Congratulations, Serena! How does it feel to be nominated for the Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards?   

Thank you! It is very special and so exciting to be nominated as my peers: past winners, principal dancers and artistic staff at the ballet are the ones who nominated me! These are people I highly respect. It is also such an honour to be following in the footsteps of so many great dancers nominated in the past. 

You discovered ballet by chance at nine years old. Was it love at the first class? 

Definitely love at first class. Once I started there was no looking back. Every class was the highlight of my day and no matter how tiring my school day was, I always looked forward to dance class.

You love snowboarding and skateboarding too, what do you love most about ballet that’s either similar or completely different to these sports?  

That's a great question. I am drawn both to ballet and skate/snowboarding by the physical challenge and sense of freedom I get doing them. I really enjoy the fun of it too. Plus, it makes me smile when people think it’s funny that a ballerina rides a skateboard to work. I park my skateboard next to the rack of tutus in the change room!  

Do you have any tips for TGs who want to be more confident on stage?

Remember nerves and adrenaline can be a good thing. What helps my confidence is knowing that I’ve prepared as well as I can leading up to the performance. That includes rehearsing well, making sure I know the material and preparing my point shoes and costume. It's also mentally preparing by having the intention to do my best.  

What has been your biggest 'pinch-me moment’ in your career so far? 

There have been a few!!! Some of them include walking to the Opera House in Sydney knowing in a few hours I will be performing inside that iconic building! It was a surreal moment to realise I was no longer an audience member for an Australian Ballet performance but I was actually going to be part of that performance. 

What is your dream goal?  

My dream is to become a principal dancer and work with many wonderful choreographers and perform a bunch of beautiful lead roles such as Odette from Swan Lake and Nikiya from La Bayadere. 

Want to vote for Serena?

With your parents permission, head to the Telstra Ballet Awards website and cast your vote! Visit: telstra.com/ballet