Jane Khoo was frustrated. Three years ago she graduated from Melbourne University and took full advantage of her studies, taking up a position as a clinical neuropsychologist. It was a natural progression, and she’d worked hard for it. But she missed dancing.

“I had danced since I was a child, and although I knew I couldn’t be a professional dancer, I still wanted to explore my love of dancing,” Khoo explains. She discovered she wasn’t the only professional experiencing a dearth in creativity.

“Some friends and I decided to create Flare Dance Company as a result. It grew out of frustration and a need for a creative outlet.”

Flare Dance Company started with seven participants bouncing around Boroondara’s community centres creating and exploring various forms of dance. Today, the company is 30-strong and is the first dance company to be supported by the Boroondara Council.

“We’re grateful for the support of the community and the council,” Khoo says. “We aim to give the residents of the community a chance to see quality performance in their backyard. All the works are original, choreographed through the company, and that’s been part of our success. Most of us have been dancing since we were kids, and the standard of our dancing is really very good.”

Flare Dance Company allows amateurs, adults and emerging dancers a platform for their work. This year the company participated in the Melbourne Fringe Festival and is currently working on its annual production Reflections. It comprises 16 short original works choreographed through the company, with part of the proceeds going to support Alzheimer’s Australia Vic. The performances draw from a variety of dance forms and cultures, making a lively whole. Those attending can expect the drama of Latin dance, Peruvian folk salsa, the beauty of classical Indian and the intoxication of Shanghai in the 1940s. It’s an experience.

“That’s part of the process,” Khoo says. “It’s about the entire performance experience. Flare offers a nurturing and non-competitive performance experience.”

Khoo pauses before laughing. “It really is good to be creative. It’s fun.”