From Tax returns to the dance floor: meet the Accountant who’s a Dancing star
At Consilium, we love celebrating the successes of our team members and showcasing their interests outside of work. In our latest People insight, we took a rare opportunity to sit down with the energetic Rachel Hendry to learn about her dual careers in Tax and all-star dance.
Rachel, you balance your time as a Tax specialist for Consilium Chartered Accountants and a member of an all-star dance team. Tell us a bit about your dual careers.
I’m a member of the Consilium Personal Tax team and when I’m not helping clients with their tax queries, I’m part of an all-star dance team, Firebird Dance Company (FBDC).
We train and compete throughout the year with the ultimate objective of securing an invite—known as a bid—to the annual World Championships in Florida, USA. Like any high-intensity sport, it is a time-consuming pursuit.
What does all-star dance involve?
It comprises four categories of dance: pom, hip-hop, jazz, and lyrical. Some people might be familiar with the cheerleading version, which appears in the Netflix series “Cheer”.
Each season we enter regional competitions in Scotland and England to secure a bid for the Worlds as they are known. Some bids come with funding included which is like the golden ticket. Others are open and the winning club will need to fundraise for travel costs, accommodation and anything related to getting to and competing at the World Championships. We compete in five to six competitions each season in the lead-up to the Worlds. Each team needs a bid to qualify for the next year’s World Championships.
So, what came first; your love of dancing or your love of numbers?
Dance came first! Dancing has always been something I’ve done, ever since I was little. Once I joined FBDC it became my goal to qualify for the Worlds. Now it’s become something of a healthy addiction!
Trying to secure qualification and then going each year is a massive buzz. Then it is about finishing in the division top three to qualify for the grand final and hopefully, with a bit of luck, becoming a World Champion. In my 27-year dance career, I’ve managed to finish in the top four at the Worlds (in 2022 and 2023) but have not quite managed to make it to the podium, yet. Making the podium is now what drives me on.
Competition is fierce and only the top three teams from each country are allowed to compete in a dance category final. The finals then comprise 10 to 15 teams from around the world. The top three teams are awarded a gold, silver or bronze globe and the team members take home medals and winners’ rings which are very American and very bling!
For a Scottish team, even a UK team out with the hip-hop division, finishing in the top three is rare. That’s simply because the sport is so massive in the USA and Japan. Most of the time teams from the USA and Japan dominate the finals and finish in the top three in each of the categories. Last year, however, our jazz team became division World Champions and the first non-US or Japanese team to achieve that.
My interest in numbers and eventually Tax came second but I’m passionate about that too. I’ve always enjoyed numbers and as you might expect, maths was my favourite subject at school. Even though I completed a science degree at university I think I was always destined to pursue a career in accountancy. It is a genuinely interesting and engaging line of work.
I like that I’m always learning. Tax is constantly changing, so each day is different, and you are always evolving personally and professionally. There are a lot of similarities in that sense; in accountancy and dance you are always learning and growing. Whether that is new tax legislation or new dance routines, you are always aiming to improve.
When did you decide that you wanted to pursue both interests?
A while back I took a year out from dancing when I was working in Edinburgh. I ended up missing it so much and didn’t know what to do with my time! I’m training three to four nights a week and it does consume so much of my life, but I really enjoy it. That was when I knew I needed to get back to it and find a firm that was supportive of my dual careers. Now I’m at Consilium, I think I’ll only stop dancing when my body doesn’t let me do it anymore.
How do you juggle two passions that require a lot of time and commitment?
The flexibility available at Consilium has been important to finding the right work-life balance. As a Tax specialist, December and January are inevitably very busy and it is all about delivering for our clients. Our dance season starts in February so that cranks up the intensity even more!
Everyone here is very supportive and options like hybrid working, and flexitime really help. There is a great team spirit and camaraderie that helps during those pinch points. But sometimes, in both cases, you just need to knuckle down, power through and keep taking your vitamins and ginger shots!
What do you think you take from each of your careers that benefits the other?
The ability to work well as part of a team is essential to both. I’ve been involved in teams for so long that I feel like it is second nature. Being part of a team is something I enjoy and working towards that common goal, whether it’s a dance competition win or completing a project for a client, gives me a real kick.
I think the ability to prioritise and manage workload is essential for both as well. I needed to be disciplined as I worked and studied to achieve my professional qualifications in Tax. Similarly, I need to be disciplined about my dance training and client work.
Were your dual careers a factor in deciding to join Consilium Chartered Accountants?
I knew that work-life balance is a big focus for Consilium and that there is a real sense of trust and give and take. I wanted to work for a firm that would support me to pursue both interests. In previous roles that wasn’t the case but now I’m in a supportive and positive environment.
Everyone here at Consilium champions me and takes a genuine interest in my dancing. People here are interested in what we all get up to outside of work and it’s great to share my passion with others. The company culture is one that appreciates and respects what I do and the commitment it takes.
Flexible working options, support around leave for competitions and generally maintaining that work-life balance are all features of your life at Consilium. As I said, the company trusts team members to do a great job for clients. How we can best do that is unique to each of us and that is recognised and encouraged at Consilium.
What’s on the horizon for you in the coming months both in tax and dancing?
The next few months are critical for the Personal Tax team, and we want to do the best for our clients in the run-up to January. For dance, we are building and working on new routines ahead of the competitions starting in February. It is an intense period for me but thankfully work slows down a bit after the January push and creates a bit more space for dancing.
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