Our Versatile Vocational Dancers
Dancing full time is difficult enough when you are an adult and getting paid to do what you love, but what about the amazing full time dance students currently in the vocational program at The Dance Centre? They are young dancers who have set their sights high and now juggle school work, dance classes and a social life all in the hopes of a professional career on a world class stage some day.
I recently asked questions of the students currently in The Dance Centre's full-time vocational programme to become better acquainted with them. The following is a Q&A session with some of them.
PZ - WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DANCING?
Zoe - I have been dancing for three years.
Ella L - Most of my friends call me Ella Bella and I have been dancing for three years now and I love it!
Scarlett - I am 11 years old and I have been dancing since I was 6.
April - I have been dancing for 8 years.
Talena - I studied the Australian teachers of dance at MBK until last year when I moved to The Dance Centre Peregian Springs and started studying RAD.
Josh - I have been dancing for 4 years.
Alfie - I have been dancing 6 years.
PZ - WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME A FULL TIME VOCATIONAL STUDENT?
Zoe - Because Miss Deborah asked me too so I thought I would give it a go and now I love it!
Ella L - I knew straight away that I wanted to invest my time and energy into becoming a dancer. I used to watch all of the seniors come out of vocational and I would really wish that I could be one of them. Miss Deborah offered me a position in full time vocational after I had been dancing for only half a year. I immediately said yes!
Scarlett - I chose to become a vocational student because I dream of being a professional dancer when I grow up.
April - Because I just love to dance!
Telena - Since being at The Dance Centre I have found myself enthusiastic that ever to attend dancing.
Josh - I chose to become a full-time vocational student because I knew it would give me a high level of training to make it possible for a future career in dance.
Alfie - I chose to become a full-time vocational student because I love to dance and I believe that ful-time Vocational will extend me and make me a better dancer.
PZ - WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT DANCING FULL TIME?
Zoe - Probably the emotional ups and downs.
Ella L - Personally, the hardest thing about dancing full time is exhaustion. At times it can be difficult to not fall in a heap on the floor, but we do a lot of stamina building dances, which have helped already.
Scarlett - The challenge I face is the amount of hours I have to do juggling my school work at the same time.
April - My stamina is just not the best.
Telena - I have found that as soon as I started at The Dance Centre there was so many more people to look up to and try and be like, that's why I have found it hard to catch up with everyone my own age.
Josh - Keeping up with school work.
Alfie - Taking your corrections and putting them in your dancing because in full-time vocational you get lots of corrections.
PZ - WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT DANCING FULL TIME?
Zoe - Probably the feeling that I know each step is a step further to being a successful dancer!
Ella L - The best thing about dancing full time is what your body gives back to you, seeing your extension or arm position in the mirror and thinking, "wow, that's improved since last time," is such a great feeling. I also love the feeling of dancing in unison with all of my friends.
Scarlett - The best thing about being a vocational student is I have improved in my dancing. I've made great friends and I have heaps of fun.
April - The best thing is that I get to show everyone what I can do.
Telena - I am doing what I love, also I feel I am improving every day.
Josh - I get to do what I love with other people who love dance as much as me.
Alfie - The experiences that you get to have when you are doing full-time vocational. And also being able to dance with professionaly trained teachers with lots experience that will get in to the dream I want.
PZ - WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE?
Zoe - My hopes for the future is to hopefully get accepted into the Australian ballet!
Ella L - I know I want to become a professional dancer but at the moment I don't have anything specific in mind. I adore the Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Queensland Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the English National Ballet - so dancing with any of those companies would be a dream come true.
Scarlett - My hopes for the future is to become a professiona dancer and travel the world.
April - To become a professional dancer.
Telena - I hope to become a professional dancer.
Josh - My hopes for the future are to travel the world and to do what I love...dance!
Alfie - To dance in an international renowned company and to go touring all over the world with ballet.
PZ - IF YOU DON'T BECOME A PROFESSIONAL DANCER, WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Zoe - Oh, this is a hard one! I'm not totally sure, but maybe a model or teach ballet.
Ella L - If for some horrible reason I can't be a professional dancer, I think I'd do something with fashion. I like styling, and abstract photography using fashion. That really interests me.
Scarlett - If this doesn't happen then I would love to teach dancing instead.
April - Either to be a model or a photographer in France.
Telena - I will do anything to stay involved i dancing like a dance teacher or a dance physio.
Josh - If I don't become a professional dancer, I would be a writer.
Alfie - A dance/school teacher.
PZ - WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DANCER AND WHY?
Zoe - Dayna Booth, because when I first came into The Dance Centre I did not know anyone, then I met Dayna and she started to inspire me so much. So that sort of brought me closer to wanting to be better at ballet.
Ella L - I don't have one favourite dancer. I take inspiration from anyone I see that I like. Along with my teachers, all of the girls and boys at The Dance Centre inspire me everyday. I love watching compnay dancers perform, but I think it's so much more amazing to see a dancer you personally know shine and stand out.
Scarlett - My favourite professional dancers are my teachers, Ms. Deborah Preece - Brocksom and Mr. Richard Leader. They have inspired me to dance with their teaching and dance career stories. They have been there supporting and encouraging me from the day I began to learn. I think they are wonderful.
April - Misty Copeland because she is amazing.
Telena - Misty Copeland. Because she didn't take no for an answer.
Josh - I do not have a favourite dancer. Someone who inspires me is Stephen Heathcote. The Australian Ballet performed Manon at QPAC in Brisbane and I was lucky enough to be given a small part. Stephen sat down with me and the three other boys and told us about what it was like to be in the Australian Balleet School and what life would be like as a professional dancer.
Alfie - My favourite dancer is Jorge Barani from Havana, Cuba and dances in the Royal Ballet. He is my favourite dancer because of all his amazing jumps, turns and technique.
PZ - HOW DOES DANCING MAKE YOU FEEL?
Zoe - Dancing gets me lost in my own little world and it makes me feel all happy and bubbly inside.
Ella L - Dancing make me feel like I'm doing something right. It gives me the feeling when I dance that no one will tell me not to do what I love. It is purely my choice how far I take this and when I dance, seeing people dance with me and seeing people watching me, makes me feel part of a family, but it also makes me feel as if I'm alone but not in a lonely way, in a more of a self sufficient way.
Scarlett - When I dance it makes me feel amazing, it calms me and all my stresses are gone. I feel like I can do anything.
April - Dancing make me feel real, I don't know what I would be without it.
Telena - It makes me feel alive. If someone told me I couldn't dance it would be like somone telling me I can't breathe.
Josh - The only way I can explain it is I get lost in dance, there are no bad feelings. It just feels good.
Alfie - Dancing makes me feel happy, at home and joyful.
PZ - WHAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR SOLO YOU WILL BE PERFORMING IN THE VOCATIONAL SHOWCASE?
Zoe - La Bayadere, Third Variation
Ella L - I am performing three solos in the showcase - a Sugar Plum Fairy variation, my Eisteddford classical, and my Eisteddfod contemporary.
Scarlett - I will be doing a variation from Don Quixote. It has a Spanish theme and is a very fast dance.
April - I am doing Klara, modern expressive on pointe and my classical solo.
Telena - I will be performing two solos at the Vocational Showcase. The first one will be a Spanish classical solo that is from The Dance Centre, and the second one will be from the Tsygankova - Dutch National Ballet called Kitri.
Josh - Siegfried
PZ - DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN ONE WORD.
Zoe - Oh my, that is a hard one but I will probably say: Zoeyfied!
Ella L - Persistent.
Scarlett - Graceful.
April - Extraordinary!
Telena - Determined.
Josh - Creative.
