Dena Kaplan
Encyclopedia
Dena Kaplan is a South African
-born Australian
actress and dancer who may be best known for her role as Abigail Armstrong in the ABC
television series Dance Academy
.
, and is the older sister of The Saddle Club
actress Ariel Kaplan.
She moved to Australia
in 1996. She attended Mount Scopus Memorial College. She had dance training at numerous schools; Australian Ballet School
, Jane Moore Academy of Ballet and City Dance Centre. Her first stage appearance came alongside David Campbell in the Production Company's Carousel, she played the lead, Louise. Her second major public appearance was as a dancer/singer in the Disney production of the musical of Lion King
. She moved to New York
to study at the Ailey School and Broadway Dance Center, and was cast in a broadway musical, but was unable to accept the offer. Her first television role was in 2005 on the Network Ten
spy series Scooter: Secret Agent
as one of the party girls. In 2007, she appeared as Deborah Statesman in a episode of Australian police drama City Homicide
. In 2009, she played Keli in an episode of Flight Of The Conchords
and starred in the film In Her Skin alongside Rebecca Gibney
. She was then cast in the series Dance Academy
as Abigail Armstrong. In 2010 she was cast as Stephanie Wolfe in City Homicide
.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
-born Australian
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
actress and dancer who may be best known for her role as Abigail Armstrong in the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Company
The Australian Broadcasting Company was a consortium of entertainment interests formed in 1929 to supply radio programs for broadcast on the former "A-class" transmitters contracted to the Federal Government's National Broadcasting Service...
television series Dance Academy
Dance Academy
Dance Academy is an Australian teen-oriented television drama produced by Werner Film Productions in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and ZDF. Series one premiered on 31 May 2010, and series two is scheduled for 2012.-Plot:...
.
Biography
Kaplan was born on 20 January 1989, in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, and is the older sister of The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club is a children's television series based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant and is an Australia/Canada co-production. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three teenage girls in training to compete in equestrian competitions at the fictional...
actress Ariel Kaplan.
She moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1996. She attended Mount Scopus Memorial College. She had dance training at numerous schools; Australian Ballet School
Australian Ballet School
The Australian Ballet School was founded in 1964 as the primary training facility for The Australian Ballet by Dame Margaret Scott. It is part of the Australian Ballet Centre, which is located in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, Southbank in Melbourne, Victoria...
, Jane Moore Academy of Ballet and City Dance Centre. Her first stage appearance came alongside David Campbell in the Production Company's Carousel, she played the lead, Louise. Her second major public appearance was as a dancer/singer in the Disney production of the musical of Lion King
The Lion King (musical)
The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well...
. She moved to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to study at the Ailey School and Broadway Dance Center, and was cast in a broadway musical, but was unable to accept the offer. Her first television role was in 2005 on the Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
spy series Scooter: Secret Agent
Scooter: Secret Agent
Scooter: Secret Agent is an Australian children's television program screened on Network Ten in 2005.-Plot Summary:Scooter is an extremely clumsy teenager who finds a computer belonging to the world's greatest Secret Agent...
as one of the party girls. In 2007, she appeared as Deborah Statesman in a episode of Australian police drama City Homicide
City Homicide
City Homicide was an Australian television drama series that aired on the Seven Network between 27 August 2007 – 30 March 2011. The series was set on the Homicide floor of a metropolitan police headquarters in Melbourne...
. In 2009, she played Keli in an episode of Flight Of The Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
and starred in the film In Her Skin alongside Rebecca Gibney
Rebecca Gibney
Rebecca Catherine Gibney is a New Zealand born Australian actress.-Biography:Gibney was born the youngest of six children, and brought up in Wellington. She has said she wasn't so much funny as a "bit odd" as a child. "I was a bit like Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family...
. She was then cast in the series Dance Academy
Dance Academy
Dance Academy is an Australian teen-oriented television drama produced by Werner Film Productions in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and ZDF. Series one premiered on 31 May 2010, and series two is scheduled for 2012.-Plot:...
as Abigail Armstrong. In 2010 she was cast as Stephanie Wolfe in City Homicide
City Homicide
City Homicide was an Australian television drama series that aired on the Seven Network between 27 August 2007 – 30 March 2011. The series was set on the Homicide floor of a metropolitan police headquarters in Melbourne...
.
Career
| Year | Title | Type | Episodes | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Hamish & Andy Show Hamish & Andy Hamish & Andy are an Australian comedy duo formed in 2003 by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. They currently host the radio program The Hamish & Andy Show which airs in Australia on the Today Network.... |
TV Series | 1 | Girl |
| 2005 | The Lion King (musical) The Lion King (musical) The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well... |
Musical | Dancer | |
| 2005 | Scooter: Secret Agent Scooter: Secret Agent Scooter: Secret Agent is an Australian children's television program screened on Network Ten in 2005.-Plot Summary:Scooter is an extremely clumsy teenager who finds a computer belonging to the world's greatest Secret Agent... |
TV Series | 1 | Party Girl |
| 2007 | City Homicide City Homicide City Homicide was an Australian television drama series that aired on the Seven Network between 27 August 2007 – 30 March 2011. The series was set on the Homicide floor of a metropolitan police headquarters in Melbourne... |
TV Series | 1 | Deborah Statesman |
| 2009 | Flight Of The Conchords Flight of the Conchords Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named... |
TV Series | 1 | Keli |
| 2009 | In Her Skin | Film | Main Cast | |
| 2010 | Dance Academy Dance Academy Dance Academy is an Australian teen-oriented television drama produced by Werner Film Productions in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and ZDF. Series one premiered on 31 May 2010, and series two is scheduled for 2012.-Plot:... |
TV series | 26 | Abigail Armstrong |
| 2010 | City Homicide City Homicide City Homicide was an Australian television drama series that aired on the Seven Network between 27 August 2007 – 30 March 2011. The series was set on the Homicide floor of a metropolitan police headquarters in Melbourne... |
TV series | 1 | Stephanie Wolfe |