We were so incredibly lucky recently to film with Juliet Burnett, a senior artist at The Australian Ballet. Just one morning spent in Juliet’s company is enough to convey the incredible discipline her job entails. As she explains in the film, being a ballet dancer really is much more than a full time profession.

Juliet’s mornings are calm, but carefully structured. When not on tour, she wakes up at home in North Melbourne, with her husband Nick, a music producer (who unfortunately was away on the day of our shoot!) and pet rabbit Sadie.

Over breakfast and coffee, Juliet spends some time writing in her journal – she loves to write, and when not jotting down notes about the roles she is currently rehearsing, she might also work on ideas for her own blog, or the other dance websites she contributes to, including ‘Behind Ballet‘, the official blog of The Australian Ballet. ‘Whether at home or on tour, mornings are my time to reset my mind and body. My head is clearest when I first wake up’ says Juliet.

Juliet’s working day officially begins at 10.30am, with a daily ballet class, six days a week. ‘Class is imperative to a dancer’s routine, it prepares us for the long day of rehearsals ahead, and perhaps the show that evening, and is a daily opportunity to fine tune our technique’ says Juliet.

‘Every day we are constantly striving to maximise our body’s expressive potential in the studio, so that we can achieve full freedom and confidence onstage’ – Juliet Burnett.

Enormous thanks to The Australian Ballet for their great assistance facilitating this film. Juliet is currently performing the lead role in Giselle, which has just wrapped up in Melbourne and Sydney, but will travel to Canberra in May, and in Adelaide in July.