This month’s student story is LAUNCH Senior Karin Mochizuki who recently was awarded the 2017 Brisbane Eisteddfod Adjudicators Bursary award for outstanding achievement. Karin took some time to answer some questions about the studio and her dance journey with us.
What LAUNCH PAC classes do you attend this year?
Stretch & Progressions
Broadway Jazz/Cabaret
RAD Ballet
Stage & Screen Acting
Progressing Ballet Technique
Hip Hop Open
Open Contemporary
Acrobatics – Advanced
Musical Theatre
Performance Tap
Performance Jazz
Open Contemporary
Performance Lyrical
Which class is your favourite and why?
My favourite class is Senior/Open Commercial Jazz. Not only are we lucky enough to have Michelle teach this class, but regularly have incredible guest teachers also. The choreography is consistently challenging which inspires me to work hard and improve. Commercial Jazz is my favourite style of dance and this class always has a great vibe; really positive, supportive and energetic.
How long have you been apart of the LAUNCH PAC family?
Since the beginning, 2014! OG baby!
How does dancing/acting/singing make you feel whilst learning in the studio?
I love being in the studio and working hard. Taking classes at LAUNCH is a comfortable feeling. I am able to really throw myself into every challenge knowing that I am fully supported by my teachers and peers. When I am in the studio, I feel the LAUNCH teachers pushing me to be better and better, I feel myself grow and develop my abilities and I feel myself becoming more and more ready to step into a performing arts career.
How does dancing/acting/singing make you feel when performing on stage?
Absolutely amazing! It is my favourite feeling in the world. Performing on stage is something that I hope I can do professionally for a very long time. I live to perform on stage.
Identify 3 skills you are proud of.
- Self confidence – I am able to be comfortable being myself, making mistakes and taking risks.
- Ability to pick up choreography quickly and accurately.
- Being able to integrate my acrobatic skill into all other genres and ensure the acrobatics supports and enhances the choreography instead of overtaking it.
Identify 3 skills you would like to improve.
- Versatility – I am proud of my current versatility however I know there is so much more I can do. I never want to stop learning and always work on bettering myself.
- Ballet technique
- Vocal and acting abilities.
Who inspires you as a performer?
Michelle Hopper, Kate Wormald-Leopold, Cat Santos and Beyonce. All four ladies boast such high performance quality and are mesmerising on stage. Michelle, Kate and Cat are always stand out performers when surrounded by other dancers and that is something I aspire to become. And I mean Beyonce is just amazing, who isn’t inspired by her?
Do you intend on pursuing the performing arts as a career path? If YES, Name some of your career goals?
Yes, I definitely intend on pursuing a career as a performer. I would love to have the opportunity to work with a variety of music artists. Dancing for Justin Bieber would be the ultimate dream come true. I hope that my future career will take me to lots of exciting places around the world. I would feel so lucky to be able to travel and dance at the same time. An important career goal for me is to take as many opportunities that I can. I believe that it is really important to be proactive and ready for anything.
Name one of the most important life lessons you have learnt at LAUNCH PAC?
It is not about the destination, it’s about the journey!
Student Tip – What advice would you give the younger students at LAUNCH PAC?
If you have a goal, work as hard as you can to achieve it. It is very easy to give up when something is too hard but you have to believe and find a way to reach the goal. Be proud of yourself and your dance journey, everyone’s is different and that’s okay. Lastly, spend your time doing what you love and if that is dance and performing, immerse yourself in it. Learn as much as you can.
