Born and raised in Adelaide, Bridgett produced her debut work, External Oblique, for the 2010 Adelaide Fringe. She is primarily a solo performer and her choreography fuses influences from various styles of dance and circus. Her resume can be found here.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A librarian, an English teacher, a scientist, an author, then when I was fifteen I decided I wanted to be a dancer.
When did you know you would work in the arts?
Sitting in the audience of a modern dance show in 1999. I remember the moment I realised I could be a professional dancer without having to address the rocky relationship between my feet and pointe shoes.
What’s your background - how did you end up here?
I started ballet when I was three, and trained at a few different studios around Adelaide, and picked up modern, jazz and flamenco as a teenager. I attempted a Bachelor of Dance Performance at ACArts in Adelaide and a Cert 4 in Dance Teaching at Dance Factory in Melbourne, before falling in love with bellydance fusion in 2006. Over the past four years I’ve travelled around Australia and the US, absorbing as much as I can and working to define my own style.
How would you describe your work to a complete stranger?
I create solo dance works fusing a range of dance styles.
What’s the first thing career related you usually do each day?
Either stretch or frantically scribble down any ideas that have come to me overnight.
Can you describe an “average” working day for you?
There’s no such thing. Some days are filled with paperwork and planning, others I’m in the studio for a solid eight hours. With every project, the admin side of things gets a little easier, and allows me more time to actually dance.
What else do you do to pay the bills?
I’ve been a lot of different things - Live-in Nanny, Dance & Circus teacher, Box Office Attendant, Arts Administrator, Fitness Instructor, Santa’s Helper, Children’s Entertainer, Camp Counselor…
What’s the one thing - piece of equipment, toy, security blanket, – you can’t work without?
Dance paws, socks or dance shoes. My feet are high-maintenance and get torn up very easily. Working through pain is one thing, but bleeding all over the floor is another.
What advice would you give anyone looking to break into the field?
Observe, research, know what others are doing, learn the history of your craft, acknowledge your roots - then do things your own way.
Who or what in the arts world most inspires you?
Henry Rollins, Mike Patton, Garry Stewart, Cera Byer, Heston Blumenthal, Circus Oz, The Dirty Brothers Sideshow…
What’s the toughest challenge you’ve dealt with on the job?
Injury, followed by the fear of re-injury.
What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given for your career?
“Fate favours the risky” - Amy Sigil.
What are the top three skills you need in your particular role?
Determination, confidence and adaptability.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Aside from being paid to dance? The ability to travel and work from anywhere.
And the worst?
The physical pain.
If there’s a question you’d like to see answered here, feel free to ask.
