"I always knew I wanted to perform, and Southwark College helped me further my dance training, I learned a variety of dance styles and was given extra singing lessons so I kept up those skills too."
Dance is a career that can take you almost anywhere, as Shanara Edwards – who studied for a BTEC in Dance at Southwark College – has proved. Shanara Edwards went on to win a place at the prestigious Institute of the Arts in Barcelona to study Musical Theatre, and is now a Parade Performer and Dancer at Disneyland Paris – with her long-term sights set on the West End stage!
Shanara graduated from university not only with a degree but also two job offers and an agent. She chose to join Disney where she spends her days rehearsing and her afternoons and evenings performing in the iconic Disneyland parades.
She says: “The greatest challenge of my career so far has been making job decisions. But ultimately it’s important to go with whatever you feel and make the right choice for you in the moment. If it is the wrong decision, learn from it and move on.
“Eventually I want to work on the West End stage – I have auditions coming up and am hopeful for the future. I’d also like to try out for a dancing role on a cruise ship in the next five years.
“My advice to other people hoping to work in the performance and dance industry is that if you can see yourself doing something else, then do something else,” said Shanara. “If you can't, then go for it with everything you've got!”
