Interview with Simone Kerr - Model, Dancer, Designer & a Student

I started dancing at the age of 4 but it wasn't until I saw The Kirov perform Swan Lake when I was 12 that I really fell in love with the art form.

I have many great memories from ballet, but nothing beats the feeling of starting the day with a really great class where everything just works.

Absolutely! I am definitely not equipped with the natural facility to be a ballet dancer. I am very tall, have legs that don't look straight, not great feet and am definitely not a natural turner, but I have danced on stage professionally and I absolutely love morning class and I have found ways to be part of the industry without becoming totally dejected that I don't look like Darcey Bussel, haha

Who is your favorite choreographer? And who is/are your favorite dance companies?

Chrissie Parrot is my favorite choreographer. I got to work with her on the July season of Cats here in Perth and she was fantastic! A few years ago I saw Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company in Sydney and it was just fantastic, I was also blown away by Miami City Ballet when they performed in Chicago.

I decided to send away an audition tape to Ballet Chicago because I know that in America they are a little more forgiving with height requirements, and so I attended their summer program and then stayed on for the fall and spring semester to dance with the studio company. It was a great experience, made great friends and really immersed myself in the Balanchine technique that was completely foreign to me. 

I still take daily class at the Conservatoire of Classical Ballet in Perth and I am involved in a few projects here and there. I was a principle dancer in Cats in July and I am currently choreographing a piece of work for the opening of Fringe Festival in January.

I don't know! There have been a few stress-related tears, especially as semester wraps up for the year and major assignments are due and exams are an impending certainty, but I really enjoy being busy, being challenged and working towards future goals. 

I started modelling when I was 15 locally in Perth, started working internationally at 16 and was living in New York by the time I was 18. I was signed to a Perth agency that has an office in Sydney and from there joined an agency with offices in New York, Paris, London and Milan. I have been incredibly fortunate to have a career that has spanned over ten years and worked with some amazing people in the most beautiful locations.

Tell us a little bit about Balletto Body:

Balletto Body is my new label that is made up of one and two piece leotards. The first collection is incredibly bright, there are eight styles and eleven colors, of which four are currently available from my website. The next collection is going to be all black and very slick. I am so excited to be working on something so creative and yet utilities both my experiences in the fashion world as a model as well as what I am studying at university in regards to commerce.  

I was taking class in London at Pineapple Studios and I needed a nice leotard that was flattering, comfortable, supportive and unique. That simply didn't exist so I am making them myself!

Some fun facts about Simone :

Birthdate : 14th July, Bastille Day!

Birthplace : Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Favorite color : Navy blue or burgundy

Favorite food : Mum's lasagne

Favorite pointe shoes company : Grishko

What's in your dance bag : Ballet flats, pointe shoes, toe pads, skirt, leg warmers, hip warmers, Thera Band, floss (for stitching ribbons), water bottle, towel, black tights, Balletto leotard, an over-sized t-shirt with holes in it, a tennis ball, a chocolate bar, hair pins, make up wipes.