René’s classical ballet training started with the late Helena Wagner in Pretoria at the age of 8 years. Her teachers include Lorna Haupt (former artistic director of PACT), Gillian Joubert, Jean Beckley, Maisie Lauden-Carter residing in England (now retired Vocational Graded examiner) and the late Reina Berman (Vocational Graded examiner).

Having passed her Elementary Teachers Examination with Honours in 1985 René studied in London and in 1990 became a Graded Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), and then went on to obtain her Advanced Teachers Diploma which includes Child Psychology, Anatomy, History of Ballet and Music.

In 2007 she enrolled in a Pilates Comprehensive Instructor’s Course doing the Body Arts and Science International (BASI) method. She qualified herself as a certified teacher for PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique).

She runs a Teachers Training Course in her home town of Pretoria and Johannesburg. In 2010 René trained as a Vocational Graded Examiner and is now a Dual Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance. She was appointed a Tutor for all the new Syllabi and CPD courses for the Academy. She is a Tutor for the CBTS (Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies) – Module 401 (Child Psychology – Stages of Development) and Module 403 (ISP – Intensive Study Period).

René travels extensively locally and abroad as a Dual examiner and she is now a freelance teacher presenting courses, congresses, workshops and summer/winter schools. She has been invited to judge various competitions, festivals and eisteddfods.