Hear from Pre-Professional Year Students

We asked current Pre-Professional Year students to reflect on their time in the program and what they’ve learnt so far. Here’s what they had to say!

“Sydney Dance company’s Pre-Professional Year has taught a myriad of different ways Dance can feel in my body. The way I can use it to move through pain, to celebrate happiness, to express worry and to explore life. It has challenged me and introduced me to more than what I thought was possible. Opening me up to abstract forms of movement and making me curiouser and curiouser as to what else is out there. For me, this hunger for experimentation will help guide me in my dance career, and I have learnt to lean on it let in unfamiliar environments and new adventures.” – Thomas Evans

“I’ve experienced immense personal growth in the Pre-Professional Year that I didn’t expect. I feel that I’ve been mentally and physically pushed by the diversity of workshops which has shifted my perspective on what I’m capable of, the kind of dancer I can be and the spaces I want to inhabit professionally. Being given the literal and emotional space to question my training, challenge aspects of my process and relationship to performance, and giving myself permission to hone and excel in the things that make me a unique dance artist is resulting in me feeling creatively fulfilled.” – Charlie MacArthur

“During my time in Pre-Professional Year, I have been afforded countless opportunities to learn and grow both as a dancer and as an individual. Each week has brought a new industry professional and a chance to explore movement, embrace challenges, build community, and gain new perspectives. Throughout this course, I have been encouraged to push my personal boundaries and indulge in my curiosities, all from the comfort of a supportive and empowering environment. The knowledge that I have accumulated over these two years has contextualised what it actually means to have a career in dance and has given me the tools to step securely into my professional life.” – Maya Miller

“The Pre-Professional Program is a huge growth period. When I reflect on my time in PPY I am blown away by the resilience, maturity, awareness and knowledge I’ve gained. I have discovered the value in remaining true to the whole self that I am and continue to be while opening my presence and heart to the many people around me. This is something I’ve found both challenging and rewarding; acknowledging my independence but not letting that get in the way of openness and collaboration.” – Jannah Allen

“The ideas and philosophies that PPY offer have taught me the importance of individuality for both personal satisfaction as well as improvement. When entering the course I did not enjoy ballet nor was I confident in it but Linda’s Ballet classes have offered me a new-found love. The idea that you can dance and have fun in ballet by experimenting with pathways and positions combined with an anatomical approach that is beneficial for our individual bodies has led me to see improvement and start to enjoy ballet classes rather than dread them.” – Julien Cravero