Nothing stands still. Not in dance and, therefore, not in dance training. Even established names, with decades in the industry, know that there are no laurels to rest on. Example, Trish Squire. Dancing since the age of three, working as a renowned performer, heading up a talent agency, and then opening a leading school, she remains in the core business of moving.
To this end, Spectrum Global Arts is entering a new partnership (with Adelaide based RTO Empowerdance) and adding a new course to its offering. Starting in 2026, from their Burwood campus in Melbourne, Squire’s school will become one of the few to offer the Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance).
“I think it’s always been our mission to have versatile performers, especially in today’s world,” she observes. “So, to be able to offer that extra qualification is the natural progression for our business. It’s like the next step to elevate the training, and really and truly prepare for that sustainable, international career that so many dancers are after these days.”
In short, the Advanced Diploma is a culmination, with a focus on the offstage aspects of a performance career. As Squire says, “It’s about stepping away with more options; because we all know that a dancer’s life, if you’re very lucky, might go to your 40s, so having these qualifications allows you to think about later years. Maybe you want to open your own dance school, or even go and teach, and these kinds of courses really help with those future prospects — away from dance as well.”
The rationale here reflects the experience of Squire. Her career included stints in Japan as a “sequins and feathers” showgirl, a long association with the Tony Batuccio Dancers, and multiple roles on stage and TV, before pivoting to agency work and the training sector.
“There are a lot of opportunities that dancers, especially those stepping into tertiary education, just aren’t aware of until they’ve been through these courses,” she notes. “I think this [new course] is really about giving them confidence as artists to step into the industry and deal with contracts, companies and projects globally — like, not just in Australia.”
At Spectrum, the Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance (Elite Performance) will be delivered in three distinct layers. “It starts with a Cert IV for first years, the Diploma for second years, and this new one for the third years,” Squire explains. Upon graduation, dancers will leave with a three-in-one qualification.
Importantly, the third year is the icing on the cake, with an emphasis on the technical and strategic aspects of plotting a career, from both the artistic and pragmatic perspective. As well as drilling deeper into the physiology and body science of dance, it tackles the realities of life in a hyper-competitive, always changing performance marketplace. “Like, understanding social media, understanding representing yourself, and how to manage yourself as a business,” Squire elaborates.
Having transcribed the full student to dancer, agent to trainer arc, Squire is the embodiment of the vision nested in the logic of the qualification. In this way, it is an intuitive addition for her business. Moreover, it’s timely and appropriate.
“We will be hiring current industry leaders to mentor the students,” she declares. “So, that opportunity, as well as having performance opportunities; because we also run a talent agency, and so can do real, in-life learnings, like the corporate events I produce and choreograph…all of that helps to flesh out their resume and give them a head start before they step fully into that professional realm.”
The addition of a new course is, however, a logistic challenge for any school. More classes, more bodies, more admin. At the campus level, it requires a clear head as much as anything else.
“Absolutely,” Squires concurs. “Especially in this case because the Advanced Diploma really separates students from the other courses. Usually, a lot of our classes are combined, but when we get into the career development parts and working with industry professionals it specialises. My staff and I have really looked into that to find ways to improve that throughout the three years.”
Once again, the example is clear. In an industry that moves at the speed of fashion, and where demands and expectations can shift in a blink, staying nimble is mission critical. This is true for both teacher and student. And this is why Spectrum Global Arts is adding to its offering — because from the much experienced standpoint of Squire, showing by doing, rather than just explaining, may once again prove to be the best way forward.
For more information, visit www.spectrumglobalarts.com/diploma-of-elite-performance.
By Paul Ransom of Dance Informa.
