Yvonne’s Dance Journey: From Jazz Ballet to Aerial Arts

 Some dancers fall into their craft by accident, others by curiosity — and then there’s Yvonne, who began dancing at five years old simply because her neighbour was doing it too. What started as a childhood activity quickly became a lifelong love.

The Early Days: Jazz Ballet and New Styles

Yvonne’s first classes were in what many studios called “jazz ballet” — that classic mix of jazz technique with a sprinkle of ballet influence. As she grew, she branched out into tap and modern contemporary, the style we now know as lyrical. Lyrical eventually became one of her absolute favourites, long after those early days in the studio.

Ballet: From Requirement to Appreciation

At one point, ballet wasn’t optional — it was a requirement to stay on the competitive team. It wasn’t her favourite style at the time, but she stuck with it. And like many dancers who return to ballet as adults, she now loves it for its structure, discipline, and the way it makes her feel grounded in her technique.

Exploring Movement as an Adult

As an adult, Yvonne’s curiosity only grew. She explored hip hop, commercial jazz, and heels — styles that challenged her musicality, confidence, and performance quality in new ways.

But her biggest shift came when she stepped outside the traditional dance studio and into the world of pole and aerial arts. She now trains pole regularly and has a deep love for aerial lyra — a discipline she once taught. These art forms blend strength, grace, and creativity, and they’ve become a defining part of her movement identity.

The Corrections That Follow Her

Every dancer has a correction that becomes part of their internal monologue. For Yvonne, the big ones right now are:

• Breathe
• Use your core more / ribs down

They’re simple cues, but they make a world of difference — especially in styles that demand both control and fluidity.

A Journey of Evolution and Expression

Yvonne’s dance history is a story of exploration. From childhood jazz ballet to lyrical, from competitive ballet to hip hop and heels, from studio floors to aerial hoops — she’s embraced every opportunity to move, grow, and express herself.

Her journey shows that dance doesn’t have to follow a straight line. It can twist, turn, lift, and fly — just like the aerial arts she loves today.