DANCERS: Kennedy Crowther (front), Olivia Moore (back, left), Jake Gisby, and Amelia Dawe have been accepted into NZ School of Dance's associates programme. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
DANCERS: Kennedy Crowther (front), Olivia Moore (back, left), Jake Gisby, and Amelia Dawe have been accepted into NZ School of Dance's associates programme. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
Four gifted Bay dancers have been accepted to train at the prestigious New Zealand School of Dance.
It is a coup as only 13 dancers from across the country have been accepted into the Wellington-based school's associates programme this year.
Jake Gisby and Kennedy Crowther, both 15, and 13-year-olds Olivia Moore and Amelia Dawe are students at Dance Education Centre in Matua.
It is an amazing programme with fantastic tutors and you also get lots of exposure to overseas tutors.
Jake and Kennedy have been invited back to complete their second year of the three-year associate programme, while Olivia and Amelia start their first year in April.
Jake, Olivia and Amelia are students of classical ballet, while Kennedy studies contemporary dance. More than 100 hopefuls auditioned nationwide.
All four dancers said it was "awesome" to think they were now a step closer to fulfilling their dreams of becoming professional dancers, but were aware of the hard work ahead. Ultimately, they wanted to become principal dancers in a professional company.
You work blimmin' hard to get there but when you do you have to work twice as hard.
Jake, who has trained for 10 years, said his dream was to one day dance in France, the home of ballet. Kennedy, who has been dancing since she was 3 or 4, said she switched to contemporary dance about two years ago and had never looked back.
Being invited back to do her second year was not a given, as many did not make it part-way through their first year, she said.
"It is an amazing programme with fantastic tutors and you also get lots of exposure to overseas tutors. You work blimmin' hard to get there but when you do you have to work twice as hard."
Kennedy said it took a lot of commitment and stamina, with the tutors constantly watching the dancers and looking out for someone with the X factor.
"Hopefully I have got that," she said.
A delighted Dance Education Centre director, Prue Gooch, said the NZ School of Dance was only the best.
"I'm really impressed. All four dancers have worked extremely hard for this opportunity and now the hard work really starts."
Mrs Gooch said she recalled a quote from acclaimed Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova: "talent equals hard work".
View below a short video of the dancers in action.
The NZ School of Dance is one of the southern hemisphere's leading dance-training institutions, with an international reputation for producing versatile and employable dancers skilled in classical ballet and contemporary dance.
About 80 gifted young dancers study full-time at the school each year.
