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Things you learn from dance like respect, discipline and structure, they all build to your adult life. Those transferable skills you can bring to your adult life and they can help you to be successful.
Dance journey
I started dancing when I was four years old. My mum took me to a concert of the local dance studio to see if I would be interested in learning how to dance. I absolutely loved it. I think they did something like a Little Mermaid theme for their concert. I was pretty excited. I did my first couple of classes and the teacher said “I want to put her in a solo”. My mum was a little bit overwhelmed, but I kept going.
So, I went straight away into competitions. I have done ballet, tap, jazz and when I was older, we started doing contemporary, lyrical, hip hop. I have also done a little bit of salsa, partnering work, all sorts of commercial styles.
I started teaching when I was an older teen, still going to school, while I was doing a lot of competition and performances. When I was 17, I auditioned to go into a full-time school in Melbourne so I studied for one year at Spectrum Dance to do a Certificate IV in dance.
What I really enjoyed about that training was the structure. I am a very routine based person, so I really enjoyed that we had set classes every term, so we would have the same class every day. It was really good to work with great teachers and choreographers, and to build on the foundation that I had school that focussed on competition and discipline. And to get to work with different teachers, so that you learn something new with all of them. It´s a much richer experience than having just one teacher.
However, I didn´t go on to do a Diploma, because I realised that contract to contract life was not for me. I didn´t wanted to pursue into the professional side of dance. I still loved to dance, but wanted to come home and see what life could give me. So, I did stop dancing and teaching for a little while. My current job is working for a health insurance company and I actually train all the new people on the customer facing role. So teaching is something that I do a lot and it seems that one supports the other, especially working with different age groups as well.
Tap has always been my favourite style. I find that not so many people are inspired to do tap, so it´s fairly niche and I have always been impressed about the fact that you can make music while dancing to music. I also sing and play the piano, so I think it´s a nice continuation of that part of my life as well.
Teaching
The first thing that I try to bring into a class is fun, however I think it´s important to keep respect of the structure and style as well. Something that I am really passionate about is technique and having a go at anything, like creating a combination or trying different arms. I like to encourage people to be creative.
I love teaching at Dragonfly Dance. It´s so warm and welcoming. The students are awesome, they always appreciate everything that you bring into class, and they also appreciate each other as well. The environment is so much fun. We have a lot of laughs. I love to come to that and keep them moving and learning.
For adults I think there´s a broad spectrum about where they are in their dancing journey. You might have someone that has only done tap for a year, or you might have someone that have done tap their whole life but stopped for 10 years and they have come back to it. Even though you have those differences, they can still come and do a class and we as teachers can tailor it so that we have a great class for all of those types of people.
I love the musicality of tap. Whenever I am choreographing, I am not focused only on the counting, but also the musicality and the nuances of all of the instruments. So, the piece of music has to speak to me like that and has to be something that they love listening to because they will practice every week for 12 weeks, during the term.
I loved the school that I learnt to dance in, that´s why I kept going through all the competitions and practice. We did all the jazz, ballet and tap exams. I think that you don´t realise as a child that things you learn from dance like respect, discipline and structure, they all build to your adult life. It helps build your confidence, to think under pressure, and to work as a team. Those transferable skills you can bring to your adult life, and they can help you to be successful.
Biography and qualifications
QUALIFICATIONS
CertiFcate IV in Dance
Student Teachers Certificate in Tapping, Commonwealth Society for Teachers of Dance (CSTD)
Highest exams completed:
- Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Advanced 1 Ballet
- CSTD Grade 8 Jazz