Alicia Banit (born 5 September 1990) is an Australian actress and dancer best known for her role as Kat in the ABC television series Dance Academy. She was also part of the main cast in We Were Tomorrow and had a recurring role in Playing for Keeps.
Early life Banit grew up in Melbourne and started dancing at the age of four, undertaking lessons in tap, jazz, ballet and hip hop at T-Jam Dance School. This led to a scholarship with Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) at the age of 12, where she learnt further dance styles including contemporary, character and acrobatics. She completed her schooling at St Helena Secondary College.
Career Banit first acting appearance was in the 1998 Australian film Dead Letter Office at the age of six, playing a minor role as the younger version of the main character, Alice. Comedy skits on shows called In Melbourne Tonight and Rove followed, before she took a hiatus from acting to focus on dance. At the age of 16, she resumed acting, playing a two episode guest role in the Network Ten soap opera Neighbours as Madison Sullivan (2006), before returning to the soap in 2008 for another two episode role – this time portraying Sharni Hillman.
From 2007 to 2009 Banit had two guest roles on the Australian version of the Disney Channel series As The Bell Rings, playing Amber. In 2007, she was cast as Kaitlyn in Chris Lilley's television series Summer Heights High, for the duration of the first season. In 2008, Banit appeared in Rush as Gemma Rose Parker acting alongside former Neighbours actress Eliza Taylor-Cotter. In 2009, she played Leah in season one of the Australian drama series Tangle. Later that year, she was cast as one of the main characters, Katrina Karamakov in the ABC television series Dance Academy.
From 23 to 27 August 2010, Banit was co-host on the ABC3 wrapper program Studio 3, alongside Kayne Tremills and Amberly Lobo.
Personal life Banit revealed via her Instagram account the birth of her first child, Isla Joy, born on October 10, 2022.
She has Macedonian heritage.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Dead Letter Office Young Alice Feature film 2017 Dance Academy: The Comeback Feature film2020mArkSarahShort film2021The Quirky Best FriendSamShort film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1995 Halifax f.p. Young Jane TV series, 1 episode 2006 Neighbours Madison Sullivan TV series, 2 episodes 2007–2011 As the Bell Rings Amber (main cast) TV series 2007 Summer Heights High Kaitlyn TV series, 8 episodes 2007 Pass the Plate Herself TV short form series, episode: "Mango" 2008 Neighbours TV series, 4 episodes 2008 Rush TV series, season 1, 1 episode 2009 Tangle Leah TV series, season 1, 6 episodes 2010–2013 Dance Academy (main cast) TV series, 65 episodes 2010 Studio 3 Herself TV series, 5 episodes 2017–2018 Superwog The Neighbour, Holly TV series, 3 episodes: Pilot; Episode 4: "The Formal";Episode 6: "The Zombie Apocalypse" 2018 We Were Tomorrow (main cast) TV series, 6 episodes 2018 Playing for Keeps (recurring role) TV series 2018 Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You TV miniseries 2019 Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries Rita TV series, season 1, 1 episode 2022 Summer Love Ella TV series, episode 7 2023 Crazy Fun Park Asha TV series, 1 episode
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