‘Dance for life’ is an accurate description to encapsulate the essence of Paige Ristevski. From the girl who grew up wearing her leotard and tights underneath her go-karting suit, she has now grown into a young artist who emotes grace and strength whilst performing on and off the stage.

At just 16 years of age she has already gained the well-deserved recognition for her hard work. She was the winner of the Robert and Elizabeth Albert Junior Classical Scholarship and the Wenkart Foundation Ballet Championship at the Sydney Eisteddfod last year, runner-up recipient of the Cecchetti Young Dancer Award, as well as being the winner of the Royal South Street Energetiks ‘Dance For Life’ Competition.

Offered a place this year at the Queensland Ballet Academy to commence her full-time training, Paige is working towards her dream and passion of dancing for life. Her ability to rise to the challenges she is faced with and achieve her goals, demonstrates determination and motivation we can all aspire towards. See below to learn more about this talented dancer and view her photoshoot with Energetiks.

E: How old were you when you first started dancing?

Paige Ristevski: I was 9 years old when I first started.

E: What are your earliest memories of that time?

PR: My family is really passionate about Motorsport and for a couple of years I raced go-karts as well as doing ballet. I remember I would wear my leotard and tights underneath my go-karting suit every Saturday because I would go straight from racing in the morning to ballet class in the afternoon. A very strange mix of hobbies!

E: What styles of dance do you enjoy most?

PR: Although I like contemporary and jazz, ballet would have to be my favourite. I love the challenges and freedom that come with it.

E: What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of dance and what makes it worth it?

PR: I would say the hardest part of dance is constantly trying to perfect the same step or dance, especially in ballet. I find you can really get in your head when things don’t go right. It becomes worth it when you finally perform on stage and all of that hard work can be shared and appreciated with others.

E: How do you stay motivated?

PR: I have always been quite a motivated person but if I’m lacking motivation I like to watch videos of professional dancers online. Watching these dancers reminds me that with hard work I too can achieve the incredible steps they perform.

E: What’s your favourite part of class?

PR: I absolutely love turning, so any type of pirouettes would be my favourite part of class! I do also love grande allegro with the freedom of jumping, moving, and using up the space in the room. That would definitely come a close second!

E: Favourite piece of advice you’ve received?

PR: My ballet teacher would constantly remind me that ballet is a full body experience. When a step isn’t working how it should, I can relate back to that and think of what needs to be working in order to achieve the step.

E: What’s your go-to pre-or post-class snack?

PR: My go-to would be a green apple with almond butter!

E: How do you enjoy spending a day off?

PR: I love swimming! If I’m not at ballet or school you can find me by the pool or at the beach.

E: Any guilty pleasures?

PR: I really enjoy watching food videos, anything from baking to cooking or ‘what I eat in a day’. It’s a great way to find new food ideas and try different combinations of foods that I wouldn’t have thought to put together.

E: Do you have any superstitions or pre-performance rituals?

PR: I don’t really have any superstitions but before any performance I like to keep myself distracted before I get to the theatre so I don’t overthink the dance. Whether that’s going for a walk or listening to upbeat music, it keeps me sane before getting into the dance headspace.

E: Favourite on stage moment to date?

PR: My favourite moment on stage would have to be performing my classical solo for the last time at Royal South Street. It was extremely special to dance that solo with my friends from Expressions Ballet Academy watching in the audience and seeing the hours of practicing and perfecting pay off.

E: What are some other highlights that dance has given you so far?

PR: Dance has allowed me to travel quite a bit, especially throughout 2019. My highlights would be exploring New Zealand for the Alana Haines Awards and Sydney for the Sydney Eisteddfod.

E: Who do you draw inspiration from?

PR: I mainly draw my inspiration from my classmates. I love watching and learning what they are doing right or wrong and applying that to my own technique. I also love watching company dancers. They perform everything with ease, even though I know what they are doing isn’t easy!

E: Where do you hope to see yourself with dance in the future?

PR: In the future I hope to be dancing with a ballet company. The idea of doing what I love and being to call it a career sounds unimaginable.

E: Any words of advice for fellow dancers?

PR: My advice to other dancers would be to keep persisting and trying to better yourself no matter what. There will always be setbacks in your dance journey, but it’s how you deal with those setbacks that make you a better dancer.

Follow Paige on Instagram to watch her dance journey unfold: @paige_danceeee

Article by Sheree Ronai-Horvath
Photography by Elly Ford

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