Wahta is chasing the stars all the way to the the National College of Dance.
Patricia, mum of 12-year-old aspiring ballerina Wahta Handy, says ballet practice and competitions keep the pair extremely busy and take a toll on the family finances.
Wahta loves ballet and has been dancing since she was three years old. She may have inherited the love of dance from Patricia who danced ballet and contemporary. Patricia was one of the original dancers at the iconic Indigenous dance company, Bangarra.
Wahta has received a Grow A Star scholarship to attend an Associate Program with the National College of Dance. The program for budding 11 to 12 year olds involves two intensive days, a three day workshop, as well as a Summer School.
“Wahta’s ballet teacher asked if she could do it but there was no way I could afford the fee on top of her normal weekly ballet fees,” Patricia said.
The Grow A Star scholarship has helped a lot,” she said.
“Wahta has done one of the days and she absolutely loved it.”
Patricia is happy to support her daughter’s love of ballet and desire to be a prima ballerina. She says firstly because she loves it but also because ballet has given Wahta friendships, discipline, confidence and a desire to work hard. Wahta is the vice captain at her primary school.
But as a single mum living in social housing, she saves and relies on scholarships to fund the classes, costumes, travel, and accommodation costs that ballet brings.
Wahta was selected to go to the Australian Ballet School Intrastate Training Program. This involves two trips to Melbourne a year. Patricia and Wahta have taken the train to try and save on travel costs. Luckily this year’s Australian Classical Challenge, which sees more than 100 dancers from across Australia compete, was held in Wahta’s hometown of Newcastle NSW. She was a finalist in the 11 to 13 year old category.
“One of the first Indigenous dancers at the Australian Ballet Company, Ella Havelka, has supported Wahta and countless other dancers with scholarships.”
Ella is one of Wahta’s idols, as well as Ukranian ballet dancer and mum of three, Alana Zelenko. She watches recordings of both dancing for hours.
April 2024 was a busy month for Wahta. She attended the two-day Claudia Dean Scholarships in Brisbane. The next day she was in Sydney for the Joan and Monica Halliday Royal Academy of Dance NSW Awards where she was a Grade 5 finalist. She was also a finalist in Grade 3 and a runner up in Grade 4. At the Australian Institute of Classical Dance AICD Awards in Sydney on April 15, Wahta was thrilled to dance in front of Newcastle prima ballerina Marilyn Jones OBE. She placed second in the 11-12 year olds.
The team at Grow a Star is excited to support Wahta on her ballet journey. We hope she continues to nurture her passion for dance and shine brightly both on the stage and in her everyday life. With dedication and support, we believe Wahta has the potential to become a true star, inspiring others with her grace and commitment.
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