Monique Sullivan turns near‑death surf experience into dance career at NAISDA

Monique Sullivan, a 23‑year‑old dancer of Wiradjuri and Wonnarua heritage, survived a near‑death incident while swimming alone at Nelson Bay on the New South Wales coast. The frightening episode prompted her to reassess her life and pursue her long‑standing dream of becoming a professional dancer.

She applied to NAISDA Dance College, Australia’s premier training institution for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and was accepted. Sullivan now studies a Certificate IV in Dance Practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, training in jazz, hip‑hop, Horton technique, contemporary, ballet, music production, dance film and cultural classes. Raised in Singleton and later moving to Maitland to attend the Hunter School of the Performing Arts, she says NAISDA provides a sense of belonging and community that she had not experienced before.