Our Team 2023

Jo-Ann Wardrop

Jo has been involved in "Physie," a form of physical culture and dance, for over 50 years.

She formed Eastern Suburbs Physie in 2016 to incorporate her expertise in Exercise Physiology and Clinical Pilates into the sport.

She encourages women of all ages and abilities to maintain their health through exercise and encourages them to try Physie as a fun and enjoyable way to stay active.

Jo has competed in Physie since the age of six and at 15 represented her club "Maroubra Heights" at the Seniors National Final at the Sydney Opera House.

After completing a degree in Exercise Physiology and a diploma in Clinical and Mat Pilates, she has been teaching at Eastern Suburbs Physie since forming the club in 2016.

Since its inception, Eastern Suburbs Physie has achieved outstanding results under Jo's leadership, including winning at Championship level and producing National Champions and National Placegetters across all age groups. The club's goal is to provide a welcoming and friendly community for women of all ages to exercise, build confidence, and make new friends in a supportive environment. Jo is dedicated to encouraging and supporting people to exercise and is thrilled to be able to share her knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for the sport with her club members at Eastern Suburbs Physie.

Jacinta Smith

Jacinta started her Physie journey at the age of 4 and has been competing in Physical Culture competitions for the past 15 years.

At the age of  7, she began dancing, participating in classes such as Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and Musical Theatre.

Her love and commitment to dance led her to be selected to attend the prestigious Newtown High School of the Performing Arts where she completed her Higher School Certificate, majoring in Dance. During her time there, she was selected into the NHSPA dance company, and in her final year, she was awarded the prestigious Outstanding Commitment and Contribution to Dance and Outstanding Commitment to Dance Company awards.

In 2021, Jacinta achieved a dream by representing NHSPA in dance in New York City and other USA states.

Jacinta has been a National Dance Champion for 4 consecutive years from age 12 to 15 and has competed at the highest levels of BJP Physie in both Junior and Senior National finals and teams. She has formed many friendships through Physie, not only from her own club but across Australia when competing in National finals.

She is an accredited RAD ballet teacher and professional Contemporary Dancer and brings her outstanding technical expertise to her Physie classes.

Jacinta is excited to share her love and passion for the sport and dance experience with her junior, senior and ladies' classes this year.

Liesel Vuorinen

Liesel began her BJP Physie journey at the young age of three. 

For the next 20 years years, she has been a part of numerous championship-winning teams across junior and senior levels.

In addition to Physie, Liesel also danced for thirteen consecutive years, which helped her to develop her technical and performance skills.

In 2018, Liesel joined Eastern Suburbs Associates team and took on the challenging role of demonstrator for the seniors class. This year, she has expanded her teaching roles within the club to teach the juniors in the new Bondi location and this year Liesel will be competing in the 23-24 years age group.

She is known for her ability to quickly learn choreography, her wealth of competition experience in both physie and dance, and her passionate commitment to supporting her teammates and club.

Liesel is excited to share her knowledge and experience with the next generation of Physie girls.

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Kylie Heussner

Kylie is a seasoned physie instructor with a passion for sharing her love of dance and fitness. With over 50 years of experience in the sport, including being a National Champion Girl at the age of 12, Kylie has dedicated much of her life to physie. She has been a National place-getter and finalist in individual competitions and a valued member of many high-level teams. Kylie has also been an associate since the age of 19 and has helped teach seniors, ladies, juniors, and even tiny tots alongside her daughters.

Kylie is a firm believer in the benefits of physie, including the joy, laughter, and friendships it brings to so many. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, walking her dog Millie, and gardening. Her latest project is harvesting and roasting coffee beans from her garden.

With 5 years of experience teaching at ESP, Kylie is excited to work with the teaching team, sharing her vast experience and knowledge while embracing the energy and fresh talent that the group brings.

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Josephine Nastasi

Josephine is a seasoned Physie veteran, with over a decade of experience training at Morega Physical Culture Club, where she earned numerous competition placements and was a regional champion in club swinging.

After taking a break to pursue her passion for American football, Josephine was a two-time NSW Opal Bowl champion and represented her state in the national league.

In 2021, she rediscovered her love for Physie and joined the Eastern Suburbs Physie (ESP) team, quickly earning accolades competing at nationals, winning at Interclubs and being a key player in the Championship grade Ladies Intermediate team which placed 4th at Nationals in 2022.

After placing at zone last year Josephine went on to be competitive in the Ladies Novice Section and marched out in the National final.

With her sights set on representing Eastern Suburbs Physie and achieving even more success within the club, Josephine is dedicated to reaching her goals in 2023.

We are delighted she has joined our associates team this year.