From Saturday Classes to the Stage 🎭🩰✨

When Rose first stepped into a Saturday morning ballet and tap class at the age of four, she had no idea just how big a role dance would come to play in her life. “It was just a fun Saturday thing,” she says. “I was there to enjoy myself.” With her messy hair and blue leotard, dance was never something she expected to become a serious pursuit—it was just something she loved to do. But over the next 14 years, that love would blossom into a passion, and eventually, into a dream. 🌟💃📸

As she prepares to graduate from the school she’s called home for over a decade, and head off to professional training at Wilkes Academy, we sat down with Rose to reflect on her journey. Her story is one of quiet determination, resilience, and learning to believe in herself. It’s also a story of joy, community, and a deep, personal connection to movement. 💬👣❤️

From Memories to Milestones 🧠📷🔁

Rose’s earliest memories of dance are hazy—”more like snapshots,” she says, than lived moments. What she does remember clearly are the feelings: the nerves of her first real class, the excitement of parent watch days, the sense of belonging as she danced alongside her friends. It wasn’t until she joined Company at the age of eight that her perspective began to shift. “I didn’t even realise dance could be a real thing,” she admits. “It had always just been a hobby.” 😳👯‍♀️🎶

Even then, her journey was never one of overnight ambition. “I didn’t decide I wanted to pursue dance as a career until 2022,” she says. “Up until then, it was just something I loved doing.” That slow-burn approach, she believes, allowed her to experience dance without pressure. “I’m grateful for that. I wasn’t eight years old with my whole future planned out. I was just having fun.” 🌱🕺🎈

Doubt, Determination, and Belief 🌀💭💪

Of course, the path wasn’t always easy. Like many young dancers, Rose struggled with self-doubt. During lockdown in 2021, she began to seriously question whether she was good enough to pursue dance beyond school. “I thought maybe I’d go into film instead,” she recalls. “Dance felt out of reach.” 🎥😔🕳️

But 2022 proved to be a turning point. After a whirlwind year that included competitions, exam successes, and the unwavering support of her teachers and friends, something clicked. “I realised the people around me weren’t just being kind. They actually believed in me. That helped me believe in myself.” 🌈💡👫

She also learned an important lesson: you don’t need to be the best at everything. “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Someone might wish they could turn like me, while I wish I could jump like them. That’s just how it is.”  Rose began to appreciate that the things she was good at were actually strengths, and she should maximise her strengths and work within her weaknesses 🔄💃🩰

The Smart Dancer 🧠🧘‍♀️🎯

If you ask Rose what her biggest strength is now, she’ll tell you it’s not any particular technical skill—it’s her mindset. “I’ve been called a ‘smart dancer,’ and I think that fits. I know myself. I know when to push and when to adapt.” 🎯📊🔍

She recalls a moment at Dance Inspirations where she chose to simplify a turning sequence during a late-night solo. “I knew I was tired, so I did fewer turns—but I did them well. The judge saw that. That’s being a smart dancer.” ⏳👍🏆

For Rose, being a smart dancer also means bringing your own identity into the choreography. “I’ve never liked just being told what to do. I want to collaborate. I want the movement to feel like mine.” 🤝🧬💫

From Competition to Connection 🎭🔗💃

Rose’s relationship with competition has matured over time. “I used to hate losing,” she admits. “I thought if someone didn’t like my performance, there was something wrong with it.” 😡🥈🧠

Now, she understands that dance is subjective. Just because one judge doesn’t connect with your dance, that doesn’t mean another judge won’t. Rose explains how she realised that dance is not like maths, where there is a definative answer to the calculation. It’s about feeling and being connected to the music. “Not everything is for everyone,” she says. “What matters is doing it for yourself. If you love it and you’re connected to it.” 💓🎶👁️

That connection, she believes, is what truly makes a performance memorable. “it might not be for everyone, but if it’s right for you, someone else will feel that too.” 🎨🌟✅

A School That Felt Like Home 🏫❤️👐

Reflecting on her time at the school, Rose finds it hard to pick just one favourite memory. “There’s Dance World Cup, of course, and all the amazing performance opportunities with Company,” she says. “But honestly, it’s the little moments I cherish most—the end-of-term classes, making up silly dances, feeling like part of a family.” 👯‍♂️🎉🏠

She speaks with deep affection about the teachers who shaped her. From Miss Nicky, who made a four-year-old “picky” and “stubborn” Rose feel welcome (even without a perfect ballet bun), to Miss Channelle, who made her fall in love with tap, to Miss Jane who has led the Competition Team so passionatley from the very beginning, to Miss Ellie, her “spirit teacher,” who came into her life at “exactly the right moment”, each one has left a mark. “They all gave me something different, and they all kept my passion alive.” ✨🍎🌈

Looking Ahead 🔮🛤️🎓

Choosing Wilkes Academy felt like the right fit, Rose says, not just because of its excellent training, but because of the people. “When people I looked up to told me they could see me there, that meant a lot,” she says. “Then I went to the audition and felt like I belonged.” 🙌👀🎭

She doesn’t have a fixed plan for the future—and she likes it that way. “Three years ago, I didn’t even want to do dance. Now I want to do everything—Matthew Bourne, commercial work, maybe even teaching one day. I’m open to wherever it takes me.” 🚪🌍🕊️

Advice to Younger Dancers 📣👧🌱

So what advice would Rose give to the next generation of dancers?

“Do it for yourself” she says. “Don’t try to please everyone, because you won’t, and that’s ok.”  What really matters, according to Rose, is being connected to the music and the feeling of the movement and enjoying it. If you are connected to it, the people watching will feel that too, also adding, “the trophies are great, but they don’t matter as much as the memories you make.” 🏆💭💖

One final piece of advice from Rose, don’t waste class time by not trying. Everyone has classes they like and the ones they don’t, but here’s the thing … “The hour will pass anyway,” she says. “You can either sit at the back and slack, or make the most of it. That’s your choice.” ⏰🩰⚡

Thank You, Rose 🙏🌸🎁

As Rose moves on to the next chapter, she leaves behind more than just her talent. She leaves a legacy of kindness, effort, and courage. She has been a role model, a teammate, and a friend to so many. 💫👯📘

“This place has been my home,” she says. “And it always will be.” … It surely will Rose, it surely will!🏡💖🕊️

We wish her all the success in the world—and can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next. 🚀🌟📸