Page 19 - DANCE 2020 Full Time Studies Guide

Full-Time STudieS Guide 2020
KThe right fit
ristin Barwick was lucky enough to be offered a scholarship to join the West Australian Ballet immediately upon her
graduation from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). She joined as a Young Artist, but within the year was promoted to the corps de ballet. She is revelling performing in various classical and contemporary works. “Earlier this year I performed in the contemporary season “In-Synch: Ballet at the Quarry” and I am
This graduate has found her niche.
now working on La Bayadère, which is one of my favourite ballets.”
Kristin found there were many differences between life as a student and life in a professional company. “Although my training had prepared me very well, I still found certain aspects quite challenging. For example the number of hours spent in the studio, and the amount of corrections received were much less,” she says. “You have to be a lot more self-motivated and disciplined, as well as be motivated to work
on yourself in your spare time. This includes finding a spare studio or making use of the facilities such as the pilates studio.
“I also learnt a lot during this transition phase by watching other dancers, and through working with a range of choreographers across WAB’s classical and contemporary seasons.”
At WAAPA, Kristin was able to work with various choreographers and experience different processes, much like what happens within the company now.
“The range of classes gave me many skills that are important within a company. These include pas de deux, contemporary and improvisation which I recently found came in handy when I performed in Aurélien Scannella, Sandy Delasalle and David Mack’s improvisational based work, In-Synch.”
Is there anything she knows now that she wishes she’d known when she was a student?
“In the past year I have learnt that comparing yourself to others is rarely helpful,” she replies. “Each person is both physically and mentally different, so what works for one person may not work for another. The West Australian Ballet has a really strong health and wellbeing program for dancers that provides access to various programs, physios and doctors. It really enables us as dancers to not only have our physical and mental needs met, but also nurtured to help us grow.”
She continues: “It’s a never-ending process of trying to learn new things and finding what works for you. It’s also not always about who the best dancer is, but who’s right for the company or the role at the right time.
“Each dancer has something special and individual to offer. It’s the different talents and personalities of the dancers and staff that makes a company come together in a dynamic and successful way.”
Kristin Barwick receiving (with Edward Pope) her Young Artist Scholarship from Wesfarmer Arts.
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