Shivawn Joubert | The dance world at her fingertips
If you’re looking for a prime example of how far authenticity, talent and a relentless drive for growth can take you in the dance world, Shivawn Joubert is exhibit A. At only twenty four, the technically trained dancer has carved out a place for herself in the dance industry as one of Australia’s most in-demand commercial artists. After moving from Cape Town to Australia and enrolling in dance classes at the ripe old age of three, Shivawn developed a strong foundation in ballet, lyrical and jazz, before progressing to hip hop and commercial where she found herself in her element, and developed her signature style: commercial movement infused with femininity and razor-like precision.
By sixteen Shivawn had landed her first big break, when Squared Division booked her for the Young Talent Time tour in 2012, and from there things only got bigger (much bigger) and better following on with a performance for The Voice finale, with Ricky Martin. This turned out to be the beginning of a string of jobs working for some of the biggest names in the Australian and international entertainment industry - choreographers and artists alike. You might recognise her from multiple appearances on shows like X Factor and Australia’s Got Talent, or dancing alongside the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce and Dua Lipa in both music videos and live performances, or stealing the spotlight on stage with Marko Panzic’s Dream Dance Company during national tours, where she has been a recurring cast member (and evident favourite with both Marko and audiences) since the company’s second season in 2016. With her career already firmly on track it’s easy to imagine getting comfortable with your niche as a performer but what makes Shivawn top of the ‘one to watch’ list is her unrelenting quest for growth and evolution, something that sees her expand as an artist from each experience that comes her way. It’s this continual drive to keep progressing that had Shivawn set her sights on her latest goal: An upcoming move to LA, to further her international career and (we’ve no doubt) take the US by storm. We caught up with Shivawn in Sydney earlier this year to talk all things dance, dream jobs and what the future holds for this star on the rise.
Enjoy the interview (and photos) from our chat with Shivawn below.
E: What’s your first memory of dance?
SJ: My first memory of dance would be maybe when I was about two years old; My parents were always super into music and Michael Jackson especially, so my first memory of dance was watching him and copying what I was seeing on the screen. I always loved Michael Jackson and watching music videos, so I think that’s where my love of dance grew from. Watching him and all the artists of that time.
E: And when did classes begin?
SJ: My mum enrolled me when I was around three, I think she saw me dancing around the house and put me in dance as a thing to do… and I just loved it from the minute I started. There was never any question about it. It was maybe around twelve that I properly realised this is really what I want to do, that I wanted to really make something out of this. It was more than just fun for me.
E: In what moments are you happiest as a dancer?
SJ: I love being in the studio, because I love training. I like working really hard and feeling uncomfortable. Because the next feeling from that is always growth, you know what I mean? So yeah, I love training. I enjoy being with my friends and connecting through dance, and I love being on stage as well. I really love the whole process but being in the studio and on stage are two places I feel most at home and connected with.
E: Can you describe your style of movement?
SJ: I feel like that’s a hard question. I’ve been lucky that aside from training at my dance school (Planet Dance) and Brent Street I’ve trained with a lot of people in a lot of different styles, and I’ve been over to the states a lot, so my influence comes from so many different pockets. There are people who have made really big influences on my movement quality and the way I think about dance and things like that, so my style comes from so many different places. In 2016 Danielle Polanco came over to Sydney and she taught some intensives for Marko Panzic’s Dream Show Business course, and she is one of the most womanly, feminine dancers ever - she was one of Beyonce’s original dancers as well as one of the original pioneers of heels dancing. So I learnt a lot of my femininity and just body awareness from her. Growing up that was something that came naturally to me, I always had quite a femininity to my movement, but she really instilled that awareness in me. In that same year I did a show for the Dream Dance Company, under Candace Brown and she’s incredible, I learnt so much from her during that time. Then more recently I have trained a lot with Caetlyn Watson. Over the past two years and she has just taken me so much further into movement quality and intention and so many things. Having trained with so many people I think my style is a combination of all of the things I’ve picked up and taken from everyone I’ve trained with. If I had to simplify it, I would say my style is feminine and commercial.
E: What have been some of the most memorable highlights for you in your career so far?
SJ: Well I’ve been super blessed with the opportunities I’ve had so far, while being in Australia I’ve had the chance to work on a lot of TV shows like X Factor, The Voice and Australia’s Got Talent over the course of a few years. I’ve had the opportunity to work with many Australian and international artists as well. When I was eighteen I did two music videos for Beyonce whilst she was in Australia, and then last year in September I did Rihanna’s New York fashion week show. I did the Aria Awards for Dua Lipa at the end of last year, and just recently I performed at Mardi Gras with Sam Smith. I’ve also performed with Ricky Martin, Zara Larson and Jason Derulo, some pretty huge people. I’ve had so many really, really amazing experiences with dance. Those are definitely the highlights.
E: What is the most challenging and the most rewarding aspect of working in this industry for you?
SJ: I think the most challenging thing would be… well, the whole thing is challenging, all the time. But I think the most challenging is just the consistency, or lack thereof, in the work. It’s just so sporadic, and it’s so unpredictable, you really just have to keep pushing, you know what I mean? You can’t just sit around and wait for the next thing to come to you - a lot of the time I feel like you have to make opportunities for yourself. Especially in Australia, the work just isn’t as consistent as it would be in LA or London for example; places where they have a huge pool of entertainment and artists, and so much more than we do. I think as dancers we really have to hold ourselves accountable for everything. When you work in a different field, you know you might go to work and have the set work that you need to do and then you go home at the end of the day and it’s done. But as dancers there’s so many things we need to do. We have to do all our emails and invoices and be in charge of taking care of ourselves physically, you know? So, there’s that. I think that’s one of the main challenges. But what makes it all worth it for me is just the love of it. And I hope that will remain, I’m sure it will. Being able to still have that feeling every time I’m in the studio or go on stage. And I’m someone who is really into growth and evolving constantly so I think in dance it’s super rewarding because you can really feel it. You don’t always feel it instantly, from class to class, but you can watch videos of yourself back and see your progression and I think it’s so rewarding to be able to see how far you’ve come. Artistry has the potential to inspire people, to touch people. It’s a form of connection. It’s really special to me that dance has the power to do that.
E: You’ve also worked with some incredible choreographers, tell us about that:
Yeah, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of amazing Australian choreographers: Marko Panzic, from quite a young age; Squared Division from a young age as well; Mitchell Woodcock; Matt Lee - a lot of people who are huge influencers in our industry, and they book a lot of work so that’s been super amazing, because in terms of commercial work I’ve been lucky enough to work with the most in demand commercial choreographers in Australia. Squared Division have done international work as well, they’ve choreographed for Katy Perry and Britney, which is unreal. I’ve also worked for Kiel Tutin (who has choreographed for J-Lo) on two jobs last year in China which was a fantastic experience. I worked with Parris Goebel also, on the Fenty show. She’s incredible, and I have a really strong affiliation with her, she’s always been really good to me which I am very grateful for. Parris is basically doing everything in the world at the moment! She just did the Super Bowl for J-Lo, she’s worked with Rhianna, Justin Bieber, pretty much every artist! I’m so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to work with these people and I’ve always had really wonderful experiences with them.
E: You also teach and choreograph - are there other creative aspects you’re interested in exploring?
SJ: I’m not closed off to anything. I’m starting to get into teaching more now which I love, and I’m finding my artistry, because I don’t just want to be a dancer, I want to be an artist and make my impact in other ways which I’m still discovering. But I have a big interest in music, and in fashion and many other areas as well. I’m sure I’ll find on my journey how all those things can be integrated. I’m really looking forward to seeing where the journey takes me and I’m open to learning about other things beyond dance, I just don’t know what that will be yet.
E: What other goals or aspirations do you have for the future?
SJ: Right now I’m working towards my O1 Visa, and I’m aspiring to move to LA, and once I’m over there I would love to do a world tour. If I had to drop a name I would love to tour with Rhianna. Rhianna and Beyonce are the ones I’ve always dreamt about. I would really love to achieve that, those two would be at the top of my list. I love artist work so I’m definitely hoping to get into that over there.
E: Was there ever a point in your career where you felt things weren’t moving in the direction you wanted, or you lost motivation – and how do you overcome moments like that?
SJ: I’ve always had that drive, I’ve just always known that this is what I wanted to do so I haven’t yet had a moment where I questioned if this is where I want to be. But there are definitely lulls, and because I’m someone who is constantly seeking growth and wanting to learn more and evolve, if I feel myself stagnating I can be really hard on myself. And then you definitely do have moments of questioning things. But I just have to push past that and know that the evidence is in the work, and even if I can’t feel that at the time, I know that a month down the track if I just stay consistent with what I’m doing I will feel it. So it’s just about pushing past those mental barriers.
E: Describe your perfect day off from dance:
SJ: I’m actually someone that struggles so much with time off, if I have a day off I feel so guilty! On my days off I’m like fighting myself to not do anything! So when I do have one I would probably try and sleep in, then wake up, go to the gym, have a nice breakfast - I love going out for breakfast so on a day off that’s one of the first things I would do. Then I would head down to the beach, because I love the water, it’s super calming. I would sit in the sun, maybe read a little. I’d love to be with a friend, because I like talking - haha! - I like talking to people so just hanging out with someone would be great. And then I’d probably still go home and dance! Unless I’m really exhausted it’s so hard for me to go without dancing. Then ideally I’d go out for dinner with friends - on free days I definitely enjoy going out and eating breakfast and going out for dinner - two things I love. Then I’d just come home and chill, nothing too crazy.
E: What do you think is the most crucial quality to have in order to succeed in this industry?
SJ: I think - maybe not the single most important, but a very important quality to have - is resilience. You have so many battles that you have to face. You can go to auditions and just get told ‘no’ and you can either be like ‘Ok it’s a no and I’m done’ or you just take it for what it is in that situation, pick yourself up and move on to the next one. And it’s like that constantly in this industry. It’s a yes or a no and you have to make a decision from there but if you don’t continually choose to move in a forward direction then I don’t think you’re going to do too well. You have to have a thick skin in this industry, if you really want to reach your end goal. So I think resilience is super important.
E: What’s something you feel you’ve learned about yourself in the past year through dance?
SJ: Uh, a lot of things. Something that I’ve learnt more recently is that I really enjoy dance as a means of connecting with people. I think when I was younger it was a very personal thing for me - performing. But over the past year it’s become much more of a shared thing and it feels different, and I really love that feeling, and connecting and exchanging energy with people through dance. So that’s new and it’s really, really nice.
E: - I feel like in ‘GODDESS’ (The Dream Dance Company’s most recent season with choreographer Caetlyn Watson) that connected-ness was a very visceral element of the performances. You all felt incredibly in sync and tuned in to each other on stage -
SJ: Yeah. Every year that I have done with Marko’s Dream Dance Company has been a huge learning experience, I’m really blessed to always be surrounded by a great group of people who continually teach me more about myself. When I think about each year, those shows with the Dream definitely have the biggest impact on me, and especially Caetlyn Watson’s GODDESS, that has had the biggest impact on me out of everything that I have done. It was such an incredible experience that’s really hard to even put into words, under Caetlyn’s guidance it was just a journey in every aspect: physical, emotional, spiritual. And we were all on that journey together, and I think that’s why it looked and felt the way that it did to everyone watching; you described the connection and how it felt, and I think from the start we were all just so invested in the show and each other, so we grew with each other in every way, and I think that’s why the show was so cohesive and felt so special.
“I feel like at times you can get so closed off when you’re focused on what you want to achieve out of the class and sometimes you can forget that it’s a whole experience that you’re sharing with everyone else in the room, and the teacher as well. You’re bringing something to that energy as well - and we need to see it as our responsibility to bring something to the room, because it’s an exchange of energy between the teacher and the students and the students and each other - we’re all just learning from each other in that environment.”
E: Is there anything that you hope to see change or improve about the dance industry?
SJ: I think just continuing to share - I guess the way I feel about dance now, with that connection - I hope other people will grow to discover that same feeling as well, because I think it’s so beautiful when it’s something that can be shared and not just a personal thing you know? It changes the whole vibe in the room when you’re taking class, your mindset shifts from a personal experience to the energy that you’re sharing with the rest of the class. I think that’s a big thing for me. I feel like at times you can get so closed off when you’re focused on what you want to achieve out of the class and sometimes you can forget that it’s a whole experience that you’re sharing with everyone else in the room, and the teacher as well. You’re bringing something to that energy as well - and we need to see it as our responsibility to bring something to the room, because it’s an exchange of energy between the teacher and the students and the students and each other - we’re all just learning from each other in that environment. So yeah, if I could change anything it would be to get people to realise that more and open their mindset so they’re not as closed off during class, then it would be a more fulfilling experience for everyone involved.
E: What always makes you laugh?
SJ: My friends are pretty funny! I also love stand-up comedy, I watch a lot of stand up shows on Netflix haha.
E: What’s something people may be surprised to learn about you?
SJ: I’m a really fussy eater. I always have been, but I’m getting better as I get older. I have a really weird thing about textures of food… so it makes for quite a difficult time sometimes haha, but I am getting better. I think it’s just a maturing thing as well.
E: What’s your favourite guilty pleasure – it doesn’t have to be food!
SJ: Oh but it definitely is! I have the sweetest sweet tooth. I love lollies and I love chocolate… obsessed. I especially love sour lollies. I’m always needing to stop myself from even buying them because I have no self control, as soon as the packet is in my hand that’s it I’m done!
E: Do you have any final words of advice for aspiring dancers out there?
SJ: I think the first thing I would say is definitely only go ahead with this career if you really love it. And keep checking in with yourself throughout your journey that the intention is always coming from love and you’re there because you love what you do and not for any other reason. Because otherwise you will get a little lost and that’s when the path starts to wander a bit. And then secondly I would say, you really have to look after yourself as a human being. Even though I spoke about how you’re a dancer 24/7 before, you need to remember that you’re a human first and your mental and physical state are so important. Especially because this industry can be so tough. You need that resilience because you will face a lot of setbacks so it’s even more important to keep yourself in check and make sure you’re surrounded by good people that also want the best for you. So yeah, just remember that you’re a human and be super kind to yourself.
Follow Shivawn’s journey here: @shivawnjoubert_
Article and photography by Elly Ford
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