Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to Central Coast Physie & Dance’s FAQ hub — your guide to Physie, APDA and our community club. Whether you’re brand new, returning after a break, or comparing dance and Physie options on the Central Coast, this page covers everything you need to know about our classes, ages, costs, competition, uniforms and how APDA works. If you still have questions, we’re always happy to help!

About Physie & APDA

  • Physie is a unique style of dance and movement that blends:

    • Dance

    • Pilates-inspired exercises

    • Strength and flexibility training

    • Rhythmic movement

    • Performance skills

    It’s designed to build confidence, posture, coordination, and musicality in a supportive environment.

  • APDA stands for the Australian Physie & Dance Association, the national organisation that develops the annual syllabus, competition rules and training resources for member clubs like ours.

  • APDA (Australian Physie & Dance Association) is a modern physie organisation with a fresh, contemporary syllabus, annually updated choreography, and a strong focus on inclusivity and empowerment.

    APDA routines use styles influenced by jazz, lyrical, hip hop, commercial and stretch/technique training.

  • APDA is known for its modern choreography, emphasis on technique, and inclusive, empowering culture.

    • Modern, up-to-date choreography

    • A syllabus designed with both fitness and artistry in mind

    • Ballet technique, jazz, lyrical and strength training in one class

    • Fresh syllabus each year, created by professional dancers & choreographers

    • A strong community and empowerment focus

    • A welcoming culture where all body types and abilities belong

    • A more contemporary approach to competition and performance

    • Transparent, fair judging with three independent judges

    • Clean, progressive choreography designed to suit today’s dancers

  • Not at all!
    Most of our new members each year have never danced before. Physie is designed to be accessible for beginners, with plenty of support along the way.

  • Professional choreographers and experienced dancers, including industry names like Lauren Seymour (So You Think You Can Dance). This ensures the program remains engaging, modern and artistically inspiring.

  • Syllabus routines are a set of dances and technical sequences created each year by choreographer and APDA suitable for each age group/class. Students learn them during classes and perform them at competitions.

Club Culture

  • We are a community-focused club built on fairness, fun and connection.
    We balance competitive success with wellbeing-first coaching.
    Our values are: Connect. Inspire. Thrive.

    Students and parents choose us because:

    • We are inclusive, drama-free and friendly

    • We don’t play favourites

    • We celebrate every dancer, every ability

    • Our teams are competitive but fun

    • Strong, positive club culture

    • We support progression through all levels, from beginners to Open Elites

  • Yes! We achieve strong individual and team results at APDA competitions — but our primary focus is confidence, wellbeing and enjoyment.

  • Connect: We build lasting friendships, foster teamwork, and create a welcoming, inclusive environment where everyone feels supported and part of our Physie & Dance community.

    Inspire: We empower every member to strive to be their best, embracing challenges with determination, resilience, and a growth mindset. We believe we can achieve anything we put our mind to.

    Thrive: Together, we cultivate passion, resilience, and a supportive community where everyone flourishes. Success comes from lifting each other up and celebrating every achievement, driven by our shared love of Physie & Dance.

Benefits

  • Physie builds confidence through structured learning, achievable goals, performance opportunities and a welcoming community.

  • Yes — posture is a key part of the APDA syllabus, making Physie ideal for growing bodies and adults who want to strengthen their back, core and alignment.

  • Physie provides a full-body workout that improves:
    ✔ strength
    ✔ coordination
    ✔ flexibility
    ✔ balance
    ✔ musicality
    ✔ body awareness

  • Absolutely. Physie is designed to build confidence.
    Many shy children blossom after just a few weeks.

JOINING & FEES

  • Yes! We offer a 2 free trial classes to new members so you can experience the fun before signing up.

  • Check out our classes page for the full breakdown of costs!

    We also offer options for:

    • Family discounts

    • Multi-student families

    • Flexible payment plans

  • Start by contacting us for your two free trial classes. We’ll help you find the right class and age group and guide you through the quick and easy process.

  • Members are encouraged to attend their second weekly class or another suitable group where possible.

  • We offer classes from 4 years old through to adults, with no maximum age.

  • Not at all! Physie is beginner-friendly and perfect for those new to dance and movement.

  • Absolutely. Our Ladies classes are welcoming, social and suitable for everyone — from complete beginners to lifelong dancers. It’s low-impact, great for fitness, posture, strength and coordination

CLASS information

  • We run classes across three convenient Central Coast venues:

    • East Gosford Progress Hall

    • Gosford 50+ Leisure & Learning Centre

    • Erina Community Trust Hall

  • We operate on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and most classes run twice per week.

  • We encourage attending two classes per week for technique, confidence and routine mastery — but one class per week is also available.

  • A class usually includes:

    • Warm-up

    • Strength, Technique and flexibility work

    • Learning the year’s APDA syllabus

    • Performance skills

    • Fun games or finishing activities (for juniors)

  • Tight, fitted clothing or leotards so we can see posture and technique.
    Physie is performed barefoot.
    Club merchandise is encouraged but not required.

  • Yes — our club teaches the official APDA syllabus for all age groups, updated every year.

  • Physie is a low-impact but strength-building activity.
    It improves:

    • posture

    • coordination

    • core strength

    • flexibility

    • stamina

    • confidence

    • musicality

  • We teach:

    Juniors

    • 4–8

    • 9-12 years

    Teenagers & Seniors

    • 13-15s

    • 16s to Intermediates (18+)

    • Open Elite Seniors 18+(Advanced)

    Ladies 18+

    • Beginner Ladies

    • Novice, Intermediate & Masters

    • Open Ladies

  • Yes! We have dedicated Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Masters and Open levels so everyone progresses at their own pace.

UNIFORMS

  • For competitions, APDA has beautifully designed leotards available to order each year through the NEON Dance shop, or second hand on Facebook.

    We encourage members to wear at least one piece of our club uniform at competitions.

    For weekly classes, there is no mandatory uniform — just comfortable activewear.

  • Yes! We offer a range of optional club items including tees and jackets, perfect for competitions and events.

COMPETITIONS & Teams

  • No — but they are strongly encouraged, and most of our members choose to compete, whether individually, in a team, or both.
    Students can choose to:

    • Train recreationally

    • Compete individually

    • Compete in teams

    • Do both

  • APDA offers:

    • Individual competitions

    • Team competitions

    • Club competitions

    • Interclub competitions

    • APDA National Championship Finals (for those who qualify)

  • Yes — we offer extra support, and plenty of encouragement.

    Many members compete for the first time after only 2 terms of classes.

  • At Central Coast Physie & Dance, being part of a team means more than just performing together, it’s about connection, encouragement, and having fun. Teams give our members a chance to grow, challenge themselves, and experience the joy of working together towards a shared goal.

    While we love to be competitive and strive for excellence, we never do so at the cost of anyone’s wellbeing. We believe in creating a supportive environment where every member feels valued and uplifted.

    At our club, teams aren’t just about results, they’re about people, teamwork and caring for each other.

    Find out more about teams!

  • We do everything possible to place students in a team.
    Teams have six dancers, and we sometimes place members up or down an age group so everyone has the opportunity to compete.

  • They are positive, supportive and professionally run. APDA competitions emphasise fairness, technique, empowerment and artistry.

  • APDA uses three independent judges, each scoring routines separately (not as a group).
    This creates a transparent, unbiased judging process, free of politics or influence.

    More on our Judging page.

PRACTICAL INFO

  • Yes — we celebrate our members each year with a fun end-of-year Presentation Night for families.

    We also have our club competition performance locally.

  • We run regular junior classes during school holidays.

    Seniors and Ladies classes sometimes run during the holidays depending on the time of year.

  • Yes! Physie is designed to be supportive, low-impact, and adaptable for different abilities.
    Teachers always encourage safe technique. Different classes support different experience levels, contact us to help find a suitable class.

  • Yes — Physie is a blend of dance and fitness, designed to develop confidence, strength and musicality.

  • Physie follows an annual syllabus across age groups, unlike studio dance which often focuses on set genres.
    Physie blends multiple dance styles and teaches technique, performance and strength in one program.

  • Yes — we accept new students at any time until late in the season. APDA provides a members DVD students can use to catch up on the syllabus.

Still have questions? Contact Us Today!