Charlene Macaulay
A die-hard dance enthusiast will get her chance to hit the big time after scoring a performing arts scholarship.
Sarah Hardy has been awarded the $9000 scholarship to complete her certificate IV in performing arts at The Edge Performers School after full-time course manager Merryn Tierney saw her in action earlier this year.
The 19-year-old Eynesbury resident, who started dance classes at the age of two, dances up to 27 hours a week at JDC Performing Arts studios in Ravenhall and Werribee.
Ms Hardy has mastered ballet, tap and jazz and has performed in a variety of gigs through JDC, including a Katy Perry Tribute Show and as a back-up dancer to Sarah De Bono in front of 30,000 people.
She says she’s thrilled to receive the scholarship. “I want to go overseas and dance. I’ve been out of school for two years now and I’ve always wanted to do full-time [dance education], but I haven’t been able to afford it.
“Getting this opportunity has made me able to do the course, finally!”
Ms Tierney said the scholarship would give Ms Hardy a chance to build on her already extensive dance knowledge.
“Sarah has an outstanding passion and strong technical ability to further her training,” she said. “I believe she’s got the potential to really make it in the commercial dance industry.
JDC performing arts director Jason Di Cicco has worked with Ms Hardy since 2008 and says it’s great that one of his students is doing so well. “This was the aim of my school, for these kids to be getting opportunities like this,” he said.
“She really grabs an audience’s attention. She’s easy to work with, strong-minded, hard- working and very passionate.”
