SEPTEMBER 2018
HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT DANCE BUSINESS
ADVICE FROM CONSULTANT KIM PAYNE
GENEE INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION HONG KONG
AUSSIE JOSHUA GREEN AWARDED WITH GOLD MEDAL
MICHAEL DAMESKI DANCEWRITER.COM.AU
CATAPULTING U.S TV SERIES WORLD OF DANCE
CONTENTS
Editor Sub Editor Contributors Jessica Poulter Ruth Letch Jessica Poulter, Ruth Letch, Sian Corrigan, Emma Cheeseman
14 High hopes for emerging choreographer Cassandra Merwood ADF Top 8 Finalist NEXT Choreographer Competition
3 Editor's Note 4 Michael Dameski on World of Dance 7 Joshua Green on winning streak Genée International Ballet competition in Hong Kong. 9 Entering Entrepreneurship: Is it a battle worth finding for? Business consultant Kim Payne gives her advice on start ups in dance. 12 Colossus at Melbourne Fringe Festival The Arts Centre Melbourne brings Colossus performed by the Stephanie Lake Company. 14 Cassandra Merwood Top 8 contenders for Australian Dance Festival’s NEXT Choreographer competition this September. 16 Alexandra George Dancer turned film producer. 20 Break The Barre: Unique spark in Classical by Emma Cheeseman 22 No Standing Only Dancing: Be your own boss by Sian Corrigan 24 Jump Dance Challenge: Brigid Ewing 25 Ambassador chat
EDITOR'S NOTE Follow us on social media! Instagram: @thedancewriter
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Jessica Poulter Dance Writer Founder and Writer
Follow us on social media! Facebook: @thedancewriter
What a month it has been for Dance Writer. It was such an honour to host the Dance Writer Charity Gala 'HER' proudly supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Bringing together dancers from all walks of life and seeing them interact and learn from one another made me feel incredibly humbled. We raised more than $6,000 to the non-for-profit organisation, which receives zero government funding. This edition has an interweaving thread, focusing on business and personal brand. How important is it to know how to market yourself? Talent is something that is very difficult to achieve, but without the proper marketing skills, talent is seen by no one. It is reality that we must face and embrace, and implement into our daily lives. We can start by changing the way we use social media. If we are authentic to ourselves and proud to post about our goals and passions then we are unstoppable. This month, Dance Writer launched an incredible initiative to improve the amount of performance opportunities for young talented dancers. We launched the Dance Writer Youth Company, which will feature 20 impressive dancers performing in two production seasons. Stay tuned for our updates on socials. I'm proud to announce a new contributor for this edition. Emma Cheeseman from the blog Break The Barre is an elite classical coach for youth and will be reporting on dance techniques and health tips. We are excited to nurture her writing journey. Thank you to our readers for all your support. We hope to see some of our young dancers at the Dance Writer Youth Company auditions on January 12 at Toorak College Mount Eliza. Jessica Poulter Editor-in-chief
MICHAEL DAMESKI
So You Think You Can Dance Australia’s winner Michael Dameski is catapulting the competition on the U.S hit tv series World of Dance on NBC. Sydney-born contemporary dancer Michael Dameski won the Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance in 2014. Since then, he has performed with The Dream Dance Company and been residing in Los Angeles working a professional dancer. “I was living with Paula Abdul and we really bonded together. She saw something in me and wanted to guide me. Paula really was my guardian,” Michael said.
Michael filled out half the application form to season one of World of Dance, but could not bring himself to complete it. “I didn’t want to be the guy who just does television shows,” admitted Michael. When season two came around, Michael was approached by the World of Dance team to finish the application. "I was skeptical at first when I was approached by World of Dance, but it was a quiet time for me, professionally. The dancers on the first season got great exposure and I thought that is what I needed to help boost my dance career.”
Michael Dameski during his solo performance on NBC's World of Dance.
Michael has been completely on his own during this competition with no coach or choreographer. He has formed all his works himself and rehearsed on his own schedule by self correcting. “I’m a person that works really well under pressure. I decided to have no creative help with what I put on stage as I trust myself the most,” he explained. “As you get further into the rounds, you never want to show too much because you want to keep surprising the judges. It is a creative challenge that is a completely different style to So You Think You Can Dance as you are given a choreographer.”
MICHAEL DAMESKI
World of Dance is a show that is not about how technically good you are, it is about the story you can tell. “Those great dancers are not necessarily making you feel something when you dance,” told Michael. Michael’s feedback has been nothing short of exceptional and is currently ranked second on the senior team with a score in the high 90s. “I look at the judges individually for what they do; I feel like I have a personal connection with all of them especially Derek because he is a male dancer.
Jennifer Lopez is a well rounded girl, and Ne-yo brings in the soulful element, so together the criticism is constructive.” Michael believes Australian dancers are very talented when it comes to performance and charisma. His level of energy on stage is derived from his training back in Sydney at Brent Street Studios. “I think Australian dancers have a certain attack level when it comes to performers; it is in our nature to hit hard.” Yet, dance is no easy career path to take, even for someone as talented as Michael. “As much as it looks so great on the outside, dance is a path
Michael Dameski on World of Dance.
where unless you are so in love with it, you need to know that along the way it is not going to be a high; it is going to be an up-and-down slope,” Michael revealed. “I have definitely got a ‘no’ more than a ‘yes’. The way I handle all that is I go to an audition and I walk out feeling like I did the best I could do. I’d get cut, and get so far into my head and figure out what was wrong. Now, I’m at a point that I am confident in what I do no matter the outcome,” he added. Michael Dameski will be performing in the World of Dance Live Tour that travels through North America and Canada from September 14.
Joshua Green, gold medallists and Choreographic Award Winner. Genée 2018. Photographer Keith Sin. Image courtesy of the Royal Academy of Dance
JOSHUA GREEN GENÉE INTERNATIONAL BALLET Australian ballet dancer Joshua Green has won the two biggest awards at the 2018 Royal Academy of Dance’s Genée International Ballet competition in Hong Kong and winner of the 2018 Sydney Eisteddfod Ballet Scholarship. 17-year-old Joshua Green, born in regional New South Wales, is currently one of Australia’s most decorated youth ballet dancers. Joshua Green competed in the finals at the 2018 Genée International Ballet competition, winning the gold medal and the choreographic award. Joshua competed out of hundreds of dancers from all across the globe, with Australia the most number of finalists.
“I went into the Genée with no expectations of any awards and came out with two, the feeling is really hard to explain,” admitted Joshua. Joshua is an avid choreographer, performing his own routines on stage, which have won choreographic awards. “The music is the pure inspiration. I follow the impulse of the music and do what feels natural when the music plays. That’s what I find works the best!” For Genée Competition, Joshua was fortunate enough to have his solo choreographed by Richard Causer of Expressions Dance Company in Brisbane.
“His work is gorgeous and the solo he did for me has been by far my favourite solo to dance. He uses the music as the inspiration along with a concept. So for my solo for Genée was based around the way that the male gender (generalisation, of course) bottle up their emotions, and it’s about the way that emotional reservation effects your mental state,” Joshua explained. Joshua’s accolades is a credit to his dance studio Karen Ireland Dance Centre in New South Wales, where he only began dancing two years ago. He has gone from strength to strength in the classical realm by training rigorously for the time he lost.
GENÉE INTERNATIONAL
BALLET
“My first ballet exam was Intermediate in November of 2016 and I finished my Solo Seal at the end of August 2018. I think I progressed so quickly because of a wonderful support system in my family, brilliant teachers and a lot of hard work and dedication,” said Joshua. The original plan for Joshua was to get into musical theatre. As a classical singer, his singing teacher suggested dance lessons to become a triple-threat performer. The suggestion was Karen Ireland Dance Centre, and from there, he never looked back. In August, Joshua applied and won the Sydney
Genée 2018 medallists with (left to right), Hilary Clark, Carlo AC Pacis, and Petal Miller Ashmole. Photographer Keith Sin. Image courtesy of the Royal Academy of Dance
Eisteddfod Guillermo Keys-Arenas Dance Trust Fund Outright Winner Scholarship. This prize was essentially an $18,000 scholarship and the opportunity of a short secondment with The Royal Danish Ballet. In addition, he also won the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet Performance Awards, which includes an opportunity to perform, with a full orchestra and international guest artists, in two or three performances of the ACB's December full-length classical ballet production at the Arts Centre, Melbourne. Joshua’s success continues in September this year when he relocates to Stuttgart Germany
to take up a pre-professional training program for two years in Classical ballet. “After my international training, I would love to get into a ballet company. I’d love to dance with The Australian Ballet. I’d also love to dance with the Dutch National Ballet at some point, and work in London with The Royal Ballet or English National Ballet.
Kim Payne.
ENTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: IS IT A BATTLE WORTH FIGHTING FOR? By Ruth Letch
Last year, I realised a dream when I launched my copywriting business. It was surreal. Weird. After endless months of planning, branding discussions, studying, website building and social media creation, I nervously hit ‘publish’ on my website, shared my new Facebook page and waited. To this day, I’m not exactly sure what I was waiting for. Business consultant Kim Payne of 9Rok Consulting explains that, “New businesses tend to get carried away perfecting their brand, logos, colours, websites etc.” Through experience and research, Kim found that people, particularly women, tend to wait until all their ‘boxes are ticked’ before they feel ready to launch. Kim disagrees, “You have to just get out
there and do your stuff, you don’t have to know everything before you get started. Get some clients on board, start doing it, the other stuff will happen. Just give it a go.” Sixteen years ago, my husband, Steve, gave it a go. Thinking back to those early beginnings, I recall the combination of fear and excitement when he resigned from his job to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. We had very little money, a one year old son and a burning desire to give his plan a shot. Chatting now, Steve explains that running your own business is not for everyone. “It suits someone who doesn’t want to be held in the traditional realms of employment. But along with
autonomy comes the insecurity of not having a regular wage, career path, superannuation and so on. It’s not safe,” Steve admitted. It is important to consider what your income stream will be while you are starting your foray into business ownership. For us, it was Steve’s ability to work in a freelance role with casual employment providing an external income source while I ran a family day care business from home. As the business grew, we were gradually able to reduce the need for the alternative income, but it certainly helped buffer the transition from full-time employment to entrepreneurship. Kim encourages her clients to continue to learn as they work. “Do your stuff. Get feedback from people. Adapt as
ENTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: IS IT A BATTLE WORTH FIGHTING FOR? Kim Payne.
you go and focus on learning how to run YOUR business.” Books, podcasts and talking to people are great avenues for developing knowledge and exploring new concepts. Online support and networking groups (both within and outside your chosen industry) are invaluable as they provide a safe space to ask questions, share information and, importantly, celebrate success. It’s OKAY to feel vulnerable and ask for help. Kim laughs about the mistakes she has made along the way, “You’ve got to have the courage to try something and, if it’s not working, cut it loose and move on.” Emotional connection to something we’ve created is perfectly normal, but it’s important to recognise when to make a change.
Kim says, “Lots of people view mistakes as ‘I’m a failure,’ yet I don’t know a single successful business story where failure has not played a massive part.” ‘Move forward’ is her mantra; use the opportunity to learn and grow. Running your own business forces you to learn a lot about yourself. You have to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. You must be dedicated, committed and have faith in your abilities. Interestingly, both Kim and Steve agree that what matters the most is you. “There are so many benefits from running your own business. It’s not about being the best, or having the greatest product. You need to define your own success and pursue those goals,” said Steve.
“If you have a skill that can genuinely help other people, that’s where your focus needs to be,” Kim explains. With the number of small businesses increasing nowadays, it is essential to tell your story. Show how you can make a difference, help someone, or solve their problem through your product or service. “No-one can compete with your story,” says Kim, “As a consumer, I want you to compel me to join you.” It has taken me a year of self-doubt, uncertainty, bravery, mistakes and successes to understand this. While running my business is a constant balancing act between work commitments and family life, I’m determined to ‘move forward’ every day and share my stories with the world.
COLOSSUS AT MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL BY STEPHANIE LAKE COMPANY Kim Payne.
The Arts Centre Melbourne in association with the Melbourne Fringe Festival bring to the stage Colossus, performed by the Stephanie Lake Company from September 26-30 at the iconic Arts Centre. Colossus is a contemporary work directed and choreographed by Stephanie Lake; a multi-award winning creative in the Arts. Commissioned specifically for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, this 50-person cast incorporates the intricacies of mass bodies on stage by delving into kaleidoscopic patterns while exploring themes of beauty and ugliness. Lake taps into the human desire to be part of the mass and to share in a communal experience but also to assert individuality within such a dense landscape.
“This concept has been ticking away in my head since I was a student, so when this proposal came up from the Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the Take Over! program, I threw my hat in the ring and they supported it!” told Ms Lake. Lake is renowned for abstract and intricate contemporary choreography that is also very intuitive. “I’m very responsive to the dancers I am working with and I’m delighted by the possibility of what can happen. It is like a kind of alchemy and you start something and it is a never-ending thread of ideas,” she explained. This is not Lake’s first venture into
large scale productions. She has been commissioned by Sydney Dance Company and most recently the Queensland Ballet to produce contemporary works. She has toured internationally with her shows by Stephanie Lake Company, first performing at Dublin Dance Festival. Lake grew up in Canada and undertook figure skating. When her family relocated to the humble town of Launceston, Tasmania, she fell in love with contemporary dance. After she joined a youth dance company and participated regularly at Tasdance, she decided to chase her passion and study contemporary dance at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. 22-years-later, she still resides in Melbourne where her professional dance company is based.
COLOSSUS AT MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL BY STEPHANIE LAKE COMPANY Throughout Lake’s career, she has been blessed with accolades for her work, including the Helpmann Award (2014), Green Room Award (2011) and Australian Dance Award (2014) for Best Choreography and in 2013 was appointed inaugural Resident Director of Lucy Guerin Inc. “I honestly never expect any award. My highest wish is to basically not embarrass myself! The awards are amazing as it is a massive affirmation to keep going and get that recognition alongside big companies,” she said. The Stephanie Lake Company with the support of Victorian College of the Arts and Transit Dance present Colossus at the Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne from September 26-30.
Colossus by Stephanie Lake Company Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio September 26-30, 2018 Ticket prices $28-35 www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
CASSANDRA MERWOOD Dancer and choreographer Cassandra Merwood has been selected as a finalist in the Australian Dance Festival N.E.X.T Choreographer Competition, which will take place on September 14-16. The winner receives a $5,000 grant to help produce a professional choreographic showreel with video crew included. Last year’s winner Cat Santos produced a rendition of Michael Jackson’s dangerous, fusing Latin American, hip hop and jazz styles with a cast of roughly 30 dancers.
HIGH HOPES FOR EMERGING CHOREOGRAPHER CASSANDRA MERWOOD Born in Queensland, Cassandra began dancing at two-yearsold at Johnny Young Talent School. As dance grew into her passion, she decided to study a Diploma of Musical Theatre & teaching certificate (CSTD) at Davidia Lind Dance Centre. At 16, she discovered a passion for urban/hip-hop styles and began establishing herself as a professional commercial dancer within the corporate industry with credits including Myer, Jessica Mauboy, Guy Sebastian and Hermitude. Cassandra was fortunate enough to perform at the ARIA awards three-years-ago alongside Hermitude. This experience opened many doors to her performance career. “We performed a show for them at the ARIAs and then they invited us to do the performance on their show the next night! It was a great opportunity for us!” admitted Casandra. Cassandra is now a resident choreographer at her agency Focus. When she first dived into the world of choreography, she was reserved about putting herself up for jobs. “I want to be a choreographer, so my agent put me forward for jobs that seemed daunting at first to me. I said yes to everything and then worked it out. If you just say yes, you will grow and learn amazing new skills,” told Cassandra. Cassandra choreographed television commercials for ABC Kids, corporate events for Harvey Norman, plus worked for Rachel Disalvo and Greenpeace. Her dedication to pursuing a career in the arts is a hard stint given the lack of opportunities in the Australian dance industry. “Australian dancers are super talented and our training is amazing but there are simply not enough jobs here. I want to explore the area of potential for other industries to hire dancers.” Cassandra’s main goal as a choreographer is to bring diversity to light and to change the current mould for the commercial dance scene.
By Jessica Poulter
ALEXANDRA GEORGE DANCER TURNED FILM PRODUCER By Jessica Poulter Former dancer Alexandra George (TC ‘08) is an awarded film producer in Melbourne with many credits under her belt, including Dance Academy. Alexandra George, 28, is a former dance student at Rosebud Ballet School, headed by Sandra Allan for more than 45 years. She completed all her Cecchetti exams by age 17 with Honours and was a Silver Medal Test Finalist in 2005. When she hung up her ballet shoes, she soon picked up a video camera. Alexandra was mentored by some of Australia’s most established producers at the Victorian College of the Arts, leading her to work with production companies including Matchbox Pictures (Nowhere Boys), Werner Film Productions (Dance Academy), Plot Media (Acute Misfortune) and she is now a fulltime producer at EXIT Films. “I feel lucky every day to do what I do, I will never undersell just how important mentors are in my own journey.”
She graduated with a Bachelor of Professional Communications with Distinction from RMIT and a Masters of Producing from the Victorian College of the Arts, where she was named VCA Producer of the Year. These accomplishments are only part of her overall success. Alexandra’s work spans short and feature film, primetime television, online, commercial, music video and video installation formats—with her short films being selected by all major film festivals across the country including MIFF Accelerator, Sydney Film Festival Dendy Awards, Flickerfest and St Kilda Film Festival, with several wins. Her recently produced short, written and directed by Sunday Emerson Gullifer
titled Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow was selected as one of only 16 short films worldwide to have its international premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, USA—host to the world premiere of such films as Moonlight, Juno and 12 Years A Slave. Even though she has scooped up various accolades as an emerging producer, she never considered producing as a career until her third year at RMIT. “I never thought I’d end up being a producer. However, my inclination for storytelling was already really strong at Toorak College, where I was supported,” Alexandra said.
SPARK YOUTH DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS ‘ARIADNE’ TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH Spark Youth Dance Company presents a brand new fulllength work ‘Ariadne’ at the Frankston Arts Centre on September 27 and 28 to help raise awareness about mental health in young people. The company, featuring 23 dancers aged 7-19 and a 35-piece professional orchestra will delight viewers with a Greek mythological concept. Ariadne is the pivotal woman who helps Theseus to escape the Minotaur’s labyrinth. As the keeper of a labyrinth that houses an angry Minotaur, Ariadne sees her chance to escape her home island. She helps Greek hero Theseus to succeed in his quest to kill the Minotaur by giving him a piece of thread to navigate the labyrinth. This premiere work takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster; venturing through concepts of selfacceptance and personal discovery. Mental health is evident in the show with themes including self-esteem and depression rising to the surface. Mental health is a topic that resonates with many on the Mornington Peninsula as the rate of suicides in youth is high. One young woman living on the Peninsula who is making a difference in the lives of many is Spark’s company director Alexandra Dellaportas. This new ambitious work is directed and choreographed by the 20-year-old, who has accepted and overcome her own challenges with mental health. “I hope that through this work I open up a conversation within our company dancers as well as our audience about mental health and the fact that it is okay not to be okay,” told Miss Dellaportas.
She has brought together a collective of creatives who are all 25-years and under to produce a dance work that is expected to be magical. Her work has been commended by some of Victoria’s most influential dance entrepreneurs including former Victorian Dance Festival director Kate Meade, glorifying Miss Dellaportas’s work as “exciting and innovative”. “Ariadne’s story is one of bravery, loss and trusting in herself and I believe that she is an excellent role model to all as she learns by the end of the show that leaving her home island won't solve any of her inner problems. She has to find it within herself.”
Spark Youth Dance Company presents Ariadne Thursday, September 27 Friday, September 28 Frankston Arts Centre http://artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au/
YOUNG BLOOD CHOREOGRAPHER SHOWCASING 'BINARY' PERFORMANCE
Mornington Peninsula based dancer and emerging choreographer Jacinta Martorella will showcase ‘Binary,’ which includes two original contemporary works ‘Recess’ and ‘DYEL’ on September 7-8 in South Yarra. Jacinta Martorella exhibited her choreographic ability earlier this year when she collaborated with Spark Youth Dance Company. The company dancers performed Martorella's choreographic work ‘Recess,’ which is a collection of ideas surrounding the word ‘play’ and how youth interact outside. Contrasted by wearing prison playsuits, this contemporary work dives into a jungle of metaphors about the youths’ mindset and the complexities of society. Jacinta is excited to re-stage ‘Recess’ and present her work in front of a wider audience. She says her inspiration is from the dancers themselves. “I had no idea at the beginning of what I wanted that show to be, but once I got the kids it all came together. Recess is essentially a celebration of youth, drawn from ideas about ‘play’ and just them being them made it so easy for me to make the show. They are so young and passionate,” said Miss Martorella. After ‘Recess’ is a 30-minute display of work ‘Do You Even Lift?’ that focuses on bodies in space, testing the extent of one’s physical and mental endurance. Martorella has worked on the aesthetic and choreography of this piece for the past year, including herself into the piece among the dancers. “I don’t work by following a strict narrative when I choreograph; my sole purpose for this show is to display a group of bodies that dance ridiculously well. I am my happiest when I create a cool piece of choreography and my dancers embody it and let it take them to another realm!”
BINARY September 7-8, 2018 The Irene Mitchell Studio Tickets: $20-25 https://www.trybooking.com/398425 23-year-old Jacinta Martorella is producing her own contemporary works after training full time in dance. During her studies, she had the pleasure of working with industry professionals, including Amber McCartney, James Batchelor and Alice-lee Holland. Inspired by the movements of her former mentor Adam Wheeler (Tasdance, Yellow Wheel), Martorella’s process is heavily intuitive. In 2016, she co-created a work for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, and in 2017 was a member of the YW2 collective in their inaugural pre-professional year, presenting her contemporary work ‘Nexus.’
As a classical coach, one of the most imperative aspects of teaching is the ability to nurture uniqueness. Without a sense of individuality, a dancer cannot fully express themselves in performance. Each dancer hears, sees, says and does things from their perspective based on their experiences, which will be unique for each and every dancer. A coach must learn how to teach a movement a hundred different ways so each dancer has the chance to fully comprehend the steps. How do we nurture that unique spark within every dancer?
Patience is key
Training all different ages and levels of dancers has taught me patience. When I first began to teach, I realised how much the slow, meticulous lessons with beginner dancers refined my own technique. Even now, going back to the basics with young dancers who are just starting out, reminds me not to take things too seriously all the time - it’s okay to keep it simple and fun. Seeing advanced students become frustrated with themselves for not being perfect reminds me to allow room for error - after all, failures are essential in achieving growth.
Student-focused One key difference between a good dance teacher and great dance teacher is to remain ‘studentfocused’. I’ve seen many dance teachers, especially younger teachers, who are still training and performing themselves become wrapped up in ‘self-based’ teaching. They offer corrections based on their preferences, choreograph to their strengths, and advise guidance in the form of ‘own experience’. This is generally because that teacher’s first priority is still their own dancing and they are not yet able to step back enough to be invested in other dancers more than themselves.
Student feedback It is important for teachers to listen to their students. Student feedback is equally as important as the knowledge a teacher has to offer. A great teacher would give corrections based on what makes the most sense for each individual dancer, and if that does not work, offer alternative suggestions. They would choreograph to showcase the strengths of the dancer (which ultimately makes the choreography look better anyway), and they should share their experiences if and when it is relevant and beneficial for the student.
Coaching should be a two-way learning opportunity. Although teachers are striving to pass on knowledge to their students each lesson, students also allow the teacher to keep learning new things everyday because of their uniqueness. I am grateful for the opportunity to pass on my knowledge, and I am perhaps even more grateful for the knowledge and insight I’ve gained from every student I’ve taught since the beginning of my teaching career.
By Emma Cheeseman, Elite Youth Classical Coaching and blogger of Break The Barre.
BE YOUR OWN DIRECTOR
BY SIAN CORRIGAN
When you finish full-time study, you become your own boss. There’s no director telling you which class to do or where you need to improve. It’s all up to you. I found this terrifying when I graduated in 2014. So, what happened? Nothing! I wasn’t offered any work and rarely heard back from auditions. It was shocking, not at all what happened in dance movies. (‘Step Up’ franchise, I’m looking at you!) Then, I realised I couldn’t rely on anyone else to kick start my career. I had to make it happen. And, just like that, I became my own boss, director, dance teacher and motivator.
"BE A SMART DANCER AND LEARN BASIC BUSINESS SKILLS," SAID SIAN.
I made a show reel, organised my portfolio, and did my research. I emailed casting directors, company owners and any dancer with influence who might listen to me. I put myself out there simply by introducing myself as a recently graduated dancer. Slowly but surely, offers started to roll in and, after a couple of months, I landed my first cruise ship contract. The most valuable advice I can give any young performer is to focus on being a smart dancer and learn basic business skills. Networking or creating a personal brand could be the difference between a successful career and one that gradually dwindles to nothing. Start networking immediately. People need to know you’re available to work, so contact every potential employer in your area. Simply telling a director that you admire what they do and would love to be considered for future work puts you ahead of other dancers who have not made contact. Although they may only hire from live auditions, they will recognise you as someone with initiative when you next audition. Depending on your chosen field of dance, there are many other beneficial tactics you can employ. The best way to find out is to ask. It’s flattering for a successful dancer to receive a Facebook message saying ‘How are you doing what you're doing? I want to be where you are.’ Don’t be afraid to ask, most dancers are willing to help someone beginning their career. A freelance dance career is hard, but educating yourself about finding work will make it much easier. Sometimes the rollercoaster will pause, but it will quickly speed up again. So, be a smart dancer. Enjoy the stillness while it lasts, remember that good things will come your way, and await the twists and turns that lie ahead. Happy Dancing! xx
Brigid Ewing
ALMOST PERFECT COMPETITION SCORE FOR BRIGID EWING AT JUMP DANCE CHALLENGE Young acrobat Brigid Ewing has won the Jump Dance Challenge competition heat with an overall score of 99. At just 12-years-old, Brigid Ewing is one of the highest scoring overall winners for 2018 at Jump Dance Challenge. She competed her acrobatic solo choreographed by Riahna Byron, which is a mixed display of tumbling and flexibility to Cirque Du Soleil. The Warrnambool local dancer trains at Robin’s School of Dancing, with acrobatics being her favourite dance style.
She started dancing at threeyears-old in all styles, but her passion for tumbling and tricks manifested. Now, she cannot help but dream of being a professional circus performer. “When I’m older I would love to be a professional dancer or an acrobat in the circus,” Brigid said, smiling. Brigid’s fondest dancing memory was when she went on stage to dance her very first solo. By overcoming stage fright on that first day, she now performs on stage with such ease and confidence.
“I love to dance because it makes me happy, especially when I notice improvement or I learn a new skill. I have also made so many new friends at dancing.” Brigid is part of Dr Lisa Ellis’ technique program Dance Prescription where she develops strength and stamina to perform highly flexible movements in a safe environment.
AMBASSADOR CHAT
Lani Hirst. On the 25th and 26th of August, I had Follow Your Dreams which is one of my favourite competitions. I performed five solos and felt really happy with my results. Contemporary I got 3rd, 2nd for Jazz, and 1st for my Acro, vocal & lyrical solos. On the second day, we had troupes. I was in nine troupes and we did really well, winning every section except one. We also won Highest Troupe Score for the day for our jazz and Judges Choice Award for our song and dance. Lucas Faundez. August was an amazing month! The highlight was performing in Dance Writer's HER gala, so happy and privileged to be a part of such an artistic, supportive community! I also completed my stage exams for ballet and jazz. Practice continues for upcoming comps and end of year concert. So excited to perform the new hip-hop routines that KADS Krew have been rehearsing. On a frustrating note, I’ve got an ankle injury that requires ongoing physio and strengthening. I want to continue dancing then I need to look after my body. Brooke Humphreys. The highlight of August was the Dance Writer Charity Gala "Her". Dance Writer raised over $6,000 and I personally raised $350. It was an amazing experience and an honour to help raise money for such an important charity (NBCF). August has also been a very busy month for me with Alchemy Dance Company, as show week is fast approaching. We are performing 5 shows in 4 days in September, so I'm very excited! In August I also competed in MPAC receiving first place for my Lyrical which was a great achievement. Ayshia-Mila Stromei. I have been assisting workshops with Dr Lisa Ellis, some of the latest ones are MDX and Dance Revolution. When I am not dancing and have spare time I love making slime and have opened a slime shop called _pastel.slimess on Instagram. Dr Lisa Ellis was my first customer who brought 12 different slime from my shop. She has been handing them out as prizes in her Dance Prescription classes. If you are lucky enough you might get one at the next Dance Prescription class or workshop! Sankara Stromei. I had an amazing time at Time To Shine this weekend. I performed my dances and received 1st place for my duo with Mila Watts, 2nd for musical theatre and 3rd place with my lyrical in a big section. I also go to see my friend Maria Robbin's who runs Time to Shine. She let me announce the dancers as the came onto the stage and their division for the afternoon which was so much fun. My mum let me apply my makeup for troupes with a little help from my Rage DC friends and it looks great!
AMBASSADOR CHAT
Tayla Williams. This month I had the pleasure of performing in the Dance Writer charity gala. It felt amazing to be able to dance and do what I love, whilst raising money for such an important cause. It was also great to meet with all the other lovely ambassadors and spend time together. I have also been working on a routine for another gala that I will be performing in soon, with my dance school United Dance Industry. Casey Chellew. I got to showcase a piece in the Masters of Choreography show Shakespeare: Tragedies vs Comedies. I have always dreamed of choreographing for this company so it has been very exciting doing it for the second time. I choreographed a contemporary version of ‘Antony & Cleopatra’. I was lucky enough to work with a phenomenal cast of 25 dancers who were an absolute dream to create on. I have received overwhelmingly beautiful feedback about my piece and I am so grateful! Ash Siketa. This month has been a difficult month for me. Earlier I was grateful to perform at the Dance Writer Gala to help raise money for breast cancer, a cause that is so close to my heart. Unfortunately, just recently I saw my grandma lose her 2-year fight to breast cancer. It was so sad and hard to see but I feel ok knowing she is now resting in peace. She was a very strong woman who proved to everyone throughout her life she could achieve anything she put her mind to even when people said she couldn’t. I have been reflecting a lot on this and her determination this week and know that I will find the strength in this when I perform. Maddison Bowly. We had the dance writer gala and it was amazing! I performed a duo with another ambassador! Lani Hirst, and a dance writer ambassador group dance. It was a very successful night and I want to thank Jess for all the amazing opportunities she has done for me throughout the year and all she has done for Dance Writer. And lastly this month my dance troupe were getting ready for our troupe comp at Follow Your Dreams. We were all very proud of our results and left with the highest point scoring routine! Tiana Bilos. This month I performed in the Dance Writer Gala in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This was really special to me because my Aunty passed away from breast cancer and I saw what a devastating effect it could have on everyone. I was really proud to be involved and glad I could give back to help raise funds for this amazing cause. Another highlight for me was competing at Melbourne Performing Arts Challenge, where I performed a number of solos. I was so grateful to win the 12 & U 14 aggregate. It proved that hard work really does pay off.
AMBASSADOR CHAT
Bella Jacobs. This month has been a wonderful and exciting time in Dance. At Dance Prescription I was lucky enough to win the video dance challenge in the Pre-clinical class by Dr.Lisa, it was so much fun. I also competed in my first Hip Hop duo with my friend Abi and we placed first at Xchange Dance Tour Competition. I’m also super excited to attend the workshops at the Australian Dance Festival in Sydney and can’t wait to learn from all the amazing choreographers. Felicity Palma. This month I had the best time as I was lucky enough to participate in the Dance Writer gala ‘Her’ where the whole team was able to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. As an end result we able to raise $6,014, which was an amazing result and we were able to help and put forward to an important organization. Overall it was such a fun and amazing experience and I enjoyed performing with everyone. Daisy Boo. August has been super exciting as I was lucky enough to perform with my Dance Writer Family at Gasworks Theatre to raise money for Breast Cancer. It was amazing to be able to share the stage with all the wonderful dancers. Congratulations Jess. So inspiring. I am also in full rehearsal mode for SCIMM Dance Companies performances that are coming up in October. It is so wonderful to be dancing alongside such a dedicated group of girls mentored by the brilliant Scott Pokorny and Tim Barnes. I can’t wait! Scarlett Brumby. It was great to be apart of the ‘Her’ Charity Gala! I am very grateful to have fabulous opportunities as a Dance Writer Ambassador such as to perform at the charity gala and also to see so much incredible talent! So happy I could be apart of it along side all of the other Dance Writer Ambassadors and dancers there. Working hard at my dance school practicing our choreography for the end of year concert! Looking forward to the next opportunity with Dance Writer! Emily Ryan. This month we had our first two Calisthenics competitions for the year. Our team has been working extremely hard and we came out with a win for both comps! I also participated in the Dance Writer “HER” Gala and had so much fun! It was so good dancing for a cause and meeting so many new people! We have our next Calisthenics competition in two weeks, and I cannot wait to see what challenges that brings!
AMBASSADOR CHAT
Hayley Ellis. In August, Dance Writer held their annual year Gala. This year's Gala ‘Her’ was in honour of The National Breast Cancer Foundation to raise money. For this Gala the Dance Writer Ambassadors performed a group dance called ‘Rise Up’. I really enjoyed this dance as it was an abstract dance with multiple styles mixed in, Contemporary, Lyrical, Ballet and Calisthenics. I loved every rehearsal since I was able to see all the amazing Ambassadors again. Every performance on the night was amazing and I can’t wait to see what Dance Writer will come up with next year! Astara Jackson. This month I had my school production beauty and the beast where I was a principal dancer I had so much fun. I also competed in aerobics for school our last one for this year and my duo cane 2nd out of 34 teams! We were so happy. Few more comps for dance coming up. Sharni Chamberlain. August has been super exciting as I was lucky enough to perform with my Dance Writer Family at Gasworks Theatre to raise money for Breast Cancer. It was amazing to be able to share the stage with all the wonderful dancers. Congratulations Jess. So inspiring. I am also in full rehearsal mode for SCIMM Dance Companies performances that are coming up in October. It is so wonderful to be dancing alongside such a dedicated group of girls mentored by the brilliant Scott Pokorny and Tim Barnes. I can’t wait! Milla Watts. August was a special month for me as I turned 8. I had a fun-filled day spending it with my family and my dancing friends. I was also very lucky to participate in the Dance Writer ‘HER’ Gala raising money for breast cancer. I performed my Contemporary duo (with ambassador Sankara) and an ambassador group dance. Our amazing group raised over $6000 which everyone should be proud of. Thanks to Jess with getting this night all put together we all had so much fun and doing what we all love to do - DANCE. I can’t wait for September, I am going to Sydney for the ADF and doing my first interstate competition (in Adelaide). Georgia Wall, QLD. August has been a great month for me, with so much packed into a few short weeks. The huge highlight was meeting my fellow Dance Writer Ambassador friends, at the Annual “Her” Charity Event. I also was photographed by Dance Diver which was a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone - especially Jess - for making it such a special time for Mum and I! Between going to Melbourne and studying for my dancing exams I have also been to a few eisteddfods. I have had the biggest month ever, but it’s also been the most fun time. Now, I had better get back to some school work.
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