Joanne McShane reflects on the people who have guided her professional career, both as a dancer and as a choreographer.
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Photo: Jason Mitchell
Growing up in Liverpool as a young dancer, I was taken along to watch Cats at the Liverpool Empire. I must have only been aged 9. It was then that I realised I would be someone who could never live without dance. I remember it like yesterday – I was transfixed by the performers and their ability to tell stories through dance. At the age of 23, my lifelong dream came true and I started my journey in Cats myself, playing the part of Rumpleteazer. I performed in the show on and off for years. To perform Gillian’s work has been one of my biggest achievements. Her choreography makes you feel alive! It literally takes over your soul and it becomes so much more than just the steps. She was a lady whose career was hugely diverse – from being a soloist ballerina to creating some of the most iconic work in musical theatre history. The world became a duller place when we lost her earlier this year. She’s a real heroine of mine.
