A Sydney dance teacher sent a series of explicit text messages to students as young as 11, asking them for "sexy pics", a royal commission has heard.

Grant Davies, a former director of RG Dance who pleaded guilty to 47 child sex offences in 2015, is one subject of an inquiry into abuse at performing arts schools.

In an opening address to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, counsel assisting David Lloyd SC said the hearing would examine how Davies groomed students and their parents.

He told the commission Davies was a "prolific user" of online messaging and mobile phones.

In text messages read out to the commission, Davies asked an 11-year-old student to "Make a vagina video" and  told a 12-year-old student: "Flexy is sexy. OMG. You give me a woody" and "I sent you a nice pic of my willy as well. Hope it makes you feel sexy".

Mr Lloyd told the commission there would also be evidence that Davies groomed parents, including the mother of two young students at his Chiswick dance studio.

The mother, given the pseudonym BZH, will give evidence that Davies asked her to provide explicit images and videos of her daughters.

"Grant Davies threatened to destroy her and her daughters if she did not respond and provide what he wanted," Mr Lloyd said.

BZH was recently released on parole after serving an 18-month prison sentence for producing and disseminating child abuse material.

Mr Lloyd told the commission that parents openly called Davies a "paedo" and a "sicko".

A number of parents and former students will give evidence at the Sydney hearing.

A former student given the pseudonym BZP will give evidence that Davies asked her to dress in his wife's clothes while he wore a towel and they played a game called "lions and tigers." She was nine years old at the time.

The commission will hear BZP and her family initiated a police investigation in 2007 however it failed to proceed in circumstances which will be explored at the hearing.

Davies was arrested in 2013 after his wife discovered a series of disturbing messages and images on his computer.

The inquiry will also hear evidence about Victor Makarov​, the former head of the piano department at the Australian Institute of Music in Surry Hills.

Makarov was arrested in January 2004 but the commission will hear evidence he continued to teach at the school for a further six months and then taught at home until December 2004 when he was charged with multiple sexual offences against students.

Makarov was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The hearing before Justice Jennifer Coate will continue on Thursday.

For help or information call Lifeline 13 11 14; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 or the Royal Commission 1800 099 340.