Kevin Jackson is a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.
Where were you born?
Perth.
What was your parents occupation?
My mum has been a secretary, an accountant and, while I was at the Australian Ballet School, stacked supermarket shelves at night to keep me in Melbourne. My father once was a ballroom dancer who then went on to be a house painter.
Why did you take up dance?
I believe the passion to dance was always inside me. However, the moment I knew I wanted to perform came at a dance school concert in which my cousins were performing. As the curtain opened and the lights illuminated the stage I knew I was supposed to be a performer. The stage still excites me today as it did that night.
What is your earliest memory of watching dance?
My first dance teacher would share old Hollywood movies: things like Gigi, Oklahoma, West Side Story and Fred Astaire movies as she taught me the fundamentals of theater and dance.
What is your earliest memory of performing in public?
“Thank heaven for little girls”, from the movie Gigi, was my first song and dance solo. I was so nervous I forgot the words to my song. I remember my teacher started screaming the words from side stage to remind me. Luckily it worked and I finished the routine. I didn’t place, but it made me very determined to work harder and get it right for the next competition.
You performed in musical theatre before taking up serious classical training. What made you make the switch?
The reason I chose ballet over musical theatre was I am a far better dancer than singer! I was attracted to classical and contemporary because I found it more technical and loved the thought of telling a story through dance.
What is the best venue you have performed in?
I will always have a soft spot for the State Theatre stage at the Victorian Arts Centre. I have grown on that stage through my career – it’s a very special place.
What has been your favourite role to date (and why?)
I have been blessed with many beautiful roles, but a stand out would be having the role of Ivan in Firebird, created on me by Graham Murphy! It was an honour to work so closely with an icon of Australian dance and to be a part of a special recreation of an historically significant ballet.
Do you have a memory of a best audience?
Dancing the Prince in Murphy’s Swan Lake last year at Perth’s Burswood Entertainment Complex. Performing in front of a home crowd full of family and friends from the past and present was a memory that will be with me forever.
What is your proudest moment?
Holding my baby sister for the first time when I was ten. She was like an angel and we bonded immediately.
What book are you reading at the moment?
The Mind – Its Projections and Multiple Facets, byYogi Bhajan.
What word(s) would you use to describe your feet?
Depends on the time of day: swollen, broken, strong or frozen. Probably a few more nasty words, too!
Do you have any superstitions?
No not really, but I have a pre-performance routine: make-up, warm up (personal), warm up barre, then some time spent internalising, making sure I am in my body, making sure the nerves don’t take over. From there it’s into costume – SHOWTIME!
What do you always take with you to a performance?
A banana, water and a foot roller!
What is your pet hate?
Waking up with no coffee or milk in the house!
What do you like about yourself?
I like that I want to learn as much as I can from the people around me.
What annoys you about yourself?
Being a perfectionist.
What makes you sad?
Being away from all my family – I miss them every day!
What occupation would be furthest from your true nature?
Working in an office cubicle with numbers.
