March Edition - Vol 1, Issue 2 2018

VOLUME ONE, ISSUE 2 - MARCH 2018

NIA AND NESS NEW YORK CITY'S DYNAMIC DANCE DUO

LAUREN SEYMOUR SYTYCDAU STAR LAUREN SEYMOUR BACK UP DANCES FOR KYLIE MINOGUE IN THE UK!

INSIDE MOULIN ROUGE AUSSIE'S LAUREN PERRETT GETS PROMOTED TO SOLOIST AT MOULIN ROUGE

DANCE ACADEMY'S DENA KAPLAN COMING TO CINEMAS IN THE USA AND CANADA

CONTACT US EDITOR: JESSICA POULTER EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTION: JESSICA POULTER NYC WRITER: SANDRA KLUGE DESIGN LAYOUT: JESSICA POULTER ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: JESS@DANCEWRITER.COM.AU EDITORIALS: EDITOR@DANCEWRITER.COM.AU FEEDBACK: ADMINISTRATOR@DANCEWRITER.COM.AU

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 - MARCH 2018

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CONTENTS NEWS.....................................................................

DENA KAPLAN Q&A........................................5 JORDAN MATTERS COMES DOWN UNDER........8 AUS DANCE TEACHERS AWARDS....................9 FEATURES..............................................................

INSIDE MOULIN ROUGE: LAUREN PERRETT......11 LAUREN SEYMOUR DANCING IN UK................19 NEW YORK CITY.......................................................

NIA AND NESS..............................................15 AMBASSADOR CHAT.................................................

DIARY ENTRIES FROM SELECTED DANCE WRITER AMBASSADORS...........................................24

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INSIDE DANCE WRITER EDITOR'S NOTE JESSICA POULTER

Dance Writer had a fabulous month! We launched our inaugural edition of our magazine, which received a higher reception than we could have imagined! Our motto for this month: aim for the stars and you will shine. This is exactly what we have done and look at the result!

Being the editor of a publication can be daunting, but when I see all the breath-taking talent of dancers spanning from grassroots up to professional, I suddenly feel right at home—like this is exactly where I am meant to be.

Some big names are popping up in this month’s issue such as Dance Academy’s Dena Kaplan, So You Think You Can Dance Australia season four runner up Lauren Seymour, Moulin Rouge’s soloist Lauren Perrett and a revolutionary dance duo from New York City, Nia & Ness. We have our talented NYC contributor Sandra Kluge working hard to bring Dance Writer into the spotlight in USA.

Focusing our attention to a thing more localised, our Dance Writer ambassadors had the pleasure of attending photoshoots this month in Melbourne for our marketing campaigns—and boy, are they adorable! Some of our ambassadors are as young as seven and ranging up to 28 years old. I love how far they have come so early in the journey—learning how to write, putting themselves on a voiced platform and sharing their experiences. It truly melts my heart.

Enjoy reading our second edition, we hope you love it as much as we do!

Jessica Poulter

www.dancewriter.com.au

NEWS DANCE ACADEMY HITS CINEMAS IN USA AND CANADA EXCLUSIVE WITH DENA KAPLAN

If you are an American or Canadian resident and absolutely obsessed with dance, well guess what! The Dance Academy movie is coming to a cinema near you on March 2, 2018.

Dance Academy is a hit-tv series featuring an all-Australian cast.

The show ended five years ago with only three seasons and fans were left wondering if the lead Tara Webster would ever dance again after a crippling back injury. Aussie fans let out a sigh of relief when the movie was released as they could now see what happened to Tara.

Now a year later, US and Canadian audiences get to indulge in the hype and watch the movie on the big screen.

Dance Academy: The Comeback directed by Jeffrey Walker continues the story of Tara Webster and her devastating back injury. In order to achieve her dream of being a professional dancer, Tara packs up her life and travels to New York City. Tara crumbles emotionally as she faces countless rejections from the dance industry. Has she got what it takes to be a professional dancer after being away from dance for a year-and-a-half?

THE CAST AND I HAVE REMAINED BEST FRIENDS AND THEY’RE SOME OF THE GREATEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET. 1. Congratulations Dena on such a successful career so far! How has Dance Academy changed your life?

DK: Thank you so much! Dance Academy has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. It gave me so many opportunities to work with people I admired in both film and dance.

But most of all, the relationships I formed were lifechanging. The cast and I have remained best friends and they’re some of the greatest people I have ever met.

2. You’ve played Abigail for a while now, how is she similar to you and how is she different?

DK: Abigail and I are both ambitious, driven, hard workers who love dancing more than anything.

However we are very different people, she is a closed book and I am very open. She doesn’t have many people she connects with and is very quick to judge, I try to be the opposite to that.

But we are both vulnerable and loyal.

3. The Dance Academy Movie is coming to screens in the US and Canada. When is it to arrive in cinemas?

It will be out in cinemas this week! Keep up to date on my social feeds to hear more! @denaamy 4. How are the fans over there in the States compared to Australia? Are they super excited?

For sure, I think dance is very universal so our show connects with people from all over the world.

5. Â You are also a wicked DJ playing at huge festivals such as Beyond The Valley and FOMO. How did you initially get into it? What are the vibes like when you are up on that stage?

I am actually self-taught. I started DJ-ing in my bedroom while I was shooting Dance Academy. I now produce, sing and create my own music while touring the world playing festivals! I am very lucky.

6. What is on the cards for you currently? Where are you based? What are you working on can you reveal?

I am currently based in LA working on some exciting new projects. I have some new music coming out soon and I can’t wait for the upcoming release of the film in cinemas here, as well as being reunited with my beautiful cast mates.

DENA KAPLAN DANCE ACADEMY: THE COMEBACK

Famous New York City photographer Jordan Matter is making his way to Australia from March 13 to capture some of the greatest dancers in the country.

Jordan Matter is a very experienced photographer out of New York City and has worked with the likes of Sophie Dossi (America’s Got Talent), Alan Cummings (International Actor), Brynn Rumfallo (Dance Moms) and many more. Jordan has three photographic books out on sale, his most recent book Dancers Among Us successfully making it to the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Jordan will fly into Melbourne on March 13 to photograph dancers over four days, heading to Adelaide and Brisbane and finishing in Sydney. It will be a jam-packed 10 days for Jordan, but you are able to book your slot with him!

Jordan Matters believes being ‘out of the box’ is his way to create magic within a frame. He chooses dancers who are versatile in technique, fearless by having a ‘say yes to anything’ attitude, as well as being a bright person to be around.

One concept very unique to Jordan is his 10-minute dance photo challenge, where he selects one dancer of a very high calibre to work with, and he has 10 minutes to capture as many epic photographs as he can in a single location. He does not photoshop and he does not need to edit what he creates in this challenge. A recent 10-minute photo challenge dancer was contortionist Sophie Dossi, whom he was able to capture some breathtaking images of her in the streets of Hollywood.

Dance Writer is helping Jordan Matter to find his 10-minute photo challenge dancer in Australia by running an Instagram competition. Entries are open to any age but must be following both Dance Writer and Jordan Matter. To enter, you must show your technical versatility, flexibility and your bubbly personality by uploading a video of yourself explaining why you’d be perfect for the 10-minute challenge, as well as three different pictures of you showing off your leaps, legs and back flexibility in the one Instagram upload. The most important thing, remember to tag both of us so we can see your entry!

Alternatively, if you would like to get a piece of the Jordan Matter action and schedule a photoshoot with him, email info@jordanmatter.com. But be quick as there are only limited places available!

NYC PHOTOGRAPHER JORDAN MATTER COMES DOWN UNDER CAN YOU BE HIS AUSSIE 10MINUTE CHALLENGE WINNER?

NEWS AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT DANCE TEACHER AWARDS ANNOUNCED EARLY MARCH Nominated dance teachers from across the country will be jet setting to Perth in March to help celebrate the annual Australian Independent Dance Teacher Awards night.

The Australian Independent Dance Teacher Awards is an annual celebration of the most inspirational and transformational teachers Australia wide.

Originating in Perth by Angela Perry, this night of nights is now recognised nationally as a prestigious award ceremony.

The Awards honours inspiring teachers who have chosen this profession as their main occupation and vocation.

Founded in Perth by Angela Perry in 2014 has now turned into a nationally recognised event. Last year’s winners of the Studio Teacher category were Cathy Lee Smith Dance Works Victoria and Lyndal Quick Loft Dance Centre Victoria.

The Australian Dance Teacher Awards ceremony will be held on March 9 at the John Curtin College of the Arts Theatre in Perth. The night will feature 14 finalist teachers from across Australia, plus more than 10 live dance performances from the best surrounding schools.

The event will be streamed live onto their social platforms.

Special guests include Minister Yang MLC representing the Minister of the Arts, Professor Scott Putman from Virginia Commonwealth University, who will be our Master Teacher at the Dance Teaching Festival among many others.

There are multiple categories to win, including Early Childhood / Primary, Secondary Teaching, Adult Training, Studio Teachers of any genre, Community Teachers, Syllabus and Curriculum Research, Life Long services to dance teaching and People’s Choice Award.

A new category will be in place for 2019, which is the Teacher Award for Cultural Dance.

To find out how to vote for the 2019 awards, go to www.danceteacherawards.com.au To purchase tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/RZFN

FEATURES INSIDE MOULIN ROUGE: 'DREAM COME TRUE'

AUSSIE'S LAUREN PERRETT BECOMES SOLOIST

Australian dancer Lauren Perrett has performed more than 350 shows with the Moulin Rouge in Paris and now she has been promoted to soloist in the Cancan duo.

Lauren Perrett was studying full-time Classical dance when she auditioned for the most famous cabaret show in the world. Her heart was set on studying ballet in Germany until she received a letter of offer in October 2016 for the Moulin Rouge. Lauren had six months to relocate herself to Paris. Heavy rehearsal period began in April 2017 and was on stage just one month later.

Lauren now performs six nights a week, two shows a night and finishing in the early hours of the morning.

“There are days where it is harder to perform; we are on six nights a week and sometimes things happen in our personal lives that make it harder, but the majority of the time I am really excited before going on stage and have a great time,” Lauren told Dance Writer.

The Moulin Rouge hosts a troupe of 60 artists who perform in the show “Féerie”. This dazzling performance features an abundance of topless men and women wrapped in a swirl sequins, rhinestones, and feathers. Since its inception 127 years ago, Moulin Rouge Paris is regarded the most famous Cabaret show in the world, and a mecca for being the ultimate romantic rendezvous. continue...

Lauren Perrett. ©Moulin Rouge®-J.Habas

FEATURES INSIDE MOULIN ROUGE CHAT WITH LAUREN PERRETT

“It became the one thing I wanted to achieve at the Moulin Rouge during my time here, so I just made sure I worked hard in Cancan for every show. When I was offered to learn and perform the duo I was super excited and it felt like the work paid off,” Lauren smiled.

The Cancan duo involves the traditional steps they already do in Cancan just at a much faster tempo and involves running split jumps. In Cancan, there are soloists who do acrobatics called the Cancan soloists.

The duo is in the soloist section of Cancan. There are three main soloists who are hired as Cancan soloists and when one of them isn’t there, the duo performs.

“It is fast and tiring, but it is really thrilling and I love performing it,” said Lauren.

The cast of the Moulin Rouge has a surprising amount of Australians involved. There are around 15 to 20 Australians including the new girls currently in rehearsals, a few Aussie boys, Aussie nude line dancers and Aussies in the dancer line. This makes the majority of the cast from Australia, France, and the United Kingdom.

“The director really likes Australians and auditions there often,” added Lauren.

Lauren has found the Moulin Rouge work-life balance is quite even. The first three weeks are intensive rehearsals, but after performances begin, rehearsals are reduced to once a month. Work for Lauren begins at 7:30pm so she has all day to discover Paris and indulge in the romantic culture and the dimly lit streets.

“I really enjoy the lifestyle, even if I have become a bit nocturnal with our late sleeping hours!”

One of the distinct characteristics of the Moulin Rouge is soft nudity presented by the women. Parisians and many around the world consider subtle nudity as an art form to the show. The Moulin Rouge was initially catered to please and pleasure the men of Paris by having women perform on the stage while revealing their panties. The show has evolved since it opened its doors by including both sexes in the Cancan and using nudity as a professional tool to create a work of artistry.

“There is a lot of nudity in the show, and it is done in the most tasteful way. The nude line dancers have beautiful costumes and lovely choreography. I didn’t really have a reaction to it when I watched the show, I just thought it looked really fun and liberating,” said Lauren.

Being in the Moulin Rouge does have its limitations.

The dancers are considered the ultimate spectacle on the stage, where more than 630,000 spectators per year come to look at the physiques of the dancers.

Thus, a strict dietary regime is in place where the dancers can only gain or lose one to two kilos during their contract. Haircuts and colours are strictly monitored as well. For males, in particular, it is essential they work out in the Moulin Rouge gym facilities every day in order to keep client appreciation high.

“If you get into the Moulin Rouge, the hard work doesn’t stop there—always keep pushing and striving to be better and have fun! It is very hard work and living away from home can be very tough and you can’t go back to Australia super often,” Lauren admits.

“But, I feel like the luckiest girl living in Paris, dancing with the most famous cabaret in the world! It really is a dream come true!”

Lauren Perrett. ©Moulin Rouge®-J.Habas

NYC'S NIA &

NEW YORK CITY

NESS: STRONG, POWERFUL, WISE

By Sandra Kluge

Nia & Ness, a dancer/poet duo based in Brooklyn, tell the story of their daily experiences as a black lesbian couple on stage.

Their performances are just as powerful as they are vulnerable, and allow other members of their community—black lesbian women, people of color, LGBTQ+, to see themselves reflected in their story.

They also provide a platform for those stories to be seen and heard by people who have not had to deal with these kinds of experiences themselves.

According to Nia, some people might “not believe this is actually happening in 2018, but it is, to so many different people.” What they present on stage is far away from acting. “It’s not a play, it’s real life”, Ness states. continue...

NIA & NESS

The two women radiate a great sense of courage and positive energy. It might seem risky to work together, because their personal and professional lives are so interconnected. But fortunately, working together and creating these very unique performances have created an even stronger bond between them.

“The fact that [our art] is so entwined with our actual lives is what makes it come to life on stage, and the reason why we have so much emotion and passion in it,” Ness said.

‘Whenever we experience something traumatic, we figure out a way to put that into our art. It is like therapy,” Nia added.

Both for them and for others.

The work they create is for so many different audiences black, queer, and LGBTQ+ people can find themselves and their life reality represented on stage. White, straight, and cisgendered people can learn about what is happening.

This is important in creating a better world for everyone, because—as Nia states—“if you’ve never heard about something, how can you make a change?”

“EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR PART IN WHAT THEY THINK THE WORLD SHOULD BE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE”.

And many changes can be made to the world as it is today. When envisioning the world she wants to live in, Ness is disheartened. Her vision of a postracial, gender-non-binary world seems to have become more difficult to attain.

Nia gets the impression that many people have two specific ways to approach the differences between people: either they completely reject anything and anybody that is different, which might result in hate and discrimination or they completely ignore the fact that there are different cultures, skin colors, and identities. “[It] takes away from peoples’ differences and their cultures that make them special.”

She wishes “we could all just be ourselves and accept each other for who we are” with a certain curiosity and interest in listening to other peoples’ stories.

The duo is always happy when their audiences meet them with acceptance and an open ear, rather than rejection and an unwillingness to listen. With all the hate in the world, they are contributing their part to change. “[Everyone is] doing their part in what they think the world should be, but not necessarily in making the world a better place for everyone,” Nia aptly describes it.

“Lots of people are trying to make the world better for themselves and their families, but the world is bigger than just you,” Ness adds.

For Nia, this was one of the main reasons she started dancing. She used to want to be a doctor, but was taken aback by the years and years of education before being able to really work.

However, her always wanting to help people made her realise that her way to help is through dancing. In that way, she is a doctor. Her movement is healing for her, “And in turn for others too,” Ness beautifully puts it. continue...

NIA & NESS

By Sandra Kluge

Excitingly, the two get to go on tour this year to share their story: The OUTsider Fest in Austin (Texas), the Black Arts Festival at Harvard College, the BlaQout Conference in California, and the National Women’s Music Festival in Wisconsin are just a few of their tour stops. Their next goal is to go international, and since having lived in Germany and France for a little bit already, chances are high it will happen soon.

Nia and Ness remind us that being in a state of mindful acceptance which allows us to flow with our life experiences can be the greatest catalyst for happiness.

“Whatever you’re going through, just use it,” says Ness.

Anything we experience can be used to create something that serves. “It’s just about finding or creating a way” to do so.

In their instance, Nia’s experience of auditioning for dance as a black woman in New York City has in fact helped them to create their company in the first place.

In auditions, Nia felt that she never really fit in, always being the person with the darkest skin color in the room.

She felt that none of the material really fit her body, and that nobody was telling her story. This frustration made her and Ness aware that if nobody else is telling their story, it is their call to do so. Their collaboration helped Nia to “stop trying to fit in a box that was not meant for [her] to fit in,” she explains. On the contrary, she feels that her dancing even has improved since then, because now she is “doing what’s right for [her] body.”

“Everything that needs to happen will happen, but it might not be everything you want to happen,” Nia said.

All the rejections they have received have led them to the place they are in now. And this is exactly where they need to be. A place where they are “Strong. Powerful. Wise,” as the tagline of their work Piece: blind spot resonates in the audience’s ears long after their performance is over.

LAUREN SEYMOUR IS 'DANCING' It has only been seven months since SYTYCDAU’s season four runner up Lauren Seymour made the big transition from Down Under to London to kickstart her international career. She is not only making a name for herself, but she is dancing for some of the biggest names in the entertainment business. Lauren’s most recent gig in the UK made it all the way to Australian television, by back up dancing for Kylie Minogue.

Dance Writer chats exclusively to Lauren Seymour.

1. How was the experience of dancing behind Aussie icon Kylie Minogue?

LS: I have always wanted to perform along side Kylie as she has formed such a long and successful career. To have the opportunity to perform for such an icon was a dream come true.

She is such a beautiful and optimistic person to be around, very kind and supportive to us as her dancers. The only other Australian in the mix was the choreographer, Ashley Wallen.

UK 2. Ashley Wallen —one of the best Aussie choreographers of this generation, worked with Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron on The Greatest Showman among other movies! Describe your experience working with him.

LS: Ashley Wallen is absolutely incredible to work for. He has a great amount of respect for his dancers, which then creates an environment that allows respect in return. He has fun while getting the job done and makes me LOVE being a professional dancer because of his wonderful energy and passion for his creations.

3. You’re currently based in London.

How was this transition for you moving countries?

LS: Yes, I made the move over to London mid last year (2017) and let me tell you it was THE HARDEST thing I have ever done.

I have a successful career in Australia and to leave that to expand it internationally was scary. I had to start from scratch like I had just came out of full-time. I didn’t know anyone over here, I didn’t know how the industry worked and I didn’t even have a place to live in to start with.

In my experience it is just as hard to make it in the UK then it is in Australia, if not harder. The comparison for me is that in Australia, you grow up learning and watching the people you look up to and meet people along the way, whereas in the UK there are so many pathways you can take and countless amount of choreographers and producers to get your face in front of. I am constantly (even seven months in to my stay) auditioning. Whether that be at a large audition, small casting or even class.

No matter how hard it has been, making the move out of my comfort zone has sparked the most intense fire in my belly to keep pushing and striving to create a successful international career.

4. How often do you get to come back home?

Do you find you miss Australia when you return? Have you received lots of support from your family and loved ones back home?

I have only visited home once since I’ve been here and that was for the Christmas and New Years break. I do miss the Australian sun and the easy going, calm nature about the country. My family though is what I miss the most. The amount of support I have from them is indescribable. My wonderful fiancé still lives in Australia and he knows that this move is so important to me, so we are pushing through the long distance struggles and making it work. I love my family and fiancé so very much for all the support they provide me.

5. Do you believe you have to try dancing in an international setting in order to fully achieve professional dancer status? Why or why not?

I don’t believe that you HAVE to try dancing overseas to fully achieve a professional status at all. As I mentioned before, I had a professional dance career in Australia before I left. I just believe that if there is any part of you that would like to give it a go, I think you definitely should! It has resparked my passion for dance and proved to me that I had more in my tank than I was aware of!

6. Besides Kylie, have you had the privilege of meeting other icons in the entertainment industry since moving to the UK? Just how quick has it taken for you to gain representation and a name over there?

I have been fortunate enough to work with incredible choreographers such as Jaquel Knight, Jason Gilkison, Shaun Niles, Tobias Ellehammer and Lukas McFarlane. I’ve also had the opportunity to perform with French Montana, Liam Payne, STEPS and Client Liaison.

I consider myself extremely lucky with the opportunities that have been presented to me over here. I’ve learnt that you have to be in the right place at the right time and if you don’t impress while you’re there, then you will miss your opportunity. You should never feel comfortable in any position that you are in within this entertainment industry because it can be taken away from you at any stage. Working hard, respecting those around me and always giving 120 percent I think has formed my reputation and work ethic. I am extremely proud of all that I have achieved and appreciate every single person that I have crossed paths with because they have made it the most rewarding chapter of my life.

LAUREN SEYMOUR GOES INTERNATIONAL DANCING FOR KYLIE MINOGUE

Lauren Seymour, Professional Dancer

AMBASSADOR CHAT FROM THE DANCER'S PERSPECTIVE Find out what our Dance Writer ambassadors have been up to this month!

Susan Wall Photography. Ambassador: Georgia Wall, Bundaberg QLD.Â

CASEY CHELLEW This month I have been busily preparing for my company’s show ‘Truth or Dare’. I am equally excited as I am nervous about presenting this brand new piece. I feel so proud of my dancers already and cannot wait to watch them take it to the next level as I see them on stage this weekend.

To choreograph on this beautiful bunch of talented dancers has been a dream come true. Come and see the show for yourselves! Truth or Dare - What would you choose?

TAYLA WILLIAMS This month I performed at the Victorian Dance Festival Gala with the Jump Dance VDF team, it was such an amazing experience. Everyone loved our routine, we all worked really well together to create something truly magical on stage, in just two rehearsals. Being a part of this team really allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone, to work with new people. I believe this is rather important, because in the dance industry you will be challenged often with learning new choreography and working with new people, to create routines.

BELLA JACOBS What an amazing and busy start to the year it has been. I am now dancing at The Rage Dance Company with Tayla Blake. It’s been so much fun with new routines and lots of learning.

The Dance Writer photoshoot was awesome as we had the best time together taking photos and getting to meet the new ambassadors. I was also excited to be accepted into the Dance Prescription 2018 program with Dr Lisa Ellis. It’s so inspiring to learn so much from Dr Lisa Ellis and all the other fantastic dancers. The improvements in my technique have been invaluable.

LANI HIRST This month was tough because I hurt my hip and couldn’t dance. I really wanted to dance but knew I couldn’t otherwise my injury would be worse. It was hard because I had to sit and watch but my physiotherapist says I’m allowed to dance now! I’ve had my first Alchemy rehearsal and my first NIPA Pre-YLP (Young Leadership Program) and loved learning new Hip-Hop and Acro solos at my studio, Casey Priddle Dancers. Hopefully, I can stay injuryfree.

EMILY RYAN This month was full of practicing and preparing for my Calisthenics solo season, which starts this weekend. I am excited about the challenge of competing in both styles (Calisthenic and Graceful) for the first time. We have split our teams into first and second team and are now starting to learn our work for the upcoming competition season.

Although this month has mainly been getting ready for comps, I’m really happy with how hard I’ve worked and can’t wait to put my hard work on the stage!

HAYLEY ELLIS It’s time to get back into the studio and train harder than you ever have before. This month, I went to see the 2018 Amazing Grace Calisthenics production. The talent on stage was amazing, all the dancers and singers were so incredible, they truly did everything they could to make this show perfect. Each person was unique in the way they danced but it all went perfect together and I think being unique is a great thing. Everyone should be unique as it shows who they are and what their personalities are.

Be unique because why fit in, when you were born to stand out?

SHARNI CHAMBERLAIN This month for me (BRAVE) is all about balance at the start of every dance year I find it hard for the first month to sort out a healthy balance of dance, school, play, food and sleep. I try and get myself into a routine as soon as school starts back, but it takes time for me to get used to it.

BRAVE the meaning for this month B is BALANCE of dance, school, play and sleep R is REST which is important for the body to recover A is Alternatives make sure you balance your body with health foods V is VALUE others opinions E is ENJOY yourself or it’s not worth doing

DAISY BOO February has been a super exciting month for me as I was lucky enough to perform with The Melbourne City Youth Ballet in their performance of "Alice In Wonderland." I also started training with Dr Lisa Ellis and Dance Prescription. I have had group sessions and have loved having privates with her to work on particular skills. I had never learnt how to do a kick turn or twisted Russian but she taught me how to do them and it's so exciting.

I love working with her.

MADDISON BOWLY Getting back into dancing for the year, getting organised for competitions which begin in March.

Working on strengthening my technique and adding in more complex moves to further extend myself. I have also auditioned for my school production of Beauty and the Beast and I was fortunate enough to be given the role of Chip, I am really looking forward to rehearsals and being part of this production. This month I also had an interview at school for a leadership role and hope to find out in the few works if I will be a school leader again this year.

LUCAS FAUNDEZ This past month has seen new opportunities arising for me. I’ve been fortunate enough to be an assistant teacher for a junior hip hop class; I’ve been accepted into an accelerated VCE dance program, successfully auditioned for my school musical, performed at various festivals and with the Mountain District Musical Society. I performed my first partnered dance to a tango-inspired routine which was challenging, but I enjoyed every minute of it! The highlight was being offered the awesome role as a Dance Writer ambassador! So as I look to the year ahead I’ll try to find a balance between school, dance and my social life.

LARA GREEN Things are back in full swing this month. School, dance classes, and rehearsals have occupied my days.I went to see CPAC’s production of “Annie,” not once but twice! Many of my fellow Sharon Lawrence dancers were performing over two casts, and I wanted to see all of them. As I sat watching in awe, I realised that they were putting into practice what we all work so hard for. All the dedicated hours spent in dancing, singing and drama classes is for this. What we do is not just for fun, or for an after school activity, or fitness, it is much more than that. It can lead to a career. The future is exciting.

SANKARA STROMEI This year I changed dance schools, which is exciting! I am now dancing at The Rage DC. I have enjoyed every moment and have met my wonderful new dance teachers. I am loving my tap and ballet classes but my favourite is hip hop! I have never done hip hop before, except at workshops and with Jess from Dance Writer! I’m really looking forward to what dance has to offer me this year. I loved my Dance Writer shoot and had heaps of fun with all the ambassadors!

AYSHIA-MILA STROMEI I'm very excited to be one of the juniors selected for Masters of Choreography. I have watched the production with my mum and sister two years running and I loved them. This year juniors could audition. I am so excited and proud to be able to part of such a fantastic show and meet the other dancers and dance alongside them. My dance teacher Tayla Blake has been in the production the last two years so it would be absolutely amazing if she made it into the show too. She is supportive and who better to hang out with backstage!

ASH SIKETA People ask why I dance, and my mind would go blank. Now I know the real reason I dance. I dance because it lets me express myself. Last year I chose a song about refugees after learning more about the history at school. I discovered my grandparents were refugees from Croatia many years ago. I was so grateful my dance teachers supported me and helped me explore this topic through my dance.

Telling a story that is close to my heart means so much to me and I find it easy to connect to. Dance is my passion, hobby and a large part of my life and who I am.

MILLA WATTS I am so happy my dance classes have started again for the year. I am now dancing at the Rage Dance Company. This is very exciting for me and I am doing some new classes including Hip Hop and Contemporary/Lyrical which I have always wanted to do. I am a Dance Writer ambassador for 2018. I am super proud to be part of this amazing group.

We had our photoshoot on Sunday 25th February – this was so much fun and Jess made me look really nice. I met some new dancers and they were all so kind to me. And guess what! After 2 weeks back at Acro, I can finally do an Aerial! I have been waiting so long for this!

BROOKE HUMPHREYS I hope you all enjoyed the first Dance Writer online magazine! There has been a new dance class added at my dance studio - acro/hip-hop fusion. It’s been great fun to learn a completely new style of choreography! Next term sees another new addition to the studio – an elite competition troupe team! This month I had also my first class with Alchemy Dance Company (Jazz). I really enjoyed meeting all the new company members and we started learning our first dance in preparation for our performance week in September!

TIANA BILOS This month has been full of new challenges and experiences. A highlight has been getting my first pair of pointe shoes. This was something I have been dreaming about for so long. It wasn’t easy though, as I didn’t pass my first pointe assessment in January and I was told I needed to practice certain exercises. After a month of disappointment, I passed! I performed in Melbourne City Youth Ballet production of Alice In Wonderland. I played a blue bird and a little heart. There was a lot of training and lots of rehearsals but it all paid off!

ASTARA JACKSON I’ve been super busy training 16 hours a week at Acro Dance Australia learning my contemporary solo and acrobatic duo with my best friend. This week was also production auditions at school. We were divided into groups and had to sing, dance and act together. This year’s production is Beauty and the Beast, which is perfect as I’ve always admired both the old and new versions of the movie.

"IM-POSSIBLE" BEYOND DANCE AMBASSADOR OLIVIA WITHINGTON SAYS “IMPOSSIBLE” AFTER FOOT SURGERY As a dancer, suffering from physical adversity is one of the hardest things in the world—but for 15-year-old Olivia Withington, she has grown stronger from her own crippling battles.

2019 Beyond Dance Ambassador Olivia Withington has certainly had her ups and downs. She started dancing in Tasmania, competing in countless eisteddfods and moved to Melbourne to dance at Michelle Rae School of Dance. After winning medals and trophies, her dancing journey came to a sudden halt after a shocking pain run through her foot.

She injured her heel, consequently leading to surgery almost a year later. It was first diagnosed as severs disease, which is commonly related to the body growing too rapidly. After the pain increased, she began to look deeper into the issue with scans. continue..

Image supplied by Monsta Images Dance and Stage Photography

“WE FOUND A CYST UNDER MY ACHILLE

AND A PIECE OF BONE THAT WAS

ABNORMAL. IT WAS TIME TO VISIT THE

SURGEON.

THIS WAS WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT WHAT I

HAD IS KNOWN AS A HAGLUND'S BUMP,”

OLIVIA SAID.

She had danced continuously since she was fiveyears-old, so stopping dancing was very difficult.

Now after a year-and-a-half after surgery, Olivia is only beginning to get back on her feet with the assistance of extensive physiotherapy.

“Dancing is my escape from reality and my solution to any problem,” said Olivia. “So the longer I wasn’t dancing, the harder it became for me physically, emotionally and mentally.”

Olivia’s strength is now put on a pedestal as she has been announced as the next Beyond Dance Festival ambassador proudly supporting beyondblue.

“Nothing is impossible! The word itself says, ‘Impossible’ I believe these mottos have helped me through so much and they are always there just to give me some reassurance when I need it.”

Illustration by our Dance Writer Ambassador Lucas Faundez