Meet the graduate: Jesse Scales

Trained: Terry Simpson Studios
Now: Dancer with Sydney Dance Company

 

What is your best memory of your full-time dance studies?

It's impossible to limit it to one, but my fondest memories are of the private coaching sessions. Whether it would be training for exams or rehearsing for performances, the sessions were always incredibly inspiring and encouraging. The knowledge and experience my teachers shared with me, paired with generously kind nurturing, gave me fantastic resources I still use today.

I learned how to play with dance, that you could go beyond the curated steps and interweave your personality, which I believe in turn stirred my desire to create and explore through movement. The sessions also gave me space to discover and challenge how I wanted to dance, shape who I wanted to be as a dancer, and ask why I wanted to dance. Maturing my art form and understanding myself more via dance, always through joy, tenacity and a good laugh, are treasured memories.

What is the main overall lesson you learnt?

How excitingly limitless and valuable versatility in dance can be. I had always been interested in and enjoyed many styles of dance, something that was definitely encouraged during my full-time training. But learning that versatility wasn’t just about the body, but also the thoughts, opinions and methods which provoke movement. It showed me how multifaceted dance is, that it isn’t just a black and white mindset of whether you could achieve steps or not. Embracing and digging in to the core of versatility allowed me to be open and available for any potentiality. I learnt that everything and anything could be harnessed and utilised for exploration, creativity and expression. Reflecting as a professional, this enjoyment of versatility has aided me numerous times, especially for audition settings, working with choreographers, and navigating the dance world.  

@jesseescales
@terrysimpsonstudios
@sydneydanceco

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