Choosing the right course: Taree Sansbury

27 July 2017

There are so many pathways to choose from when it comes to full-time dance courses that deciding on your preferred route can be daunting. That's why we publish the Dance Australia Full-Time Studies Guide every year - to simplify that task.

'Think about what kind of dancer you want to become.' Taree Sansbury. Photo: Hayley Rose Photography.

In addition to bringing together information from over 90 school and institutions, the Full-Time Studies Guide includes first-hand accounts from recent graduates reflecting on on the choices they made when it came to full-time training, and the aspects of that training that have proven most valuable, from a professional perspective. Here we talk to NAISDA graduate Taree Sansbury.

Taree Sansbury
Independent artist
Training: Diploma of Professional Dance Performance, NAISDA Dance College, 2013

Why did you choose this course?
I wanted to experience cultural dance in an extremely thorough manner. There are on-site and off-site cultural residencies that happen in the first three years of training at NAISDA Dance College which are quite revealing and special times.

And why did you choose NAISDA Dance College?
I really wanted to attend NAISDA because of its history. It was originally birthed from political times in Australia’s history. I also had relatives who have passed through the institution and I see how this affected their sense of self and identity. I have looked up to many prominent NAISDA alumni who are still active in the dance community today and this was very much an incentive to come and study at NAISDA Dance College.

Looking back at your training, what aspect of the course has been of most value to you?
Looking at the lineage from our teachers and how that knowledge is now revealed and lingers in my own choreographic choices. Your peers and networks become such a strong mechanism in opening up your world when you’re freshly graduated. The people who you train with can have a lasting effect on your career as well as any teacher/ trainer can share their network of people for you to access. This is key for establishing yourself and treading the waters of the arts industry.

What advice would you give a student who is deciding which courses to apply for?
Think about what kind of dancer you might want to become. Would you rather be a technique technician, or are you leaning towards performance making? I think it’s also important to consider where you would like to be based as the location of your chosen institution can have an effect on the network base you end up with post graduation.

Read five more interviews with recent graduates in the 2018 Full-Time Studies Guide, only available in the August/September issue of Dance Australia! There's also an article about what different course names mean and what questions you should ask to help you decide which course is best for you. Plus there's information about over 90 school and institutions, enabling you to easily compare information from different courses, including pre-requisites, audition dates and requirements, course content, career options and more. It’s all listed in alphabetical order, with a state-by-state index at the back.

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