Returning to Australia after a five-year stint in the UK, international ballet principal Matthew Lawrence is ready to do much more than dance in a state of sunshine.

By Paul Ransom.

Most Australians would understand why someone would want to bail out of the English winter to the permanent warmth of Brisbane, but weather is not the only reason Matthew Lawrence is leaving his principal role with the Birmingham Royal Ballet to join Queensland Ballet.

A Kiwi by birth but trained here, Lawrence joined the flagship Australian Ballet in 2003 before decamping to the English midlands in 2008. Along the way he picked up Green Room nominations, won a People’s Choice Award and established himself on the world stage. Now, with his dancer wife and newborn in tow, he returns to these shores as the new Principal Dancer under the directorship of Li Cunxin (of Mao’s Last Dancer fame) at one of the country’s leading companies.

“The big attraction was dancing for Li and his exciting vision for Queensland Ballet,” he states simply. “Also, with my young family, it means being closer to family and having an outdoor, vitamin D-rich lifestyle.”

Matthew Lawrence. Photo by Richard Batty.

As someone who has lived and danced in both the European and Antipodean ballet cultures, Lawrence is probably better placed than most to contrast and compare. “You can get extremely convoluted discussing the Australian versus European differences,” he acknowledges with a hint of wry, dry humour. “But I’d say the major difference that influences European dancers is the huge diversity of dance styles all available within walking distance.”

If Matthew Lawrence sounds a little guarded here, it’s because he has more reason than most dancers to be careful about spouting easy opinion. In between dancing lead roles in classics like Romeo & Juliet and Giselle, Lawrence puts fingers on keys as a dance writer. He reveals that he has been writing “seriously for a couple of years” for periodicals and websites, most notably the prestigious, century-old, UK-based monthly Dancing Times.

The twin roles, he admits, create an inevitable tension. “Being a dancer and a dance commentator I have to be careful,” he explains. “Having said that, I enjoy broaching some of ballet’s traditional taboos – like dancer health and the relationship between conductor and dance – in a less emotive, more factual way. I just have to careful at which point, if at all, I bring myself into the article.”

One of the more “touchy” issues in the Australian context is the particular relevance and function of smaller companies like Queensland Ballet, when we have the internationally lauded, 50-year-old national Australian Ballet.

Lawrence is unsurprisingly adamant on this point, perhaps not merely because he is joining the company but because he has just spent five years in Birmingham with a UK regional company.

Matthew Lawrence as the Prince and Gaylene Cummerfield as the Sugar Plum Fairy in ‘The Nutcracker’. Photo by Bill Cooper.

“Well now,” he begins, clearly fired up, “that sounds like you’re insinuating that Queensland Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, by virtue of their size, title and budget, aren’t as good as their national representatives. That is certainly not the case.”

However, this is not the cue for simple comparison. “I won’t be dragged into stating the various pros and cons of dance companies, but I will say that some of the finest art and performances have come from some of these smaller companies,” he adds. “Smaller companies also often reflect, more aptly than larger companies, their region’s interests and culture.”

Which brings us back to Queensland Ballet’s newly-appointed, high profile Artistic Director Li Cunxin; a man who clearly has a vision for 2013 and beyond. Apart from recruiting two international dance stars (Lawrence and former Houston principal Huang Jun Shuang), Cunxin will be pivoting his first year at the company around a trio of classics: Cinderella, Nutcracker and Giselle. Whilst this might sound a tad safe, there is little doubt that Cunxin’s appointment is a watershed for one of Australia’s three remaining professional ballet companies; a company, it must be said, that is two years older than the national company.

As for Matthew Lawrence, his 2013 goals are much more straightforward. “I’d just like to get to 2014 in one piece,” he jokes. Doubtless, his young family and new company comrades will heartily concur.

Photo(top): Matthew Lawrence performing as Oberon in The Dream. Photo by Bill Cooper. 

By Rebecca Martin.

The Imperial Russian Ballet’s lead dancers will be returning to Australia in April as part of OperaMania – a fusion of ballet and opera. OperaMania features ten singers from Moscow Novaya Opera, a 44 piece symphony orchestra and four Imperial Russian Ballet soloists.

Ballerina Yaraslova Araptanova trained at the Perm Ballet School in Russia before joining the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre firstly as a soloist for nine years, then as a lead soloist. She was then invited to work in the Imperial Russian Ballet as a lead dancer alongside her husband Alexander Volkov. They have both enjoyed great success with Australian audiences on more than one occasion and look forward to returning to our shores with OperaMania, where they will perform two adagios from Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker. Yaroslava will also dance the legendary Dying Swan by Saint-Saens.

This will be Yaroslava’s third tour to Australia, but on this trip she is hoping to find time to visit one of our wildlife parks and to meet with the Australian public. In anticipation of their tour, Yaraslova and Alexander spoke to Dance Informa from Moscow…

Yaroslava Araptanova performing in ‘Swan Lake’ with The Imperial Russian Ballet.

What has been your favourite role to dance so far?

Yaraslova
I love all of my roles. It’s just that some are performed more often. I dance almost the entire classical repertoire. I really like performances where the drama is brighter and where throughout the performance the character of my role develops.

Alexander
I really like the role of the Poet in the one-act ballet by George Balanchine, La Sonnambula, directed by Bart Cook and Maria Caligari from the world famous New York City Ballet. The music is by Vittorio Rieti and uses themes from various operas of Bellini. In the duet Balanchine shows a psychological relationship between the Poet and La Sonnambula (the sleepwalker). It ends sadly when the Poet is stabbed, but the audience is much more struck by how the fragile singer La Sonnambula is able to raise the Poet from the floor and hold him in her arms.

From the classical repertoire, I especially like the role of Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake and the brilliant work for the character of Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty. Of character dances I enjoy the Spanish roles, such as Basil in Don Quixote.

What role would you most like to dance and in which theatre?

Yaraslova
That would be Giselle. My dream is to perform the entire ballet. I have danced fragments and single acts, but I have not done the whole ballet. I look forward to any new role. It is always a great gift. With a new role there is the birth of a new character who uncovers something new in me – it’s hard to compare it with anything.

Alexander
In the course of my work my dream has been to teach. I have a huge repertoire and I bow to the entire group of my brilliant, great teachers. I could speak about each of them without end. I have studied in Japan and in America. I want to pass on the experience I have gained as I have something to share.

Yaroslava Araptanova performs in ‘Swan Lake.’

What is the hardest thing about being a dancer?

Yaraslova
I think it is the discipline – every day maintaining your diet, the work regime and rest. On tour every day we have make-up, costumes, performances and travel, and all by the clock.

What is the best part?

Yaraslova
That would be the gratitude of the audience. It’s a good performance when the viewers are pleased and you understand that your labour is in demand. Flowers and creative fulfillment!

How do you spend your time when not dancing?

Yaraslova
On the road, when there’s free time, I try to see the country and get to know new culture, monuments and museums. At home, my baby Yaroslav is my most important treasure. I study arts part-time at a university, specifically how to run a ballet troupe. In the future, I want to teach. I have a lot to share but I need a degree and am working on it now. And both at work and in leisure, I spend time with my husband of the past nine years.

Have you danced in any other opera productions before?

Yaraslova
In operas there are dance segments. Many operas include ballet scenes. There are always a lot of people with the choir and soloists, so you have to be very careful not to get lost on stage and avoid crashing into the crowd. If a ballet is inserted into an opera to add meaning, they adorn the action. In some operas ballet divertissements can be seen. In previous centuries, this tradition was extensive.

Participating in the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre production of The Seven Deadly Sins by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht with director Radu Poklitaru was an extraordinary experience. We were on the stage with opera singers who did the dance moves. I not only danced, but also recited phrases. He presented sounds and movements in a modern style. In the Imperial Russian Ballet we do a ballet cantata Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, staged by Mai Murdmaa.

See OperaMania in Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Canberra or Brisbane. Visit www.operamania.com.au for more information and tickets.

Interview translation by Tatiana Cherkasskaya.

Photo (top): Yaroslava Araptanova. Photo by Nadya Pyastolova. Photos courtesy of Emma Collison Publicity.

By Linda Badger

Amy Campbell came to national attention during her time on So You Think You Can Dance Australia, but she was no novice before her exposure on the show, already having worked professionally for ten years in the industry. Amy is now an even more sought after performer, choreographer and teacher and is still definitely one to watch.

Recently, Dance Informa’s Linda Badger chatted with the talented and effervescent Amy about her life as a professional dancer, where she has come from and where she is going.

Tell us a little bit about your training.

I am originally from the Central Coast, NSW, where I trained in a little school called Gosford City School of Dance, which my sister now owns. Both my sisters are ex-dancers and I only went because my older sister went – I thought I was missing out on something! I completed my ballet exams through Tanya Pearson’s Classical Coaching Academy in Sydney, finished school at Newtown Performing Arts High, did circus training with Brophy’s Circus School and completed my formal training with the International Student Visa Program at Broadway Dance Center.

How did the ISVP at Broadway Dance Center come about for you?

I came out of my first musical, auditioned for the next one, and I didn’t get through the first round. I thought “I’ve just done a show!” I thought I was ready for it, but I didn’t even make the first cut. So I took that as a big sign to continue my training. I moved to New York for about a year and did the six month ISVP Program. I took amazing, diverse classes, like technically-based classes of ballet and theatre as well as afro-jazz, hip-hop, JFH and everything else that they offered there. It was a really great, high quality program. I was so stimulated by the experience. I still take class because dance as a style evolves. You have got to be able to stay current – you never stop training. The second you stop doing technique it is the first thing to go.

Have you worked overseas?

I did my first trip dancing overseas when I was 14, which was doing ballet in Japan on an exchange. Once I was out of high school I danced with the Royal Caribbean cruise line for 18 months, then came back to Australia and did my first musical. Then back to New York.

I danced all over the world with Royal Caribbean. That’s where I first started training on silks. This month I am going to Abu Dhabi for the first time to dance with Kylie Minogue.

Career highlights?

Definitely studying in NY was a highlight. It helped me decide that this is definitely what I want to do, even though I had already worked and had some success. So You Think You Can Dance was amazing for me. I hadn’t worked for some of those choreographers, and now I get to call them friends and work with them. It was also a major step for me in terms of really creating a profile – there are lots of 5-foot-4-inch brunette dancers out there! I was excited about dancing for Kylie Minogue at Mardi Gras. On top of being amazing, she is like a childhood idol. I loved doing Fame the musical, it was a really unique cast with lots of my friends. I have loved assisting Kelley Abbey on I Will Survive. That’s a major milestone for me. To learn [from] somebody so legendary in the industry is awesome.

Most confronting or challenging role that you have had to do?

I understudied Talia Fowler in Fame. Growing up, I always loved ballet but knew I was never great at it, so to be compared to a ballerina en pointe was kind of confronting because she is a stunning dancer. To have to try and live up to that, knowing ballet is not my strength, was challenging. I had to do eight shows on my own, so putting on pointe shoes and worrying about the line of my feet and all of that kind of thing was hard. In the end, I loved it because it involved acting, singing and doing all these scenes with lots of pas de deux work, which I love.

I think my dancer doubt drives me. You can either let that get to you or you can use it to motivate you, so I try most of the time to use it to motivate me.

Where do you go for your choreographic inspiration?

It can come in any form, be it a picture or a certain song. When I’m teaching and giving master classes, it is usually musically driven. If it’s a piece for a performance then it could come from an image I’ve seen or a story I’ve read, or something that I was feeling that day. I try to watch a lot of dance on the internet, good, bad or different, just to open my mind to everyone’s creativity. Whilst I would never, ever recommend copying anything, you are definitely allowed to be inspired by other people’s work.

Where would you like to take your choreography?

I’d love to be involved in a theatrical concept show. Not quite like a Cirque du Soleil show, but that kind of show where it’s about creating new things and you have a blank canvas. I think that’s exciting. It would be nice to make a living from doing what I do and not be restricted by “Amy’s that type of choreographer,” which limits you to “that type of job.” It would be cool to just be known as a creative person. In Australia we don’t box ourselves. The work is so diverse you can’t just be one type of dancer or choreographer.

Top three things that are essential to your work?

Music: in every form.
Passion: it’s too hard to do and create when you are not passionate about what you do.
Fun: I think you always have to have fun with what you do because it’s so hard, and a lot of it is out of your control.
And probably some water…And a good pair of socks!

So what are you doing at the moment? 

This has really been a great year for me. I have been fortunate enough to be crazy busy. I did a magic show at the Opera House at the start of the year, with a really great company that I used to work for many years ago, (I’ve also done magic and illusion in my career – I’ve been impaled, I’ve levitated, I’ve been the “Ta-da!” girl.) Among other things, I’ve worked a lot for The Squared Division this year and I assisted Kelly Abbey on I Will Survive. I was cast as the dance captain on Everybody Dance Now. Although that didn’t last very long it was a really great role to be cast in. I’ve been working on Dance Academy season three, and then I am off to Abu Dhabi to dance with Kylie Minogue again. Next year I am doing King Kong: The Musical…so I can’t complain, I’m really lucky.

I am happy to work and learn off anyone really. There’s always something to be learnt. If there’s an opportunity, I’d love to move to the other side completely. I will still dance for as long as I physically can, but creating really stimulates me as well.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I would love it to be that I believe in dance as an art form, that I am passionate about dancers, educating dancers and creating dances. I am totally mad about dance, I always have been, and I think it’s important to recognise what we do and be passionate about it, and to never stop learning. You can never know enough in dance because it evolves way too quickly.

I like to share, be that collaborating with people or sharing my knowledge, because if people don’t support each other then our industry is never going to get any better. Yes, we fight against each other for jobs, I lose out to my best friend, and she loses out to me – that’s the nature of the game. But you’ve got to support each other. Otherwise it’s a dying art form.

Photos courtesy of Amy Campbell.

By Kristy Johnson.

The Addams Family will be making its musical debut this year in Sydney on March 23^rd. The freakishly fun production will feature all the signature characters and stay true to the quirky original theme. In celebration of the news, Dance Informa caught up with Chloe Dallimore and Teagan Wouters who will play the roles of ‘Morticia’ and ‘Wednesday Addams’.

Chloe Dallimore

Congratulations Chloe on landing the role of Morticia Addams! Do you enjoy playing roles in family favourites like Annie and The Addams Family ?
I think the beauty of something like Annie or The Addams Family is that people already know (the story), and they have a sense of what they might expect. They come with that to the theatre, which is terrific, but it also adds pressure as a performer to make sure that the characters that people have loved and grown up with are portrayed as genuinely, and with as much integrity and love as possible. We don’t want people walking away going, “oh that’s not what I imagined”. We want them to feel as if they’re being totally transported into that family or story that they have loved so much. So it’s a big responsibility, whereas with something like Chicago or Sweet Charity it’s a little more of a blank canvas and the audience is not so familiar with the specifics of the show.

When reading reviews of your performances, critics make note of your great comic timing. Have you always considered acting to be one of your great strengths?
I began as a dancer, so that’s the thing that seems to come most naturally for me. Singing was next and then the acting was something I discovered in my late teens. I think comedy depends so much on the other performers around you as well. We’ve all seen comedy sketches where all the performers just gel incredibly well. So I’ve been very lucky in my comedic roles to be cast with other actors who also have brilliant acting instinct. I’ve learnt so much from them and the audience teaches you a lot about acting. You’re always trying to fine-tune the audiences understanding of the character. So acting is something I probably work hardest on when I’m preparing for a role, and I try to be as instinctive as possible.

Speaking of other great actors, how was it working alongside Todd McKenney in Annie?
We’ve had a fantastic time together. Probably the greatest thing about working with him is his ability to bound onto that stage with 300% energy every single night, no matter what kind of day he’s had. You feel that energy next to you and you have to meet it. He’s also wonderful at talking constantly about how we can improve something. He’s very open and very generous, so I think it’s been a very successful and wonderful working partnership.

How do you ensure you’re in peak condition during performance season? Do you try and fit in dance classes here and there?
The difficulty I have is that I move around so much that it’s very hard to commit to certain dance classes. Another part of my life is Pilates and Xtend Barre. Xtend Barre is a really safe way of working out with all your Pilates principles. It really targets the muscles but protects all the joints so you can keep your body safe and still challenge it to its maximum. Not only am I teaching it, but I also put myself through my own Pilates and Xtend Barre practice every day. I find that it offers me the opportunity at this stage in my life to strengthen and keep my body strong, toned and flexible, without fatiguing myself before the eight shows a week.

Chloe is currently teaching Xtend Barre classes at Emergy Pilates Lounge in Sydney. Visit www.emergypilates.com.au

Teagan Wouters

Congratulations Teagan on securing the role of ‘Wednesday Addams’! How excited are you to be part of this production?
I’m so excited! I can’t wait for it to start quite frankly! I’m thrilled.

Can you tell us about the audition process?
I initially auditioned in December [2011] for the musical director and the casting agent. That was my first audition and then I got a call back a couple of months later to audition with the American creative. It was a really fast audition! I worked with them for maybe 20 minutes or so. It was a really simple process, which was good. I wouldn’t say it wasn’t hard though. I had to prepare two songs from the show and sing those, and there were about four scenes from the show that I also had to do.

Do you think your study in musical theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts prepared you well for this role?
Absolutely! I think any sort of study that is about the theatre is going to help you with auditions, researching roles, and all that kind of thing. I’m definitely very grateful for my training at the VCA.

When do rehearsals begin?
We haven’t started yet. We don’t start rehearsing until the end of January.

Have you met the rest of the cast yet?
I’ve met a couple of them at the launch. I’ve met Chloe Dallimore, Meredith O’Reilly and a few others. Everyone’s lovely and I think it’s going to be a really fun cast to work with.

Do you feel any pressure working alongside performers who have been in the industry for a long time?
I don’t think I feel pressure. I think it’s definitely a case of being so excited to work with people of their calibre! I’m sure I will learn a whole heap off them. I’m really excited about it.

Would you say musical theatre is your passion? Are musicals what you would like to continue doing?
Yes, I think so. I studied musical theatre so I think it’s my ultimate passion. I wouldn’t mind getting into TV and film though. I really like the vibe of the live audience; seeing their reactions and the feeling you get from performing live. I do think this is where I will begin and probably end up.

The Addams Family opens at the Capitol Theatre Sydney, March 2013. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. Visit www.ticketmaster.com.au or call 1300 723 038 for bookings. www.addamsfamilythemusical.com.au

WIN A DOUBLE PASS!
Dance Informa has 2 Double Passes to giveaway to the preview performance of The Addams Family at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney on Tuesday March 19.

To Enter: Email info@danceinforma.com with your Name, Date of Birth, Email Address, Postal Address and Phone Number and answer this question: “Who will play Morticia Addams in the Australian production of The Addams Family?”
Entries close Feb 20.

Top photo: The Australian cast of The Addams Family musical. Photo by James Morgan.

It’s Summer again!
Time for holidays, beach parties and….SUMMER SCHOOLS!

Check out Dance Informa’s Summer Dance Guide, outlining the best dance summer schools across Australia.

Find out where you can learn something new, meet new friends, make industry connections and develop your technique. Just click on the cover below:

Need a little holiday shopping inspiration?

Check out Dance Informa’s Christmas Must Haves guide full of great gift ideas for the dancers and dance teachers in your life.

Click on the image below and get shopping!

Merry Christmas readers!

By Rain Francis.

In the Australian Ballet’s 50^th year Dance Informa is celebrating the company by highlighting the Ballet’s Principal Dancers each edition. This edition Dance Informa speaks with two of the company’s leading male dancers, Andrew Killian and Daniel Gaudiello.

Click to catch up on last edition’s interviews with Madeleine Eastoe, Adam Bull and Lana Jones, October’s feature of Lucinda Dunn, Yosvani Ramos and Leanne Stojmenov or September’s feature of Rachel Rawlins, Kevin Jackson and Amber Scott.

Andrew Killian

Born and raised in the suburbs of Melbourne, Andrew Killian says he was never very good at sitting still. Fortunately, for a Principal artist with The Australian Ballet, sitting still is not high on the list of necessary skills.

What’s your first memory of dance, or the first time you knew you wanted to be a dancer?

My earliest memory of dancing is as a child jumping around to my father’s records in the living room at home. When I was in year 11 in high school I really decided I would try to make dance my career.

When did you join The Australian Ballet, and when did you become a Principal artist?

I joined The Australian Ballet in 2000 and did a few years in each of the ranks. I was promoted to Principal artist in March of 2011.

Andrew Killian, principal dancer The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund.

What was your first role as Principal? 

It was opening night of the Sydney season of the triple bill British Liaisons in 2011. I danced Christopher Wheeldon’s After The Rain and Sir Kenneth Macmillan’s Concerto – both are great ballets.

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

Apart from having danced in some the greatest cities in the world, I think the moment I’m most proud of was being promoted to Principal artist, with all my family watching. It was something I had wanted for many years. It was so great for my family to share that with me. They have seen the sacrifices that have made it possible.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with, and why?

I have never danced any Forsythe work, that would be a challenge, and I’m looking forward to La Sylphide next year. I think the Australian production of this ballet is so beautiful.

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

I do love to sit on the couch and do nothing when I can, but in my time off I also try to travel. Experiencing other cultures and their history is inspiring.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

That’s a really hard question, because dance has always been my focus. I think I would still be in the theatre, maybe with the circus or something that involves crazy and talented people.

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Jiří Kylián is the master in my eyes, both as a dancer or an audience member.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Being away when there are birthdays and weddings of family and friends – you miss a few of these things when you travel so much.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

If you love to dance then you are halfway there. You can’t do it without passion.

What do you love most about your job?

I get to travel Australia and the world doing what I love, with beautiful people who have become my second family.

Daniel Gaudiello

In 2003, Brisbane-born Daniel Gaudiello was seconded from The Australian Ballet School to do John Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet. A year later he was accepted into the company. Then, in 2010, he was promoted to Principal artist.  

What’s your first memory of dance, or the first time you knew you wanted to be a dancer?

I remember I went to The Australian Ballet’s production of Madame Butterfly and Divergence. I thought ballet was a bit boring until I saw Divergence and that was the first time I thought about how fun it would be to do ballet! I still love that ballet and it still gives me that feeling.

What was your first role as Principal?

The Silver Rose – and it was the very first three act Principal role I’d ever performed too.

Daniel Gaudiello, Principal dancer The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

A career highlight for me was winning the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award in 2007 and an Australian Dance Award for Coppelia, because both times I had my parents in the audience to share my joy and success. They are usually in Brisbane and miss the big nights I have.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with, and why?

The role of Petrouchka was a special time in my career, when I really let my guard down and let the audience see a side of me that I usually have to hide. It was a release for me and an emotional journey I loved putting myself through.

Which roles are high on your wish list?

Albrecht from Giselle, Onegin from Onegin, any spot in Bella Figura would be a gift, and Romeo again and again!

What is something most people don’t know about the life of a dancer?

For every up there is a down.

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

Camping on the beach, partying with family and friends or hanging out with my wife [Principal artist Lana Jones] and dogs.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

An actor or marine biologist.

Do you have a favourite TV show?

It has to be the series True Blood. I’m just a little bit nuts about it – ask my wife! It would make a great ballet, ha ha!

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Jiří Kylián, he’s a genius, and Marius Petipa – simply magical choreography. Ballet owes its life to him.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

The politics and breaking down the stereotypes that have been created, to make way for new interpretations of roles.

Do you have a quote that means a lot to you?

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we may as well dance.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

Always remember who you are and don’t be afraid to create your own path, otherwise you’ll be following others.

What do you love most about your job?

I love that I will never call it a job, more like a hobby on steroids! If it’s a job for you, you are in the wrong place.

Top photo: Andrew Killian as ‘Onegin’ and Madeleine Eastoe as ‘Tatiana’ in The Australian Ballet’s Onegin  Act 1. Photo ©Branco Gaica

By Rain Francis.

In the Australian Ballet’s 50^th year Dance Informa is celebrating the company by highlighting three of the Ballet’s Principal Dancers each edition. This edition Dance Informa speaks with Madeleine Eastoe, Adam Bull and Lana Jones.

Click to catch up on last edition’s interviews with Lucinda Dunn, Yosvani Ramos and Leanne Stojmenov or September’s feature of Rachel Rawlins, Kevin Jackson and Amber Scott.

Madeleine Eastoe of The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund

Madeleine Eastoe

Perth-born Madeleine is one of Australia’s favourite ballerinas. A graduate of The Australian Ballet School, she joined the company in 1997 and was promoted to Principal in 2005. Her first role as principal, and still one of her favourites to dance, is the title role in Giselle.

What’s your first memory of dance?

Forgetting steps on stage, aged six.

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

Returning to dance after having my daughter Ella.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with, and why?

Giselle because I’m part mad and crazy!

Which roles are high on your wish list?

Manon and Giselle again.

What is something that most people don’t know about the life of a dancer?

Sometimes, rarely, we blank on stage!

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

Hanging out with my family, practising yoga and riding my bike.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

I’m not sure. I’ll be making that decision in the not too distant future.

Do you have a favourite movie? Or a favourite band?

Movie: Room with a View and High Society

Singer: Jeff Buckley

Who is your favourite choreographer?

It’s too hard to single one out.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Being away from family and the constant maintenance of my body.

Do you have a quote or affirmation that helps you through, or that means a lot to you?

When I first performed Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake with Josh Consandine we were the last cast to go on and because it was such an epic production, rather than practice a specific sequence of steps we had the Nike phrase ‘just do it’, to motivate us.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

Continue to redevelop yourself and find new ways to challenge yourself as much as possible.

What do you love most about your job?

The performing, characters, time on stage, the creative partnerships and the friends.

Adam Bull of The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund

Adam Bull

Born and raised in Melbourne, Adam remembers being encouraged to dance by his Grade 1 primary school teacher. Years later, he trained at The Australian Ballet School before joining the company in 2002. Six years later, Adam was promoted to Principal.

What was your first role as principal?

My first principal role was as Colas in La Fille Mal Gardee when I was still in the Corps de Ballet, but my first role as a Principal artist was dancing Grand Pas Classique the night after I was promoted to Principal.

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

Dancing Siegfried in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake in New York, Paris, London and Tokyo.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with, and why?

In every role you try to flesh out the character with your own stories and actions, making every role a reflection of some part of yourself.

Which roles are high on your wish list?

I have slowly ticked off all the roles I’ve ever dreamed of dancing: Onegin, Albrecht in Giselle, Des Grieux in Manon. Every role I’ve enjoyed for different reasons.

What is something that most people don’t know about the life of a dancer?

In one day we may be working on up to five different ballets.

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

Snorkeling at Shelley Beach, Manly.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

A presenter on a show like Getaway!

Do you have a favourite book? Movie? TV series?

Book: The Life of Pi and A Fine Balance

Movie: Life is Beautiful, The Piano and Muriel’s Wedding

TV series: Breaking Bad

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Sir Kenneth MacMillian, Wayne McGregor and Graeme Murphy

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Maintaining your body in peak condition 365 days a year.

Do you have a quote or affirmation that helps you through, or that means a lot to you?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

The quote above has served me well.

What do you love most about your job?

The environment in which I work every day. I’m surrounded by the most talented, inspiring, funny, generous people.

Lana Jones of The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund

Lana Jones

Born in Canberra, Lana became a Principal artist in 2010, performing the Rose Fairy in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker. The highlight of her career so far is her most recent role, Odette/Odile in Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake.

What’s your first memory of dance?

My first memory of dance is more to do with the ballet uniform. I loved the white leotard and lycra white cross over, and of course the little white chiffon skirt. At age five, I felt so the part!

Describe your journey with The Australian Ballet.

I joined The Australian Ballet in 2002 and was gratefully always kept busy and worked really hard at being the best I could be in everything that I danced. It was so exciting when I started getting feature roles and understudying the roles I had always dreamt of dancing, and then eventually performing them. I feel enriched in all the diverse roles I have danced and they have all shaped the dancer I am today.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with?

I think it would have to be Juliet (in Romeo & Juliet) because she is passionate and willing to take chances.

Which roles are high on your wish list?

Manon and Giselle.

What is something that most people don’t know about the life of a dancer?

That you can’t just take a sick day as it will affect at least ten or more people.

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

I love being physical, so being outdoors, maybe at the beach, with my husband and my two dogs.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

Hopefully a photographer or a nurse.

Who is your favourite choreographer?

I adore the classics like John Cranko and Sir Kenneth MacMillian, but Jiří Kylián is also sublime.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

When you are having a really bad show and you have to keep going out on stage when all you want to do is run away.

Do you have a quote or affirmation that helps you through, or that means a lot to you?

Have the confidence to be yourself.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

Ballet does not come without complete dedication, but if you’re willing and motivated then it definitely has its rewards.

What do you love most about your job?

Transporting audiences to a world where they can escape on a journey with you. I love escaping and telling a story as a character. I also love the physicality of ballet. It’s amazing what our bodies can do!

Top photo: Lana Jones, Rudy Hawkes, Adam Bull and Amber Scott in Gemini, The Australian Ballet. Photo by Jeff Busby.

By Kristy Johnson.

When you think of Christopher Scott, more comes to mind than just a choreographer – he’s a dance innovator and storyteller. This can be seen in his choreography for the latest Step Up franchise, Revolution.

A familiar face on screen, Chris has lent his hand to Fox’s number one hit competition series in the US, So You Think You Can Dance, for which he received his first Emmy nomination at this year’s awards.

Dance Informa caught up with Chris to chat about the success of Step Up Revolution.

How was the experience of choreographing for Step Up Revolution?

I started off my role in the franchise as the character ‘Hair’ in Step Up 2: The Streets. So being behind the camera five years later was a little surreal! It made the experience extremely special. Not to mention getting to create routines with some of the most incredible dancers in the world, all while working under supervising choreographer Jamal Sims, who just happens to be one of my mentors, director Scott Speer, who set an endless idea of what we could do in this film, and executive producer Adam Shankman, who has been such a big part of bringing dancers to the forefront as he’s a dancer himself. And three months in Miami! Basically it was a dream job!

Christopher Scott. Photos by Gabriel Goldberg.

Which parts of the choreography did you have a hand in?

I was in charge of choreographing the ‘Office Plaza Mob’, with 65 dancers in suits shutting down an office building in a display of protest. I also had a part in the ‘Museum Mob’. Jamal Sims gave me the piece to choreograph with the Hoberman Spheres (expanding 3D spheres) featuring Twitch. Then we all came together for the finale where I was in charge of Adam Sevani’s section with the riot shields, the b-boy section and Madd Chadd’s robotic police officer section.

How inspiring was it to be in Miami?

Miami is a really inspiring place for art! It has such a strong culture that being there really influenced the outcome of the choreography in some ways.

Is the Miami dance scene very different to LA?

I actually know a lot of dancers in LA from Miami, so I felt very at home there. I have to say though, some of the best b-boys in the world come from Miami! They call it ‘Flava Florida’ and if you have ever seen Skill Methodz Crew, Flipside Kings or other Miami crews, you might know what I’m talking about.

Some dance movies don’t always do so well at the box office. Why do you think the Step Up franchise is always such a great success?

I think the fact that it was a franchise built by dancers and people who genuinely love dance. The executive producer Adam Shankman, and Anne Fletcher who directed the first installment, have had an amazing dance and choreography career of their own. Then comes along Jon M. Chu, who directed the second and third installments. He put so much care into making sure the dance was authentic and shot in a way not to distract from the dancers but to enhance them. He also just happens to be an amazing storyteller and I think he plays a huge role in the success of the franchise.

How important has the Step Up series been for hip-hop culture?

I think it has been extremely important! There’s a whole generation of kids out there that haven’t seen Beat Street or Breakin. The Step Up movies have given that generation a dose of what I got growing up. Step Up 3D actually opened with a montage that spoke about hip-hop. The franchise has done a great job of showing that style to the masses in a really great way. For some people it might still just be a bunch of people spinning on their heads, but I know personally that it has inspired kids to train in these dance styles and respect them as art.

Congratulations on receiving an Emmy nomination for this year’s awards. You must feel grateful to shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars for giving dance the recognition it deserves in the media.

Absolutely! They have created a place for dancers to be the stars. I am still amazed when I’m with Twitch and someone asks him for his autograph. He’s getting recognition for being brilliant at an art form, which hasn’t happened much since the Gene Kelly days. These shows have also given someone like me a place to tell stories through movement to a huge audience on a weekly basis, and has given us the opportunity to inspire a whole other generation of dancers who are going to continue to push the boundaries of dance in the future. So yes, I’m extremely grateful for shows like So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With The Stars and America’s Best Dance Crew.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on some projects for Jon M. Chu’s new dance lifestyle channel on YouTube called DS2DIO. I have been directing various episodes of a show we have in the US called Studio City, which features some of the best freestylers in the world dancing in a very specific location to them.

Photos by Gabriel Goldberg.

By Rebecca Martin.

I first met Lockhart Brownlie when he was a young boy training at The Tasmanian Academy of Dance in Launceston. After leaving the Apple Isle, Lockhart trained at Sydney’s Brent Street before landing a spot in Wicked then relocating to the US and achieving further success.  He has performed at the Grammys, VMA’s, in music film clips, tv commercials, on Glee, alongside Britney Spears, and is one of Katy Perry’s key dancers.  Lockhart has travelled the world with Katy Perry and appeared in her feature film Part Of Me 3D.

When I caught up with Lockhart, he was on a private beach in Bali with Katy and her fellow crew, but he made time between cocktails to chat to Dance Informa about his career so far…

What inspired you to take up dancing as a young boy?

I’ve been dancing for 17 years now. I first started to show potential and interest when I would go along to my sister’s dance lessons and be up the back of the studio learning their routines with them. I was probably three at this time. My neighbour was a dance teacher so she encouraged my parents.

Tell us about your training.

I grew up in Tasmania, where I trained my whole life. Tap and jazz were my first styles, and then I started ballet at age seven. At 14 I started to travel interstate to do SourceDance workshops with the best choreographers from LA, as well as Brent Street summer schools and some workshops in Melbourne. Once I started to do these workshops interstate I started to recognize the dance industry and it made me anxious to move to Sydney. I moved to Sydney in 2007 to train at Brent Street in their performing arts course.

How did you end up in the US?

The reason I made the move to LA was because after finishing a 14-month contract with Wicked the Musical in Melbourne, I was itching to do something bigger and take a risk. I felt I had become comfortable and I didn’t like that feeling. I took a three month holiday to LA and NY not expecting anything but merely going because I had never been. While I was there MSA (McDonald Selznick Associates) were having an audition and I was curious to see how an American audition was run. I went and was chosen as one of 12 out of over 350 people who attended the audition to sign with them. After meeting with MSA they referred me to a lawyer to get my visa and they said once you have your visa you’re a part of our agency.

What have been some of the highlights of your career so far? What have been some of the low lights?

After touring with Katy Perry for over a year, it’s a tough question to pin point only a few highlights. I do have one special moment when we were in Rio, Brazil. We performed at the Rock in Rio, which is a massive week long festival. On this particular night the crowd was 100,000 and it was an outside venue. It was so incredible to perform to that number of people.

Another highlight definitely was when we toured in Australia and my whole family came to one of the Sydney shows. I got very emotional having my family there. It was a very special moment.

Lockhart Brownlie with Katy Perry and dancers

A low light for me was when my visa was getting approved. Unfortunately I had to miss out on a huge job with Brian Friedman because they couldn’t get my visa processed in time. Brian had to replace me, and I was a little upset. But those are the kind of things that happen all the time. Schedules don’t work out and things change. We can’t control it, we just need to move on and look forward to the next job – a lesson I learnt quickly.

Do you get recognised on the street or in dance class?

Just yesterday, while vacationing in Bali, a few of the other Katy dancers and myself went Scuba Diving and the lady that ran the company recognized us from watching the Katy Perry Part of Me movie. It was super funny and very unexpected. She also knew us from other projects we had done. I think she may have researched us after watching the movie. Haha…

If you couldn’t dance, what would you be doing?

I used to be a springboard diver, as well as a dancer, and was Australian champion for quite a few years. I stopped diving at age 14 as I could see more of a career path in dancing. If I didn’t dance I would definitely still be diving.

What is something that readers would be surprised to know about you?

As well as starting tap and jazz at a very young age, I also did highland dancing with my sisters. I loved it. My family has a Scottish background and it’s a country and dance style I’ve always had a passion for. I haven’t done any kind of highland dancing since I was a little kid, but the other day in rehearsals we had some winners of an Adidas competition, who were from all around the world, join us. One of the girls was from Argentina and she knew highland dancing. Next minute I know I’m doing the sword dance with her in front of everyone. The shocked faces on the rest of the dancers from the rehearsal were priceless! None of them knew I could do this style and they found it very interesting and amusing.

What’s next for Lockhart Brownlie?

I’m an open book right now. I will do anything and go anywhere at this point. When I moved to LA my biggest dream was to go on a world tour. That happened pretty quickly once I got to LA so now I’m happy to do whatever. Another tour would be great, a musical movie would be a dream of mine, but I’m thankful to be where I am right now. Whatever comes along I’ll be happy with.

Photos courtesy of Lockhart Brownlie. Top photo by Vince Trupsin.