Caitlin Stawaruk is a dancer with Zuric ballet and scholarship winner of the prestigious dance competition: Prix de Lausanne. She tells her story
‘I have been living in Zurich for six years and dancing with the company for four when I injured my left foot on stage performing in Giselle. I tried managing the injury conservatively for a while but eventually I couldn’t handle the pain anymore and stopped dancing.
Just before I was about to give up and return to Australia to start on a fresh path, I found a surgeon who was willing to operate on my foot so I could hopefully return to dance. I am now in the process of recovering. I came back to Australia for 2 months to do some rehab with Oli at STC and start back with some ballet classes with Kim Harvey.
I have learnt a lot about myself mentally mostly putting patience to practice. Some days it all seems too difficult and I’m 97% sure I just want to quit. It’s that 3% which keeps me going to get through to the next day when I know I will want to continue dancing. I have in my head “it’s not over till it’s over” if there is even the smallest amount of drive and energy in me I will keep going till I’m back on stage.
Having a physio who specialises in dance is extremely important. I am really thankful for all the help and support from Oli and the rest of the STC staff for always being so friendly’