Belly tips
Even with a high-powered job and big wage, Candice Frankland had a gut feeling that something was missing in her life.
Candice (26) worked as a business analyst in an IT firm but found the enormous stress she was under was taking its toll on her life.
“I was starting to get health problems due to the stress I was under at work, so I took a year off to relax and recuperate,” says Candice, of Auckland.
While taking stock of her life, Candice realised that her hobby of belly dancing, which she had taken up six years earlier as a way to unwind, gave her far more pleasure and fulfillment than her managerial career.
So she decided to become a professional belly dancer.
Candice began teaching one class a week, which quickly grew to six, and she now also performs every weekend.
“I am still just as busy as I have always be, but I don’t have the stress any more,” says Candice.
Candice admits her salary has been cut in half since her career change but has no regrets about her decision.
“I didn’t decide to become a full-time belly dancer for the money, but because of my love of the dance,” she says.
“I love who I am when I dance, it just feels right when I’m doing it.”
Extremer ballerina
Sally Cottle is a ballerina with some big differences. Firstly, she’s 44 – and then there’s the fact that she’s far from waif-like, wearing a size-20 dance outfit.
But she brings ample amounts of passion and grace, and is proof that good ballet dancers come in all shapes, sizes and ages.
Sally had done ballet, along with other types of dance, in her teens and early twenties.
“It took me a long time to get the courage to go back to dancing, because I was so much bigger and older than before. All I could think was how I would do one of the moves and would be so stiff that I wouldn’t be able to walk for a week.”
Sally, who is also the manager at Auckland studio City Dance, now regularly attends ballet classes once or twice a week, and believes the only two requirements are enthusiasm and passion.
“You don’t have to be tall, you don’t have to be thin, you don’t have to have perfect technique – there’s no reason why people can’t dance just for the pure fun and enjoyment of it.”
Sally is busy spreading the word about her hobby, which she describes as “a lovely, gentle way to exercise”.
“I think I’ve inspired even my mother – she said to me the other day, ‘Everybody I know has taken up ballet, I think I will too,'” Sally laughs.
Ageing gracefully
Forget golf, bowls or bridge, Elaine Worrall has pirouetted her way through retirement.
The active 70-year-old discovered a talent for ballet when she was looking for a new hobby.
“I don’t like any of the things many women of my age like to do, like lawn bowls. I was at a loose end until a niece suggested I join a ballet class,” explains Elaine.
Elaine first laughed the idea off as “ridiculous” – but was soon persuaded to give it a go.
Even though her first class was taxing, she wasn’t put off.
“It was frightening – very, very frightening. The next day I was stiff from head to foot. I was an absolute write-off,” laughs Elaine.
She persevered, however, and now continues to dance up a storm two or three days a week at an Auckland dance studio.
Elaine, a mother of two, and grandmother of three, says her family was slightly perplexed by her new hobby to begin with.
“They thought it was a bit weird, especially my sons, who said, ‘Pardon, you’re doing what?'” laughs Elaine.
“I will dance until my body gives out.”
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