“Leave us some of your old point shoes for when you’re famous.”
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
That was what Murray Youth Performing Arts director Libby Ellis said to 17-year-old ballerina Beth Docker who will move to Paris on Wednesday to dance.
Miss Docker had been a member of the dance school since she was seven, but moved to Sydney about 18 months ago to study dance full-time at the Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy.
She was looking for her next challenge when she sent audition tapes to five schools in Europe.
She was accepted into three and after much deliberation, she accepted a position at the Paris Marais Dance School.
Only about 15 people from across the world get accepted into the school’s pre-professional program each year.
Miss Docker, originally from Jindera, said she remembered dreaming of becoming a professional ballerina when she was just four-years-old.
Now she hopes to audition for dance companies after studying at the Paris dance school for a year.
“I’d like to go to a large ballet company where I can be part of major classical works like Swan Lake,” she said.
You should always strive to achieve your dreams
- Beth Docker
She currently dances about 35 hours a week and puts her success down to hard work and determination.
“It takes a lot of core strength,” Miss Docker said.
“Every part of your body has to look complete and come together to create the art of ballet.”
She said she was nervous about moving to Paris but hopes to improve her skills.
Miss Docker said if you loved what you were doing, it would never seem like work.
“You should always strive to achieve your dreams,” she said.
Ms Ellis said Miss Docker was an inspiration and a role model to other young dancers at the Albury school.
“We’re very excited for her because she has worked so hard,” she said.
“We are very proud of her.”
Ms Ellis has owned Murray Youth Performing Arts for the past year and said former owners Katherine and Rosemary Drewe played an integral part in Miss Docker’s success.
She said the ballerina showed aspiring dancers from regional areas they could thrive and perform on the international stage.
“It just shows what you can do if you put your mind to it,” she said.
“Ballet is very particular and requires a lot of discipline and it’s a very structured activity so to achieve you need dedication.”
