MOST long-time coaches, instructors and teachers agree there are one or two athletes, dancers or performers that stand-out in their memory as the genuine stars of their career.
These stars are rare and unforgettable to their mentors.
For Southern Cross Performing Arts ballet teacher Anne Reardon, 10-year-old pupil Ella Fitzpatrick is one dancer she will long treasure.
“In my career I have probably had three dancers like Ella who have been absolute stand-out dancers, but I don’t think I have ever had a dancer who has reached the level Ella has at such a young age,” she said.
Exceptionally gifted Wagga dance prodigy Ella recently took a huge step forward in her quest to achieve her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer.
The determined 10 year old recently became the first Wagga dancer to gain selection in the prestigious Australian Ballet School Interstate Program.
The Australian Ballet School is the countries national centre for elite vocational classical dance, producing dancers of the highest calibre for parent company the Australian Ballet and other companies around the world.
Positions in the Australian Ballet School Interstate Program are highly-sought after, with hundreds of the national’s most talented young ballet making the trek to Melbourne to audition for less than 50 spots.
“I was a little bit nervous when I first arrived, but as soon as I started to dance I didn’t feel nervous anymore,” Ella said.
“I was in a group of 27 dancers.
“We had to listen to instructions and follow them while they (the selectors) watched our technique.”
A spot in the program allows Ella, a student at Southern Cross Performing Arts, to participate in classes and attend workshops through out the year at the Australian Ballet School.
According to Ella’s ballet teacher at SCPA, Anne Reardon, the opportunity to study at the Australian Ballet School is an invaluable opportunity for any aspiring dancer harnessing a desire to reach the highest level on an international stage.
“Really this is a one in a million result,” she said.
“Wagga has never had a dancer selected for this
program… Ella’s selection is just incredible.
“A position in the Interstate Program is a huge foot in the door because it puts students hoping to pursue a professional career in ballet on a fast-track.”
As a member of the elite contingent, Ella will be eligible to dance with the Australian Ballet Company if she is
chosen to fill any of the children’s roles in their professional productions.
Ella has been a member of SCPA since she was just four years old and has been taught and mentored by Anne for the past six years.
It was Anne, a 20-year-teaching-veteran, who
encouraged her star pupil to audition for a position on the program.
“I hoped Ella would make the program but I was still very surprised when she did because it is so very tough to get into,” she said.
“She really does deserve the place.
“Ella is naturally gifted but its her drive to succeed that has helped her reach the level she has.
“She just loves to dance and dances everyday without even being asked… Her mum tells me she dances
everywhere – from the supermarket to the bus stop she is always dancing.
“She has an unbelievable memory for steps and is just so passionate about what she does.”
The Wagga Christian College pupil also studies tap, jazz, hip-hop, acrobatics and cheerleading.
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