Danceworld 301
ONE SINGULAR SENSATION......every little step they take!
".....dance is the movement of life. It has the power to communicate and express much about the human experience and our collective condition...dance is not restricted by barriers of language or culture.." (Chris Apostolidis, Executive Director/Founder of Dance World 301)
In the cutthroat world of professional dance, one school stands apart from the rest. Based in Melbourne, Dance World 301 is an inspirational story about two dancers with a vision to make their dance dreams a reality as well as open up the doors for other aspiring performers.
And so Dance World 301 was established in 1987 where it now boasts over 400 national and international students studying all forms of performing arts and dance and has a well earned reputation as one of Australia's leading performing arts training institutions. Dance World 301's creed is 'to train the performers of tomorrow and to be an essential part of the creation process'.
GIRL caught up with Pamela Apostolidis, Managing Director and Senior Choreographer who was in the midst of preparing for a sensational dance showcase 'Dance World 301'.
GIRL: Who founded Dance World 301?
Pamela: Dance World 301 was the creation of both Chris Apostolidis and myself in 1987.
GIRL: What inspired you two to build a dance school of this type?
Pamela: Having a dance background, both Chris and I felt that we wanted to actively work in the performing arts and believed that there was an alternative means of training students to what existed at that time. In 1987 we set up Dance World which targeted professional dancers, but since then we've moved towards actually training students aspiring to become professionals. In the 13 years of its existence, Dance World has evolved into a larger entity, now called DW301 and focuses on a creative environment which specifically aims to make dance and other aspects of performing arts accessible to the public. Ultimately we sought to create an environment similar to the European experience where the arts are part of the general consciousness, rather than a select few.
GIRL: How many students are presently enrolled?
Pamela: There are over 100 full-time students studying accredited courses in either classical Ballet or commercial dance/musical theatre. In addition, we have over 300 students, aged between 3-21, participating in our casual classes.
GIRL: So DW301 teach all styles of dancing?
Pamela: Our courses are structured according to demand. We cover the traditional and contemporary forms of dance - for example, classical, jazz, tap, contemporary, musical comedy, hip-hop, character, flamenco. We also incorporate other aspects of performance including drama, vocal training and acrobatics.
GIRL: How do people apply for a position with DW301? What is the audition process?
Pamela: Generally, anyone is welcome to join the casual classes, which are held Monday - Saturday. For those wanting to train full-time, auditions are conducted nationally around the September - November period of each year. Applicants are assessed on their current standard, potential and suitability for one of the many courses on offer. In addition, international students are also invited to apply for the courses by auditioning in person or submitting a video. More information is provided on our website http://www.dw301.com
GIRL: What is the duration of the dance courses?
Pamela: Generally, the full-time courses range from 1-2 years and are conducted on a full-time basis Monday - Saturday.
GIRL: Now how did the Brisbane gig come about?
Pamela: Our courses are heavily geared towards building performance skills and throughout the year Dance World provides its students opportunities to perform on stage, TV and other live performances. This year we've decided to perform as a school in Brisbane for the first time.
GIRL: How many students will be involved in the performance?
Pamela: 30 students will be involved whose background is either classical ballet or musical theatre/commercial dance.
GIRL: What can Brisbane audiences expect to see?
Pamela: They can expect to see 1.5 hours of a variety of dance styles ranging from the streetwise punchy dynamics of modern jazz to the emotional lyricism of classical ballet. We will be showcasing our elite full-time students performing highlights from 'A Chorus Line' and short works including hardcore hip-hop, classical variations, post modern dance and musical comedy song & dance.
GIRL: Are there plans to take the show nationwide?
Pamela: We'd love to but we're taking it one step at a time.
GIRL: Have any past students of DW301 gone on to bigger and better things?
Pamela: We consider our graduates our ambassadors to the world. They can be found performing on stages in Europe, Asia & Australia for musicals such as 'Cats', 'Chicago', 'Fame', 'Starlight Express', 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' and other commercial engagements for example touring with Kylie, Savage Garden, Tina Cousins and Madison Avenue. Our classical students are now working with major ballet companies such as the English National Ballet, Netherlands Dance Company, Australian Ballet, New Zealand Ballet, Royal Ballet and the Queensland Ballet Company.
GIRL: Finally what makes DW301 unique from other dance schools?
Pamela: Dance World's uniqueness stems from the original idea of establishing an all encompassing creative environment to nurture and train the artists of the future. Located in the heart of a vibrant artistic community, the Dance World campus houses two recording studios, six dance studios, on-site dormitories and administration facilities. The uniqueness of combining the performing arts and classical school on the one campus further distinguishes DW301 from other Australian training institutions.
Well GIRL.com.au wishes the students participating in the Dance World 301 showcase performance in Brisbane the very best of luck!
If you would like any further information about DW301 or the various dance courses on offer, visit http://www.dw301.com
- Annemarie Failla
".....dance is the movement of life. It has the power to communicate and express much about the human experience and our collective condition...dance is not restricted by barriers of language or culture.." (Chris Apostolidis, Executive Director/Founder of Dance World 301)
In the cutthroat world of professional dance, one school stands apart from the rest. Based in Melbourne, Dance World 301 is an inspirational story about two dancers with a vision to make their dance dreams a reality as well as open up the doors for other aspiring performers.
And so Dance World 301 was established in 1987 where it now boasts over 400 national and international students studying all forms of performing arts and dance and has a well earned reputation as one of Australia's leading performing arts training institutions. Dance World 301's creed is 'to train the performers of tomorrow and to be an essential part of the creation process'.
GIRL caught up with Pamela Apostolidis, Managing Director and Senior Choreographer who was in the midst of preparing for a sensational dance showcase 'Dance World 301'.
GIRL: Who founded Dance World 301?
Pamela: Dance World 301 was the creation of both Chris Apostolidis and myself in 1987.
GIRL: What inspired you two to build a dance school of this type?
Pamela: Having a dance background, both Chris and I felt that we wanted to actively work in the performing arts and believed that there was an alternative means of training students to what existed at that time. In 1987 we set up Dance World which targeted professional dancers, but since then we've moved towards actually training students aspiring to become professionals. In the 13 years of its existence, Dance World has evolved into a larger entity, now called DW301 and focuses on a creative environment which specifically aims to make dance and other aspects of performing arts accessible to the public. Ultimately we sought to create an environment similar to the European experience where the arts are part of the general consciousness, rather than a select few.
GIRL: How many students are presently enrolled?Pamela: There are over 100 full-time students studying accredited courses in either classical Ballet or commercial dance/musical theatre. In addition, we have over 300 students, aged between 3-21, participating in our casual classes.
GIRL: So DW301 teach all styles of dancing?
Pamela: Our courses are structured according to demand. We cover the traditional and contemporary forms of dance - for example, classical, jazz, tap, contemporary, musical comedy, hip-hop, character, flamenco. We also incorporate other aspects of performance including drama, vocal training and acrobatics.
GIRL: How do people apply for a position with DW301? What is the audition process?
Pamela: Generally, anyone is welcome to join the casual classes, which are held Monday - Saturday. For those wanting to train full-time, auditions are conducted nationally around the September - November period of each year. Applicants are assessed on their current standard, potential and suitability for one of the many courses on offer. In addition, international students are also invited to apply for the courses by auditioning in person or submitting a video. More information is provided on our website http://www.dw301.com
GIRL: What is the duration of the dance courses?
Pamela: Generally, the full-time courses range from 1-2 years and are conducted on a full-time basis Monday - Saturday.
GIRL: Now how did the Brisbane gig come about?
Pamela: Our courses are heavily geared towards building performance skills and throughout the year Dance World provides its students opportunities to perform on stage, TV and other live performances. This year we've decided to perform as a school in Brisbane for the first time.
GIRL: How many students will be involved in the performance?
Pamela: 30 students will be involved whose background is either classical ballet or musical theatre/commercial dance.
GIRL: What can Brisbane audiences expect to see? Pamela: They can expect to see 1.5 hours of a variety of dance styles ranging from the streetwise punchy dynamics of modern jazz to the emotional lyricism of classical ballet. We will be showcasing our elite full-time students performing highlights from 'A Chorus Line' and short works including hardcore hip-hop, classical variations, post modern dance and musical comedy song & dance.
GIRL: Are there plans to take the show nationwide?
Pamela: We'd love to but we're taking it one step at a time.
GIRL: Have any past students of DW301 gone on to bigger and better things?
Pamela: We consider our graduates our ambassadors to the world. They can be found performing on stages in Europe, Asia & Australia for musicals such as 'Cats', 'Chicago', 'Fame', 'Starlight Express', 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' and other commercial engagements for example touring with Kylie, Savage Garden, Tina Cousins and Madison Avenue. Our classical students are now working with major ballet companies such as the English National Ballet, Netherlands Dance Company, Australian Ballet, New Zealand Ballet, Royal Ballet and the Queensland Ballet Company.
GIRL: Finally what makes DW301 unique from other dance schools? Pamela: Dance World's uniqueness stems from the original idea of establishing an all encompassing creative environment to nurture and train the artists of the future. Located in the heart of a vibrant artistic community, the Dance World campus houses two recording studios, six dance studios, on-site dormitories and administration facilities. The uniqueness of combining the performing arts and classical school on the one campus further distinguishes DW301 from other Australian training institutions.
Well GIRL.com.au wishes the students participating in the Dance World 301 showcase performance in Brisbane the very best of luck!
If you would like any further information about DW301 or the various dance courses on offer, visit http://www.dw301.com
- Annemarie Failla
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