SMARTJOBS


your tendon, the shape of your hips, the height of your instep, how high you can jump. Do you express yourself physically when the music’s playing as you go across the floor? Are you naturally musical?”


Alia Tahiri, 17, arrived at the school


just aſter her 12th birthday from her hometown in Wisconsin. Alia was originally accepted by the school when she was 11, but her mother wouldn’t let her leave home. Te following year she auditioned again, and this time convinced her parents to let her stay. “As time went on, I fell more and more in love with dance.


I just knew I wanted to do this.” Tis is Alia’s last year before she graduates. She’s nervous about the future aſter graduation, but says she’s excited about going to new places and meeting new people. Alia hopes to join the RWB company in Winnipeg or maybe the San Francisco Ballet company. Tere’s definitely a lot of pressure to succeed in the school,


Alia acknowledges. “Some days the 100 per cent you give doesn’t amount to as much as on other days, but you still have to do the work,” she says. Most importantly, though, Alia’s never forgotten why she came to the school in the first place. “It gets stressful. It gets tough. But you always remember why you love what you’re doing, and that it’s worth everything you give it.”


S


Left: RWB company apprentice Sarah Davey is on pointes in an “attitude” position while RWB school student (right) Phillipe Larouche takes a leap, displaying his pas jeté position. Photo by David Cooper.


Practice at the bar.


Above: A body tune-up. Left: Getting ready for a pirouette.


SMART careers | Early Spring 19


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