WITH seven years at the barre, young dancer Halle Anderson has attended hundreds of classes in Mount Gambier and beyond to perfect her ballet technique.
The 12-year-old MJ Dance student is passionate about performing and has collected a number of accolades at various competitions across the country.
Halle’s dedication to her craft is admirable for her age, as she attends ballet class in Mount Gambier five days a week.
Aside from her local training, Halle has been a member of The Australian Ballet School’s International/Interstate Training Program for two years now.
Edging closer to her goal of becoming the perfect ballerina, her classes at the Melbourne-based school provide advanced speciality training in preparation for her promising future.
For more than 50 years, The Australian Ballet School has been training dancers from across the country in preparation for a professional career.
The renowned program is aimed at dancers located outside metropolitan areas and Halle was one of 700 students selected following an audition in 2015.
She said attending the Melbourne classes was always exciting.
“We learn new exercises every week, which is really fun and our classes are divided into all of the different ballet styles,” Halle said.
Classes range from classical ballet training to character dance, a stretch program, performance studies and injury prevention.
Ballet is renowned for its technical difficulty, however Halle is not put off by a challenge.
“I just really love performing, both in class and on stage,” she said.
“Ballet is always a challenge, but I love learning and my teachers continue to notice my progress.
“You have to earn a tutu, it is a lot of work, but it is worth it.”
MJ Dance Studio director Maria Slape said Halle would benefit greatly from the national program.
“We have had three students participate in this program over the years and they have all gone on to achieve highly and build a career in dance,” she said.
“It is a very beneficial opportunity for Halle as it gives her a great insight to how the school works, she always comes back really inspired.
“I always encourage new experiences in dance and Halle is an amazing worker, super talented and very focused on her goals, which is vital for her future.”
Maria said Halle was an “all rounder” and had achieved highly in many dance styles.
“She made the top five at nationals as part of the Dancer of the Year competition, which is an amazing achievement in itself,” she said.
“We can’t wait to see her continue to shine.”
Clearly surrounded by many supportive family members, friends and dance instructors, Halle said her Nan was one of her biggest fans.
“My Nan is a huge support, she makes some of my costumes, attends performances and takes me to class both in Mount Gambier and Melbourne, so thank you Nan,” she said.
Halle will perform alongside her fellow dancers at both upcoming MJ Dance concerts on December 8 and 9 at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre.
