The performing arts is an exciting, lively, artistic and diverse career path. One that ignites and develops your passions, makes people happy and allows creative expression. It’s no secret the performing arts industry is cut throat and you’ll have to give your whole being in every audition and battle it out with fierce competition. Maintaining the drive and dedication to persevere through rejection and upset is tough but if you are mentally prepared and continue to work on being the best version of ‘you’ anything is possible. So how do you make it? How do you prepare yourself to enter into a career as a professional performer? This is how we ready you at LAUNCH Performing Arts Centre!

At LAUNCH PAC our purpose is to foster self-belief in your child so they have the courage to follow their dreams. We understand that self-belief is crucially important for a successful career in the performing arts. You must believe in your self, your abilities and your talent to book jobs, find an agent and land contracts. I’ll say it again; the industry is tough. You need tough skin to bounce back and get yourself to the next audition. Our experienced teachers provide our students with consistent opportunities to succeed and master new skills. We also provide support and encouragement to stand back up after our student’s less successful moments. ‘Less successful moments’ because failures don’t exist when a positive learning attitude does. An attitude you will need to nurture for your entire career.

LAUNCH PAC provide ours students with a well-rounded education. It is important to learn about the history of our industry just as much as staying up to date with techniques, choreographers and ever evolving styles. The structure and foundations of a house hold it together. Without the framework, the house wouldn’t be what it is. It would not have been built in the same way or even at all.

Networking is one of the most useful skills a performer can apply before and during their career. Getting to know people in the industry and building those relationships is crucial. Entertainment is a personable profession, knowing the right people will set you apart from the rest. Our Owner/Director, Michelle Hopper, boasts an impressive reel of career highlights and is very well networked and highly respected in our Australian Dance Industry. This allows her to provide the LAUNCH PAC students with the best training possible to enter the industry completely prepared. She also provides as many opportunities as possible for her students to learn from and network with the best choreographers and working professionals in our global dance industry. The LAUNCH PAC teaching faculty, consistent workshops, the annual Dinner and Show, guest teachers and more all provide this.

I do not know any performers who have built successful careers without being versatile performers. I imply versatile in two meanings. 1 – in the ability to perform well in several styles and apply different skills and 2 – in the ability to adapt yourself to the choreographers needs and be able to apply new movements, ideas and choreographer/director specific visions within one style. It’s important as performing artists to find a balance between being a blank canvas for choreographers and directors to work on whilst also having the ability offer our own unique talents to inspire those same choreographers. It is essentially our job as dancers to make their vision come to life and building a trusting relationship where a choreographer knows you will ‘get the job done’ is essential for longevity in this business. LAUNCH offers and encourages classes in every style in both our performance stream and our recreational stream. This affords our students the option to take extra styles, pick up new techniques and improve versatility in general. Students are encouraged to explore their own personal style and uniqueness helping to build confidence and embrace their individuality. LAUNCH PAC understand that these days you really do need to be more than just your average ‘triple threat’ to stand out in the dance world.

Feeding right into versatility is the idea of up-skilling. Learn as much as you can at all times, be the performer who can always say “Yes, I can do that!” You will increase your value and suitability to potential employers. You will never be left behind with old techniques or ideas and your ability to stay up-to-date with current demands and trends will be an asset you can take to the bank. LAUNCH PAC are always looking to help our students up-skill and widen their abilities to be competitive in the industry.

On the flip side, maintaining your basics and engaging consistently in classes is just as important. Yes, that’s right kids, you will always need to come back to the barre for some tendus or find a piano and perfect your lip trills. We instill this importance and love for taking class and explore the benefits of working on basics into our students from a young age. LAUNCH PAC offer a number of open classes for pre-professional, professionals and ex-professionals alike to enjoy, improve and/or maintain skills.

In world where you spend so much time analysing yourself in a mirror, achieving and sustaining and healthy body image and lifestyle is going to be challenging. At LAUNCH PAC we are proud of the supportive and healthy atmosphere we have created. A performer’s body is their tool, their livelihood so they must look after it. We communicate the importance of fueling your body with the right nutrients and properly strengthening and stretching to allow it to function the way you want it to. The way it needs to. We provide open communication about this in our studio.

In 2017, we have begun offering Cert III in Dance at LAUNCH PAC. This is a part of our journey to create more opportunities for young dancers to prepare for the performing arts industry. There is so much to learn and we aim to provide more information and training than you could need. That way they can enter the industry as a newbie with the ability of a seasoned professional. Our Cert III graduates walk away with a fully prepared CV and high quality headshot ready for any and every job. It’s essential to be prepared with a professionally prepared CV and headshot with all information required. Setting yourself up for successful auditions and applications starts here.

With the right guidance and attitude toward their learning, every budding dancer, singer and actor with the burning desire to perform professionally can build a successful career. We know that LAUNCH PAC can provide you with the tools you need to have a long and successful performing arts career ahead of you. So, the question is, are you ready?

Share This

Related Posts