PEOPLE OF DJD//

There are many people that make up the community at the DJD Dance Centre. From artists, administrators, volunteers and beyond, these walls are pulsing with personality.

JAMIE FREEMAN CORMACK
Professional Training Program Director

1. WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU CAME TO DJD?
When I was a teenager, Hannah, Michele and Sean Cheeseman were my Jazz teachers.  I was probably about 15 when I went to the first DJD show and I loved it!

2. WHAT WERE THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM LIKE?
This program was build off another program that ran in the evening called the Scholarship Program.  I felt a need to train dancers who were not mixed in with the general public so we could really focus on growth towards a professional career.  It all started with our show ‘Footprints’ and then the following year we started training dancers in the day time only 3 days and only jazz classes.  It all grew from there.

3. WHAT IS THE MOST GRATIFYING THING ABOUT TEACHING? WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING?
I find it extremely gratifying to see the dancers grow and shift through the year. They have to put in the hard work and we work really hard as teachers to help them reach new milestones. It’s so amazing to see dances shift before your eyes.
I find it a real challenge when dancers don’t put the personal work in but I can see the potential.  Ultimately it’s up to them how much they grow so sometimes theres nothing I can really do to instil that kind of work ethic in them.

4. WHO IS A TEACHER THAT HAS INSPIRED?
I had so many amazing teachers. My dance studio growing up was the Lindsay Walsh School of Dance and Lindsay was an amazing teacher who looked at training us differently.  As a young dancer we had a performing group, we had artists in the dance community as our teachers ( Hannah, Michele, Elaine Bowman the original founder of DSW, Denise Clark from OYR ). We were very lucky to have our eyes opened at such a young age.  Most studios were just doing competitions and we were getting a glimpse into the real world of dance as an art form.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO TEACH?
I think it changes as the year goes on.  I love teaching Jazz, but I also love to work the core classes with the dancers and also choreographing has always been a passion.I say I like teaching everything!