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NOVEMBER 2018

LAUREN JIMMIESON THE NAKED TRUTH THAT MAKES HER ALL THE MORE BEAUTIFUL

DANCEWRITER.COM.AU

LAUREN DRAGO IS AUSTRALIA'S COMMERCIAL RISING STAR Rising star in the commercial dance realm, Lauren Drago plans to jet set off to Los Angeles on a oneway ticket after gathering many glamorous credits on her CV in both Australia and Asia. After being exposed to all that Los Angeles had to offer on her first visit, Lauren is determined to uproot her life to the West Coast in hopes of achieving an international dancing career. The 28-year-old professional dancer Lauren Drago is well versed in the business of performance. She has danced alongside many world famous music artists such as Flo Rider and Brian Macfadden, and toured Asia with the TFBoys, Chris Wu, Wei Chen and Joker Xue. Lauren was also one of the few chosen out of hundreds to represent Australia performing at the Dubai Rugby Sevens World tournament. Lauren has performed at the TV Week Logie Awards, Grand Final Footy Show, Big Day Out, Australia’s Got Talent and Hey Hey it’s Saturday to name a few and starred in TVC’s for companies like BMW, American Tourister and Garnier. Lauren dabbled in gymnastics and dancing during high school but never considered studying dance full time until Melbourne

dance entrepreneur Trish SquireRogers recommended Lauren to audition for her new establishment, Spectrum Dance. Upon her successful audition as a foundation student, Lauren rapidly became obsessed with dancing and was soon completely devoted to it. “I’d get to full time early in the morning to prepare for the day, I wrote down pretty much every critic given to me from each teacher, I’d stay back late for extra technique classes, travel to The Space for more extra classes, then eventually joined a hip hop crew (DVP) and would have rehearsals for that too." "It very quickly became dance all day and night, and I just never got sick of it.”

Lauren has always had a love for street styles, in particular hip hop, but the most recent addition to her life has been waacking. Andy Kuramoto and Marnie Newton welcomed Lauren into the Melbourne waacking community (Burn City Waack) and taught her about the style and culture. Earlier this year, Lauren travelled to Montreal with BCW and auditioned to take part in ‘Hot Mess’ an international waacking battle. Her and her dance partner Maggie Mad ‘Madfox’ were successful in the audition and made top 16. Waacking is a dance that originated in the gay club scene during the 1970s in Los Angeles. Lauren brings her unique waacking style as a point of difference to her technical craft. It is a style that focuses on individuality- a term that Lauren feels is something not always celebrated

LAUREN DRAGO IS AUSTRALIA'S COMMERCIAL RISING STAR in the commercial world here in Australia. Body image is an issue Lauren has faced during auditions, workshops and classes, she deeply felt that her competition were taller, thinner and more beautiful, and perhaps that was what was stood in the way of her becoming an ‘it girl’ in the commercial industry. “You can’t change your height, so how do I change my body? I thought that would maybe help get me the jobs. I swapped out a lot of my dance training for strengthening and conditioning programs in hopes of lengthening my muscles,” Lauren said. Since working hard to lengthen her body, she grew to love Pilates and became a qualified Pilates teacher. “I prioritised trying to get this ‘perfect body’ and believe that impacted my progress in dance significantly. Pilates taught me to appreciate all the amazing things that my body can do and reminded me that our bodies are so much more than what they like.” When she’s not performing, Lauren continues to teach dance and pilates and is passionate about spreading awareness when it comes to self love and feeling empowered as an individual.

“I don’t have bad feelings towards the Australian dance industry. I’m realistic and understand why tall women are used frequently, and most of these women are also very talented. I’d just like the people who don’t fit into this category to not feel like they’re second best. We all have something to offer, and I hope that through my teaching I can help spread some awareness and be a positive influence to upcoming dancers. I’d like them to embrace what makes them unique and find their essence, because no matter how much rejection we face as artists, that’s something that no one can take away from us.” Lauren is convinced dance will be a part of her life forever and hopes America will embrace her style and individuality.

Lauren Drago @dragoheart Photo credits: 1. Hena Memishi 2. Sam Kid Wong 3. Chris Parker

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Rejection: what can it teach us? By Emma Cheeseman No-one likes to hear the word ‘no’. Unfortunately, in an industry filled with like-minded people competing for work in short supply, not every opportunity will be successful. It is tough. But ‘no’ does not hinder your potential for success. With the right mindset, rejection can be viewed as redirection to a greater opportunity. Let’s focus on what we can all learn from rejection: 1. A better understanding of yourself Recognising strengths and limitations will help you to understand what jobs suit you. While dancing and auditioning outside your comfort zone will help you to develop new skills and strengths, it is important to remain realistic with your expectations for each audition. That way not every rejection will feel like a setback but, instead, an opportunity to grow. 2. Perseverance instills a strong work ethic Dancers are notorious for being hard-workers. Being resilient and persistent is an accomplishment to celebrate. With each rejection, remember that there will always be another opportunity to try again. Instead of feeling defeated—reset, realign and restart.

3. Great struggles lead to great rewards Achieving a difficult goal is much more satisfying when you have worked for it. To truly feel rewarded, you first need to struggle, fight and fail. Embrace the difficulties because they will eventually lead you to your greatest accomplishments. Enjoy your rewards. They may be few and far between, but they are well worth the wait and you are entitled to feel proud!

Learning to view rejection with a positive mindset starts with support - for others, from others, and of yourself. Jealousy is counter-productive. While envy can be motivating, recognise that you will never walk exactly the same path as another dancer. Instead of wasting time comparing or copying others, focus on your own journey and support everyone else’s pursuit of theirs. The creative arts need as much support as possible; if a dancer is succeeding then so is the industry. This is something to celebrate! Lean on your support base when you need to. None of us are expected to be strong and invincible all the time. If you’re feeling disappointed or frustrated, let those closest to you help build you back up. Self-belief is an important part of dealing with rejection. Be confident in your ideas and abilities, and back yourself with every opportunity that comes your way. Rejection can help sculpt us all to be strong, resilient and determined dancers and people. If you experience a setback, remind yourself that you’re probably meant for something even greater!

TO THE POINTE By Ruth Letch

And breathe... I do small things that make me happy, give my mind a rest and help me escape from the ‘busy-ness’ of it all.

Our car is a ‘cone of silence’. Like most mums, I worry, but our numerous car trips help me handle the stress. Over the years, the kids and I have discussed the merits of TV shows, music, religion, social issues and education. We have dissected dance routines and basketball plays. As they are maturing, the car has become the perfect place to discuss the myriad of teenage issues my kids and their friends are facing. Driving home from sport, (and parties), their stories give me insight to their world. The concept of ‘me-time’ is different for everyone. I have friends who meditate, enjoy massages or love having their hair or nails done. I’ve come to realise that, for me, these types of activities do not help me feel less anxious. My ‘me-time’ is going to the gym early in the morning while my family is asleep. I love to read, so I carry my Kindle everywhere and, if I have a spare minute, I lose myself in a novel. I do small things that make me happy, give my mind a rest and help

me escape from the ‘busy-ness’ of it all. Time spent waiting can be a source of stress. But it depends on our perspective and mind-set. When my children were little, I found the hour they were in class to be a fabulous opportunity to meet other parents and lend a hand. Whether sewing names on costumes or helping manage a team, volunteering makes me feel good. I’ve learned new skills and made some amazing new friends. Now that we are so busy, I am conscious to use these waiting hours mindfully. I might enjoy a mind-clearing walk or a chat with a friend. Often, I use the hour to write. My comfy, warm and uninterrupted ‘car office’ is the perfect place to be creative. Juggling work and family commitments, we face moments of stress every day. Managing worries, frustration and anxiety can be as simple as embracing the mayhem of a busy family life, while scheduling in moments of peace and calm to soothe the soul and rejuvenate the mind.