember catching a bus to dance studios in Enfield, a few years later we also walked down the street to a large industrial type building to take our dance classes.

"The dance studios and facilities are incredible now. Lovely and open and spacious. Both the academic and performing arts buildings are in the same campus now, which is great for the students.”

For Kesby it’s the growth in study options and areas of specialisation that are the main way in which McDonald College has changed. “Fundamentally everything is the same but with different premises and more performing art streams that now include Musical Theatre, Dance, Senior Contemporary Dance, Music, Drama, Technical Production and Elite Tennis.”

While many school uniforms feature tartan patterns, McDonald College uniforms feature the McDonald Dress tartan honouring the heritage of Ann McDonald who emigrated to Australia from Falkirk in Scotland in 1912 at just 12 years of age.

More recently (2019–2022) the College has established performing arts partnerships with Sydney Dance Company, Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), Australian Institute of Music (AIM), and Synergy Gymnastics Academy (rhythmic gymnastics).

But at the end of the day, it is the balancing of academic studies with the pursuit of a professional career in the performing arts that remains at the core of McDonald College’s mission with student wellbeing a top priority. 

This article first appeared in the Full-Time Studies Guide in the Oct/Nov/Dec print issue of Dance Australia. Read the full story - buy your copy from your favourite retailer or subscribe or buy here or individual copies here. Print is for keeps!