We appreciate you stopping by
Navigating the DANCEWORLD can be a minefield for dancers in training.
SIDESTAGE life is a place that both dancers and their supporters can go to find:
Nutritional Tips and recipes
Inspiring stories from industry leaders
Dance specific training tips.
Potential life changing information for the mind of a dancer.
Accurate, reputable, tried and tested information from a range of knowledgeable contributors.
and lets not forget - SHOPPING
MEET OUR FOUNDERS
Eliza Davis
SIDESTAGE life co-creator
Eliza aspires to have a career in dance. She is a ballet dancer in training. Eliza completed her r Certificate IV in Dance at The National College of Dance in Newcastle Australia and is currently training whilst attending senior high school at Queensland Ballet Academy.
SIDESTAGE Life was born out of an idea to help others navigate the dance industry. Although only 16 years old, Eliza has been fortunate enough to source training and guidance from many professionals within the industry. By sharing what has worked for her and what has not, she hopes to be able to assist other dancers cut through the noise when trying to gain direction on critical areas that contribute to success. The training phase of a dancers’ life is a lot longer than many realize and having a trustworthy support system can help dancers through the highs and lows that they may experience.
Additional to the information that Eliza wants to share, there will be an opportunity to make some purchases….after all who doesn't love a little retail therapy.
Eliza has a keen interest in sustainable fashion and supporting local businesses. Her shop will feature the 'SIDESTAGE Lounge' label as well as other tried and tested products including gift lines by local artisans.
The rigorous schedule and demands of training make it challenging to hold down a part time job so Eliza has developed a small product line to assist with the travel expenses and tuition to pursue her dream.
“The purpose of art is higher than art.
What we are really interested in are masterpieces of humanity.”
Cathy Davis
SIDESTAGE life co-creator
Mother of two dancers
Being the Mum of two dancers is no small feat. Cathy Davis is accustomed to supporting her two daughters, Eliza, 16, and Audrey, 13, through their respective dance journeys. Audrey prefers to dance at a recreational level and Eliza is an aspiring ballerina with the goal to dance professionally.
Cathy works fulltime in the construction industry, however has a background in sewing and is creative, which are great skills to draw on when it comes time to assist with costumes and the development of SIDESTAGE life.
As a working mother, Cathy has experienced first hand the time management , financial commitment and emotional support required to support dancers through their training. The Dance world certainly isn’t for all families and shedding some light on some of the tough decisions, hidden costs and ups and downs as a parent will be shared during the evolution of SIDESTAGE life.
Cathy plans to share some articles by our contributors that would have been helpful to have known prior to the wheels falling off in certain situations. There is an abundance of information out there but it’s often conflicting. Knowing who to trust is the challenging part. SIDESTAGE life contributors are reputable and relevant and are only published if the information is valuable. Having the right people around your dancer is critical to their success and happiness.
Cathy will also assist Eliza with product development for the ONLINE SHOPPING that SIDESTAGE life has on offer. Both Dancers and their supporters will find the perfect gift amongst our range..
“Everybody can dance. It’s the drive, passion and funds that make you a dancer.”
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Kirsten Kemp
Mindset Coach - Founder of the Confident Dancer coaching program
Kirsten Kemp is a Professional Ballet Dancer and High-Performance Mindset Coach for ballet dancers, specializing in helping dancers release the mental and emotional blocks that hold them back from peak performance and wellbeing. As a dancer, Kirsten has trained and performed with the Houston Ballet, has a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah, danced professionally with Oklahoma City Ballet, and is the creator of The Confident Dancer on YouTube and Instagram, an online community of over 20,000 dancers around the world. As a coach, she holds many certifications including being an IBCP Board-Certified Trainer & Master Practitioner of Neuro-linguistic Programming. In addition to working with top pre-professional and professional dancers from all over the world, Kirsten is an International Professional Speaker and Master Ballet Instructor. Our Co-Founder, Eliza consulted Kirsten early on in her training. Kirsten equipped her with a toolbox of skills to assist her through tough situations and battles within her own mind. We are honoured to introduce Kirsten to our SIDESTAGE life community. Follow Kirsten on social media to access her resources and regular reminders to help you through some of the challenges you may face
Emma Burden
Dietician - Founder of Ideal Eats Dietetics
Emma Hanley Burden has a passion for food and educating others about how to achieve good health through nutrition. Emma completed an Honours Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle in 2019. Her Honours research project was on Australasian screening and identification processes for disordered eating and eating disorders in youth with type 1 diabetes, which she presented at the Nutrition Society of Australia 43rd Annual Scientific meeting. Her first career was as a professional ballerina performing worldwide for over 8 years with Bayerisches Staatsballett and Magdeburg Ballet Company in Germany and Singapore Dance Theatre. Her interest in becoming a dietitian emerged during her ballet career where she understood the value of healthy eating. Emma also has 5 years teaching experience, teaching ballet, national character, classical repertoire and nutrition and anatomy at National College of Dance, Newcastle. Emma’s intended career focus is to combine her knowledge of the ballet industry and dietetics to support and guide young dancers to become the healthiest version of themselves to allow for longevity as a dancer and beyond.