She’s the choreographer behind J Balvin’s Coachella set, a creative powerhouse within The Squared Division, and the teacher who’s shaped some of Australia’s brightest talent. Cassie Bartho is one of the country’s most in-demand exports — balancing international stages with an authenticity that keeps her deeply connected to the community she came from.
Cassie Bartho — Choreographing Her Moment
When Cassie Bartho talks about “just getting it done,” she isn’t exaggerating.
This year alone, she’s clocked more than forty-five flights — choreographing arena productions, mentoring dancers across continents, and collaborating with The Squared Division on projects that reach millions. From J Balvin’s Coachella debut to the FIFA World Cup halftime show, Cassie’s creative signature is everywhere right now — bold, musical, and unapologetically Australian.
“In this industry, you learn to move fast and adapt even faster,” she says. “Some nights you’re building version 52 of a routine at 1 a.m., but when you watch it land in front of 60,000 people, it’s all worth it.”
The breakthrough moment
Cassie still remembers the shift — that single performance that changed the trajectory of her career.
“After the J Balvin Coachella performance, everything changed. It was the first time I really felt recognised by people I’d always admired. It wasn’t about ego — it was that ‘okay, she’s here’ moment.”
That visibility catapulted Cassie from being one of Australia’s most respected choreographers to a global creative with her name on major tours, television projects, and stage spectaculars. But she insists it was never a sudden leap — it was the plan all along.
“I’ve always known I wanted to choreograph,” she says. “Even when I was ten, teaching my best friend routines in the living room — that was my thing. Performing was incredible, but I saw it as training for where I wanted to end up.”
The creative grind behind the glamour
Despite the high-profile projects, Cassie stays refreshingly grounded about the process.
“Preparation is everything,” she says simply. “If you walk into a room unprepared, you feel it immediately. I like to know the music inside-out, understand the artist, and plan for every scenario — but you also have to be flexible enough to throw it out and start again if needed.”
She laughs recalling countless late-night changes from The Squared Division team. “If Ash rings at 1 a.m. saying, ‘we’re on version 52,’ I take a breath, then get to work. That’s part of the job — staying open, taking feedback, and trusting the team.”
It’s this ability to combine preparation with adaptability that has made her indispensable to the industry’s biggest creative directors.
Australian-made, globally recognised
Ask Cassie what makes Australian dancers stand out, and her answer is instant: “Work ethic.”
“You can spot an Aussie in a room straight away,” she says. “We fight for opportunities because we don’t get as many. We hit hard, we care about detail, and we actually want feedback.”
Still, she believes there’s room for Aussies to own their power. “Americans are confident — they celebrate their wins. Aussies tend to downplay it. I think we can be humble and still take up space. We deserve to.”
That combination — humility and hunger — has become part of Cassie’s own creative DNA.
Beyond the studio walls
After fifteen years teaching at Brent Street, Cassie admits stepping away from her home base was bittersweet.
“Those kids are my heart,” she says, visibly emotional. “Their success feels like my success. Saying goodbye wasn’t easy — but I realised I needed to fill my own cup. It’s not goodbye forever; it’s just a new chapter.”
Her move coincides with a new life in the U.S., where her husband recently relocated for work. “It just felt aligned,” she smiles. “He found his dream job in LA, and I had all these incredible opportunities unfolding. It felt like the universe saying, go now.”
The DanceLife effect
Cassie’s reach exploded after becoming a key cast member and choreographer in Prime Video’s DanceLife DocuSeries. The show offered an inside look at Australia’s elite training scene — and positioned Cassie as a central creative voice.
“That project really changed things,” she reflects. “It showed the world what Australian dancers are capable of. It opened doors not just for me, but for so many of my students. Seeing them now auditioning overseas, getting tours — that visibility matters.”
A second season has just been announced, and this time Cassie helped run auditions and shape the Top 10 bound for London. “It’s amazing to see it evolve. It’s more than a TV show — it’s a pipeline for Australian talent.”
What’s next
The next few months are predictably intense: Cassie will rejoin J Balvin’s team for a stadium spectacular in Medellín, Colombia, before collaborating on a major Asian pop tour — dream projects by anyone’s measure.
“I just want to keep creating art that connects,” she says. “Whether it’s a stadium crowd or a studio full of kids, that’s the point — connection. I want people to feel something.”
She’s also hungry to push further into screen choreography. “Stage work feels like home, but film is my next frontier. I want to understand how movement translates through camera — that’s the evolution I’m chasing.”
Full circle
For someone now choreographing ‘pinch-me-moment’ halftime shows and arena tours, Cassie still sees herself as that teacher in the corner of the studio — helping someone else find their moment.
“I’ll always be that person who loves watching dancers shine,” she says. “Their wins are my wins. The more we support each other, the stronger our whole industry becomes.”
She pauses, then adds with her trademark grin: “I just want to make beautiful work, work with amazing people, and keep growing. The rest — that’s just bonus.”
ABOUT CASSIE BARTHO
Choreographer | Performer | Educator
Cassie Bartho is one of Australia’s leading creative exports — known for her work with The Squared Division, J Balvin (Coachella, Rayo Tour, FIFA World Cup Halftime Show), Sydney WorldPride, L’Hotel, Gatsby at the Green Light, The Voice, The Masked Singer, and Prime Video’s DanceLife DocuSeries.
A long-time faculty member of Brent Street, Cassie now splits her time between Australia and the U.S., continuing to mentor through Velocity Dance Convention and create for some of the world’s biggest artists and brands.
