Youth Ensemble: Faith’s Journey to PPY

Meet Faith as she prepares to join Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year (PPY) 2025. Hear how her experiences with the Youth Ensemble shaped her path, about her love for contemporary dance and her aspirations for the future.    

Tell us a bit about yourself and your history of dance training. 

Faith: If you ask my family, they’ll tell you that I’ve always had a passion for dancing. I began my training under the guidance of Janice Breen at the age of 5. During those years, I performed annually in Carols in the Domain, dancing for both live and televised audiences. It was during these performances that I discovered my passion and fell in love with the adrenaline rush of performing and captivating crowds.

In 2018, I joined Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy to further refine my ballet and contemporary techniques, and I am proud to be graduating in 2024.Throughout 2021-2024, I was privileged to be part of the Sydney Dance Company’s Youth Ensemble, where my initial understanding of contemporary dance was significantly expanded, allowing me to be further fascinated by the art of contemporary dance.

What was your first introduction to Sydney Dance Company? 

Faith: Being lucky enough to be born and raised in Sydney, I have grown up watching Sydney Dance Company productions, eagerly awaiting each season. I was fortunate enough to see my first show, LANDforms, in 2011 at the age of five. I was instantly captivated and hooked by the energy of the performances. I fell in love with the power and creativity of the contemporary movement presented by Sydney Dance Company. 

When did you join Sydney Dance Company’s Youth Ensemble and what was this training like?

Faith: I initially began my training within the Junior Youth Ensemble in 2021, where I fell in love with the unique weekly program and was able to meet like-minded individuals who share the same passion and love for contemporary dance as I do. 

Over the course of the next three years, I transitioned into the Senior Youth Ensemble. This program offered a wide variety of different contemporary choreographers and industry specialists, each offering unique personal experiences within the industry, as well as opportunities to learn repertoire from a variety of companies.

With a wide variety of teachers, my peers and I were constantly being challenged to work together to push our boundaries of trust within partnering and individual work, allowing us to step out of our familiar comfort zones and find new avenues of creativity within our movement.

A personal highlight for me was getting to perform in the end-of-year production alongside my peers. We showcased the unique avenues of movement we had explored throughout the year, and each performance allowed us to feed off each other’s energies, creating a truly special end-of-year production where we all came together.

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What led you to audition for 2025 Pre-Professional Year? 

Faith: After falling in love with the positive and creative environment I found through Sydney Dance Company’s Youth Ensemble, I eagerly auditioned for PPY 2025. I wish to expand my knowledge of contemporary dance, work in a professional environment, and further develop both my mental and physical creativity in preparation for entering the professional dance industry in the future, under the guidance of the diverse range of knowledge presented by Sydney Dance Company.

What excites you most about joining Pre-Professional Year in 2025?

Faith: Entering PPY 2025, I am most excited about working with like-minded individuals who share in my passion and love for dance. Every class I have taken under at Sydney Dance Company has been a unique experience, pushing my understanding of contemporary dance beyond mere movement. I hope to further push myself and develop as both a dancer and individual.