By Heidi Davey
Having constantly moved around throughout her childhood, Kate has always been able to feel a sense of community within the arts.
She had an average childhood consisting of sports, school, and a family life with her mom, dad, and older sister. All pretty common experiences throughout her upbringing, except for one aspect: she was constantly moving. From being born in Maine to following her dad's work to Seymour, Australia, to then going back to the US, and finally ending up in Vancouver, Canada; her life has been anything but boring.
Although moving around and travelling the world in your early years seems like an amazing life experience, it can also become isolating and lonely. Not having a consistent physical sense of community caused Kate to search for a community within music. She explained that being part of a choir and playing the saxophone allowed her to always have music as a constant in her life despite all of the change around her. From a young age she has loved expressing herself through art and music; it has proven to be an effective way to connect to others around her and make quick bonds. Other activities she took part in include competitive figure skating and karate before the pandemic hit, but more recently in the past two years, she has taken up netball.
On top of her passion for the performing arts, Kate loves everything to do with English. She has always loved writing and reading; saying that they can transport her into another world. Self-expression is a common theme woven through all of Kate’s passions.
Growing up moving around allowed Kate and her older sister to bond, and they have always had a close relationship. They both love the arts. Her older sister is a big inspiration to her and has always helped her maneuver through new and difficult situations. When Kate was younger, however, she struggled with finding her sense of self, which caused her to be less confident. When Kate moved to Collingwood, she immediately found a group of friends that took her in and helped her with the transition into Collingwood life so that she could make the most out of the years to come. Since then, Kate has grown a lot more confident and has stopped holding herself back. She also realized that when you don’t allow your fears to control you, that great things can happen, and that you would never know unless you tried.
The transition to Collingwood was quite successful for Kate and, after reviewing her experiences so far, she's determined that the 2019-2020 school year has been her best yet! Before Covid hit, she took part in Collingwood’s play “The Crucible,” and her dedication landed her the first lead role of her performing arts career. When reflecting on her experiences, she mentioned how everyone in the cast was super close, supportive, and welcoming. Kate also talked about how she was able to immerse herself into her character. She really enjoyed being a part of “The Crucible.” For Kate, acting can be used as a way to step out of life and the problems that come with it; and just become someone else. “You get to take on their problems and approach the world from a different perspective for a while.” For Kate, acting is different from singing and playing the saxophone because although they are both also powerful forms of self-expression, acting allows you to express yourself through someone else. She is most comfortable in dramatic performances and finds it easier to deal with her own problems when she can take on a character's issues for a short amount of time. She is able to use performing as a sort of escape and hopes that she can share a similar experience of taking a step back from reality with others while she is on stage. Kate feels she has done a great job if she is able to successfully immerse the audience members into the play and completely take them out of their daily lives, allowing everyone to have the same experience simultaneously.
The performing arts have become a major part of Kate’s identity over the years. They are something she has always been able to return to and reminds her of all the friends that she has made over the years. They have also been an escape that has helped her cope with difficult times and allowed her to be part of something bigger than herself: experiencing something beautiful in the process. She has gained a lot of knowledge over the years as she accumulated experience and has a piece of advice for aspiring performers: “If there’s something that you’re interested in and you’re waiting for the right time to begin it, go for it and make the most of it because when you find something you love, you can make it the right time.” Kate’s journey with acting and singing has inspired her to do what she truly wants to pursue: acting. Music has given her a home away from home, helped shape who she is, and set her on a path where she was able to meet amazing people who’ve changed her for the better. Her path hasn’t always been smooth; she has had to persevere and persist at times, but her goals are clear. Short term, she’s hoping to be able to sing a solo in choir. Long term, she hopes that one day she will have the opportunity to appear on the big screen as an actress. Kate’s passion shines through her when she speaks and it is evident that she truly loves the path that she is on. In her opinion, what makes it all worthwhile is the moment she steps onto the stage to perform; “It adds a sense of beauty to the world that sometimes is lacking; it gives the audience a moment to share an emotion, and it brings people together. It’s important to become a part of something bigger than you are and to take time to add something beautiful to the world. Express a little bit of your own creativity.”
Having constantly moved around throughout her childhood, Kate has always been able to feel a sense of community within the arts.
She had an average childhood consisting of sports, school, and a family life with her mom, dad, and older sister. All pretty common experiences throughout her upbringing, except for one aspect: she was constantly moving. From being born in Maine to following her dad's work to Seymour, Australia, to then going back to the US, and finally ending up in Vancouver, Canada; her life has been anything but boring.
Although moving around and travelling the world in your early years seems like an amazing life experience, it can also become isolating and lonely. Not having a consistent physical sense of community caused Kate to search for a community within music. She explained that being part of a choir and playing the saxophone allowed her to always have music as a constant in her life despite all of the change around her. From a young age she has loved expressing herself through art and music; it has proven to be an effective way to connect to others around her and make quick bonds. Other activities she took part in include competitive figure skating and karate before the pandemic hit, but more recently in the past two years, she has taken up netball.
On top of her passion for the performing arts, Kate loves everything to do with English. She has always loved writing and reading; saying that they can transport her into another world. Self-expression is a common theme woven through all of Kate’s passions.
Growing up moving around allowed Kate and her older sister to bond, and they have always had a close relationship. They both love the arts. Her older sister is a big inspiration to her and has always helped her maneuver through new and difficult situations. When Kate was younger, however, she struggled with finding her sense of self, which caused her to be less confident. When Kate moved to Collingwood, she immediately found a group of friends that took her in and helped her with the transition into Collingwood life so that she could make the most out of the years to come. Since then, Kate has grown a lot more confident and has stopped holding herself back. She also realized that when you don’t allow your fears to control you, that great things can happen, and that you would never know unless you tried.
The transition to Collingwood was quite successful for Kate and, after reviewing her experiences so far, she's determined that the 2019-2020 school year has been her best yet! Before Covid hit, she took part in Collingwood’s play “The Crucible,” and her dedication landed her the first lead role of her performing arts career. When reflecting on her experiences, she mentioned how everyone in the cast was super close, supportive, and welcoming. Kate also talked about how she was able to immerse herself into her character. She really enjoyed being a part of “The Crucible.” For Kate, acting can be used as a way to step out of life and the problems that come with it; and just become someone else. “You get to take on their problems and approach the world from a different perspective for a while.” For Kate, acting is different from singing and playing the saxophone because although they are both also powerful forms of self-expression, acting allows you to express yourself through someone else. She is most comfortable in dramatic performances and finds it easier to deal with her own problems when she can take on a character's issues for a short amount of time. She is able to use performing as a sort of escape and hopes that she can share a similar experience of taking a step back from reality with others while she is on stage. Kate feels she has done a great job if she is able to successfully immerse the audience members into the play and completely take them out of their daily lives, allowing everyone to have the same experience simultaneously.
The performing arts have become a major part of Kate’s identity over the years. They are something she has always been able to return to and reminds her of all the friends that she has made over the years. They have also been an escape that has helped her cope with difficult times and allowed her to be part of something bigger than herself: experiencing something beautiful in the process. She has gained a lot of knowledge over the years as she accumulated experience and has a piece of advice for aspiring performers: “If there’s something that you’re interested in and you’re waiting for the right time to begin it, go for it and make the most of it because when you find something you love, you can make it the right time.” Kate’s journey with acting and singing has inspired her to do what she truly wants to pursue: acting. Music has given her a home away from home, helped shape who she is, and set her on a path where she was able to meet amazing people who’ve changed her for the better. Her path hasn’t always been smooth; she has had to persevere and persist at times, but her goals are clear. Short term, she’s hoping to be able to sing a solo in choir. Long term, she hopes that one day she will have the opportunity to appear on the big screen as an actress. Kate’s passion shines through her when she speaks and it is evident that she truly loves the path that she is on. In her opinion, what makes it all worthwhile is the moment she steps onto the stage to perform; “It adds a sense of beauty to the world that sometimes is lacking; it gives the audience a moment to share an emotion, and it brings people together. It’s important to become a part of something bigger than you are and to take time to add something beautiful to the world. Express a little bit of your own creativity.”
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