Trained at: Annette Roselli Dance Academy, Brisbane
Presently: Dutch National Ballet Academy, Amsterdam
I started dancing at ARDA when I was five, and by the time I was 14, I knew I wanted to pursue dance professionally. During the COVID home-schooling period, I realised I enjoyed working independently and was self-motivated with my learning. That’s when my parents supported my move into full-time dance training.
Finishing high school was always really important to me, so studying through Cairns School of Distance Education while training full-time at ARDA gave me the best of both worlds. The remote learning setup made it possible to stay on top of school while focusing on dance every day.
Training full-time helped me grow into a more versatile dancer, with training across ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and jazz. I was lucky to be guided by an amazing faculty, including Annette Roselli, Shane Wuerthner, Marie-Claire D’Lyse, and Tracey Carrodus. They really encouraged me to take risks and step outside my comfort zone — something that didn’t come naturally at first. I’ve learnt that things might not always go perfectly, but it’s all part of learning and growing.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to give my energy to myself instead of worrying about where I sit in comparison to others. My biggest advice would be to focus on how you can be better than your yesterday-self. Over time, those small, consistent steps really do build into something great — you just have to trust the process.
The best memories of my full-time dance journey are the lifelong friendships I’ve made over many years, both within the studio and during the fun moments we shared backstage at eisteddfods!
Follow:
Dancers Instagram: @zara_trass
Dance School Instagram: @annetterosellidanceacademy
Photographer: @chasingmotion