The Wyld, our show at the Friedrichstadt-Palast, is like a homage to Berlin. It gives a taste of the incredible energy of the city – very creative, very diverse. The Palast is an enormous building with a really big stage – we play to almost 2,000 people every night. There’s a full band, 60 dancers (40 girls, 20 guys), acrobatic troupes – and poodles. These gorgeous dogs are all different sizes and ages – the oldest, and head of the pack, is tiny but still bosses all the bigger, younger ones around.
We perform most days – seven shows a week, with Monday and Wednesday nights free. It’s pretty full-on. On our two-show days, we don’t have rehearsals, but there’s an optional training class at 1.30pm. I’ll start putting on my makeup at 2.15pm, and we finish at 10pm.
On other days, ballet class is not optional. Most of us are classically trained, and have a really firm technical background. I’m from Perth, Australia, and have been in Berlin for two years. Previously, I worked with a ballet company in Munich. I enjoyed it, but this is like a breath of fresh air, so much more exciting. I feel I’ve found my place.
Class finishes at 11am, and we rehearse until 1pm. There are so many different numbers to revisit, especially if someone is ill or away and we have to fill in the gaps. Then there’s a break until 6pm. I’ll go home, and try to relax. The dancers are from nearly 30 countries, and there’s a really good atmosphere – it’s not as competitive as the ballet world. We spend most of our waking hours together, and I’ve got so many close friends in the company. We even go out together on nights when we’re not performing.
In The Wyld, I play several characters. It’s so much fun and you can really be yourself. It’s about the energy – the auditorium is well lit, so we all remember that we’re there for the audience. We rotate different roles, which means it never becomes monotonous. I ride a BMX bike over the stage in the Urban Tribes scene, and my favourite role is the sporty girl – I’m quite sporty myself. The most bonkers costumes are for the Alien Ball in the finale. We have full bodysuits encrusted with rhinestones and Swarovski crystals, with LED lights on our chests and wrists, and huge masks. Oh, and sparkly silver high heels.
I also do an aerial dance duet. That was a bit scary at first, but we worked for six months with a performer from Cirque du Soleil. As a dancer, you don’t often get the chance to learn something new, and I’m always up for a challenge. The Erotic Duo is very sensual: we spin around on a hoop, and are lifted at least six metres in the air.
I’m always on the go during the show. I sometimes have eight costume changes, many of them quick because the wigs, costumes and makeup are so extravagant. There’s no time to sit around. It’s tiring, but because we do it so often we’re really fit – I sometimes have little aches and pains, but nothing unbearable.
At the end, I’m totally exhausted. I head home, have something to eat, go straight to bed and sleep for as long as possible.
