By Linda Badger.

Emma Clark only graduated from her full-time studies in 2009, but she already has numerous theatre and television credits to her name. The young star is gracing the Australian stage again in The Addams Family musical, currently playing at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. Dance Informa’s Linda Badger got the chance to chat with Emma between rehearsals.

What is your background as a performer?

I originally trained in classical ballet at the Jane Moore Academy of Ballet for 10 years. Then in my adolescence I took classes at Dance World Studios. To further hone my skills I completed two years of full-time dance at Patrick Studios Australia, graduating in 2009.

I always enjoyed singing in choir in high school, but I didn’t take my singing seriously until I was 18, when I began lessons with Susan Anne-Walker. I’ve seen a few teachers since then and have recently started vocal coaching with Peter Bodnar.

Tell us a bit about your role as an ‘Ancestor’ in The Addams Family musical.

I play the ‘Saloon Girl’ Ancestor.  My character is straight out of the Wild West in the 1850s. It’s a sassy role, and the beautiful costuming brings my ghostly quality to life.

Emma Clark (centre with arm raised) as ‘Ancestor’ in The Addams Family. Photo by Jeff Busby

What was the audition process like?

Like most auditions, The Addams Family audition process was extremely nerve racking. We have been blessed with an incredibly warm and nurturing creative team, so from the start of the audition process the energy of the panel was friendly, which helped make it not too daunting. There were quite a few dance rounds and lots of singing and scales to the highest of high notes. Most of the ensemble members cover the leads in the show, so there was also scene work to prepare and perform.

Were you an Addams Family fan growing up?

I wasn’t really allowed to watch TV growing up, so I have become a fan in my adult life. Since getting into the show I have caught up on the original black and white TV version that was filmed in the 1960s. My mum says she loved watching it as a kid. It is clever and darkly witty – a style that is a parallel to the musical.

What has been the best, and the most challenging part of the experience so far?

One of the most challenging things has been building up the stamina to sing the opening number, which includes some high-intensity dancing! There is also a fair amount of partner work in the show. It has also been extremely enjoyable, although challenging, to learn the infamous tango.

Any highlights of the show we should particularly look out for?

Without spoiling any of the magic of theatre, all I can say is that this show will surprise you. It is extremely touching and the family themes that run throughout the story line will make you realise that the Addams family, even though creepy and kooky, many not be too different from your family.

You have had quite a few roles in various shows, what is unique about this role?

I’ve never played a dead person before!

The cast of The Addams Family. Emma Clark can be seen behind ‘Uncle Fester’. Photo by Jeff Busby.

What is the most exciting place you have travelled to so far in your career?

The most exciting place I have travelled to would be the Philippines. I went there on my first contract, which was with Cats. I was cast as ‘Cassandra’. I will never forget the excitement and nerves that I experienced in my first job. Everything was new; the wigs, the crazy makeup and the demands of an eight-show week. I relished in the challenged and I will never forget it.

If you could perform any show, what would be your dream role?

Chicago. I will play ‘Velma’ one day…fingers crossed.

Any advice for young performers who are hoping to chase the dream of performing in musical theatre?
A quote from Don Miguel Ruiz’ book ‘The Four Agreements’¹ – this is the fourth agreement and something I live by: “Always do your best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse and regret.”

We want to wish Emma and the cast of The Addams Family all the best with the show!

The Addams Family is currently playing at the Capitol Theatre Sydney. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Visit www.ticketmaster.com.au or call 1300 723 038 for bookings. For more information, visit www.addamsfamilythemusical.com.au.

Source:
Ruiz, Miguel: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
(A Toltec Wisdom Book), Amber-allen Publishing Inc.
Publication Date: November 7, 1997 | ISBN-10: 1878424319 | ISBN-13: 978-1878424310

Photo (top): Emma Clark. Photo courtesy of AB Publicity 

By Rebecca Martin.

Michael Ralph is well known around Melbourne, not only for his dancing but his fantastic classes at The Space, Michelle Slater School of Dance, Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance and Centrestage Performing Arts School.

Recently, he has started creating works that have garnered critical and audience praise alike. His new work, Now & Then – Ralph’s first full-length production – will be presented at Gasworks Theatre in Melbourne on March 21-23. Featuring who’s who of the Melbourne dance scene, the work presents Ralph’s own brand of Broadway jazz and contemporary dance.

Dance Informa recently caught up with this budding choreographer to ask him a few questions.

You trained at Dance World Studios and teach at various places around Melbourne. Share with us more of your background as a student and performer. 

I actually grew up in New Zealand in a city called Tauranga on the beautiful east coast of the North Island. I started dancing at age four at the dance school around the road from my house. I moved to Australia in 2007 to study full-time at Dance World Studios and to pursue a career here.

Michael Ralph

After a year of full-time (dance) I was very lucky to be cast in the musical CATS as my first professional gig. I learnt so much about performing and about myself from being on tour. Since then I’ve performed in FAME the Musical, CATS again playing another role and in Moonshadow, the Cat Stevens’ musical.

My two goals when I moved to Australia were to perform professionally in musical theatre and to be a musical theatre choreographer. So I guess everything has been working towards these goals. I am extremely passionate about the knowledge I have gained over the years from so many incredible people who have taught, mentored and worked with me. Because of them, teaching others comes so naturally.

Now & Then isn’t your first piece of choreography. You have created prize winning pieces presented at Short + Sweet.

Last year I created a piece called Project Elvis, which was part of Short + Sweet Dance festival 2012. It won “Best Choreography”, which was a huge step forward for me and my work. The year before that I won the “People’s Choice” award for my piece Mood Swing at Short + Sweet. I have also created work for Immersed Industry dance nights, Underground Dance night, Magnormos Theatre Company and many cabaret and corporate shows. A lot of my work is for showcase and competition pieces for the many dance schools and music theatre institutions that I teach at.

Do you prefer dancing or choreography?

Dancing will always be my first love. There’s nothing quite like that feeling out there onstage – it makes me feel bigger/stronger than I believe I am in real life. But I have always been fascinated with choreography and studying different peoples’ work and processes. It feels so much more like what I was meant to do in life. I love choreographing and it’s very creatively satisfying.

Who is your favourite local choreographer and why?

I would have to say Kelley Abbey. She has such distinct vision and style with everything she does – musical theatre, television, and film. Working with her in FAME was a hugely inspiring experience and a great honour.

Who is your favourite all time choreographer and why?

That’s WAY too hard to answer! I pride myself on knowing all there is to know about the great choreographers of the past and present. I like them all for different reasons. If I was to narrow it down to a few I would say Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Jack Cole, Rob Ashford and Gene Kelly. I love choreographers of all styles though and try to let this influence my work a lot.

Michael Ralph’s ‘What is this thing called love?’

Tell us about your new work, Now & Then.

Now & Then is my first full-length dance production directed and choreographed by myself. I’ve been planning and thinking about doing a show for about two years now and finally the right moment came to go ahead and do it. Essentially the show is a chance to showcase my work to the musical theatre and dance industry in the hope of creating more interest and opportunities for myself as a choreographer.

The first piece, What is this thing called love?, is a young man’s journey to find the essence of true love. Set to a catalogue of Cole Porter’s finest hits, it promises to seduce, thrill and set your toes tapping. The second piece, Ladies of Hollywood, is a tribute to the great Jack Cole – a lesser known choreographer of film and theatre whose work I adore. The final piece, Project Elvis, explores the lust, loneliness and love of youth in the 1950’s. Featuring a rockabilly meets 2013 soundtrack of remixed Elvis Presley tracks that will blow the roof off the joint!

Tell us about the team involved in the show.

The dancers in this show are so incredible and I am extremely lucky to be working with each and every one of them. We’re about halfway through the rehearsal process now and I’ve been having such a wonderful time. The workload involved with putting on your own show is a tad daunting, but I try to keep on my game my being organized and surrounding myself with a strong team, (including) Scott Hendry (Co-Director), Amy Mete (Production Assistant), Tanje Ruddick (Production Manager) and Gemma Kelly (Costume Coordinator).

I cannot wait for people to see what we have been working on. I always strive to create work that audiences find connectable, entertaining, and fresh – even in an old school way.

To get your tickets to Now & Then visit www.gasworks.org.au and for more information visit www.facebook.com/NowAndThenDoubleDanceBill.

Photos courtesy of Michael Ralph. Top photo from Project Elvis.

National Theatre, St Kilda
September 8 2012

By Rebecca Martin.

Immersed is one of those wonderful nights when Melbourne’s dance community comes together to share their work and float in the glory of what is a very deep pool of talent.  While Immersed is a celebration of dance, tonight it was all about spaghetti.

Created by the brilliant Paul Malek and his company Collaboration The Project, Immersed has been running yearly since 2009, giving upcoming as well as established performers the chance to shine and also to see what else is going on in the local dance scene.  This year we saw 23 pieces from some of our best full time dance schools, solo artists, youth companies, and seasoned groups.

A rich partnership between Malek, Adrian Ricks, Yvette Lee, and Nadia Tornese opened proceedings and set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the performances.  The Space Dance and Arts Centre presented a strong piece created by Los Angeles’ Meredith Kerr which was closely followed by the award winning piece One choreographed by Rain Francis and danced by Rain and Lucky Dance Theatre.  Rain is certainly a choreographer to watch and her company is full of technically sound and fearless dancers.  Dance World Studios brought a taste of Asia to the National Theatre stage in an epic piece that saw the dancers clad in kimonos and wielding parasols.  Fortunately, this wasn’t an eisteddfod piece, but rather a high energy and engaging dance that used the Asian theme cleverly and was a definite stand out.

Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance and Patrick Studios Australia presented loud and exciting pieces that saw the stage full of dancers. They were incredibly effective in getting the audience to cheer and the dancers to perform at their best.

I was very happy to see tap and Irish dance get a guernsey, and to also to see the talented Benjamin Hancock on stage.  He performed a solo piece on a circular piece of carpet which he didn’t stray from.  Hancock was mesmerising.

The undoubted highlight of the night was the unexpected finale to the first half of the evening.  Spaghetti Slobs performed by Miss Friby and choreographed by Elizabeth Dawson-Smith, saw the two dancers in a genius display of comic timing and flying spaghetti.  It was unexpected and brilliant.

Malek and all of Melbourne should be bursting with pride at the amount of talent Melbourne is producing.  We have dancers, choreographers, companies, schools, and producers of the highest calibre and I certainly left the theatre inspired.

From industry leaders in full time dance education

Are you looking to audition for a full time or part time dance course for next year, or anytime in the future? Have you checked out Dance Informa’s comprehensive Full Time Dance & Auditions Guide? As you prepare to audition in the coming months, take into consideration this valuable audition advice from the directors of some of Australia and New Zealands top dance courses.

By Rain Francis.

Pamela Apostolidis
Dance World Studios/APO Arts Academy

Do… your research! Establish exactly what the audition brief entails, what roles are available, your suitability for those roles and determine what you need to prepare.

Don’t…. just do auditions for the sake of doing auditions. It’s important for auditionees to make a good impression when attending professional castings – quite often, first impressions last!

Jason Coleman
Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance

Do… express who you are in the way you perform the choreography. It is extremely important to dance with feeling. You cannot convincingly portray choreography from looking in the mirror, it needs to come from your soul. Dance like your love it. You should dance like you do with every step, but particularly in an audition.

Don’t… hide up the back. Situate yourself up the front and as close to the centre of the studio as possible. Show the panel who you are. Hovering at the back of the room will only give you less time to impress and prove yourself.

Angus Lugsdin
Queensland Dance School of Excellence

Do… Be confident. An air of confidence enhances any amount of talent/ability.

Don’t… forget to prepare. Preparation leading up to the audition is vital. Arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible about the school or company and the associated personnel, so that you can demonstrate genuine interest in the interview.

Sarah Boulter & Lisa Bowmer
Ev and Bow Full Time Dance Training Centre

Do… show your individuality. We like to see a dancer who is quietly confident with who they are, somebody that displays qualities that endears us to want to work with them! We like to see that a dancer is one step ahead of us in every aspect, ready and willing for any challenges that may be thrown their way, and above all reliable. When auditioning, we want to know what a dancer will add to a team. A strong sense of creativity is high on our list!

Caroline O’Connor
Brent Street

Don’t… go in with a feeling of terror, thinking that the panel is not going to like you. Everybody on the panel always wants someone to turn up who is really good. So try and keep that positive attitude.

Do… be yourself. The more you are yourself, and remain individual, rather than trying to be a clone of someone else, the more you stand out. So be in touch with your strengths and be aware of your weaknesses, so you can work on them.

William A. Forsythe
ED5International

Do… bring a positive energy with you and give your all at the audition. Give every part of the audition a go, even if it is not your main talent. e.g. if you’re a dancer, give the singing and acting a go. You don’t need to be brilliant, you just need to show you’re willing to give it a go and learn.

Don’t… compare yourself to anyone in the room. You have your talent and they have theirs. People have different skills; just do YOUR best.

Dulcie Lee
Dance Factory

Do… think of your audition as a performance, rather than a trial by terror! Aim to entertain the panel as if they were an audience. A good first impression is a lasting impression.

Don’t… panic if you happen to slip along the way. Relax, pick up where you left off and treat it as an exercise in learning what to brush up on for your next audition. Remember it is also a learning experience.

Garry Trinder
NZ School of Dance

Do… consider the material you’re presenting within the audition as choreography, not merely classroom exercises. In any audition, the panel is looking for a sense of performance from you.

Don’t… think the panel is looking only at your dancing.  They will also be appraising how you conduct yourself with others, how conscientious you are in learning the material, how you respond to feedback and whether you can cope in stressful situations with grace and humour. During the audition, absolutely every minute counts!

Nicole Davis
Dance Force

Do… believe that you have something to offer and make the staff watch you. Listen and follow choreographers’ instructions carefully. How you learn and take on board corrections given to you is extremely important.

Don’t… forget to introduce yourself to the director and be courteous to staff and other students.

For information on Australia and New Zealand’s full time dance courses check out the 2013 Guide:

Top image: © Andrew Ross | Dreamstime.com

Collaboration The Project is proud to present Immersed Melbourne Dance Industry Night 2011, this month. Immersed will be held at The National Theatre on Monday September 12 at 7:30pm.

Melbourne’s dance scene will amalgamate on one night, to immerse the entertainment industry with their peers and show what it is that makes their city hum!

Immersed will be the Melbourne dance industries premier night of entertainment with a host of established and up and coming choreographers showcasing their work. 

Immersed Performances include; choreography by Paul Malek and Collaboration The Project,  Team Rocket (Australia’s Got Talent), contemporary jazz company Vertical Shadows directed by Stephen Agisilaou (SYTYCD), International Choreographer Leroy Curwood, RickStix Productions headed by Adrian Ricks (Mr. Mistoffolees CATS), Australian hip hop champions Dance Virus Productions, hip hop crews Sole Symphony, The Collektive & all girl crew, Hollabak Dance Crew.

There will also be student performances by full time institutions Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance, Dance World Studios, Patrick Studios Australia, Youth dance Company Project Y and a myriad of other exciting acts.

For more information visit www.collaboration-project.com

Video: Courtesy of youTube. Dance Informa takes no
responsibility for the content of any videos viewed through youTube.

Photo by Belinda Strodder

With competition in the dance world getting more intense, full time study is more important than ever.

By Paul Ransom.

Ever get the impression the world is speeding up and things are getting more competitive? Would it surprise you to learn that the same is true in the world of dance?

Whereas once you might have been able to ‘succeed’ without completing a rigorous full time study regime, the young hopefuls of 2011 know they have no choice. The bar has been raised and if you want to dance on the big stage (or at least have a career of some sort) then the unanimous industry opinion suggests that you enrol now.

Todd Patrick, whose academy Patrick Studios Australia, has an enviable graduate placement record, is passionate about full time dance. “The full time study question is something that’s been asked for a long time but I think over the last five years people have started to think that it is now necessary,” he begins. “What’s required of dancers these days is very different from what it was years ago. It’s now expected that the kids coming out of schools are artistic athletes.” To underline his point, he quickly adds, “They need to be contortionists, singers, actors and have great classical technique. People just want more. We’ve been weaned on So You Think You Can Dance and kids are just doing the most athletically incredible things now.”

William Forsythe, Owner/Artistic Director of ED5International in Sydney agrees that full time training is essential for industry success. “Working extensively overseas as a choreographer I meet hundreds of performers every year and the thing I come across again and again is that almost every overseas performer has studied full time for up to 3 years which gives them an amazing springboard from which to leap into the industry at full speed. I wanted this same opportunity of choice for Australian performers so we developed a 2 year Diploma in Performing Arts to allow young singers, dancers and actors a wider field of training experiences and choice. There are so many great courses in Australia at the moment, young performers need to do their research and see which institution is going to offer the right course for them depending on what type of career they wish to pursue.”

Full time study is, if nothing else, a huge commitment; a commitment that mirrors the intensity of a dance industry career. For Cameron Mitchell, Artistic Director at one of the country’s most renowned studios, (Brent Street in Sydney), a full time course is about a lot more than learning technique. “Most young performers have a limited knowledge of the industry they want to enter,” he explains. “A full time course can teach so much, not just as a dancer, a singer or actor, but as a person in the business. It gives them so many extra tools for longevity.” Trish Squire-Rogers of Spectrum Dance in Melbourne agrees saying, “full time dance not only equips the dancer with the skills to be a well rounded artist but also prepares them mentally for an industry in which one is constantly criticised. Dancers are forever hearing that they are not good enough and that they are not right for the job. Everyday is an audition, where you are judged on the way you look and behave as well as perform. Dancers are endlessly putting themselves on the line and more often than not are met with a ‘no’. Full time dance prepares the students for this mentally taxing day to day lifestyle so that they can maintain a healthy state of mind in the face of constant adversity.”

According to Jackie Hallahan, who created an accredited course for Year 11 & 12 students in the ACT as far back as 2000 and who runs the Canberra Dance Development Centre (CDDC), a full time course “inspires everyone to work towards excellence.” However, a good course will do much more than simply engender enthusiasm. “It’s work experience for a career in dance,” she adds. “Dancers are able to receive quality technical performance training and career guidance in a supportive environment and culture at an elite level, enabling the dancer to be the very best they can be.”

As anyone in the performance arts will tell you, surviving on the boards involves enormous self-discipline and no small amount of office politics. As Todd Patrick bluntly states, “for the industry at large, to have people coming up who are well mannered and who know what the industry is like because they’ve done their grounding is a big advantage.”

Esteemed industry veteran Tanya Pearson, who runs a classical coaching academy and youth ballet in Sydney, takes the point even further. “Students get familiar working to a routine of dancing all day,” she tells me. “Their bodies and minds become prepared for a life as a dancer. It’s important to note that when students are ready to audition for professional contracts they will be up against stiff competition from dancers who have had full time training. They need to be up to a certain standard and level of training and maturity, and have awareness of their mind and bodies.”

Since dance is generally a young person’s career, the training usually reaches its pitch in the mid to late teens, thereby allowing graduates more peak fitness years to explore their trade. All of which makes you wonder what level younger dancers need to attain before they are ready for a full time slog. Jackie Hallahan from CDDC suggests that it is important for candidates to possess a solid grounding before taking on a full time course. “Ideally, the student has had a graduated training program and has achieved [something like] the CDDC’s Intermediate level,” she advises. Tanya Pearson concurs, adding, “we consider more the potential of the student as well as their physical and mental attributes. Students generally should be at a minimum of Intermediate standard. However, this varies from syllabus to syllabus.” For performing arts courses Marcus Pearce of Brisbane’s Conroy Performing Arts College advises that auditioning students “should have a good level of skill in at least one genre of performing, and the physical facility that will lend itself to other styles. They also need to be prepared to participate intensively in all the styles they are not experienced at – yet! The aim of a full time course should be to graduate every student with a high level of training in every subject, not just the skills they began with.”

Importantly, Pearson urges that young dancers maintain a sense of reality. “I recommend that all students continue their academic studies through the Department of Distance Education,” she advises. “I find that our full time students cope well with their full time ballet studies and their academic studies.” Jackie Hallahan adds, “students need to develop time management skills to be able to maintain all their commitments, as well as cope with the rigours of full time.”

Whilst this all sounds like a clear pathway, the parents of aspiring dancers will doubtless be wondering about costs. Study has long since ceased to be free and the best privately run academies are, of course, business operations. Costs vary from school to school but there are partly subsidised options (like CDCC) for around $5000 a year, with other courses on the market for anywhere from approximately $7000 a year up. Most schools will offer a payment plan system, with some institutions even allowing a small number of students in special circumstances to defray hard costs by doing work around the campus. And as Marcus Pearce points out “the cost of full training may seem a lot to some parents, but it needs to be kept in mind that this is a performers’ equivalent to university (a much larger financial investment!).”

At this juncture the obvious question is: what about part time? While there is broad consensus that part time is less than ideal, highly experienced professionals like Tanya Pearson recognise that great talent does not always reside in an ideal world. “For students that cannot afford it or have other commitments I recommend that they attend as many holiday school programmes or workshops as they can. I always offer the opportunity for external students to come and attend a day or two of our full time course to gain experience, even if they are not enrolled full time in our course.” Ashley Killar of Ecole Ballet and Dance Theater who has directed companies including the Royal New Zealand Ballet adds, “there are numerous advantages to full-time training, not least training the body through the day in the correct manner to achieve strong technique, rather than in evenings after long days at school. However, while no dancer joins a professional company from a part time course, the time at which a student begins full time training should be very carefully considered by all concerned.”

Even with a range of scholarship, private tuition and part time options available, the bottom line remains: there is no free ride to a career in dance. Indeed, even exceptional raw talent will most likely need serious training in order to maintain themselves in the industry. As Brent Street’s Cameron Mitchell concludes, “Some kids get lucky; but it’s a lot more competitive than it used to be. There are more courses and more dancers fighting it out. Good training both in body and mind is invaluable.”

FULL TIME COURSES ACROSS AUSTRALIA

New South Wales

BRENT STREET Pty Ltd
Certificate IV in Performing Arts
Location: 101 Bent Street, The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park NSW
Contact: 1300 013 708
info@brentstreet.com.au
www.brentstreet.com.au

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TANYA PEARSON CLASSICAL COACHING ACADEMY
Full Time Dancers Course (1 -3 yrs)
Pre Professional Course
Teachers Course
Part Time Program (Tiny Tots to Advanced Levels)
Location:  75 Chandos St. St. Leonards NSW
Contact: +61 2 94394424, Fax +61 2 9439 5352
admin@classicalcoaching.com
www.classicalcoaching.com

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LEE ACADEMY DANCE & PERFORMING ARTS
Full time performing arts 1 year & 2 year programs
Location: Tuggerah, NSW
Contact: 02 43 58 15 28
dance@leeacademy.com.au
www.leeacademy.com.au

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URBAN DANCE URBAN DANCE CENTRE
Certificate IV Performing Arts Course- Fully accredited 1 year full time Triple Threat Development. Dance|Sing|Act
Performance Courses – 6 month Youth and Adult Elite Dance Crews.
Scholarship Program – Advanced training with Industry professionals, the only scholarship program of it’s kind in Australia. 6 month or 1 year commitment.
Location: 39 Greek Street, Glebe 2037 NSW
Contact: 02 9571 7099
www.urbandance.com.au  

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ED5INTERNATIONAL
Certificate IV in Performing Arts – (NTIS Course Code: 91375NSW)
Diploma in Performing Arts – (NTIS Course Code: 91513NSW)
Location: Bakehouse Lane, 9 George St, North Strathfield NSW
Contact: 02 9746 0848 craig@ed5international.com.au
www.ed5international.com.au

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ECOLE BALLET AND DANCE THEATRE
Part-time Course for exam and Pre-Professional training ( Beginners to Advanced 2)
HSC Dance Preliminary and Full Course
Vocational (full time) pre-professional ballet and dance training courses
re-commencing 2012
Teacher training workshops, Teacher training courses re-commencing 2012
Location: Lindfield, N. Shore, Sydney
Contact:02 9416 8961
ecole1@optusnet.com.au
www.ecole.net.au

A.C.T

CANBERRA DANCE DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Vocational full and part time dance course registered with the Board of Secondary Studies
Location: Mount Rogers Community Centre, Crofts Crescent Spence ACT
Contact:02 6259 1550
j.hallahan@dancedevelopment.com.au
www.dancedevelopment.com.au

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TAFE SA Adelaide College of the Arts
Bachelor of Dance Performance
Location: 39 Light Square, Adelaide SA 5000
Contact: 08 8463 5000
arts.adl@tafesa.edu.au
www.tafesa.edu.au/adelaide-college-of-the-arts

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Queensland

CONROY PERFORMING ARTS COLLEGE
2 year comprehensive full time dance program with leading Brisbane teachers and Interstate teachers flown up on a weekly basis.
During study and after graduation, students may be offered representation with ‘Rachelle Conroy Management’.
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Contact: 07 3205 7717
cpac@conroydance.com.au
www.conroydance.com.au

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AUSTRALIAN DANCE PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE
Advanced Diploma of Art (Classical and Contemporary Dance) or
(Musical Theatre and Commercial Dance) 30822 QLD
Diploma of Art (Classical and Contemporary Dance) or
(Musical Theatre and Commercial Dance) 30821QLD
Certificate III in Performing Arts 30879QLD (1 day per week)
Location: 31-33 Collingwood Street, Albion
Contact: 07 3262 2277
Email: beversen@adpi.com.au
Website: www.adpi.com.au

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Victoria

PATRICK STUDIOS AUSTRALIA
Full time Professional Development: Performing Arts
Full time Professional Development: Musical Theatre
Senior Elite, Intermediate Elite, Junior Elite
Intermediate Elite Preparation, Junior Elite Preparation
Location: 4/40 Green Street, Prahran VIC
Contact: 03 9529 8221 info@patrickstudiosaustralia.com.au
www.patrickstudiosaustralia.com.au

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SPECTRUM DANCE
Full time dance & performing arts course
Location: Burwood, Melbourne
Contact: 0433 733 187
spectrumdance@me.com
www.spectrumdance.biz
 
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DANCE WORLD STUDIOS
Advanced Associate in Fine Arts (Dance Performance)
Associate in Applied Dance (Techniques & Performance)
Foundation Course in Applied Dance
Advanced Associate in Music Theatre
Associate in Music Theatre
Advanced Associate in Dramatic Arts
Specialised training in area of interests.
Location: 295 Bank Street South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Contact: 03 9696 2943
info@danceworldstudios.com
www.danceworldstudios.com

Malthouse Theatre
December 2010

By Grace Edwards

APO Arts Academy’s “Back in Business” brought together its recent graduates in a colourful showcase featuring scenes from over a dozen musicals; more than enough variety to satisfy even the ficklest of audience members.

Opening with the overture from Victor/Victoria, the company sang and acted with enthusiasm, ably accompanied by a band directed from the keyboard by Laura Tipoki. Among the brightest moments of the night were the trio of women from Little Shop of Horrors, and the Melissa Harrington’s comic rendition of “Screw Loose” from Cry Baby.

Most of the performers moved well in the ensemble scenes, and dance proved the strength of the group. The dancers’ presentation of their steps was polished, but the core technique required to dance at an advanced level proved more solid in some scenes than in others, most likely owing to the varying talents of the different dancers onstage in any given scene.

The drama scenes were entertaining as the performers showcased their personalities and comic timing. Many of the singers possessed a pleasant vocal quality, although there were some pitch difficulties at times.

The students of APO Arts Academy are trained to be “triple threats”, and although talented, it would be harsh to expect every graduate from a full-time musical theatre course to excel in all areas. In order to find employment in musicals of the calibre of Mary Poppins or Hairspray, however, students need to excel in at least one area. Whilst the APO graduates were certainly competent enough in the three arts, some need to be careful not to become “jacks of all trades, masters of none” as this will not serve them well in the already saturated world of musical theatre hopefuls.

As recent graduates, the performers will likely improve their skills and presence with real world experience, built on the solid training they have received at APO. No doubt they will continue to mature and develop, and realise their great potential on the world stage.

Best wishes to the 2010 class of APO Arts Academy. I wish them the greatest success and thank them for an enjoyable evening.  APO always knows how to put on a show!

By Chris Bamford.

Due to the popularity of full time dance courses there are now multiple institutions that offer performance programs. Let’s face it, if you want to perform for a living it is becoming increasingly necessary to take a full time course to build the skills and connections you need in this industry.

However, with so many courses now available the exclusivity of these programs is becoming less and less. With multiple courses and hundreds of dancers and singers who all want be a star, it can be tough to secure work after you complete a course.

Some dancers have the misguided opinion that because they have done a full time course they have the right to get paid to perform, rather than the privilege. This may have been the case when only Dynamite and Brent Street offered courses and only a very small number of the best were accepted each year, but it isn’t anymore.

Unfortunately, I estimate that now only about 5% of all performers from full time courses go straight into paid work. Therefore many, many dancers across the country have to wait to get their lucky break. So what do you do next?  There is a certain expectation that those dancers who have completed full time studies will automatically get paid work, but the reality is that you will probably do more unpaid work in the first few years than paid.

Full time dance students from Dance World Studios in Melbourne perform a Bollywood number.

So what do you do until then?  The most important thing is to continue your training. A lot of performers don’t keep up their training and then miss out on opportunities. It can take years before you get that lucky break and you can just miss out if you’re not up to standard.

Now it is easy to keep classes up with many dance schools offering adult casual classes, but the problem is that they don’t look at the individual dancer and where they need to improve. Casual classes definitely have their place and are great for networking and learning different choreography, however they generally will not continue to build your skills.

So how do you continue to grow and improve your craft? You can do another full time course for another year and see how you go, but that can very expensive and can restrict you for auditions. I suggest that you find a studio where the professional dancer is catered for. For example, Caramell Dance Studios offers night time performance courses for the professional and advanced dancer (by audition only) in hip hop and contemporary/lyrical. This allows performers to work or audition through the day time and train at night to maintain and improve their technique. So look for an institution in your state that can cater to your advanced needs.

So you are keeping up your training, but you still don’t have steady work?
Here are a few suggestions to help you open some doors…

• Look out for dance festivals where there may be an opportunity to perform, teach or choreograph, and get involved. You never know who you might be working with and what opportunities may arise.
• Do non-paid productions in between jobs (musical societies, etc). Some professional directors and choreographers use these as a testing ground or a way to refine their skill and it can lead to an audition or an offer for a professional production.
• Get a new skill. Take classes in styles or art forms you are less familiar with. The more skills you have the more employable you are.
• Market yourself. Start to look at yourself as a product package and sell yourself like one. Make sure you know why you are the best for a job and be confident in yourself. However, don’t be over confident or arrogant – this can cost you work.
• If you commit to a project, paid or not, make sure you see it through. The entertainment industry is a ‘clicky’ business and once you have annoyed one person you have generally annoyed ten. This may cost you a job in the future.
• Doing something is better than nothing. Don’t knock back any opportunity, no matter how small. Take the work and run with it until a better opportunity comes along.
• Always be gracious and thankful for each opportunity. Don’t burn any bridges as you may need them again someday.

Don’t stress if you don’t get work straight away. Just keep focused and keep training in your craft. Make sure you don’t get complacent with your current level of skill as you wait for your big break. Keep learning and develop new talents.  Dancing is like any other job – you need to constantly work hard and improve if you want great success. Give yourself goals and reflect on your achievements often, rating your skill level, work ethic and attitude to ensure constant development.

Remember – the moment you become a professional performer you become a product, not a person. Don’t forget about the person behind the product!

Very top photo: Full time dance students of Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance, Melbourne. Photo by Belinda Strodder.