Meet the graduate: Phoebe Anderssen

Trained: The Conlan College
Now: Student at Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden

Did your original career aim change from when you started your studies to when you graduated?

As a young child, like almost every little girl, I dreamed of becoming a ballerina. Little did I know at the time that there was so much more to a dance career than I could ever think of.

During my two-and-a-half years of daily training at The Conlan College, where modern was a much larger part of the program, my passion for contemporary dance only grew stronger. The Conlan College full time program really covered everything I needed, including improvisation skills and the European contemporary styles of dance. By training in such a wide ranging program I was fully prepared for my next step to Germany. The Conlan program allowed me to truly fall in love with all the various types of dance that I will need for my performance career and to become a useful and employable dancer.

The constant support from the team of teachers at The Conlan College allowed me to see that I could pursue my passion for contemporary dance while also continuing to grow into a strong classical dancer. They helped me to realise that there are all types of companies all over the world, that would have strength in both styles and therefore be an ideal place for me to have a career. I love the diversity of styles in the dance world and I am now well placed to work in a company that allows me the artistic freedom to follow my passion in all its forms.

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

I have so many lifelong memories from my time at Conlan. The training I received was of such a high standard that I was selected to travel to the YAGP New York finals several times, which in turn provided me with so many scholarships and opportunities to try out finishing schools from all over the world. This really helped me to narrow down exactly what I was looking for when moving to my next step in my training.

I think the most amazing memory I have was my time at the inaugural Brisbane International Contemporary Dance Prix. It was a week long workshop and competition experience where we took class from esteemed European teachers, and worked on contemporary repertoire with the choreographers themselves. That week taught me so much about myself as a dancer and also allowed me the chance to meet Jason Beechey (Rektor of Palucca University for Tanz), among other directors and judges. After receiving the Junior Female Winner award, I had the opportunity to travel to Germany and take classes with Leipzig Ballet Company as well as to audition and be accepted into my dream school, Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden.