IMAGINE dancing for a living while travelling on board a ship to some of the most spectacular locations across the world.
It seemed like a far off dream for Mount Gambier resident Courtney Jolley, but in just a few months it will become reality.
From the age of seven, the determined and talented dancer was twirling, kicking and leaping through the air and now at 19
Courtney will join the Royal Caribbean Cruises team to perform for thousands of people for seven months at sea.
Finding her passion and love for dance at a young age, Courtney is excited after being picked from hundreds of dancers across the country for the position.
“I was one of those kids that did all different sports to try and find out what I like best, but it was dancing that I really found my love and passion for,” she said.
“Through classes at MJ Dance, Maria saw that I had great potential and took me on for competitions and soon after for solos – it really took off from there.
“Every year I had more of a drive and hunger for it, I wanted to be the best I could possibly be.”
Working with national and international choreographers and winning regional and national titles, Courtney’s talent blossomed and her desire to pursue dance as a career increased.
Her focus developed on contemporary dance and musical theatre, however neither of the styles matched perfectly with her personality and skills.
“When I finished Year 12, I auditioned for lots of different places that offered classes in different genres so I could really figure out what was best for me,” Courtney said.
“Then Matthew Cram – who has been performing on Royal Caribbean Cruise ships for a while – said I should audition for a position there.
“I researched the shows and dancers who had been a part of the cruises and it seemed perfect for me, it was in between contemporary and musical theatre.”
After training for a year with Spectrum Dance in Melbourne on a scholarship, Courtney auditioned for her dream job with Royal Caribbean Cruises in December of last year.
Making it through all three rounds displaying her technique, skills in contemporary dance and performing a routine from the cruise in heels – a tricky skill to master – Courtney placed in the top five.
From there, it was a waiting game, as she waited to hear if she would receive the chance of a lifetime on-board the ship.
It was five months of anticipation for the young dancer as she continued to work on her skills through an elite training program in Adelaide.
Then at 3.30am one morning Courtney’s wish came true as an email popped up on her phone informing her she had been selected for the cruise Empress of the Seas.
“I could not breathe, I was so excited,” she said.
“I rang mum straight away, I was just so happy, I could not believe it.
“When you stop expecting things, life just falls into place.”
In just five weeks, Courtney will jump on the plane to America, where she will spend a few weeks training before stepping onto the ship to start her career in dancing.
“I have done a lot of research on the show and there are not a lot of people in it, maybe five females and five males, so to get in is amazing,” she said.
“It will be such a great experience travelling around the world to Cuba and the Bahamas, they are always places I wanted to travel to and of course perform on the ship.
“This is just the beginning for me and I am excited for the future.”
