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Barbara Lanik was born in Vienna, Austria, and started dance lessons at the age of four. She was soon performing at every possible opportunity, from school plays, which included playing Balu in a production of "The Jungle Book", to dance recitals in local community centres.
In 1996, at the age of twelve, her family moved to Florida where she and her younger brother Niki (now a successful race driver) attended Delphi Academy to learn English and continue their education. Barbara soon found herself new like-minded friends and on with the dancing and performing.
Three years later, in 1999, came the move back to Europe, but this time to England. Now fluent in English and German, Barbara carried on her academic studies and graduated from Greenfields School with Honors in 2004. All this time she attended Greenfields' Dance Academy in the evenings and on the weekends and started taking drama and singing lessons which earned her the school's Singing Cup in 2003. She was seen in many local amateur productions such as "Chess", "Magic of the Musicals", "Turandot" at the Hawth Crawley and the well-known annual "Christmas Lights Concert", taking on the roles of Mary Poppins, Demeter from "CATS" and more.
After a gap year involving some travelling, web design work and more dancing and singing, Barbara was accepted into Laine Theatre Arts, a prestigious performing arts college in Epsom, South of London.
Barbara graduated in July 2008 and was awarded her diploma in professional Musical Theatre with Honors and her teaching qualifications in Ballet. She was also presented with the Girls' Progress Award for 2008 by Miss Laine, founder and headmistress of the college.
The rest of the year was spent auditioning, getting an agent and continuing her training in London, exploring the world of film and TV acting at the International School of Screen Acting. She also took part at an International Arts Festival in Sussex as the featured dancer at Classical Night, presenting her own choreography throughout the week, singing, teaching jive and working with young artists.
A successful off West End production of "A Christmas Carol" by company Giant Olive, directed by Ray Shell and choreographed by Donna King, came next, followed by a Comedy Cabaret as a featured singer to start 2009.
Other projects up to date include playing Titania in an out-door production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", being featured as a dancer at an internationl concert, several cabaret/corporate performances in Sussex and gigging with The Jive Aces, one of UK's top swing and jive bands. at venues such as the Pigalle Club in London.
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