Young talent gives ballet culture a ‘bad wrap'
The intense demands and 'toxic culture' surrounding ballet forced Charley-Marie Travia to quit the sport she loved from age 3 to 17.
The Iona Presentation College graduate turned her experience into Stored Away, a series of photorealistic oil paintings of her ballet possessions covered in plastic.
One of canvases, a representation of her favourite ballet dress, features as part of this year's The West Australian Pulse exhibition at the Art Gallery of WA.
The 18-year-old also created eye-catching images of her trophies and pointe shoes, all wrapped in plastic to be stored away.
While she dreamt of joining one of the great European or New York ballet schools, Ms Travia left the demanding sport to focus on her high school studies. Iona Presentation College graduate Charley-Marie Travia, with her artwork Stored Away at The West Australian Pulse exhibition. Credit: Danella Bevis / The West Australian
'If you want to take it seriously, you have to leave (school) at 15 and go to a different country and start a new life,' she said, 'and then your career is done by 25, at the oldest.'
Now studying architecture at Curtin University, Ms Travia said the 'ballet industry is very toxic' with potentially detrimental impacts on the mental and physical health of young dancers.
'Whatever you do, it's never good enough,' she added.
'When you're in a ballet studio, you're surrounded by mirrors, so it's very hard on your body image.
'Mentally, it's a very tough sport, as well as physically.' Charley-Marie Travia and fellow Pulse artist Ben Ioannou at the Pulse exhibition opening night. Credit: Alan Chau / The West Australian
Partly inspired by American collage artist Barbara Kruger's use of slogans, Stored Away features the phrase 'I was once your favourite' emblazoned on her ballet dress.
Ms Travia said the Pulse artwork closed a chapter in her life.
'I can now move on to bigger and better things,' she said.
Can she see herself ever dancing again?
'No, I don't,' Ms Travia laughed. 'It's a very traumatising career — I don't think I'd ever go back.'
Mentored by Iona teacher Lisa Corbett, Ms Travia enjoyed the process of painting Stored Away but said she never thought her work would end up on a wall in WA's most prestigious art gallery.
'The standard in Perth, especially for Year 12 students, is crazy,' she said.
The West Australian Pulse exhibition is free and runs until August 31.
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