Corey Baker Scholarship 2018 - Ballet Foundation of New Zealand

Corey grew up in a state house with his Mum, in the Christchurch suburb of Hornby. He loved movement and started tap dancing at en early age. The family's financial situation was challenging and there was no spare money for extra dance lessons or competitions. At high school Corey’s english teacher, who also happened to have a ballet school, made a deal with Corey - If he passed his english exams she would let him attend ballet school for free. Corey is dyslexic but passed.

Some time later Corey won a scholarship to dance in Australia, all he had to do was to get there and have money to live on. Between Corey and his Mum they had about $300 and so Corey set about fundraising. He and his Mum wrote to big companies like Farmers and The Warehouse, explained the situation and asked for goods to be able to raffle and raise funds to get him to Australia.

They did it ! Corey was on his way to Australia. Next challenge was living expenses. He managed to secure a job at Starbucks working early mornings before dancing 8-10 hours during day; he'd return to Starbucks working until late at night. For many it's hard enough just to have the stamina to dance each day, but for Corey shift work on top was an exhausting necessity; but he did it!

Corey's exceptional career speaks for itself, He's danced with the Ballet Theatre Basel, Ballet Boyz and subsequently launched his own dance company in the UK called Corey Baker Dance. Recently, Corey choreographed a unique performance on the ice in Antarctica to raise awareness of Climate Change. Corey is currently in New Zealand choreographing a new work for RNZB Mozart season, tilted The Last Dance.