Dancer puts jobless Aussies on world stage with surprise hit video during COVID-19

When COVID-19 sunk her dream job on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, this young bayside dancer gathered an ensemble to choreograph a lockdown video. The result has been a global hit. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.

THE loss of a dancer’s dream job has turned from “devastation” to international exposure on a grand scale with a viral video.

Victoria Point’s Molly Givney, 20, had trained for 15 years to finally land the opportunity of a lifetime dancing in two shows on the cruise ship Spectrum of the Seas.

The contract with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Quantum-class flag ship was to last eight months – when the industry was brought to a standstill due to coronavirus restrictions.

Molly Givney at home in Victoria Point. Picture: Renae Droop

Stuck at home and having also lost her part-time work for good measure, Givney choreographed and produced a fun video to show off the plight of dancers nationwide.

The nearly eight-minute video, featuring 53 Aussie dancers “doing their thing” has since gone viral with more than 173,000 views on one Facebook page (at the time of writing) and showing no signs of slowing down.

Givney was blown away by the take-up.

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“It’s so exciting. It just means it is getting out there for literally the whole world to see,” she said.

The professional dancer said her colleagues featured in the piece were equally taken aback.

“Everyone loves the idea of it and are super thrilled at the viewership,” Givney said.

“I really wanted to do something for all the dancers who have had their professional lives put on hold and the response from those involved was overwhelming.”

The Redlands resident said the impact of COVID-19 on dancers and the arts sector in general had been tragic.

Givney heads outdoors to stay in shape. Picture: Renae Droop

Many in the arts have fallen through the cracks despite the Federal Government’s unprecedented support package for those suffering job losses.

“There are so many performers in Australia who have worked so hard to get professional work,” Givney said.

“To say that we are all shattered would be an understatement.

“Entire shows have been cancelled not only in Australia but around the world.

“Local theatre and gigs have also all been put on hold and, of course, overseas contracts, dancing on cruise ships, in Disney shows and other opportunities have all been halted.”

Molly Givney centre stage in Transit Dance production Clambake. Picture: Chris Curran

And while no job offers have yet materialised from the video, Givney said it had gone some way to buoy the dancers’ spirits.

“The response has been incredible from both the dance world and the community in general,” she said.

“I’ve had such amazing feedback from the dancers who were involved – they really loved getting motivated to choreograph a short piece for this collaboration.”