Author: Hayley Simmons

Exercise scientist, dancer, dance teacher, teacher, dance mum 😊
Reviews

Many lives left in the old Cats yet

Hayley Simmons

Wednesdy 25th September, 2025 A cat will think nothing of ignoring you as you pass it, but Cats cannot be neglected on the program of the average or the enthusiastic theatregoer. One might ask, Why pay to see the same show twice? Why hear the same songs played in the same way, sung in the same way, when I could bring up the playlist on Spotify, or You Tube? I believe the Artistic Director had the sentiment of the modern viewer in mind when creating this season’s show, the 40th anniversary playing of the show in Australia. The perfect balance … Continue reading Many lives left in the old Cats yet

Children, Feature

Ideas to get your T(w)eens off a Screen these School Holidays

Hayley Simmons

Screens, they are a neverending battle for the vast majority of parents. Thanks to 24/7 streaming, You Tube, video games, social media, ipads and phones, kids can entertain themselves for hours on end. When you were a kid, the TV got pretty boring during periods of the day, or the dial up funds ran out, or there was simply no iPads or streaming. Most of us would agree, we’d rather our kids spend less time on screens, but due to access being almost out of parents’ control, it becomes exhausting to managed. I’ve posted before about some of the things … Continue reading Ideas to get your T(w)eens off a Screen these School Holidays

Dance, Feature

Peaking for Dance Comp Season

Hayley Simmons

We’re in the middle of dance competition season, but let’s face it, comps are practically year-round these days. One of my passions is ensuring dancers are adequately physically conditioned to meet the demands being placed on their growing bodies. There is much we need to do to support our dancers, as the majority of them are under 18 and do not yet have the knowledge or experience to manage this themselves. In fact, many adult dancers and regular adult humans (who are mere mortals unlike our dancers!) do not have the knowledge, experience or know-how in this regard. As parents … Continue reading Peaking for Dance Comp Season

Children, Content, Dance, Feature, Health

What Parents need to know about their Kids & Vaping

Hayley Simmons

That picture is disturbing, isn’t it? As a parent, it seems like there’s always something lurking around the corner to threaten our kids’ wellbeing. Kidnappers, devices, Covid, now vaping…or is it just me? I’m not even a high anxiety person so I can only imagine many others are feeling even more concerned than I am about this new epidemic. As a high school teacher, I interact daily with teens and the teen world so feel I have some information of value to share with you. Vaping has absolutely exploded over the past few years. It’s devastating to think about all … Continue reading What Parents need to know about their Kids & Vaping