Dancers all have a unique pathway and journey on how they ended up to where they are today. My journey began as a 3 year old occasionally attending dance play and fairy ballet classes. Although it was a long time ago, my memories are filled with colourful parasols, exploration and excitement.

At age 6, I joined the jazz class at my school which was so much fun. However, I switched primary schools for grade 2, which meant the dance classes came to an end as well. My parents tried to keep me occupied by enrolling me in extracurricular sport classes, but my disdain for ball sports was overwhelming. Extracurricular math classes were the next option, which took an unexpected turn...

On one particular day, I was answering my maths problems and I began to hear loud music and loud banging on the floor. I had to see what was going on. I found a gap in the door and peeked through and saw an entire group of little kids tap dancing. I was mesmerised and wished that I could be in that class too. The following week I was at the dance studio in my leotard and tights ready to start class. I thoroughly enjoyed the classes and did as many as I was allowed. I competed at my first dance competition with a song and tap troupe that year. The following year, I completed my first ever solos including tap and song and jazz.

At age 10, I attended a summer school at another dance school and decided that ballet was my passion. I switched dance schools and continued there for three years. My enthusiasm towards ballet was short winded, however, my technique improved and I formed some beautiful friendships with my peers which I will never forget. At this time, I wanted nothing more than to be a dance teacher.

With the transition into high school approaching, I felt I needed a change in scenery. I moved studios again. For two years, three times per week, I travelled via train into the city and then took the bus to Port Melbourne to dance. It was quite intense dancing 16 hours per week. I learnt so much and was really able to develop my dancing here. However, I got burnt out.

I made the difficult decision to stop dancing. It was a nice break for a while, but 16 hours per week of dancing got replaced with sitting on the couch watching TV. I needed something to work towards and improve, and I needed physical activity.

My brother was a trampoline gymnast at the time and I thought it may be in our genes that I would be one too. I joined a recreational trampolining class with one of my school friends and had heaps of fun learning new skills. But trampolining was not for me. The gymnastics club that I was training with was connected to an aerobics club. I had never heard of aerobic gymnastics before so I searched it up on Youtube and I was drawn straight in. I was signed up for aerobics classes to start at the beginning of year 9.

I started off with a choreography class, a flexibility class and a skills and fitness class. It was so much fun learning new skills and new ways to move. I started off in elementary, which is the level that every beginner must start at, and I won my first ever aerobics competition. Towards the end of the year, auditions were coming up and I decided to tick the box on the sign up sheet to be considered for the international team.

I was shocked to find out that I made the International team. The team and I worked hard at every training session. I was training 4 times per week for two hours at a time. We won states and nationals which qualified us for the 2017 FISAF World Championships. Worlds were held in the Netherlands and it was amazing to see the best individuals and teams from so many countries. We ended up placing 7th and we were ecstatic.

2019 was my final year of school, year 12. I began working at AT dance doing administration on Monday nights. I was moved up to the adult division for aerobics and my team won gold at nationals! I also loved competing on the Kilvington Grammar School pom team. I found that having consistent work, team sports and surrounding myself with my friends had a positive impact on my grades in year 12.

I was finally asked to be on the international team again for 2020. I built up my fitness and we created what could have been an amazing routine but unfortunately 2020 was the year that COVID-19 graced us with its presence. Consequently, I had to say goodbye to competing internationally for a while and this broke my heart. I was able to find direction by joining my university pom and jazz teams later in the year. Although the majority of the training sessions have been online, I am looking forward to competing in 2022! Currently, I am keeping connected to dance by teaching and taking dance classes at AT Dance.

Looking back at my dance journey, I am proud of how far I have come and am grateful to all the teachers and peers that have guided me to where I am today.

I am keeping connected to dance by teaching and taking dance classes at AT Dance which is thoroughly enjoyable. This year, I am teaching classes on Monday and Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. I teach Tiny Tots who are two to four years old. I teach acro, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, aerobics with the juniors and tap with the adults. I am also taking part in adult tech commercial, jazz and contemporary classes. It is also very interesting to be part of the behind the scenes action that occurs in a dance school, especially for the concert and other events such as the choreography competition.

Looking back at my dance journey, I am proud of how far I have come and am grateful to all the teachers and peers that have guided me to where I am today.

Dancing Through Life - Miss Sarah