There's nothing that 10-year-old Ava Gilbert likes to do more in summer school holidays than dance.
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In January 2019, she spent her time rehearsing and performing with the Brisbane City Youth Ballet Junior Extension Company for the 2019 season of The Wizard of Oz.
This year, she has scored a rare opportunity to attend the 2020 Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive Young Dancers Program in January through Russian Ballet International.
Ava was one of around 20 girls to audition a few weeks ago for the Sydney program (they also hold intensive schools in Perth and Brisbane), and got the acceptance email a week later.
"I felt really excited. I wasn't quite sure I'd make it, but I was confident. I wasn't doubting myself but I didn't know if I was going to get in or not," Ava said.
Ava has a choice of completing either a one week or two week program, both of which consist of more than four hours a day training in ballet, variations, character and stretch. Which program she chooses is really a family decision.
"As a family we support Ava, so where we can we always travel together and let Ava enjoy these experiences that dance brings," Ava's mum, Renee explains.
"Obviously a week or two weeks in Sydney, whatever we decide to do it's all costly and it all comes down to time off work, and time out of our own business that we run."
She may only be 10 years old, but Ava, who attends the Kerrie Renee Dance Studio in Wingham, has a big dream - to dance professionally with the Royal Ballet in England. The opportunities she has been given with the Brisbane City Youth Ballet and the Australian Ballet School International/Interstate Training Program this year are feathers in her cap to help her reach her dream.
"As her mum I'm always excited and happy for her. To put yourself out there to be judged and criticised I think it's not easy, and I think it's good character building," Renee says.
To put yourself out there to be judged and criticised I think it's not easy, and I think it's good character building.
- Renee Gilbert
"I think with anyone, whether you get in from an audition or you don't, it's important that you keep trying. Just because they don't like you one year doesn't mean they're not going to like you the next year or the following year. And I think you're always growing, and if you don't get in it pushes you to grow more and improve as a dancer.
"We know how hard she works and I think these are just the little rewards she gets along the way to keep on growing.
"She's growing all the time under her dance teachers, and all these opportunities just help her keep growing. And that's what it's about."
Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
