Ballet teacher Joshua Barwick: 'From big revelations to small details – trust the process and the people around you'

How did you start in dance?

I trained in Yorkshire with Deana Morgan before joining the Academy of Northern Ballet under the direction of Yoko Ichino. At 16 I went to train at Elmhurst Ballet School and after graduating I joined Northern Ballet, which was my first professional contract.

What is your best advice for students?

Always be open-minded. Be like a sponge and absorb as much as you can from every situation. You can learn so much on a daily basis. From big revelations to small details – trust the process and the people around you.

What would you change about training?

We are lucky to do what we do, but it doesn’t come without its challenges. Preparing and training young dancers’ mindsets, as well as their physical dancing, is paramount to having a long and fruitful career. Having that resilience and strong mental approach will help a dancer flourish in their physical training and performance. 

What is the best part of your job?

Watching dancers develop, grow and blossom into the next part of their journey. Seeing a correction work or a difficult  step become mastered is so rewarding. Watching the dancers perform and seeing them fall in love with the business is really quite special.

And your least favourite?

This profession does come with disappointment at times and that is always hard to witness. When you have worked with a dancer or a group of dancers, it can be difficult when disappointment hits, but after being in the industry for quite some time, you know it’s possible to bounce back and carry on striving for your goals.

What is one of your career highlights?

Dancing for Wayne McGregor and creating with him in the studio will always be special to me. I have so much respect for him, his attention to detail, his passion and generosity. Dancing Wayne’s ballet Outlier alongside Alessandra Ferri was a moment in my career I will never forget: she is not only the most incredible artist but also a very special person. Wayne is also a vice president of Elmhurst, so he is inspiring the next generation of dancers too.