Flat feet stopped Chris Bath dancing - but not loving the art
LIKE many little girls growing up in Sydney’s west, Chris Bath’s afternoons were spent mastering ballet under Miss Wendy in the local church hall before “stuffing my face at Maccas”.
LIKE many little girls growing up in Sydney’s west, Chris Bath’s afternoons were spent mastering ballet under Miss Wendy in the local church hall before “stuffing my face at Maccas”.
The dance ambitions of the proud “westie” — Bath grew up in South Wentworthville — may have been cut short due to knock-knees and flat feet, but the Seven star is keen to support the ambitions of young dancers in the area.
As the new ambassador of Form Dance Projects in Parramatta, the Seven Sunday Night host is backing a push by local business and creative leaders to create an artistic hub in the city.
Among the buildings being eyed include the NSW Government-owned Old King’s School site on the Parramatta River.
The buildings, which formed part of the former King’s School site from 1836 to 1964, feature stonework from Scottish artisans who were brought to Australia following the depression in British construction industry.
The previous NSW government pledged $25 million to turn the site into a creative precinct, only for the Coalition government to shelve the plan after the last state election.
Part of the site was recently sold to the Catholic Church.
Form Dance Projects, which started up 14 years ago as a community outreach centre, is keen accommodate its 800 dancers, choreographers and school students in the Mess Hall building.
Bath, who still takes the odd jazz class when she has time despite Miss Wendy’s advice, said western Sydney should not be denied a creative hub.
“I basically wish Form would have been around the in the 1980s — I would have been a far better ballet, tap and jazz dancer,” she said.
“I loved dancing, but was not anatomically made for it so I had no turnout, my knees always wanted to knock in and my feet were also flat.
“I realised at age 12 when my teacher told me, but I refused to give in. This is the great thing about Form, it’s not just dancing — there are opportunities to become involved in workshops, choreography, special artistic projects. It would be marvellous to use the Old King’s School building.”
Form Dance Project dancer and choreographer Miranda Wheen said artists in western Sydney struggled with the lack of affordable rehearsal space.
“Form has become something of a surrogate home for many dancers and choreographers in Western Sydney and beyond,” she said.
Sydney Business Chamber Western Sydney director David Borger said western Sydney deserved better.
“There is a desperate need for rehearsal facilities in western Sydney — most of them are in the Sydney CBD,” he said.
“It’s a tragedy to see these buildings rotting away.”
Greens MLC David Shoebridge, who has led his own campaign to save the building, accused the Government of failing to protect Parramatta’s heritage.
“There is no plan, no vision. It’s just falling apart.”
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