Danka dances her way to Sydney
Glistening in a royal blue tutu with toes pointed and perfect posture, it was clear Danka Pekic put her heart and soul into her dancing.
The Rockingham 15-year-old was named Dancer of the Festival at the Rockingham Festival of Performing Arts last month.
The award has landed her the opportunity to train at the Village Performing Arts Centre in Sydney next January.
On top of the award, she was selected for one-week holiday intensive training at Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy this month.
Danka said her dance journey began when she was a toddler.
“Mum tells me I saw ballet on TV when I was little and I told her that’s what I wanted to do, so she brought me in and it has just continued from there,” she said.
The Beverley Margaret School of Dance student said she began putting in extra effort at age 12.
“As the ballet levels became harder past age 12, I found the work was so much more complex and I really had to start focusing,” she said.
Her talent was further recognised when she was selected for the WA Academy of Performing Arts Certificate III in dance this year.
Danka said having the opportunity to dance at WAAPA would give her further training and opportunities.
She said she felt at home on the dance floor.
“It is just something I have grown up with and it has just become a part of me,” she said.
“I listen to the music and I just have to interpret it the way that my body feels that it should.”
She said she was grateful for the opportunities she had been given this year and was proud of her achievements.
“Being named Dancer of the Festival was so unexpected, but it was a really proud moment because you feel as though all your hard work has paid off and you just feel so happy,” Danka said.
Dance coach Beverley Margaret said Danka had been a dedicated student since she started and had the potential to dance for ballet companies in Europe.
Danka said she was looking forward to further developing her talent and technique in Sydney.
She encouraged all dancers to believe in themselves.
“Definitely follow your dreams," she said.
“You can drown in negativity sometimes because ballet is about making everything perfect.
“You can get really caught up in everything you don’t see as right, but you just have to stay really positive... you have to keep believing you’ll make it better.”
Inspired by Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Danka said she hoped to one day dance for a prestigious ballet company.
