New dance studio for Peninsula

Gozdek’s dancers performed at Patonga Creek last month

A new semi-professional dance studio is set to open up on the Peninsula next month to help budding dancers experience company projects and create their own showreel.

The Interchange Dance Project will feature weekly professional contemporary sessions for dancers aged 13-19 at the Patonga studio.

Dancers in the youth program will be exposed to different contemporary techniques and guest choreographers, work with live musicians and create small projects.

Owner and artistic director Francesca Gozdek said she was excited to launch the Project to give performance opportunities to young, up and coming dancers on the Central Coast.

“If you are a contemporary dancer, you have to travel to Sydney and Newcastle to perform, there is nothing on the Coast … you don’t get to experience semi-professional training,” Gozdek said.

“Depending upon how many dancers we get, we plan to commence the program in late February and will train once a week for four and a half hours.

“Each month the company will make a short dance film.

“During the program, the company will work towards a larger, full-scale live performance that will premiere at the conclusion of the program in June.”

Gozdek said sessions will be different each week, with improvisation classes once a month on offer with live music.

The director grew up and trained in Italy, plying her trade in contemporary, ballet and modern dance.

Gozdek furthered her studies in Los Angeles before spending a year in London working as a freelance dancer, going on to call Australia home in 2015.

Budding dancers who are interested in the project can apply on the Interchange Dance Project website, with more information on ticket prices also available.

Maisy Rae