Queensland Ballet’s Artistic Director Li Cunxin has announced two exciting additions to the company in 2013. Matthew Lawrence, former Principal at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, will join the Company as Principal Dancer, and Huang Jun Shuang, former Principal at the Houston Ballet, will join the company as Guest International Principal for eight months.

Mr Cunxin is delighted to share this news with audiences. “Both Matthew and Huang are extremely talented dancers. It is a real coup for the company to attract two international stars of such high calibre to Queensland Ballet, and will only strengthen our standard. We’re very excited that Matthew and Huang will be joining Queensland Ballet’s family.”

Matthew Lawrence dances as Albrecht in ‘Giselle’. Photo by Andy Ross

Huang’s position as Guest International Principal is the beginning of a new international guest artist program, funded by the Jani Haenke Charitable Trust.

“We are enormously grateful to the Jani Haenke Charitable Trust for their generous funding of this exciting venture. This new program will bring incredible versatility to the company and to our audiences. Jani’s passion and support of the arts was phenomenal, and the funding of this program builds upon her legacy to provide meaningful support to arts organisations and many other worthy causes,” said Mr Li.

Janice Helen (Jani) Haenke (1940–2009) grew up in Ipswich, Queensland. Jani trained as a librarian and worked at various institutions in Australia and the United Kingdom. Jani devoted herself to patronage of the arts and architecture, and to campaigning on environmental issues. The Jani Haenke Charitable Trust was established to support organisations that provide spiritual care, conservation and preservation of the environment, arts and cultural organisations and overseas aid.

Mr Cunxin is full of admiration for Matthew Lawrence. “Matthew has exceptionally strong classical technique, is a fabulous partner and has great experience in diverse classical and contemporary repertoire. Not only will he bring maturity, experience and strengthen the standard of male dancers in the company, he will be an inspiration and mentor to our younger dancers. Matthew also makes a very handsome prince!”

Born in New Zealand, Matthew Lawrence trained at the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne. After graduating, he joined The Australian Ballet and in 2003 Matthew was the inaugural winner of the Telstra People’s Choice Award, and went on to become a Principal artist at the company. Matthew was nominated for two Green Room Awards for Best Male Dancer. In 2008 Matthew joined Birmingham Royal Ballet as a Principal dancer.

The breadth of roles he has performed has proved him a hugely versatile artist. Matthew’s repertoire includes leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty and many other classical and contemporary works by renowned choreographers. Matthew’s talents are equally sought after as a guest artist, dancing at the World Ballet Festival in Japan with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and at the Cranko Festival in Stuttgart.

Huang Jun Shuang will perform with Queensland Ballet until the end of the Elegance season (2 – 4 August, 2013). “Huang is one of the most exciting emerging international stars. He is technically brilliant and has won many awards. The company can only benefit from having such a stand-out dancer on the international stage join the company,” comments Mr Cunxin.

Jun Shuang Huang trained for seven years and was an honour student at the Shanghai Dance School in China. In 2007 Huang joined the Guangzhou Ballet Theatre as a Principal dancer before joining Houston Ballet as a Principal dancer in 2010. Huang was a junior third winner of the 2005 Asia-Pacific Ballet Competition, a Junior Silver winner in the Taoli Cup Dance Competition (China’s top dance competition) in 2006, a Bounty Award winner at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 2008, and a Gold Medal winner in the senior division at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, Finland in 2009.

Haung’s repertoire includes principal roles in Swan Lake, La Bayadère, La Sylphide, Coppélia, Le Corsaire and Don Quixote. Huang has also toured the United States and Switzerland as a guest artist.

For information about Queensland Ballet’s 2013 season visit www.queenslandballet.com.au

Top photo: Dancer Huang Jun Shuang

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.

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. Learn a little more about Australia’s 12 leading ballet dancers.

By Rain Francis.

Rachel Rawlins

When in her second year at the Australian Ballet School, Rachel Rawlins was invited to be an extra with the company. At the end of that year, she was offered a contract. She was promoted to soloist four years later and then danced with The Royal Ballet in 1999 for two years. On her return, Rachel started to perform more principal roles and was promoted to Principal artist in 2004.

What is your first memory of dance?

I was taken to an Australian Ballet production of Swan Lake in Canberra when I was about five. I think it was this performance that inspired my love and passion to pursue the profession.

Rachel Rawlins in Les Sylphides for The Australian Ballet. Photo by Alex Makayev

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

It is a highlight to have joined The Australian Ballet and become a Principal artist. Another career highlight is to have been a First Soloist with The Royal Ballet. International touring is always exciting, and I have danced in Asia, Europe, England and the United States. Being a part of the 12^th World Ballet Festival in Tokyo and watching so many international dancers performing together is a special memory. The ballets I have recently really enjoyed dancing have been Madame Butterfly, The Merry Widow and Onegin.

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

How many ups and downs there can be. Most people wouldn’t realise how long we spend talking about how to improve movements and technique.  Communication is an essential part of putting a ballet together and making partnering secure and smooth.

When you are not dancing, what do you like doing?

I like watching movies, going for walks, bike rides, the beach, spending time with my family and friends. I have two little nephews who are always entertaining.

Do you have a favourite movie?

I love movies. Three which have made an impact on me are In The Name Of The Father, Jesus of Montreal and Gone With The Wind.  At the moment I’m watching Silk and The Tudors.

Who is your favourite choreographer?

I think choreography is the most difficult art and I admire the courage of anyone who attempts it. I’ve just finished Onegin, so John Cranko, because of the three very different beautiful pas de deux for Tatiana.  Last year it was Stanton Welch’s choreography and Robert Curran’s partnering for making me fly in the heart-stopping pas de deux for Madame Butterfly. The Australian Ballet’s dancers are fortunate to have the opportunity to dance so many different works created by Australian and international choreographers.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Not to lose sight of the love for the art form while you are facing your daily difficulties and demons.

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

A few years ago I had very sore calves and a really bad flu during a season of Sleeping Beauty. Now whenever I feel a bit sensitive or low I always think, “Well you got through that, so you can get through this”.

What do you love most about your job?

Performing. You can share the experience and give pleasure to other people, while doing something you love to amazing music.

Kevin Jackson and Madeleine Eastoe in The Australian Ballet's Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Georges Antoni

Kevin Jackson

Perth-born Kevin Jackson joined the Australian Ballet in 2003 at age 18. His first big break was performing Balanchine’s Apollo in 2007. He was promoted to Principal artist in 2010, following a performance of The Nutcracker pas de deux with Rachel Rawlins.

When did you know you wanted to be a dancer?

When I was taken to my cousin’s dance school concert in 1989. I sat in the audience and as the lights in the auditorium went down and the overture began a rush of excitement waved through my body. I was completely captivated. I remember sitting there thinking to myself, I want to be up on that stage.

What was your first role as Principal artist?

Zeus in Tim Harbour’s Halcyon, in 2010.

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

Performing Prince Ziegfried in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake alongside Madeleine Eastoe and Lucinda Dunn, at opening night of our recent tour to New York City. It was a dream come true to be performing at New York’s famed Lincoln Center.

Which roles are high on your wish list?

Nacho Duato’s Remanso, Albrecht in Giselle and Crown Prince Rudolf in Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling. There are a lot more too!

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

The hours we spend outside of the studio; body conditioning, physiotherapy, full body ice baths. Also eating correctly for optimal energy during shows and the persistent thoughts of repertoire all day, every day, even in your dreams.

When you are not dancing, what do you like doing?

Watching movies with my beautiful partner and renovating our apartment.

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

Most likely an actor, teacher or swimmer.

Do you have a favourite movie or TV series?

Movies – Strictly Ballroom and the new Batman trilogy. My favourite TV series are Family Guy and Modern Family.

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Graeme Murphy has been an incredible mentor and one of the driving forces behind my career so far. I owe a lot to him and Janet Vernon.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

I dance an incredible number of shows per year. It is a challenge to stay balanced and calm when I’m learning four or five different roles at the same time. Staying mentally and physically fit when traveling for months at a time is extremely challenging too, but also one of the perks!

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

Step by step, act by act, show by show and attitude, attitude, attitude.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

Dance from your heart and people will follow.

What do you love most about your job?

Taking audiences away from their life for a show and transporting them to places like fictional lands, back in time or to an abstract environment. On a more selfish level, inhabiting those places as a dancer is also pretty phenomenal.

Australian Ballet's Amber Scott in Stephen Baynes' Swan Lake. Photo by Georges Antoni

Amber Scott

After growing up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Amber trained at the Australian Ballet School before joining the company in 2001. In 2003 she went on exchange to The Royal Danish Ballet. She was a guest artist on The Dancers Company (the regional touring arm of The Australian Ballet) tours of 2003 and 2004. In 2011 she became a Principal artist.

What was your first role as Principal?

I was promoted after performing the 2^nd Movement from Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto at the Sydney season of the triple bill British Liaisons in 2011. Concerto was the opening piece in the triple bill so I had the interval to regain composure and then performed Christopher Wheeldon’s After The Rain. So technically, After The Rain was my first performance as a principal artist.

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

There have been so many special moments along the way. I am truly grateful and find it quite hard to choose one in particular. A few highlights are: performing Leigh Rowles’ Ascension alongside my brother in 2003, my first principal role, dancing Odette in Swan Lake when I was 21, performing Manon in 2008 and dancing the role of Tatiana in Onegin this year. Add to that dancing Graeme Murphy’s Odette in Swan Lake in Shanghai, Paris, Tokyo and New York, performing in the Stuttgart Ballet’s 50^th anniversary last year and being promoted to principal artist last year.

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

I’m not sure if it’s because I have just played her but Tatiana (in Onegin) felt quite natural for me.  I also feel Odette in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake will always be an enduring association.

Which roles are high on your wish list?

Odette in the traditional version of Swan Lake, Giselle, Marguerite Gautier in Lady of the Camellias, Nikiya in La Bayadere and Kitri in Don Quixote.

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

We are on tour a lot of the year and can perform as many as 12 different productions a year. It’s also not as glamorous as some people think. After a show it’s usually an ice bucket, back into sneakers and onto public transport!

When you are not dancing, what do you like doing?

I love being outside in fresh air!

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

A paediatrician.

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

Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Movie: Stealing Beauty

TV Series: Downton Abbey

Band: The National

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Kenneth MacMillan

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

Be patient with your body and tenacious in your spirit. Work hard but intelligently. Be brave and curious as there is much to be learnt on the road to becoming a professional and that road can get bumpy. Like all worthwhile journeys it’s the unexpected challenges that knit together to form a memorable trip.

Next Edition we will hear from talented dancers Leanne Stojmenov, Yosvani Ramos and Lucinda Dunn.

Top photo:  Kevin Jackson and Madeleine Eastoe of The Australian Ballet. Photo by Georges Antoni

By Deborah Searle.

The much anticipated Season 2 of ABC3’s Dance Academy starts Monday March 12. Dance Informa spoke with Dance Academy stars Jordan Rodrigues who plays ‘Christian’ and Dena Kaplan who plays ‘Abigail’ in the lead up to the new season.

Tell us about your dance background and training.

Jordan Rodrigues
I started when I was about 13 and trained in all main styles of dance from ballet to hip-hop and haven’t stopped since.

Dena Kaplan
I started dancing at age 3! I have mainly trained in ballet at the Australian Ballet School and with Jane Moore. I also trained overseas in contemporary dance at Alvin Ailey and did jazz and hip hop at Broadway Dance Centre. Dancing has been a huge part of my life from a very young age. I was always eager to try as many classes and teachers as possible.

Did you take formal acting classes before auditioning for Dance Academy?

Jordan
I did drama at school, but that’s about it. After season 1 of Dance Academy I went back to the basics of acting so I could get the formal training behind me and it was an incredible help.

Christian and Abigail in class. Photo: Mark Rodgers

Dena
No- never :)
Only a few private lessons with an acting coach.

Do you relate to your character?

Jordan
Christian does remind me of my rebellious days as an angst-y teen, but I’m not really like that anymore. We both share the same style of dance which is a contemporary/ hip-hop style and we also wear sort of the same clothes.

Dena
Yes, we are both very passionate about dance and extremely driven career wise. I also try to be a hard worker like Abigail. I relate to many of her experiences and obstacles that occur in the dance world and her sensitivity towards her family.

What do you like most about your character?

Jordan
He knows how to get the ladies and I actually take pointers off him too!

Dena
Her sense of humour and dry wit, she is also very honest.

Christian dancing hip hop. Photo Mark Rodgers

What do you dislike about your character?

Jordan
He is a bit closed when it comes to his emotions but that just makes him Christian doesn’t it.

Dena
Her competitive nature, it’s detrimental to herself. She also has a hard time letting people in and embracing new friendships. Plus, she’s very critical of herself.

What has been your most embarrassing or memorable moment on set?

Jordan
I had an amazing experience with the cast shooting some pretty emotional scenes on one of the last days of shooting season 2 and I learnt a lot about myself as an actor that day.

Dena
The amount of times I have fallen over or hurt myself during a dance scene is laughable! I also tend to ruin all my costumes as I am a little clumsy with tea and coffee. There have been many memorable moments. In season 2 I had the pleasure of working one on one with the incredible Rafael Bonachela from Sydney Dance Company.

What is life like behind the scenes?

Jordan
Really good, everyone gets along really well and we have become a family that goes through ups and downs together on and off set.

Dena
Early starts, lots of rehearsals, sore bodies and lots of fun! Constant green room antics and pranks, and music playing.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Jordan
I love playing cover songs on the guitar, dancing and going to the beach for a surf.

Dena
Travelling! I love being active and fit in my spare time but I also enjoy being at home with my sisters and puppy and watching TV. I fill my spare months off being involved in the other side of the industry by doing styling and makeup. I enjoy being behind the scenes too. Currently I am working on a new project that is keeping me very busy writing and creating!

Abigail performs en pointe. Photo: Mark Rodgers

How has your life changed since Dance Academy?

Jordan
I don’t think I would be as good a dancer if I didn’t have the show to push me to be my best and I also now have people tweeting me in different languages which is pretty cool. However, I don’t know what they’re saying sometimes.

Dena
I have been fortunate enough to continue working in the Film/TV industry which I am so grateful for. I have been living in Sydney too permanently, which is a new change.

What can we expect from your character in Season 2?

Jordan
Christian is going to be a lot more open with himself, friends and his dancing so you will get to see a another side to him and not the mysterious Christian that you met in season 1.

Dena
A huge change! She goes through a very big journey in season 2, lots more dancing and maybe even some singing. Expect to see a few different sides from Abigail this series.

What did you enjoy most about filming Season 2?

Jordan
There was a lot more dancing and more intense story lines that were able to push me as a dancer and actor.

Dena
I absolutely love my cast, they are the most wonderful and talented group of people. I really enjoyed working with our new cast members too – Issi Durant (Grace) and Thomas Lacey (Ben). I also think we pushed our minds and bodies to the limit this series and I am very proud of what we created.

Why will we enjoy watching Season 2?

Jordan
Well apart from seeing the growth of the characters and the awesome dance scenes, we have two new amazing characters that will definitely spice things up.

Dena
The whole series has stepped up a level, the dancing is extraordinary, we have more choreographers involved and the acting is very moving this season. I think the audiences will be hooked!

Catch Jordan and Dena in Dance Academy on ABC3 at 6:30pm every Monday through Thursday, starting March 12.

Top photo by Steve Brack.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

the Arts Centre, Playhouse, Melbourne
December 9 2011

By Grace Edwards.

The Australian Ballet School’s Summer Season provided a last chance to catch a glimpse of the graduating class of 2011, showcasing the talents of the School’s young dancers in a light-hearted and diverse programme.

After an introductory piece, Overture by Leigh Rowles, the students performed Jiri Kylian’s Symphony in D. Restaged by guest repetiteur Arlette van Boven and performed to the music of Joseph Haydn, this piece was packed full of in-jokes and witty points of physical humour, requiring an unusual kind of maturity as well as a good sense of comedic timing. The students appeared to enjoy themselves immensely and acquitted themselves well on both charges.

The next challenge was David Lichine’s Graduation Ball. First performed in Sydney by the original Ballet Russe in 1940, it was the only one of the company’s works to have its world premiere in Australia and was regarded as one of the tour’s most popular. Set in a Viennese girls’ finishing school in the 1850s, this ballet depicts an evening of frivolity between the young ladies and cadets from a local military college at the annual ball. This ballet was a wonderful choice for a student performance, as the pantomimic quality of Graduation Ball provided the dancers an unusual opportunity to expand their repertoire of dramatic skills. The leading girls, Benedicte Bemet and the pigtailed Donna-Mae Burrows, were well-cast in their mischievous roles. Others deserving of mention include ‘drummer boy’ Marcus Morelli and ‘competition girls’ Sophie Zoricic and Miyu Katayama, all of whom pulled off their technically difficult solos and passages with finesse.

The final piece for the evening was Aurora’s Wedding. This single-act version of The Sleeping Beauty was first performed by the Australian Ballet to mark the official opening of the Victorian Arts Centre Theatres Complex in 1984. The usual highlights included the duet between Puss In Boots and the White Cat, as well as the Bluebird and Lilac Fairy variations. This difficult classical showpiece did find the weaker spots in some of the soloists’ technique; nonetheless, the school as a whole tackled the ballet with maturity. In the lead roles of Aurora and the Prince respectively, Benedicte Bemet and Brodie James shone. Along with fine clarity and precision in her classical technique, Bemet handled beautifully the softer aspects of her performance, such as her port de bras, often overlooked by younger dancers focused on technical requirements. James, meanwhile, proved an admirable partner.

If the Australian Ballet School’s Summer Season 2011 can be taken as an indication of the calibre of the nation’s next generation of professionals, there is much that we can look forward to in the near future.  I wish the best of luck to those dancers who are graduating. They have received a solid foundation from which to expand their horizons and I look forward to following their careers both locally and internationally.

Photo: Dancers Jill Ogai and Joel Di Stefano in Symphony in D

By Grace Edwards.

Marking its 20^th anniversary in style, the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet (formerly the Christine Walsh Dance Centre) recently moved into its brand new purpose-built studios. The two-storey building features three climate-controlled sprung-floor studios, a building-wide intercom system and even its own production room. ACB students have no doubt been putting it to good use this month as they gear up to present their first ballet since the relocation, Swan Lake, to be held later this month at The Art Centre’s State Theatre in Melbourne. Reflecting on their twenty-year journey with the ACB, directors Christine Walsh and Ricardo Ella share their thoughts with Dance Informa’s Grace Edwards.

How does it feel to look back and realise that the ACB is now twenty years old?

Ricardo
Wow, I never really noticed it until only just recently [laughs]. I think all the on-going hard work over the last twenty years kind of gave me a late reaction to it and now, all of a sudden, we’ve found ourselves in a brand new building. Yes, it’s a very exciting prospect and with having a brand new building, perhaps it will give us a chance to run for another twenty years!

Christine
It’s just amazing! I can’t believe how the time’s flown, but then when I look at what Ricardo and I have done over the last twenty years you realise that yes, it definitely has taken twenty years. For instance, building up our training and assessment programme is obviously a very significant achievement, and also just building of the school in its reputation; the fact that we’re invited to perform at the Arts Centre on an annual basis and have our own orchestra – all of these things have definitely taken those twenty years of hard work and vision. We’ve always wanted to have this type of school at this point, so yes, it feels really, really good.

The main studio in the new building is named the “Dame Margaret Scott Studio”. What has been the nature of her contribution to the school?

Christine
Dame Margaret Scott was the teacher of both Ricardo and myself at the Australian Ballet School. She was the founding director of the Australian Ballet School and she’s actually been our patron for the whole twenty years. She’s always been so supportive, and we decided that it was very important that she would be a part of this new building and that we should honour her by naming the new studio after her.

She came to the opening and she was really thrilled! She has been such a mentor to so many Australian dancers over a very long period, much longer than twenty years. We’re very proud to have her as our patron.

Reflecting on your time at the Conservatoire, what have been the major challenges that the school has faced?

Ricardo
I think probably the biggest continual challenge, one of many challenges we have encountered, is that we have always aimed to have our students graduate. We want to help them achieve their goals. Basically, we aim to lead them into a career in dance. I feel we have achieved that aim, as many past students are now working with companies all over the world.

Another more specific challenge is maintaining our ability to perform at the Arts Centre on an annual basis with national guest artists and with an 80 to 90-piece orchestra. These are the opportunities that not many other schools are able to boast and therefore offer an unusual challenge, but we are very proud because I think this is one of the biggest achievements a school can gain.

Christine Walsh & Ricardo Ella

What were you like as a student and do any of your students remind you of yourself at that age?

Christine
Right from when I was five years of age I was quite driven to dance; that is all I have ever wanted to do. I did do other activities (I used to play the piano and tennis among other things), but it was always ballet that, for me, was the overriding goal and main focus.  I don’t recall ever wanting to do anything else with my life.

As for my students, I guess that occasionally I find someone that has similarities with myself and my journey, but I think every child is an individual.  Everyone has their own qualities and they might be similar but they are never the same. I think it’s very important as a director to recognise that your students will all blossom in their own way.

Over the time that you’ve been at the school, you’ve directed many productions. What has been your favourite?

Christine
That’s a difficult one! The Nutcracker was our first production. We did that after only two years with the school. But I think my favourite is still Swan Lake, which we’re doing this year. It was one of my favourites as a principal dancer to dance and I think just musically, the Tchaikovsky score is so magnificent that it doesn’t fail to move any of my students whenever we do it, especially the fourth act – by then, all my swans are in tears!

Ricardo, you teach the boys’ classes and pas de deux classes. What do you try to impart to your students and what’s the secret to being a good pas de deux partner?

I mainly try to impart to my students that they need to have a professional attitude and work very hard towards their goals. Another thing we stress is that they need to be realistic about themselves, particularly about which ballet or dance companies they should be in. We always try to give impartial information and keep an atmosphere of openness. After all, not everybody is going to be in a big ballet company, and everybody has to know where they are at.

As for the secret to being a good pas de deux partner? Be unselfish. Always look after your partner and always give your partner priority. Always save them and make them look good. That’s it, just be unselfish.

Christine, what is the core of your own teaching philosophy? Have you found that it’s changed much over the years?

I don’t think my overriding philosophy has changed. That philosophy is that each student must be trained as an individual.  That’s because the artistry is, for me, the most important thing. However, over the years I think I’ve probably become better at analysing students’ weaknesses so that I can help them overcome them earlier.

But overriding everything is artistry and musicality. Throughout my career I felt that was vitally important and as teacher and director I still do.

Congratulations to Christine Walsh and Ricardo Ella on a successful 20 years, and a lovely new studio!

The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet presents ‘Swan Lake’ at the State Theatre, The Arts Centre, Melbourne, Wednesday 21^st and Thursday 22^nd December. For enquiries, phone 03 9421 2000, or for more information www.acbaustralia.com.au

Top photo: Ballet Gala 2009. Photo by Jeff Busby

Dance needs to get beyond the physical, argues well-travelled Australian choreographer Tim Podesta.

By Paul Ransom.

Australian choreographer Tim Podesta is one of those rare people about whom you can say ‘they have the world at their feet’; although really he’s putting the world at other people’s feet.

Having graduated from the Australian Ballet School he soon began a whirlwind worldwide career, performing in places as diverse as South Africa and Denmark and working with Balanchine, Sir Frederick Ashton and Natalie Weir, amongst others. In 2005, he retired from the boards to put his considerable energy and passion into choreography.

“I am driven by the theatrical essence of choreography,” he says upfront. “Yes, the movement is important but no matter how innovative the physical aspect of the choreography, eventually the audience will cease to be engaged.”

For some of the more ‘high concept’ dance artists and purists, this might seem heretical but Podesta is unapologetic. “I always consider the psyche of the audience,” he declares, before elaborating. “For instance, I think film audiences are being desensitised by a kind of sensory overload with advances in 3D; where you still have a disparity between great 3D and not so great 3D, and I feel audiences are returning to narrative driven works and are looking for a quality in film that considers their emotional journey, not just a visual feast. Dance and theatre audiences are the same in that they approach performances wanting to discover and unravel the work.”

Photos: Tim Podesta creating 'Citizen' with Ballet Wales

It’s an incredibly salient point for dance. We’ve all seen overly esoteric or cravenly crowd pleasing works that looked pretty but failed to impact and Podesta is keenly aware of this. His newest work, Not Now, which premiered in New Zealand mid-October, examines serendipity and brings together his signature palette of traditional motifs and the edgy use of multimedia to create strong narrative through lines.

Under the umbrella of PROJECTion Dance Company, Podesta has sought to unshackle himself and the works he creates from the usual constraints and parameters of dance. “My company have been involved in the creative development of projects in film, TV, radio, advertising, music composition, dance curriculum design and dis/ability in dance projects. My wife will tell you I find it difficult to say no to projects because more often than not I can find a reason that I will grow as a result of being involved. I love learning. I’ll go to dinner with designers, composers and filmmakers and before you know it, its 3am and I’m raring to go.”

The other thing that marks Tim Podesta out is his unabashed eye for the realities of running a dance company and getting projects off the ground. “I want my company, I need my company to be a business,” he tells me frankly. “Over the last two and half months I’ve created three different works in three different countries and this presented opportunities for me to spend time with different organisations, not just dance companies, so I could better understand management skills. I recognise this area is not my forte but I also recognise I need to know more in order to reach mine and PROJECTion’s future.” 

Part of that future, it seems, is on screen. “I am very much excited about the possibility that dance and film can have,” he enthuses. “Apart from the longevity it provides for the movement, it’s also a great marketing tool.” 

Indeed, Podesta already has screen cred, having collaborated on the successful 2010 film 4 Minutes Of Fame, which went on to win the Best Foreign Film gong at the Queens International Film Festival in New York. “As a choreographer, coverage like that doesn’t come along very often,” he observes.

However, there is another side to Tim Podesta. As one of ten Australian artists selected to appear in a recently released book celebrating the links between health and arts, he is something of a spokesperson for mixed ability arts. Like Restless Dance in Adelaide, his Dis/assemble project creates work for both professional and dis/ability dancers.

“I was first introduced to dance and disability through a choreologist who was notating a pas de deux of mine. She told me of a group of dancers with physical and learning difficulties and asked if I would be interested to come and meet them and possibly do a work on them? To be completely honest it was with apprehension that I said yes; but now looking back it was one of the greatest decisions I ever made.”

As well as stretching him as an artist and communicator of ideas, Dis/assemble has enabled him to develop a much keener understanding. “As a person it has made me realise just how shut off I was and that I had no right to feel sympathy for these incredible human beings.”

Significantly, Tim Podesta is also concerned for the health of the Australian dance industry. Whilst acknowledging that dance is enjoying its moment in the sun (due perhaps to certain TV shows) he sounds a very specific note of concern. “On a less positive note, one thing that always disappoints me is the lack of student dancers that go and see live shows. I’m aware of the costs and the tight budgets that students have but when you look at the amount of full time dance courses in Melbourne alone we could be filling theatres for days.”

Going forward, Podesta’s call to action for the local dance community is just as unambiguous. “I believe that dance/art can be profitable if we continue to head in the direction of private sponsorship, philanthropic support and forming links with big business,” he states. “I think the success we have here is no different to the rest of the world and the struggles are the same too. Obviously we are a massive country but when you consider how young companies like the Australian Ballet are in comparison to our counterparts in Europe it’s actually quite phenomenal where we stand today.”

Indeed, we may very well have the world at our feet.

By Kristy Johnson

Acceptance into the Paris Opera Ballet is a dancer’s dream come true, yet for Australian student Hannah O’Neill it did not happen the way most would expect. Failing to secure a contract after the audition, Hannah was initially disappointed, but grateful for the experience. Arriving in Singapore on her way back to Australia, Hannah received a call that would change everything. “I received a phone call from the Ballet Master of the Paris Opera Ballet offering me a seasonal contract,” says Hannah. “It was a big surprise! I was in shock at the time, but when sharing the news with family and friends, I was over the moon as my dream had become a reality.”

The audition proved to be a daunting experience for the Australian Ballet student. “I didn’t audition with anyone else from the school,” Hannah explains. “I was invited to audition by the Paris Opera Ballet and travelled to France with my mum. But I told myself it was important to stay calm and be myself. Overall I enjoyed the experience of the audition, from barre all the way through to the variation.”

Beautiful Hannah O'Neill. Photo by Lynette Wills

The Paris Opera Ballet has always struck a chord close to home for Hannah. “I’m a huge fan of ballet companies all around the world, but the Paris Opera Ballet has always been my favourite company. I own many of their DVDs and could easily watch them over and over again. I’ve been fortunate to see them performing live a few times, including the night before my audition, which was a huge inspiration for me.”

Hannah hopes that her experience with the Paris Opera Ballet will launch her into a long and successful career. “By starting my professional ballet career in such a prestigious company, I’m sure I’ll gain the tools and experience to hopefully continue on in the ballet profession for a very long time,” Hannah shares.

And how has the Australian Ballet School prepared Hannah for the exciting experiences that lay ahead? “I’m proud to have been part of the Australian Ballet School now for almost four years,” says Hannah. “Through the school’s strong training program with its amazing teachers and mentors, I have been able to participate in the Prix de Lausanne and the Youth America Grand Prix. I’ve also been given the opportunity to guest perform at galas alongside world renowned dancers, some of whom have been my idols. I’m overwhelmed but excited to be starting my contract with the Paris Opera Ballet in September. I could not be more thankful to all the people who have supported me to make my dream come true.”

Top photo: Hannah O’Neill. Photo courtesy of Bloch & The Australian Ballet School

By Grace Edwards.

Many local ballet students dream of becoming a nominee for the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award. For 22-year-old New Zealand-born corps de ballet member Karen Nanasca the dream has come true. “The announcement was made after our daily class one morning back in February. I was sitting on the floor at the back of the studio amongst my fellow dancers wondering who the last nominee was going to be. I couldn’t believe it when my name was called!”

Karen, who joined the Australian Ballet in 2009 upon graduating from the Australian Ballet School, will compete alongside colleagues Rudy Hawkes, Robyn Hendricks, Luke Marchant, Brett Chynoweth and Chengwu Guo for a cash prize of $20,000. The winner is to be chosen by an industry judging panel, who will assess the dancers on the quality of their dancing, personal development and potential for the future. Australian Ballet fans will also get their say, deciding by popular vote the winner of the equally coveted $5,000 People’s Choice Award.

TBDA nominees Luke Marchant, Robyn Hendricks, Rudy Hawkes, Brett Chynoweth, Karen Nanasca & Chengwu Guo. Photo: C. L'Estrange

In addition, Karen and the other contestants will also have to submit a written piece to convince the judges why they should win. The process culminates in September when she and the other contestants will be interviewed by the judging panel. The winner will be announced in December. Last year the contest ended in an unprecedented tie, with winners Ty King-Wall and Dana Stephensen receiving $20,000 each.

Having made the transition to company life quite recently compared to the other nominees, Karen is more than ready for the journey. “There were only seven girls in my final year at The Australian Ballet School, and there are 35 girls in The Australian Ballet,” she recalls. “It was quite a change to work with a much larger group of dancers and subsequently receive less individual attention from ballet staff than I was used to at the school. But I’ve learnt now to work more independently and how to navigate my way around in such a big ballet class.”

Already she has had to cope with one of the art form’s biggest downsides. “I had a stress fracture in my second metatarsal going into my first year at The Australian Ballet School, and I re-fractured the bone after my initial recovery a few months later into that year,” says Karen. “Any dancer who has had an injury knows how frustrating it can be when you can’t dance. It was tough for me for all the months I was off. But I came out of it a stronger and smarter dancer. I think it’s important to stay positive, have family and friends around to support you, and always have a goal to work towards. The injury really put into perspective how important our bodies are for dance, and how important it is to look after them properly!”

Karen Nanasca. Photo: James Braund

Whilst it might be easy to focus on such potential pitfalls, Karen insists that the joy of dancing is worth the pain. She is quite clear about her favourite aspect of dancing with the Australian Ballet: “getting to do what I love everyday – and getting paid for it! I love the feeling of being on stage, the adrenaline rush and the emotion of it all. It’s also rewarding to hear the positive response from the audience.” This is fortunate, as the company’s hectic schedule doesn’t leave much time or energy for other interests. “After a performance and once I’m home, I usually have something to eat and watch TV or read until I start to get sleepy. This doesn’t normally take very long…”

A few fun facts about Karen

When I am not dancing I am…sleeping!
I have a personal weakness for…Chanel nail polish.
One day I’d like to…win the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award!
My idol is..Tamara Rojo, principal, the Royal Ballet.
A memorable stage moment…Last year I danced in Principal Artist Daniel Gaudiello’s South of Eden, as part of the Bodytorque.a.la.mode season. In the piece there was one lift where John-Paul Idaszak, the tallest male dancer in the company, lifted and tossed me over his head, and I was caught on the other side by dancer Matthew Donnelly. It felt like I was flying!

Vote for Karen or any of the other talented dancers in the TBDA People’s Choice Award by visiting
www.beinvolved.com.au

Top photo: Karen Nanasca and Jacob Sofer by Jeff Busby

By Grace Edwards.

One of Béjart Ballet Lausanne’s leading artists, former Australian Ballet dancer Paul Knobloch returned home to Australia last month to remount his work Valetta on the students of the Australian Ballet School.  Dance Informa’s Grace Edwards caught up with the dancer and budding choreographer, snatching a glimpse of a rehearsal in the process.

On the fifth floor of the spacious Australian Ballet building on Melbourne’s Kavanagh Street,  the ABS’s senior students are scattered across the floor of a dance studio warming up, laughing and chatting in their various shades of purple and pink.  They are here to rehearse guest choreographer Paul Knobloch’s work, Valetta.  

Valetta, named after Knobloch’s grandmother, was first commissioned by the Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David McAllister three years ago and is now part of the Australian Ballet School’s permanent repertoire. As a guest choreographer, Knobloch clearly savours the task at hand. A former student of the Australia Ballet School himself, Knobloch graduated with honours in 1997. Upon graduation, he joined the West Australian and the English National Ballet, and was subsequently invited to join The Australian Ballet in 2002.

Knobloch stayed with the Australian Ballet for eight years before joining Béjart Ballet Lausanne.
“It was a very hard decision for me to leave the Australian Ballet,” he tells me, “but I think, looking back, that it’s been the right one for me. To experience the opportunities that I have…I feel like within a year I’ve achieved so many milestones, ones that at times I didn’t think were attainable. I look back at this year and go ‘Wow, what I’ve achieved in one year is incredible with the Béjart Ballet Lausanne.’”

I ask him if he sees a future for himself as a choreographer.  “Definitely,” replies Knobloch. “I really enjoy being part of the creative process as a dancer, so having the chance to step on to the other side and create dances myself is something that I really enjoy doing. It’s something that I hope will keep me in the  field of dance for a long time. I’ve already done four works for the Australian Ballet, and now that I’m dancing with the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, I have more of an opportunity to get out there in Europe, which I’m hoping to do within the next year or so.”

For the moment though, Knobloch’s main focus is his dancing. Among the many iconic ballets in which he has performed are The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides, La Bayadere, Le Corsaire, Suite en Blanc, Romeo and Juliet, and Raymonda.

“I was so fortunate to dance La Sylphide not only with the AB, but also as a guest with the Dancers Company of the Australian Ballet School. I performed that with one of my best friends, [Australian Ballet soloist] Gina Brescanini, and it’s one of the most memorable moments of my career. It’s a beautiful ballet, a beautiful score, and something that I hold really close to me in that realm. I had the fortunate opportunity to dance the Prince with Lucinda Dunn in Graeme Murphy’s Nutcracker as well, and that’s a role that I really enjoyed doing.”

Though his own training both at the Canberra Dance Development Centre and at the ABS has been overwhelmingly classical, Knobloch is reluctant to categorise himself as a purely classical dancer. “I consider myself quite versatile, or I hope to be anyway [laugh]. I think I’m considered, in the Béjart Ballet, one of the ‘ballet men’ of the company, so I tend to take on those roles, but I get contemporary roles as well, which is exciting for me. I like exploring different facets of dance.”

There are few companies better positioned to give Knobloch that opportunity than the Béjart Ballet, home of the nearly 250 works created by renowned twentieth century choreographer Maurice Béjart. “Since joining the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, I’ve had the opportunity to dance Webern Opus 5, a piece that Maurice Béjart choreographed back in the 1970s, which I performed at the Paris Opera Garnier on opening night. That was an incredible milestone for me, and a ballet that I love performing. Also, I loved dancing to the music of Queen in Béjart’s Le Presbytère. The costumes are by Versace, and it’s a very contemporary piece. I’ve danced in so many works, but I love them all.”

 “It’s a great company and it’s a very hard working company,” says Knobloch. “We tour so much and you’re always a bit like a gypsy living out of a suitcase, but at the same time it’s an incredible experience. One day we’re in the South of France and the next in Spain, so you get to experience so much, and you get to work on the world’s renowned stages. Though of course it’s also hard to travel out of a suit case for most of the year.”

I ask Knobloch what he believes has been the most important factor in his successful career.  “Dance is such a big part of my life, and I have a great network of support behind me with my family, my mother, my former teacher, and my friends. That’s something that I really hold close – having that support network to encourage you on your journey and to believe in you.”

Australian Ballet School students rehearse with Knobloch

In return, Knobloch has shown his support for the next generation of Australian dancers, taking contemporary dance and ballet workshops at his old school, the Canberra Dance Development Centre. “I’ve always had a strong connection with the Canberra Dance Development Centre. Each time I come home, I always dabble there in some way, whether it be in choreography or teaching. I have a strong connection there with the director, Jackie Hallahan, so it’s been nice to be able to always come back and see the growth of the studio and of the Centre itself. It was really good to see the standard of dancers in Canberra, and I think there’s a great future for them.”

An inspiration to all, Knobloch’s parting words of advice to aspiring dancers are simple. “Something that I always try to instill upon an audience is the sheer enjoyment of movement, to touch the people who are watching your performance in some way. In the end, it is important to go beyond steps, and really dance from the heart.”

Published by www.danceinforma.com