Q: How long have you been doing Physie?
A: I started physie at Liverpool Club in 1979, I’ve been doing and loving Physie for 43 years.
Q: What’s your favourite routine and why?
A: I love the contemporary. I love teaching it and I love watching it. As a senior I always loved performing the ‘Impulse’ routine because I could get completely taken away by the music and express the way it made me feel. I love trying to get my students to feel every note and express it as authentically as they can.
Q: What do you love most about teaching Physie?
A: There is nothing like the feeling you get when you help someone else achieve their personal best whether it’s big or small, performing on the floor for the first time or winning nationals. I love that I have been able to make a difference and help contribute to their success. My passion is to teach. I guess that’s why I’m also a school teacher.
Q: What’s your favourite inspirational quote or mantra and why?
A: ‘No excuses. No regrets.’ I have lived by this motto most of my life. It reminds me that to achieve the best of myself requires dedication and perseverance. If I put in the work then, no matter the outcome, I’ll have no regrets.
Q: What’s your favourite Physie memory or moment?
A: The second time I achieved National Champion would be my most memorable. The first time I was a 1st year Senior but the second time was a year I decided to put everything I had into achieving my best. I was in the under 33 Ladies section and I wanted to prove to myself that, if I committed myself physically and mentally, I could once again hold the cup. I can still feel that moment when my number was called.
Q: Who has inspired you the most on your Physie journey and why?
A: Robyn Phillips has been my teacher for over 30 years so she has definitely had a huge impact on the teacher I am today. I was also very fortunate to be mentored as a young judge by Judy Spence, Betty Graham, Bev Edwards, Lynne Sadd and Jackie Rawlings. While judging with me, each of these ladies taught me something not only about judging but also about teaching. These experiences definitely influenced me and my teaching style.
Q: Where is your club located in Australia?
A: We are located at Catherine Park which is in the Camden Shire, southwest of Sydney.
Q: What’s your advice for anyone thinking of becoming a Physie teacher?
A: I was 19 years old when I first started teaching. I was hesitant and scared that I wasn’t going to be good enough. I took on the challenge, learned everything I could from those I regarded as the best and dedicated my life to helping others believe in themselves. Becoming a Physie teacher was one of the best decisions I ever made. It shaped my whole life. It gave me the confidence to choose teaching as a career. If you’re considering becoming a physie teacher, I encourage you to take up the challenge. Believe in yourself and others will too. No excuses, No regrets!
Heidi Boardman Performing Art Gallery
Photography: Heidi Boardman
DID YOU KNOW…
Back in the 1930s it was popular to use props in physical culture, a little like today’s rhythmic
What’s In The Physie Shop?!
Physie Rhinestone Travel Cup Keep your drinks hot or cold with these double walled stainless steel travel cups.
Did you know…
The position called “neck rest” is 116 years old. Here’s a photo of some young boys at