The BEST Episodes of Dance Academy
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Nov 23, 2019
Network: ABC3
Fifteen-year-old Tara Webster has grown up on a farm in country Australia and has dreamt of being a dancer ever since she was a little girl. Her life takes a turn when she makes it into the National Academy of Dance - the best ballet school in the country. What Tara doesn’t realise is how far behind she is in her training, and that there’s a whole lot more to surviving the Academy than just dancing. The ballet world is full of tough competition, and Tara must work hard to maintain her position in the academy, whilst dealing with the distraction of friends, classmates and especially boys.
#1 - The Second
Season 2 - Episode 25
After a sudden tragedy, the Academy students must find a way to come together and help each other out in this time of darkness.
8.68 
#2 - The Prix De Fonteyn
Season 2 - Episode 24
Sammy decides to alter his Prix de Fonteyn solo one day before the start of the International Round while Tara is stunned as Grace has returned to Sydney as a representative for the UK Prix team. The students' lives are changed forever when a tragedy strikes the Academy.
8.63 
#3 - Not For Nothing
Season 3 - Episode 13
It's judgment day. The Third Years sit before the Company panel and learn their fate - who will be offered a professional contract with the National Ballet Company and who will have to find a new dream?
8.53 
#4 - Family
Season 1 - Episode 13
It's Open Week at the Academy, when parents watch their children in a series of demonstration classes. Tara is thrilled to see her mum and dad again but when they arrive she is embarrassed that they're not as sophisticated as everyone else's parents. Later, Tara is shocked when her mum tells her the farm is in serious financial trouble. Tara realises that family is the most important thing and makes a very difficult decision about her future. Meanwhile, Kat feels betrayed that Natasha has reneged on a family holiday she'd promised in order to dance in yet another international ballet. Sammy also suffers disappointment when his father fails to attend any classes, and he is left wondering if his father will ever accept that he wants to be a dancer.
8.39 
#5 - Through the Looking Glass
Season 1 - Episode 10
Christian's best mate Aaron comes to stay and reveals the truth about the robbery they committed. Meanwhile, Abigail's control issues are spiralling out-of-control and she is caught shoplifting.
8.28 #6 - A Perfect Storm
Season 3 - Episode 12
Auditions for the National Ballet Company have arrived bringing superstitions, old competitive battle lines and the performances that will determine the rest of their lives.
8.25 
#7 - Pressure
Season 1 - Episode 12
Pressure is building at the Academy as the students prepare for exam week. Tara tries to ignore her recent 'almost-pash' with Ethan so she can focus on her exams; however it's not as easy as she'd hoped. When Ethan attempts to kiss her again, Tara makes a quick exit. Remembering how awkward their first kiss was, she doesn't want to ruin her chances with a terrible second kiss as well and so Tara recruits Kat and Sammy for help.
8.24 
#8 - One Perfect Day
Season 1 - Episode 11
Tara is elated when Ethan asks her to dance in his choreographic assessment piece. Is he finally beginning to see her as a romantic potential? But when she arrives at the studio to find Ethan engrossed in conversation with his mentor — the talented, gorgeous and much older Dana Strong — it's obvious who Ethan has his sights on. Eager to impress Dana with his talents as a choreographer, Ethan pushes Tara mercilessly to dance better. Meanwhile, Kat, Sammy , Abigail and her younger sister Paige head to Luna Park for the day. Abigail struggles to connect with Paige who would prefer to be in the company of Kat and Sammy.
8.23 #9 - Don't Let Me Down Gently
Season 3 - Episode 9
A career-making performance opportunity brings out the best and worst in everyone, and an injury that sidelines Ollie prompts him to use someone to get ahead. Meanwhile, Kat finds it hard to readjust to her regular ballet life.
8.14 #10 - Fake It Until You Make It
Season 3 - Episode 6
While the Third Years rehearse for their upcoming regional tour, the Academy goes a little Hollywood when a film crew arranges to use their building as a location for a new indie movie. Abigail defies Miss Raine and auditions for one of the minor acting roles. Meanwhile, love might be in the air but the right people aren't cast as Romeo and Juliet. Grace does everything she can to undermine a new relationship so that her position on the tour is guaranteed.
8.13 
#11 - My Life En Pointe
Season 1 - Episode 15
Petra Hoffman arrives at the Academy on exchange from the Berlin Ballet School; Kat has been ditching class to spend time with her new boyfriend; and Tara kisses Christian behind Ethan's back.
8.10 
#12 - The Deep End
Season 1 - Episode 25
Rehearsals for 'The Nutcracker' are underway and Tara discovers that being the star is not all it's cracked up to be. Sammy is forced to admit that his feelings for Christian have changed.
8.09 
#13 - Turning Pointes
Season 1 - Episode 14
Tara returns from the school holidays on top of the world — she has great friends, a gorgeous boyfriend, the first year scholarship, and is finally allowed to dance en pointe. Kat introduces Tara to her new boyfriend Lucas, a 'diplobrat' she met while on holiday with her mother in Europe. Tara immediately dislikes him but doesn't reveal her aversion to Kat, who convinces Tara to go to a warehouse party in the city which ends in Tara calling Christian for help. What has Kat done to make Tara upset? Meanwhile, Abigail is struggling to convince her therapist to allow her to return to ballet classes after her collapse last semester. Sammy, who has been her constant companion throughout the holidays, tries to convince Abigail to help him out with the ballroom dance classes that he is giving for his grandmother and her friends.
8.06 
#14 - Heartbeat
Season 1 - Episode 9
Mocking her friends' obsession with teen popstar Myles Kelly, Kat creates a video of her dancing to one of his songs and then posts it on the internet. The video becomes so popular she is contacted by his music company and invites her to dance in his next video clip. Meanwhile, Ethan views Christian as a friendly rival and the two boys begin to compete with each other.
8.05 
#15 - Showcase
Season 2 - Episode 5
Showcase, a breakout event in the commercial dance calendar, is fast approaching. When Sebastian questions the impressiveness of Ethan's piece, a solo with Abigail, Ethan rushes to include a chorus of dancers, including Grace. His sudden change backfires when it's clear Abigail doesn't appreciate sharing the choreography with other dancers. Christian's old friend Kaylah comes back into his life, asking for his help to perform a piece at Showcase which sparks Tara's jealousy.
8.05 #16 - Graceland
Season 3 - Episode 7
The Third Years are having the time of their lives on the road performing in country towns across Australia, but they are prioritising fun over performance. Zach promises to shake up the cast list if they don't start committing. A different side to Grace emerges on tour, while competition between Ben and Christian erupts and Abigail tries to distance herself from what happened in Barcelona. Back at the Academy, Kat clashes with the movie's third assistant director, Jamie.
8.04 
#17 - Connectivity
Season 2 - Episode 8
Tara decides to take action after realising that Saskia's continual critique of her dancing could jeopardise her mid-year exams. Christian ditches his pas de deux exam to hang out with Kat. Wired on energy drinks, an overtired Sammy kids himself that he's blitzing exams and puts Abigail in danger as a result of his behaviour.
8.04 
#18 - Perfection
Season 1 - Episode 6
Tara is stunned to learn Kat's mother is Natasha Willis — a world-acclaimed ballerina and Tara's greatest idol. Meanwhile, Sammy's perfect girlfriend Mia has unexpectedly returned from an overseas exchange and he's torn between his loyalty to Mia and his new-found attraction to Abigail.
8.03 
#19 - Behind Barres
Season 1 - Episode 3
When Tara's crush on Ethan threatens to derail her friendship with Kat, Sammy gets her to write a pros and cons list to clear her head. As the roommate war escalates, Abigail wins a decisive victory — emailing Tara's list to the whole school. Christian finds himself in police custody and, with nowhere else to go, has to accept his place at the Academy.
8.03 #20 - Negative Patterns
Season 3 - Episode 5
Saskia arranges a special audition with the Company's artistic director for her protégé, Ben. Grace's world implodes; and Zach allows Christian to participate in a music video Ollie is producing.
8.00 
#21 - Rescue Mission
Season 2 - Episode 14
Whilst recovering from her broken back, Tara discovers a hidden side to Ben who is volunteering in a hospital leukaemia ward performance. Back at the Academy, Kat struggles with the culture shock of First Year.
7.95 
#22 - A Midsummer's Night's Dream
Season 1 - Episode 17
It is school camp and everyone is dreading the trip away, especially Tara who has been made an outcast following the party. Kat still isn't talking to her and Tara is further humiliated when photos of her kissing Christian keep appearing everywhere. Tara believes Kat is the culprit and confronts her about it. Meanwhile, Abigail has been banned from dance class until she completes an English essay and Sammy has been assigned as her tutor.
7.94 
#23 - Fairest & Best
Season 1 - Episode 19
Junior footballers from the Institute of Sport have been sent to the National Academy for a week of specialised training in order to improve their elevation, coordination and flexibility. Tension between the footballers and male dancers erupts and they set a challenge to prove who has the toughest sport. The footballers must learn a routine and dance it with no mistakes, while the ballet boys must score once against the footballers in a game of touch football. Meanwhile, Tara is caught up in her own competition; Miss Raine has pitted her against Abigail in nightly private classes, intending to use their rivalry to drive each other harder.
7.93 
#24 - Betty Bunheads
Season 1 - Episode 18
German exchange student Petra Hoffman is thrilled when she is invited to stay at the Academy. However, when the Berlin Ballet Company offers her a contract, she has a difficult choice to make — her lifelong dream or the chance to spend the next few years as a teenager? Whilst Abigail is making more trouble for Tara, Kat tries to make amends after having disappointed a younger dancer. At the same time Sammy and Abigail have begun secretly kissing, but while Sammy wants the relationship public, Abigail insists it remains behind closed doors.
7.93 
#25 - Learning to Fly, Part 2
Season 1 - Episode 26
The end-of-year production has arrived and Tara is rehearsing her solo in Act 2 of The Nutcracker. Director Sebastian Karamakov is not happy with her performance and threatens to put Abigail in her place. When Tara gets her costume fitted she learns many famous ballerinas have also worn the same nightgown — giving her a new boost of confidence. But when Abigail hides Tara's costume, trouble starts again and Tara's best friend, Kat is not around to help. Kat has left for a road trip with musician Myles Kelly. Meanwhile, Sammy faces reality when he learns his parents are refusing to pay for his tuition at the Academy next year, regardless of his good marks. Sammy begs his father to come to the end-of-year performance, believing that if he saw him dance he'd change his mind.
7.92