Cameras Start Rolling on Dance Academy Series Two

Cameras Start Rolling on Dance Academy Series Two

Two new characters are set to join the lead cast of ABC3's popular teen drama Dance Academy as filming starts in Sydney - producing a further 26 half-hour episodes.

Grace Whitney (played by Issi Durant, So You Think You Can Dance) joins the Academy after being kicked out of the Royal Ballet School in London. She immediately takes centre stage and figures if she is going to stay she's going to need to shake things up.

Ben Tickle (played by Tom Lacey, Blue Heelers) is the new class hottie; however his tendency to say the wrong things and aversion to personal hygiene often raises concerns with fellow dancers.

Series two will also see the return of cast members including, Tara (Xenia Goodwin), Abigail (Dena Kaplan), Sammy (Tom Green), Christian (Jordan Rodrigues), Ethan (Tim Pocock) and Miss Raine (Tara Morice) as well as regular guest appearances from Kip Gamblin (Home and Away) playing dance teacher Zach, Keiynan Lonsdale (FAME The Musical) playing third year student Ollie and Brooke Harman (Rake) playing dance teacher Saskia Duncan.

Seen through the eyes of Tara Webster, the second year at the Academy will be harder and the same allowances as first year will no longer be made. This year the students compete to be part of the world's most prestigious ballet competition, the Prix de Fonteyn.

Dance Academy producer Joanna Werner said: "We are thrilled to start work on the second series of Dance Academy. Our cast have been working hard in 'ballet boot camp' in preparation for the demanding shoot ahead. We hope our fans will enjoy what's in stall for series two."

ABC TV's Children's Head of Commissioning and Development, Carla De Jong said: "Dance Academy is an award winning ABC3 program. We are thrilled with the success of series one and we look forward to working with Werner Film Productions in the months ahead."