These two musical theatre sisters have been dancing since their childhood under the tutelage of their mother. Both are both performing in the hit musical, Matilda. Sally Clark caught up with them over lunch.
I meet Nadia and Zoe Komazec at the stage door of Sydney's Lyric Theatre, the Sydney home of the hit musical Matilda. The Adelaide-born sisters are both performing in the show. Technically, the sisters have that day free (ordinarily there would be understudy rehearsals) but have arrived early especially for our interview. I'm instantly struck by their immaculate presentation: their gorgeous smiles; their positive and vivacious energies, and their easy relationship with each other. We head across the road to a fab little cafe in the foyer of the Google building at Pyrmont to introduce ourselves properly and to chat over lunch.
Once seated I direct the first question to Zoe, sitting diagonally opposite - except I'm actually addressing Nadia. Oops - faux pas! The girls giggle, but politely - because obviously although not identical they are similar enough for this mistake to happen often. I apologise and shift my eye-line straight ahead to address the real Zoe.
She confirms: "I'm Zoe. I'm 24 years old and I play the child swing* and am assistant dance captain on the show." I sheepishly shift my gaze back diagonally. "So - I'm Nadia and Iím 26 - so Iím a little bit older - even though I donít look it!" She smirks at her sister. "I'm in the ensemble and I understudy Miss Honey and Mrs Wormwood."
Both girls trained at their motherís dance school - Barbara Jayne Dance Centre in Norwood - and very proudly affirm that the school is renowned for training elite music theatre performers and ballet dancers, whom they list: Cameron Mitchell; Cristiano Martino; Monica Swayne and Stephanie Grigg among others. They each started at age two and trained in all facets of dance, including CSTD Jazz and Tap as well as Borovansky and Cecchetti Ballet.
We discuss when their passion for musicals was first ignited. . . .
This is an extract from the full lunch-interview in the current (April/May) issue of Dance Australia. Buy it from your favourite magazine retailer or subscribe here, or purchase an online copy via the Dance Australia app.
*As "Child Swing", Zoe understudies the children's roles of Tommy, Hortensia, Alice, Eric, Lavendar, Nigel and Amanda - on top of some of the adult roles.