Monique began her dance career on stage at the age of five and turned professional at 17 after achieving her Solo Seal Award (RAD) and Cecchetti Advanced exam. She graduated from the Johannesburg School of Art, Ballet Music, and Drama, where she participated in annual dance (and drama) performances throughout her high school career and graduated as ballet valedictorian. Straight out of school, she joined PACT Ballet as an aspirant and later danced as a soloist in many of the great ballets.
In the years following, she continued a highly successful dance career with the Playhouse Dance Company in KwaZulu-Natal as a soloist/principal dancer and choreographer with Mark Hawkins as Artistic Director. The company was very involved in outreach projects throughout KwaZulu-Natal and in training enthusiastic younglings in the art of dance and stage craft. Monique choreographed for major charity events like Nite of 100 Stars, and Durban’s famous annual December variety shows with renowned artists like Joseph Clark. The company toured extensively in South Africa and performed at the Grahamstown Festival annually and further abroad in places like Basel, Switzerland, by invitation.
Monique later joined Free Flight Dance Company under Adele Blank. With Free Flight, Monique participated in dance seasons at the Joburg Theatre and other theatres across the country, and in many corporate events over ten years as a dancer and choreographer.
Her professional career included performing in musicals like “Me and My Girl”, choreographed by the Tony Award winning choreographer Gillian Gregory, and “Grease, the Musical” as a dancer, actress, and ensemble singer.
Her dance career led naturally into teaching, and for the last fifteen years she has been a Royal Academy of Dance teacher, working as a freelancer and choreographer. She has adjudicated many dance festivals and bursaries across the country and continues to remain involved in furthering the education of young performers. She has won numerous national and international awards for her choreography for dance competitions and festivals.
Monique is also a professional actress represented by Leads Artists Agency, and a published author, and is currently working on two plays and other professional writing projects while she continues in the field of dance as a mentor, choreographer, and teacher to students and adults of all ages.