BRIGETTE KAY - DIRECTOR

My dance life story is very different from just about any other you will hear. It wasn't filled with tutus, tiaras, and competitions. I began dancing at the age of 2 1/2 because I severely lacked coordination and muscle tone, and suffered from a brain tracking and sequence problem, and a visual perceptive issue. It was suggested that ballet or gymnastics would be a good form of therapy. I very quickly fell in love with the magic of dance. All things dance. At around the age of 3, I said to my mum, "I want to become the boss of dancing." With the most supportive mum you could ever wish for, I trained hard, harder than most in my class, doing every form of dance and undertaking any dance exam I could find. I spent just about all my dance life in awe of the top dancers in my class, just wishing I could get it together. All I ever wanted was to hear "Good girl, well done!!!" But most of my younger years, all I heard was my name being yelled for going the wrong way or not tapping in time. For some reason, this never deterred me and never spoiled my passion. I'm not sure why.

 

As the years ticked on by, we moved to the Sunshine Coast, and I found a teacher, a teacher that wanted to invest in me, a teacher that wanted to see me succeed. This was my turning point. I began to master things I always struggled with. I finally got some pats on the back. I loved that it was a small school, with at times only myself and one other girl in my jazz and tap grades. When I look back now, sometimes I think my teacher and her young assistant had the patience of a saint. I was the world's greatest practicer, all night, all weekend. I devoted myself to my passion, with our neighbors regularly complaining about the constant tapping or the same song playing over and over. All I wanted to do was crack that top mark. I still had never changed my mind in being the boss of the ballet, but what I did realize was I wanted to be the principal of my own studio.

 

Sometimes I'm not sure why I kept going. It wasn't exactly fun!!! But I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.

 

On completion of all my dance exams and school, the next obvious thing was to begin my teaching certificate. I did 2 diplomas over 2 years. The first one was in theatrical dance, covering all genres. The second year, I specialized in classical ballet. These years were grueling and so time-consuming, but this is where I really began to feel the reward of simple things like seeing a dancer skip for the first time or finally nail that turn. I quickly realized this was the best feeling. This is what put a skip in my step and made my day. I knew that feeling of mastering a skill and how important that it really was for that dancer, no matter how small. I never take anything for granted in the dance world.

 

So it was no glitz and glamour for me, no competitions, or cabinets filled with trophies, but a genuine love and passion for all things performing arts.