When life threw professional dancer Jacqui an unexpected career curveball, she found a unique way to connect the art form she loves with another lifelong passion. All she needed was the perfect space to bring her vision to life…
Life has a funny way of redirecting our plans, often without our permission. For Jacqui, a former professional dancer whose career was cut short by injury, an unexpected detour that, at first, felt like a setback has instead led her somewhere truly special.
"I tore both my hip flexors while I was dancing in London," Jacqui shares. "When I came home, I started teaching ballet, which I absolutely loved." But it was during this time teaching that another long time passion of Jacqui’s took on new significance.
Having always had a keen interest in photography and “studying it a little at school” Jacqui found that many of her ballet students' audition photos weren’t quite doing justice to their talent as performers.
"The photos they were getting from other photographers weren't that great - the dance technique just wasn't there. So I ended up taking the photos myself," she laughs. What started as a way to help her students, soon took on a life of its own.
And with that, her dance photography business, Everline Imagery, was born.
Today, Jacqui specialises in striking dance and performer photography, offering everything from audition headshots for personal portfolios to breathtaking artistic works, all with the aim of capturing dancers at their very best. She also hosts specialised workshops for young dancers, that combine training with some of Sydney's best dance teachers, and integrate it with custom costumes, makeup sessions and photo shoots. “So, participants come in, they train, and then they walk away with brand new professional photos for their portfolio,” Jacqui shares.
As a business, Everline Imagery is a truly perfect synthesis of Jacqui's talents. Her many years of dance training, along with those spent working as a professional dancer, means that she knows exactly how to guide dancers safely through different poses during a shoot, while also ensuring perfect dance technique is captured in each photo.
"It's so hard [for photographers] to take really good dance photos unless there's a teacher or director in the room, but even then, they can't see into the camera," she explains. "Having the eye for both good dance technique and photography, and being able to combine the two - it's definitely a niche."And as for her talent behind the lens? Her work speaks for itself.
Though, perhaps even more valuable is Jacqui’s ability to create a safe and nurturing environment for the young dancers she works with, having been one herself. "Dancers can be so critical of themselves," she reflects. "It’s really important to me that they feel confident, uplifted and supported during their shoot.”
In the early days of the business, Jacqui split her time between her home in Lake Macquarie and Sydney, often having to rent expensive studio spaces in the city for shoots. But after the birth of her first child, the long drives and $800-per-day studio fees started to feel unsustainable.
"I was having to do a minimum of three to four shoots a day just to cover the hire fee - and then I’d have to do the long drive home afterwards,” Jacqui shares. “I remember thinking: this isn't possible anymore. But I need to keep doing it somehow because I love it!"
The solution? To create her own, purpose-built photography studio closer to home.
After months of searching, an unassuming space became available, only moments away from the home Jacqui shares with her partner and young son – an old bike shop that had been sitting vacant for about a year and needed more than a bit of TLC.
"When I got it, the place was filthy," Jacqui recalls. “The dirt in the bathroom was black, there was grease all over the walls from the old tires – it was outrageous the amount of cleaning we had to do!” she laughs.
But Jacqui saw past it all to the space's potential, with the finished studio a true testament to her unique and dedicated vision for her business. A professional makeup area now features in a far corner with the addition of Hollywood-style lighting, while ballet bars and specialised tarkett dance flooring allow the space to transform from photography studio to dance workspace in moments. The seven-by-five meter cyclorama, the largest in the Newcastle area, now provides the perfect backdrop for capturing dancers in motion, accompanied by the “amazing” four-meter high ceilings. The studio is also available to hire and now offers other local photographers and creatives access to a high-spec, purpose-built space, as well as an opportunity for them to work closer to home.
But, as Jacqui shares, her favourite of all the studio’s features arrives anew each morning.
"The natural light is just so dreamy," she smiles. "The way it pours in each morning - it's just the most gorgeous, natural light - it’s incredible!"
As a creative professional, Jacqui found the financial side of setting up the studio “a bit daunting” but after attending one of Pure Finance’s Wine + Wisdom events, she decided to set up a meeting with the team and get some advice on the best way to financially realise her dream studio.
"Finance can be so overwhelming, especially when you come from a creative background," Jacqui reflects. "But I felt confident and relaxed every step of the way and that no question was too silly or small. It also made me feel really good knowing I was working with a B Corp that gives back to the community, and that I wasn't getting into something yucky."
Of course, running your own creative business while being a new parent comes with its challenges. "Some days I'm thinking 'oh my god, what am I doing? Can I get off this train, please?” Jacqui laughs. "But the amazing side of it all is that I'm doing what I love every single day.”
Looking back, while the premature end to her dance career wasn't quite what she envisioned, Jacqui reflects that this new path was "what I was always meant to do." In finding a way to merge her love of dance with her passion for photography, she's created something truly special - a space where young dancers can feel safe, supported, and seen through the lens of someone who truly understands both them and their art form.
Jacqui's favourite local spots near her new studio:
- Belmont Baths - an “absolutely beautiful spot for a swim”
- Good One Cafe - great coffee alongside delicious bagels and a freshly squeezed juice menu
- Botanical Social Florist - a "really, really gorgeous" local florist, with a passion for floral design and environmental consciousness
Got some big dreams for your business and want some expert guidance on making them (financially) happen? Sounds like a job for us! info@nullpurefinance.com.au