Anna Ocello is the founder of Blue Suede Shoes Dance School. Anna’s lifelong love of dance initially led her to Ballroom and Latin Dancing in 1988, and in the early 1990’s, Anna became involved in the Rock'n’Roll movement through the Federal Australian Teachers of Dance (FATD), the Society of Teachers of Dancing (SATD), and the Australian Rock'n'Roll Dancesport Council (ARRDC). Anna is qualified with all three bodies. Blue Suede Shoes Dance School flourished from there, and its future was born. Anna commenced dancing in Parramatta with the American Franchise Group "Fred Astaire Dance Studio". The passion and obsession developed as a student led her to continue at a more serious level, with the view to teaching others. Her studies continued at Alex Schembri's Dance Studio at West Ryde, where Anna received her first qualification in Ballroom with the FATD at Associate Level. Anna’s first studio was opened in 1992 at Ashlar Golf Club in the Blacktown District of Western Sydney. She began teaching Rock’n’Roll, Latin and Social Ballroom classes, specialising in teaching children from beginner through to competition levels. In 1995, Anna’s love of the 1940’s led her in another direction when she became involved in the Swing/Lindy Hop dance craze. In her passion to keep these dance styles alive in Australia, Anna trained and enrolled in many workshops with the best of the international talent, including Frankie Manning, Sylvia Sykes, Sing Yuen Lim, Jonathon Bixby, Rhythm Hot Shots – Mattias & Eva, Marcus and Barbl and many, many more. More recently, Blue Suede Shoes staff and some of the students have engaged in further workshops with Stephen & Chandrae, Patrick & Natasha, Kevin St Laurent, Max and Annie, Nick Williams and, once again, a list too long to mention.  The Staff have also been influenced by Boogie Woogie and enrolled in workshops with William and Maeva, Thomas and Alice, Thorbjorn and Suzann, and Nils and Bianca. In recent years, we have sent teams all over the world to compete internationally. Anna developed a love for Rock’n’Roll and Swing and studied the style relentlessly. Anna's skills were derived from private lessons, workshops, competitions, and researching videos and books. Joining the SATD (Society of Teachers of Dancing) and receiving her second qualification in Rock'n'Roll at Associate Level led her to another organisation, the Australian Rock'n'Roll Dance Council Inc. (ARRDC). This organisation held competitions at all levels and titles from National, Australasian, South Pacific Championships, NSW State Titles and Festival days. Blue Suede Shoes Dance School students excelled in the competition circuit and developed many champions at all levels, especially in the juvenile to youth area. Numerous titles were won by Anna and her son in the “Mother & Son” events and “Professional with Under 16”. Anna is grateful for the success during those competition years, simply for the fact that she can see the rewards, with the same juveniles and youths now pursuing a dance career as adults. Later becoming a member and Licentiate of the ARRDC and secretary of the Board for NSW, Anna has also developed a training program to help trainee teachers in their chosen field to improve and enhance their skills for a successful dance career. In 2017, Anna left the ARRD, and a new body was formed - the NSW Rock’n’Roll Association, of which Anna is one of the co-founders. Anna's priority lies with dancing, first and foremost.  Anna’s passion to get Rock’n’Roll dancing recognised has continued since she first introduced the first independent dance championship in 1999 at Tuggerah Lakes Memorial Club. The competition still continues to this day, where the championships are now held in Sydney’s West.  It has been well accepted, and its popularity has spread with interstate interest.  The NSW State Titles were born from this and continue to be a major success. In addition to teaching, Anna and Justin have expanded to include hosting major dance events, including Chromefest at The Entrance and the Western Sydney Dance Championships/NSW State Titles. In February 2020, Blue Suedes Dance School became a member of the NSW Rock’n’Roll Association Incorporated. Since 2025, the Central Coast studio has been run by Aaron and Zoe Farrell, and Caitlin Brownlie, whilst Anna and her husband, Michael, were preparing to move to Italy. In 2026, Anna and Michael permanently relocated to Italy. Rest assured, Anna remains heavily involved with the studio in the background. As the studio moves forward into this new chapter, we want to reassure everyone that Blue Suede Shoes Dance School will continue to be led with passion, experience, and heart, keeping the same fun, welcoming vibe that Blue Suede Shoes has always been known for: Blue Suede Shoes Dance School's mission remains the same: Fun! Fun! Fun!