Duane hails from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and has been dancing and performing since the age of 6. He studied at the Waterfront Theatre School in Cape Town where he twice received the award for ‘Most Outstanding Student’. He also obtained his Performer’s Certificate in Musical Theatre, and teaching degrees in both Modern and Tap dance.
After graduating, he performed in the Original South African cast of ‘CATS’. The production set off on a 3-year International Tour where he performed duties as Dance Captain, and performed the roles of Coricopat, Mungojerrie, and Skimbleshanks in many wonderful countries including Lebanon, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Scandinavia, Qatar, and Taipei. Back in South Africa, Duane performed in ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ playing brother Dan, acting as Dance Captain and as Assistant Choreographer. Duane performed in Adele Blank’s ‘City of Angels’ and ‘Free Flight - Free To Be’ for the Free Flight Dance Company. Other productions include ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ and both local and international tours of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ as Dance Captain and playing the role of Matthew. Duane appeared in the lead role of Mark Cohen, in the South African premiere of ‘RENT’. Other performances include those in ‘Chicago – The Musical’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and the Asian & Indonesian Premiere of ‘High School Musical’ in Shanghai and Jakarta.
He worked as Resident Director/Choreographer on the hugely successful 2010 production of ‘CATS’, and then as Resident Choreographer on the 2010 International Tour of ‘Grease’, performing in SA, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. He was Associate Choreographer on ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and Max/Herman and Resident Director/Choreographer in ‘Cabaret’. Duane spent the better part of 2013 as the Resident Choreographer on the International Tour of ‘Jersey Boys’ (Singapore, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Istanbul). Duane also played the role of Bob Crewe in this production, which earned him a Fleur du Cap Nomination. Duane was Resident Choreographer and Children’s Director on ‘The Sound of Music’ - International Tour, touring various cities in South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand and China. 2015 saw him tour Internationally with ‘Singin in the Rain’ as the alternate Don Lockwood in addition to being the dance captain. Most recently, Duane was a Swing and the Resident Choreographer of Annie, and the Resident Choreographer on Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Duane is also the award-winning choreographer of the recent production ofJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Duane works as a lecturer, teacher, freelance performer and choreographer for Corporate Functions, Film, Television, and Children’s Theatre Productions.