Sharlene, how long have you been dancing at PSD?

I’ve been dancing for 41 of my 53 years, and 39 of those have been with Peninsula School of Dance. I started dancing at four-and-a-half. When I was six, we moved to Rosebud. Mum went searching for a ballet school and found Sandra. I danced until I was 13, then left to ride horses instead. 

Sharlene with her ballet class in 1974.

What brought you back to dance?

When I was in my early 20s, a friend asked me to do an adult beginner class with her. It was a revelation. I realised dance had been missing from my life. I then went back to class with Sandra at Memorial Hall. It was like a time warp! Nothing had changed, except that Sandra looked even younger.

“Nothing had changed, except that Sandra looked even younger!”

I was dancing with 13 year-olds but they were so nice. They embraced me so I didn’t feel alienated at all. After a year, Sandra suggested I was ready to do an exam, so I did Elementary.

Then, at age 27, I enrolled to do my Intermediate exam. This turned out to be a real life-lesson experience. You see, I nearly quit after failing my first attempt at Intermediate. Because I was expecting to start a family soon, I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have.

I’d never failed anything so it was devastating. I didn’t go to class for a few weeks but went back, simply because I couldn’t stay away! I did the exam again nine years later and got Honours.

Sharlene playing a character role in one of Rosebud Ballet School’s annual performances.

At ballet, I’m not someone’s mother, wife or daughter. I’m just me.

I’ve performed every year. I’ve asked my family and friends to tell me when I look too old to keep performing with the teenagers, but I think being only five feet tall has helped. Not to mention that pulling my hair back into a tight bun is like having a facelift.

I still do pointe work. I have strong ankles so, even if I haven’t done pointe all year, I’ll dust off my pointe shoes for the concert. 

I might not be the most flexible or the most talented but, if there was an award for the most determined, that’d be me, because dance is my passion. 

I thought I was the oldest and the longest continuous student at the school, but Mel broke my bubble recently when she told me she has a private student who is 80 years old. And, because I didn’t dance between the ages of 13-22, Jane Steel beats me for being the longest continuous student. 

Maybe I can claim to be the ‘oldest student from longest ago’?

Sharlene taking photos for a branding photoshoot for PSD, standing beside Melanie Gard.

What’s the greatest highlight of your decades of dance?

Dancing in the same concert as my daughters was such a highlight. Both of my daughters danced when they were younger but have since left. I cherish the photo I have from 2005 of all three of us in costume and makeup.

And, I once partnered my Dad! He was roped in to be one of the gentlemen in the ballroom scene in the Nutcracker. He’s never let me forget how I pulled a face at him while I had my back to the audience and put him right off the steps he’d so carefully learned.

That year, there were three generations in the one performance. I cannot describe how special that felt. 

“Dancing in the same concert as my daughters was such a highlight.”

What would your life have been like without dance?

My life would have been so much emptier if I hadn’t had dance. I wouldn’t have met such amazing friends, I wouldn’t know the sense of connection to a sport, and I wouldn’t be part of a community of like-minded people.

When I see other people my age, I can tell that dancing has helped me keep my fitness. And, because I haven’t stopped, I’ve been able to keep dancing at the same level. Not having dance in my life? Horrible.

Sharlene with longtime dance friend Jane Steel before a concert.

What do you love most about PSD?

PSD encompasses such a wonderful sense of community and offers a safe environment for all.

How lucky am I to be still dancing at a ballet school in my fifties? I’m not sure I’d be able to do that anywhere else.

My time at the school began with Sandra all those years ago. I’ve known her since I was six. She’s like a second mum to me. With all her knowledge, just dancing in her class makes me feel privileged.

Sandra doesn’t hand out praise easily. You have to work hard for it, so when it comes your way, you know it has been well earned.

Sandra has incredible energy. What she fits into her life is unbelievable. If you ever see her standing relaxed, which is not very often, she’ll be in fourth position!

When Mel took over the school, we all wondered what direction she would take. But boy, has she superseded all expectations! Not only has the school grown in both size and what is on offer, she has nurtured an amazing group of staff. The safe environment Mel and her staff have created allows students to grow and embrace the art of dance. Their passion is contagious.

I love how Mel’s whole face lights up during our Advanced II classes. It just proves that when someone loves what they do, it reflects through the whole business.

I’d like to congratulate Mel and her staff for cultivating such an amazing school and thank them for their time and dedication.

Thank you, Sharlene, for sharing your years of dance.

Story by Vivienne Pearson. Vivienne is a freelance writer who writes feature stories for newspapers and magazines, as well as engaging content for business and causes.

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