JUNE / JULY 2017 | WWW.DANCEAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
68 /CLASS
A highlight was winning
aGoldMedalatthe
Genee International
Ballet Competition.”
Maeve Nolan
A childhood fascination with the
superb Royal Ballet dancer, Darcey
Bussell, was one of the driving forces
behind Maeve Nolan’s love of ballet.
Whenshewasyoungadanceteacher
gaveherBussell’sautobiographytoread
whichNolansays,“IthinkIknewoff
by heart”.
She began with Dance North
AcademyonSydney’snorthernbeaches
before training with Lucinda Dunn at
Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching
AcademyatStLeonardsinSydney.
Now16yearsold,shesaystrainingwith
Dunnhashadaverysignificantimpact
onherlife.Shecountsamongherother
highlights winning the Big Brother
Youth Support Ballet Scholarship and
winningaGoldMedalattheGenèe
International Ballet Competition, both
in 2016.
Ofherfutureplans,Maevesaysthat
herultimategoalistoperformina
professional ballet company. She has
been touring Europe and the United
Kingdomwithplanstoliveandstudy
overseaswithinthenext12months.
Maevedrawsinspirationfroma
number of current dancers including
Iana Salenko, Benedicte Bemet, Amber
Scott, Tamara Rojo, Alina Cojocaru
andNataliaOsipova.Shesaysthat
thoughshelivesandbreathesballet,
shealsolovesmusicandspending time
with friends and family.Maeve Nolan:
inspired by
Darcey Bussell.
PHOTO: DAMIEN TIERNEY