Julia Bridger

Stories & Testimonials

JULIA BRIDGER

Victoria, BC
Classical ballet
Career Pathway: Pilates and undergraduate studies in Biochemistry

Julia Bridger: After training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and performing with the company as an Aspirant, I joined Ballet Victoria on beautiful Vancouver Island, where I danced from 2016 to 2024. While it remained my home base, I was honoured to accept opportunities to appear and travel with other companies, such as Harbin Ballet and the Wuxi Song & Dance Theatre, and to return to RWB as guest performer in Balanchine’s beautiful ballet, Serenade.

JULIA’S STORY

“The DTRC connected me with, and funded, a career counsellor ─ invaluable as I acquired skills and planned my future, while still performing with Ballet Victoria. The Skills Grant enabled me to expand my horizons through driving lessons, while the Career Exploration Grant helped me train as a Pilates instructor. I soon realized how much I love helping other people and began teaching Pilates during the final year of my dance career. This qualification empowers me to earn income while attending university as I transition to a new profession. Career Counselling provided insight on where to start my academic studies. Now, early on in my undergraduate biochemistry degree at the University of Victoria, I’m incredibly grateful for the continued financial support of the DTRC.

From the beginning of my career in ballet, knowing that this organization would be there for me when the time came to leap into a new chapter of life provided me with peace of mind. When immersed in the world of dance, it was sometimes difficult to imagine doing anything else. The DTRC served as a gentle reminder that new and exciting adventures were possible, and the inspirational testimonials they shared of other dancers proved this.

The DTRC’s support before and during my transition from a dance career made the process inspiring rather than daunting!”

DTRC’S SUPPORT

Career Counselling
Skills Grant
Career Exploration Grant
Study Grant
Subsistence Grant

National Office

The Lynda Hamilton Centre
Suite 303
1000 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4W 2K2

Phone: 416-595-5655

nationaloffice@dtrc.ca

Office Hours:
By Appointment Only – Please contact nationaloffice@dtrc.ca

*Wheelchair accessible

BC Office

The BC office runs as a virtual office and is open on a part-time basis, according to a variable schedule.

bcoffice@dtrc.ca

Quebec Office

The Quebec office runs as a virtual office and is open on a part-time basis, according to a variable schedule.

bureauqc@crtd.ca

Regional Reps

British Columbia
Mika Manning
bcrep@dtrc.ca

Alberta
Jocelyn Mah
abrep@dtrc.ca

Manitoba
Eugene “GeNie” Baffoe
mbrep@dtrc.ca

Quebec
Giulia Tripoli
bureauqc@crtd.ca

Atlantic
Sydney Ewert
atlantic@dtrc.ca

Toll-free: 1-800-667-0851

Territory Acknowledgment

We acknowledge the lands, waterways, languages, and Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island – First Nations, Inuit and Métis – who have been living on these lands since time immemorial. As we carry out our work, digitally and in person across many distinct territories, we offer our recognition and respect to all the peoples and places that are connected through our engagement together. We, at the Dancer Transition Resource Centre, commit to the ongoing work and learning required of all of us to address past and persistent harms. We continue to deepen our understanding and we welcome dialogue as we strive to move into better relations with Indigenous peoples and with the land.