Emma Bedoukian
About Emma Bedoukian
Country of Residence: New Zealand
Graduating Year: 2000
I was born in New Zealand and am married to Josh. We have three children – Tyler 12, Beau and Eve (twins) who are 9 years old. I love the outdoors, a good cup of a tea and anything that has do with creating and creativity. I have a love for ballet that started when I was 6 years old, with my first ballet class in a repurposed garage, this love still endures to this day where I attend a weekly adult ballet class and still attempt a grand jete! I love to read and to go on ‘adventures’ together as a family.
So, a little bit about my time at college. I left NZ without having ever been on a plane before (!) to attend C3 College from 1998-2000. During that time, I completed three years of study, achieving an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Dance. I met Josh at College whilst in my second year - he was supposed to be on a backpacking holiday but ended up staying to study music, as life turned out. We both graduated in 2000 and got married in 2001.
From there I went on to teach within the Dance Faculty and took on the roles of Assistant Faculty Head and then Faculty Head of Dance. College was a time of personal growth and development on many levels. It was a while back now, but I certainly remember it being a time of establishing a personal walk with God that was my own as well as forming some broader world-views having arrived from a small provincial town to the big city.
It was challenging and rewarding. It was a time of establishing myself as an artist and understanding the value of art and its place in the world. It fostered a love for ‘purpose’ and a desire to align myself to it in whatever way I could. It was a place of finding key friendships and mentors and family away from family. It was a time of truly viewing myself as a creative and being in a community that encouraged and developed that.
College was a safe place in which to develop as an artist and a leader.
In 2007 I left the role of Faculty Head of Dance to have our firstborn, Tyler. I taught at a few other local ballet schools such as Van Loon Dance Academy and before we left to move back to New Zealand in 2017, I spent three years as Head Teacher, teaching and developing curriculum at Little Lights Dance.
Where am I now? I find myself still asking that question if I’m honest! As mentioned, we moved back to NZ after 20 years of being in Sydney. I am currently working for an IT company in Wellington which, is not an industry I ever expected to be working in!
However in this season of my life I am learning that as a creative I can function as a creative wherever I may be, and that God has allowed opportunities for me to outwork that creativity even within this current job. I have been able to work on designing marketing collateral, have helped the company design and launch a new website and other little bits here and there.
College were formative years for me as a person and I know it has helped shape who I am as a person today. No doubt I unknowingly draw upon many, many things I have learnt during my time as a student, a lecturer and a leader that continue to help me today.
This season in my life doesn’t see me dancing, teaching or leading as I have done previously. But, as an IT company worker by day, I now spend my downtime, where possible, with a pencil and notebook in hand attempting to express life in words. Like dance, writing is movement to me.
And even better if I can do this outdoors!
