Bio Statement:
Amelia Faye Perri is a ballet-trained artist and emerging arts manager currently completing a Master of Arts Management at RMIT University. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Bachelor of Arts in Modern Ballet, her practice and research explore the intersection of care, education, and sustainability in dance training. Her work advocates for accessible, inclusive, and equitable pathways for dancers in Australia, with a focus on wellbeing and professional development for students in vocational ballet programs. She aims to reimagine the culture of ballet education as one rooted in care, reflection and empowerment.
Abstract:
Before the Stage: Supporting Pre-Professional Ballet Dancers Through a Continuum of Care investigates how post-career dancer support frameworks can be adapted to improve the training experience and wellbeing of pre-professional ballet dancers in Australia. Drawing on international models such as the Dancers’ Career Development (UK) and the Career Transition for Dancers Foundation (USA), this study reframes dancer wellbeing as a preventative, educational process rather than a reactive measure. Through comparative analysis, policy review, and reflective inquiry, it develops a continuum of care that integrates four key principles—agency, education, accessibility, and continuity—into pre-professional training environments. The project proposes a rebalanced pedagogy where care is treated as a discipline, ensuring that sustainability begins in the studio. By embedding wellbeing into early training, this research envisions a future in which dancers enter the profession not only technically prepared, but equipped for healthy, enduring, and autonomous careers.
