Katherine’s story to date….
I find it quite a difficult task to talk about yourself and the experiences that have shaped who you are, and the path you’ve taken. In some respects I feel like saying “Have a look at my CV†that’s what I’ve done and that’s what has inspired me to keep going – however it probably what’s NOT on my CV that has made me the person I am today – desires and all.
I was exposed to performing from the age of two, only through the yearning to be just like my sister. When she started school, a group of her friends all started at Calisthenics aged 5 and 6. How dare my sister start dancing with out me? My mother had no real choice but to throw me in the class too, even though I was far too young. This started a life long desire to perform – dance, act, sing whatever. During our younger years my sister and I shared the same passion which ultimately sent us along the same path, however I still had to achieve everything she did –despite our 3 year age difference. This was by no means any form of competition – it’s simply that we shared the same passions and wanted to experience them together. So much so that when my sister was 16 (me 13) she was sent along for a professional dance audition for TV. There was an age limit specified (must be over 16 years) therefore theoretically I was unable to audition. This didn’t stop us. I too went along to the audition pretending I was also16. For some unknown reason we both got the job and I had to spend the next 3 years lying about my age. Looking back, I guess you’d have to say people go to some extraordinary lengths for their passion and desire. I certainly know I have.
At high school I was always trying to juggle my performing life with my school life. Choosing drama as a subject was a given, never a decision! I was always very close to the drama teachers, in part because I’d seen and experienced the relationship they had with my sister. However in year 11 a new teacher came into the drama class and absolutely blew my socks off. She came in with a wealth of knowledge and more importantly experience from the outside world of “Performingâ€. She had done it, she was there, she was my mentor. Listening to this teacher speak was amazing, I was totally enthralled by what she had to offer me. It funny because no one else in the class could see this wealth of knowledge she was giving me. My desire only grew that year…..
I went on to study Performing Arts at Monash University. I have very mixed thoughts about this degree and what it did for me. I can confidently say, that I hardly learnt anything within the classroom setting. The classes were somewhat interesting, however I didn’t feel they were a valuable tool for my future. However, what I learnt during the three years outside the classroom was invaluable!! The people I met, the stories I was told, the contacts I was given and the performances I was exposed to were Amazing. I attribute that to most of my fellow students who were in the same position as I was, and shared the same desires as me. Together we bonded and started to create a path for ourselves.
During this time at uni I started to work part time in a Performing Arts School. I taught all styles of dance, drama and singing. I loved it!!! I loved working with the diverse range of kids, some of which were there for fun, and some who were little Katherine’s in the making waiting for their moment to shine.
Whilst at Monash I had all intentions of completing my Dip Ed straight after graduating. As much as I hate to admit it – in this industry you do need something to fall back on. However somewhere between that train of thought and reality, I started to gain quite a bit of performance work. I have been extremely lucky in that I gain 5 solid years of working in TV and theatre before the clock started to tick and I realised I’ll be 28 years old by the time I finish my Dip Ed. And that my friends has led me to this class. My passion for teaching is only now starting to override my passion for performing. This may have something to do with stability, or maybe I’m just growing up…. All the same the desire and passion are immense!