Dance Student Feature
Rebekah Terry
Take a moment to read the experiences of aspiring ballerina Rebekah Terry.
Rebekah was the recipient of our 2018 Summer School scholarship to Central School of Ballet, London.
From Rebekah Terry.
DMI. You’re awesome.
I would like to start by saying a huge Thank you to Olivia, Josiah, Denzil and Kara from DMI for such an amazing experience I had going to Central Ballet in London.
I started dancing at Mt Eden Ballet Academy pretty much as soon as I could walk (my older sister was already dancing there) and did my first concert in a nappy (for safe keeping mum says) at about 18mths. Funnily enough as an infant with a Nanny in Mary Poppins and this year I was Bert.
I train many many hours a week. In fact I am in the “Future Dancers programme” and dance some days up to 12 hours with very few breaks and I dance every day. I also attend contemporary, hip hop, jazz and very occasionally tap classes at MEBA and just love helping Heather with the baby classes.
I think it first hit me that I really wanted to be a dancer when my sister was an extra with the Australian Ballet in Sleeping Beauty. Perhaps my favourite Ballet. She was so amazing to me and I fell in love. I was driven even more by dancing “with” the Royal New Zealand Ballet in The Christmas Carol (mum says that she could see I didn’t realise I was just an extra dancing alongside the company dancers instead of where I was meant to be). There is nothing more exciting than dancing in the snow on a stage with the most amazing dancers that were all so happy, so carefree, so talented and beautiful.
I have also been very lucky to grow up with so many incredible dancers at MEBA to inspire me. I remember many a time, sitting at the front of class watching Hannah O’Neill in all her amazingness (sigh).
I think this was my third DMI seminar but it was some years since my last one.
I won a scholarship from the Caledonian competition society and after discussing the best way to use this scholarship money we decided it was a great opportunity to attend the DMI seminar.
I was so overwhelmed and totally gobsmacked when we listened to the live scholarship recipient list and I was on it. It really was a dream come true for me (& my Grandparents) because I had always wanted to dance overseas and especially the UK. Grandma loves to travel and she pretty much had her bags packed the next day. Actually she and Grand dad were heading there 2 weeks later so she changed her flights to accompany me there.
I spent one week there on my own and then met up with Asia-Rose (the other recipient and awesome friend). We spent another week there together. Although we were in different groups, it was great to share this time with such a special friend. We also attended English National Ballet together and came home via Honk Kong for the Asian Grand Prix.
It was very strange and quite nerve racking when I arrived on my first morning to realise for the first time in my life I really knew nobody. That lasted about 30 minutes before classes started and I began to dance. There is always such a release of emotion and freedom when you start to dance.
Everyone was so welcoming and it wasn’t long before I started meeting new friends. They were all so lovely and welcoming. I have made some life long friends that I talk to almost every day. I really can’t wait to go back.
I loved every minute of it.
I learnt a lot about myself and enjoyed working hard. It was lovely to be complimented on my work ethic as well as my ability and it pushed me harder knowing that I was representing not only Mt Eden Ballet but also Dance Masters International and my country. I enjoyed the different teaching styles and some of the same. It made me feel at home when I found a teacher almost as awesome as Melinda. You know, super caring yet super technical and knowledgeable. Mt Eden Ballet Academy has a real family feel to it and it was so nice to feel that way even on the other side of the world at Central.
I loved the experience so much and am so excited to attend the DMI workshops in both Auckland and Christchurch over these summer holidays and also the Passion Awards.
Such a huge Thank you Dance Masters International. You really do open doors for people like me to achieve more than I thought I could.
Bekah
Rebekah was the recipient of our 2018 Summer School scholarship to Central School of Ballet, London.
From Rebekah Terry.
DMI. You’re awesome.
I would like to start by saying a huge Thank you to Olivia, Josiah, Denzil and Kara from DMI for such an amazing experience I had going to Central Ballet in London.
I started dancing at Mt Eden Ballet Academy pretty much as soon as I could walk (my older sister was already dancing there) and did my first concert in a nappy (for safe keeping mum says) at about 18mths. Funnily enough as an infant with a Nanny in Mary Poppins and this year I was Bert.
I train many many hours a week. In fact I am in the “Future Dancers programme” and dance some days up to 12 hours with very few breaks and I dance every day. I also attend contemporary, hip hop, jazz and very occasionally tap classes at MEBA and just love helping Heather with the baby classes.
I think it first hit me that I really wanted to be a dancer when my sister was an extra with the Australian Ballet in Sleeping Beauty. Perhaps my favourite Ballet. She was so amazing to me and I fell in love. I was driven even more by dancing “with” the Royal New Zealand Ballet in The Christmas Carol (mum says that she could see I didn’t realise I was just an extra dancing alongside the company dancers instead of where I was meant to be). There is nothing more exciting than dancing in the snow on a stage with the most amazing dancers that were all so happy, so carefree, so talented and beautiful.
I have also been very lucky to grow up with so many incredible dancers at MEBA to inspire me. I remember many a time, sitting at the front of class watching Hannah O’Neill in all her amazingness (sigh).
I think this was my third DMI seminar but it was some years since my last one.
I won a scholarship from the Caledonian competition society and after discussing the best way to use this scholarship money we decided it was a great opportunity to attend the DMI seminar.
I was so overwhelmed and totally gobsmacked when we listened to the live scholarship recipient list and I was on it. It really was a dream come true for me (& my Grandparents) because I had always wanted to dance overseas and especially the UK. Grandma loves to travel and she pretty much had her bags packed the next day. Actually she and Grand dad were heading there 2 weeks later so she changed her flights to accompany me there.
I spent one week there on my own and then met up with Asia-Rose (the other recipient and awesome friend). We spent another week there together. Although we were in different groups, it was great to share this time with such a special friend. We also attended English National Ballet together and came home via Honk Kong for the Asian Grand Prix.
It was very strange and quite nerve racking when I arrived on my first morning to realise for the first time in my life I really knew nobody. That lasted about 30 minutes before classes started and I began to dance. There is always such a release of emotion and freedom when you start to dance.
Everyone was so welcoming and it wasn’t long before I started meeting new friends. They were all so lovely and welcoming. I have made some life long friends that I talk to almost every day. I really can’t wait to go back.
I loved every minute of it.
I learnt a lot about myself and enjoyed working hard. It was lovely to be complimented on my work ethic as well as my ability and it pushed me harder knowing that I was representing not only Mt Eden Ballet but also Dance Masters International and my country. I enjoyed the different teaching styles and some of the same. It made me feel at home when I found a teacher almost as awesome as Melinda. You know, super caring yet super technical and knowledgeable. Mt Eden Ballet Academy has a real family feel to it and it was so nice to feel that way even on the other side of the world at Central.
I loved the experience so much and am so excited to attend the DMI workshops in both Auckland and Christchurch over these summer holidays and also the Passion Awards.
Such a huge Thank you Dance Masters International. You really do open doors for people like me to achieve more than I thought I could.
Bekah
