Callback: Westfields Sports graduate Monika Alic. Picture: Wesley Lonergan
WESTFIELDS Sports High School graduate Monika Alic, 18, says she's no prima ballerina.
But hers was one of the 32 creme de la creme dances featured at Callback.
Each year Callback selects outstanding works by Higher School Certificate students.
Monika watched her three-minute composition Faith on stage at the York Theatre in the Seymour Centre on February 7.
Faith reflects Monika's spirituality.
"I wouldn't say religion dominates my life, but it gives me guidance through everything I do," she said.
"I wanted to provoke a bit of an emotional response through my composition and get the audience engaged in the performance."
She said her idea was inspired by Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ.
"When everyone was looking for abstract ideas through daily life, I thought of something deeper," she said.
"It's about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It's in two parts. The first is about nailing Jesus to the cross and the struggle that he goes through. The second is his resurrection."
Monika said she felt as though she beat the odds.
"I've been dancing jazz, tap and ballet since I was three, but I'm not a prima ballerina," she said. "What I proved to myself is that you don't have to be the best dancer to get a callback in composition. You just have to have strong ideas. I'm a pretty average dancer but choreographing was my strong point."
Monika entrusted year 11 student Ben Zammit to perform her Callback piece.
"It was a bit nerve-racking being side stage because it felt like my heart was on the stage," she said.
"But Ben is a really strong and consistent dancer."