Towering bluestone walls, watch towers, a narrow entrance gate, and windows with grills characterize Pentridge prison, which once housed some of the most notorious criminals. In recent years, the prison has undergone modernization and has been transformed into apartments, local boutique shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, a cinema, and even a dance studio. I had the opportunity to witness this transformation firsthand as I lived in Pentridge Village when I first immigrated to Australia. Over the past 20 years, Pentridge has gone from being deserted to a bustling hub of activity. I remember seeing it locked up and surrounded by overgrown weeds when I used to pass by on my way to the train station.
As a teenager, fear gripped me tightly whenever I walked along the towering bluestone walls, especially as dusk fell. Back then, those streets did not have any streetlights. I used to walk across the uncared-for lawn feeling the dew soaking through my runners and socks. With every step, a shiver ran down my spine, and in certain stretches of my journey along Pentirage, I'd break into a sprint, desperate to escape that eerie section. It was not the tales of prisons that frightened me most, but rather the engulfing night itself.
The day I visited Lily's Dance Studios in Coburg, I also ventured into a permanent Pentridge exhibition near the shopping centre while I waited for the class to start. The exhibition is tucked away upstairs near the cinema. There was a timeline of Pentridge with photographs of the past, offering a glimpse into the reality of what life was like within those cold, stone walls. I imagined the cells would be naturally soundproof too with such thick walls. I feel that chill travelling through my skin along my legs when sitting crossed leg on the bare floor. The prisoners must sit like that all day.
As I thought about the different backgrounds of those who once resided at Pentridge Prison, I couldn't help but consider that prisons are often seen as places for "bad people". It's a simple explanation we give to children and accept it for a long time. Allow me to change my mind, some would have been victims of unfortunate circumstances - wrongly accused or pushed to desperate measures due to a lack of support. With a more nurturing environment, lives could have taken a different path away from crime. Or is there really evil in this world?
This dance studio is located at Pentridge. Yep, you're dancing in a gaol! It's a mixed feeling to move freely in a place where others were once confined. It's as if there is a gap in time. A place of captivity is now a place of liberation where one can dance in a space where freedom was once a distant dream.
Classes
Lily's Dance Studio offers an adult ballet class "ballet for former dancers" on Tuesday nights. This dance school utilizes the Cecchetti method, an Italian ballet training technique. In the class I attended, they incorporated exercises from the intermediate to advanced 2 levels of their syllabus. It is unique for adult dance schools to incorporate syllabus exercises, so it was a refreshing experience to be exposed to a different training method. Lily, the director of the studio and the ballet teacher, also elaborated on how some barre exercises prepare the body for centre work and more complex combinations and variations.
The adult class lasted 60 minutes, beginning at the barre and moving to the centre. As with most ballet classes, it started with plies and progressed to Grand Battement, tendus, adagio, turns, and jumps. I particularly enjoyed their Port De Barre exercise. As I elongated my arm and back, I felt endorphin and dopamine flushes through every cell of my brain. Euphoria.
Getting there
The dance studio is situated in Coburg. There is on-street parking available right outside the dance studio, as well as free 3-hour underground parking at Pentridge. Additionally, tram 19 stops on Sydney Road and some buses stop near the studio. The closest train station, Batman Station, is a 10-15-minute walk from the studio.
Booking a class
Contact Lily's dance studio. I texted via the number they have on their website to tell the studio know I am attending the class. Currently, the fee is $20 per class and payment is made at the time of attendance via EFTPOS.
Special mention
If you are craving caffeine or food. There are a few restaurants nearby like the elegant North & Common or BrewDog. There are also day and night tours of Pentriage you can attend.
The nitty gritty
They do not have their timetable on their website, so here it is. They also have a Facebook page.
Website: https://www.lilysdancestudios.com.au