Inside the Performing Arts Pathway

Written by Jessica Poulter

From Passion to professional—Transit Performing Arts dancers are built for an adaptive industry

The performing arts industry is ever-evolving and the expectation of dancers to be well-versed in many styles is becoming more apparent. From acrobatics to singing and ballroom, dancers these days are capable of doing it all. 

Transit Dance offers a full time Pre Professional Performing Arts course that caters to people who are versatile and stylistic performers. In the world of performance, there is no limit to what you can do. Gone are the days of just being pigeonholed as a dancer—now you can be anything and everything you want to be—including sound and lighting designers, choreographers, stage managers, makeup artists and more, in addition to being a performer.

“We believe that a career in performing arts isn’t just limited to performing on stage, there are so many areas that you can experience, too. We believe in giving our students as many industry skills as possible to open doors for what potentially await them,” said course director Kim Adam.

A course ingrained in the commercial and entertainment side of the arts is a rare find in Australia. Transit’s Performing Arts course encompasses ballroom dance, jazz, commercial, singing and acting to hit every touchpoint of the industry. With many professional productions on offer within this course, it makes Transit Dance Pre Professional Performing Arts course a hard one to beat. 

“Students choose to study at Transit for the level of care we give and the amount of performance opportunities we offer,” said Kim Adam. “Students feel seen and receive personal advice on what areas to work and focus on in order to achieve a clear pathway for themselves.”

Transit takes between 25-30 students each year for the Performing Arts course to ensure maximum attention is given to each dancer, and a further 80 potential students audition annually. The audition process is nurturing, educating and inspiring all at the same time with the idea that not all dancers are cut from the same mould. The Transit team desires to get to know the person behind the dancer with one-on-one interviews in addition to a dance call.

“I chose to study at Transit Dance because it just felt right. Not only was the faculty amazing, but I remember my audition experience being so warm and welcoming—it was the only place I could imagine myself completing my full-time training,” said Transit graduate Lucy Wong. 

Once accepted, a Pre Professional Performing Arts student at Transit Dance participates in technique classes in the morning followed by an external genre (ballroom, Broadway or commercial styles for instance). The day is finished with rehearsals for upcoming productions or corporate and charitable events. Resident mentors include ballet and contemporary Bradley Chatfield, industry mover and shaker Paul Malek, performer and lighting designer/stage production Jayden Hicks and production manager/costume designer Chris Curran. All mentors approach teaching and leadership from an educational yet personal perspective in their specialist areas. 

“We offer such a unique and personally devised program that allows all students to be themselves whilst training for a career in performing arts. There are so many aspects of the arts that we celebrate, as well as the individual and their attributes that will continue to shape the ever growing and changing industry.”

Students who complete this course are exposed to all aspects of performance styles, providing a strong foundation to leap into a future that calls them—wherever in the world they hear that calling. 

Transit Dance alumni have been called towards the likes of Le Moulin Rouge in Paris, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise lines, Saga Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Disneyland, Gordon Frost Production Company, Universal Studios, Fox Studios, Dubai Expo 2020 and much more.

Transit Dance graduate Dimitri Raptis says, “As I carry both technical and life lessons learnt into the professional world, the advice I would give to prospective students would be to allow yourself to take different routes in achieving your goal, all the while ensuring you never lose sight of it.”

Hear your calling with Transit Dance. Apply for Transit Dance Pre Professional Performing Arts course today