When I was the young age of 5 my mum decide to take me along to a dance class one Saturday morning-little did she know that this is where my life really began. From that cold Saturday morning to this very day- dance has been my life focus.
I started with just Ballet and Tap at a Dance School in my village (which turned out to be where I got my foundation for my Dance training). When my teacher saw my potential I was asked to start the competition team- which meant I took on Modern, Jazz, National and Spanish as well as my Ballet and Tap classes. We were a successful dance school, competing all over the country and dancing at special events. This Dance School was my home until 17 years old. When I say home- I really do mean it. We spent 5 nights a week there, all day on a Saturday- I'm surprised the teachers didn't get sick of us. Dancing friends are really the best kind of friends, as they say- "Friends that Dance together, stay together".
At the age of 17 I decided I did not want to take up Dance as a career. No matter how many 'chats' my mum and I had about just going to audition for Dance/Stage school's I was adamant I did not want to do it as a career. At this point in my life I had left my first Dance school to follow one of my teachers who had set up her own school in a different village. One day my teacher asked me to help her out at an exam session for her students- so I thought why not as I loved being involved with anything to do with the school. On the way home from the session we happened to end up talking about her career and her college experiences. This is when I knew I was making the wrong decision and that I had to at least go to an audition for a dance college.
The next week at sixth form- where I was studying I pulled up the courage to text my mum and tell her I had printed off the application form and filled it in for Preston Dance College (now the Dance Academy). This ended up with me being asked to come to a Private Audition for the college) as I was away for the normal audition).
On the day of my audition I did not really know what to expect. After a short audition in front of 4 teachers I knew this is what I wanted to do. I ended up being offered a place for the College there on the spot with no second thoughts. Obviously I took the place and this is where my career started...
Whilst at Preston Dance College I successfully gained up to ISTD Advanced 2 Tap and Modern. I also worked towards my ISTD teaching qualifications in Modern and Tap. In my two years of being at the college I successfully gained all units for the teaching qualifications and left with my head held high. I knew whilst at the college that I wanted to ficus more on teaching and that going off to audition for cruise ships/contracts abroad was not for me.
Before I left college I had already had a job offer working for one of my old teachers at her Dance school near my home, back in Cheshire. So I took this instantly. From there my teaching jobs grew- from classes in my Gym where myself had worked in the past on the Bar and where some friends and family worked, to a Dance school which one of my college teachers owned and then that grew to being recommended to work at an established ISTD and RAD school 20 minutes up the road.
Along my teaching routes I had heard of a new curriculum/syllabus that was slowly making it's way into the UK called ACROBATIC ARTS. I know that there is a lot of discussions/opinions about 'Acro' making it's way into the dance industry but I thought you have to move with the time and go with it- we can't always be stuck in the past can we? So, I decided to save up and go on the teaching qualification course for this in Spring 2016. Honestly- all I can say now is that it is AMAZING. The children love it and I love teaching it and you see so much improvement in such little time.
I am also now looking at gaining my ISTD Ballet teaching to add to my list which I am managing to squeeze in around my teaching (which has now grown to 6 full days a week, sometimes 7! At to amazing school's in the South Manchester area).
Looking back my life over the past 4 years- it has been crazy. Going from having a place at Liverpool John Moors University to deciding to be a Dance Teaching- but it has all been worth it!! There have been ups and downs along the way but now with 2 successful jobs and lots of qualifications being me (ISTD Tap and Modern, Acrobtic Arts and Exercise to Music) it can only go up!!
I hope you have liked reading about my journey into the Dance Industry. I am looking forward to gaining my BA in BAPP to add to my list and seeing how it helps me progress as a Teacher.
