We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Gerrard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.

Hannah , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As a freelance professional dancer, artist and performer, I have had the privlege to be involved in many different meaningful projects. When I was in full time ballet school, I thought my dream was to be in a full time ballet company. After I graduated, I got a job with a ballet company in Portugal and although I enjoyed living abroad, I realised full time ballet companies were not for me so I moved back to the UK to freelance. At the start it was incredibly challenging but after a couple of years, I found my place. One of the most meaningful projects I have done is set up a dance and music ministry with my mum (a professional flautist) and best friend (our choreographer). It is entitled ‘Breath of Dance’ and seeks to bring Bible stories to life through live music and dance. Many children nowadays don’t ever experience live professional performing arts and so this is why we seek to go into schools to deliver this provision for the children. We are all Christians and have created two stories; Dilys’ Adventures from the Garden to the Cross and Dilys’ Adventures from Nazareth to Bethlehem. I believe it is important for children to learn about who Jesus is and why He came into this world to die for us and rise again so we can inherit eternal life in heaven.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Professional Dancer, Performer and Artist. I have always wanted to become a professional ballerina and have dedicated my whole life to this art form. I have had to have strict self discipline, make a lot of sacrifices and gone through many gruelling times to get to where I am today. Despite the challenges the training, I am so grateful to be able to make a living from doing what I love.

I trained at KSDance gaining the Trinity Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance and am a qualified dance teacher with the Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education.

I have broad professional performing experience, including, The London Ballet Company, Ballet Do Douro, Portugal, BDArt Company, Moen Sommerkoncert (Soundscape) Denmark, Symphony of Light, Outside of the Box Productions, Oddments Theatre Company, Epiphany Music, Angelic Talent Entertainment, Rosettas Variety Entertainment and Breath of Dance. I will soon be touring The Nutcracker with the Ukrainian Classical Ballet.

Key role have included: Mother Superior and Von Trapp child (The London Ballet Company), Betsie Ten Boom (Oddments Theatre Company), Odette/Odile (Allegrodance Company), Sleeping Beauty/Wicked Fairy (Outside of the Box Productions and Dilys in Dilys’ Adventures from the Garden to the Cross and Dilys’ Adventures from Nazareth to Bethlehem (Breath of Dance).

The dance industry is a toxic and dark industry and, as a Christian, it is my duty to be salt and light for Jesus in all these companies that I work with. I seek to tell life changing stories through dance and I love to bless people with my dancing gift. I went through a really dark time in lockdown (I was in my first year at full time ballet school) as I had to train in my conservatory which was horrendous. I reached rock bottom but through strengthening my faith in Jesus, I managed to survive it and had a complete redemption with dancing the role of Odette/Odile in my graduating show- Swan Lake (one of my proudest moments).

I am available to be involved in more life changing projects to dance, choreograph and direct.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

To bring people into a personal relationship with Jesus through my dancing.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When lockdown hit, I was in my first year at full time ballet school. I had waited years to start my professional training and as soon as my time had come I was forced to train in my conservatory- 8am-5pm, everyday. My mental and physical health hit rock bottom as I sought to train as much as possible to the extent of it becoming an unhealthy obsession. However, I kept going through the pandemic and was determined not to give up on my dream. When we were allowed in the dance studio again, I was in a very weak state. But through getting the right support and resetting my mindset, I came out of lockdown much stronger and got my first job in a portuguese ballet company once I graduated which was a dream come true.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.breathofdance.co.uk
• Instagram: @hannahdgerrard
• Facebook: Hannah Gerrard

Image Credits

Evolutionary Images