Canberra to Host Australian Dance Night of Nights

This August Canberra will host the Australian Dance Awards for the very first time, as part of the Centenary of Canberra. The Awards celebrate the best in Australian dance, with performances from leading companies, presentations and awards, highlighting the richness of the art form and the vibrancy of the Australian dance industry.

Commencing with a ‘red carpet’ VIP event in the theatre foyer the Awards will extend into formal presentations with performances that showcase some of the best Australian dancers and dance companies.

“The Australian Dance Awards give dance professionals and enthusiasts alike an opportunity to focus on all the wonderful dance that has happened over the course of one year from around the country,” says 2013 Australian Dance Awards Artistic Director Ruth Osborne.

“The presentation evening of the Dance Awards is always as exciting night where the dance community gather to honour the nominees and winners in each category.  As the ADA’s move from state to state each year it is a great opportunity to highlight the local dance activity while bringing in nationally significant performers and presenters.”

The awards are presented in eleven categories including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Other awards include the Hall of Fame, presented by special guests David McAllister and Robyn Archer, and the Ausdance Peggy van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship.

Canberra has always produced incredible dance and dancers and the Awards will proudly acknowledge this by celebrating the amazing number of dancers who have made their mark in the world and the role of dance teachers and dance companies in the history of dance in Canberra.

“In Canberra’s Centenary year it is the perfect time to visit, catch up with colleagues and support this fantastic art form,” Ruth Osborne adds.

The Australian Dance Awards 2013 are presented by Harlequin Floors with Ausdance ACT for the Ausdance network and dance lovers across Australia. Dance Informa is the proud media sponsor of the Awards.

Tickets are now on sale. Visit www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au to buy tickets or call Canberra Theatre Centre Ticketing on 02 6275 2700.

Australian Dance Awards
Monday August 5, 7.30pm
The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre

Photo: Sam Young-Wright by Lorna Sim.

$20,000 up for grabs for Australia’s emerging dance talent

Six dancers are in the running to take home Australian ballet’s highest honour, with the 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award (TBDA) nominations recently announced in Melbourne.

The 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees are Benedicte Bemet (Mackay, QLD), Cameron Hunter (East Fremantle, WA), Natasha Kusen (Maroubra, NSW), Christopher Rodgers-Wilson (Camberwell, VIC), Sharni Spencer (Tamworth, NSW) and Valerie Tereshchenko (Carnegie, VIC).

Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister, said he was excited for the group of young dancers as they began the first steps of their TBDA journey. “I’m also particularly thrilled that for the first time, the nominees will use Instagram to document their TBDA experience. Ballet fans can follow them with the hashtag #TBDA13,” McAllister said.

Telstra’s Group General Counsel, Carmel Mulhern, said the award plays an important role in recognising and rewarding existing talent within the company.
“Each year the announcement of the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees is such an exciting occasion and one that is highly anticipated. It is important we continue to support and encourage the next generation of The Australian Ballet,” she said.

Introduced in 2003 to encourage young Australian Ballet dancers to reach their full potential, the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award has catapulted some of The Australian Ballet’s brightest stars into the stratosphere.

Last year Senior Artist Amy Harris from Ararat in regional Victoria was crowned the 2012 TBDA winner. Her win was a case of third time lucky, with previous nominations for the esteemed award in 2008 and 2010. In both of those years she took home the public-voted Telstra People’s Choice Award, but last year was the first time she had won the main accolade.

Five previous TBDA winners have ascended the ballet rankings to reach principal artist status, including Matthew Lawrence (2003), Amber Scott (2004), Lana Jones (2005), Daniel Gaudiello (2007) and Kevin Jackson (2008).

Audiences can see all the 2013 TBDA nominees in action at the free outdoor event Telstra Ballet in Bowl in Melbourne on Friday, March 8.

This year’s nominees were chosen by The Australian Ballet’s artistic staff, previous winners of the award and principal artists. The six dancers were judged on their performances throughout 2012, the ongoing development of their skills and their support of fellow company members.

The winner, announced near the end of 2013, will be decided by an industry panel comprising of representatives from The Australian Ballet, Telstra and the media. The winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize from Telstra. The People’s Choice Award has a $5,000 prize and is decided by public vote.

To vote for your favourite dancer, SMS their first name to 0439 BALLET (0439 225 538) or go to telstra.com/ballet to enter online.

About the nominees

Benedicte Bemet was born in Mackay, QLD, in 1994, and started ballet at the age of three. She grew up on the Gold Coast and began her training at the Ransley’s Ballet Centre. She was accepted into The Australian Ballet School at age 14. In 2012, she joined The Australian Ballet.

Cameron Hunter was born in Bentley, WA, in 1991. Growing up in East Fremantle in Perth, he started ballroom dancing at age nine. At age 13 he made the move from ballroom to ballet after being offered a scholarship to train at the Perth City Ballet. A year later, Cameron moved to Melbourne to study at The Australian Ballet School. Cameron joined The Australian Ballet in 2011.

Natasha Kusen was born in Maroubra, NSW, in 1984 and started dancing at the age of four. She trained with Nicholina Kuner’s Academy Ballet in Randwick, Sydney. In 2001, Natasha won a scholarship at the Prix de Lausanne competition to study at The Royal Ballet School in London. Upon graduation in 2003, Natasha came home to Australia to accept a position with The Australian Ballet. She was previously nominated for a Telstra Ballet Dancer Award in 2010.

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson was born in England in 1987 but grew up in Camberwell, VIC, starting ballet classes at the age of six. He trained at the Camberwell District Ballet School before moving to London to study at The Royal Ballet School. Christopher joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2007 before returning to Melbourne to join The Australian Ballet in 2011.

Sharni Spencer was born in Lismore, NSW, in 1988 and grew up in Tamworth and Newcastle. She began dance classes when she was three years old and studied at Sally Kefts School of Dance and Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy before joining New Zealand School of Dance. Sharni joined The Australian Ballet in 2008.

Valerie Tereshchenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1989. She immigrated to Australia with her family when she was six years old and a year later took her first ballet class. Living in Carnegie in Melbourne, she attended a number of local ballet schools, including West Point Ballet Academy, Ballet Theatre of Victoria and the Australian International School of Coaching. Valerie later joined The Australian Ballet School. In 2009, Valerie successfully auditioned for a place with The Australian Ballet.

Photo: 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees Sharni Spencer, Cameron Hunter, Benedicte Bemet, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, Natasha Kusen and Valerie Tereshchenko. Photo by James Braund

By Grace Edwards.

In one of the world’s toughest vocations, Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) student Harry Davis, 17, is now one step closer to his dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer after winning a silver medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition 2012. Fellow medallists included Australian Montana Rubin (female gold), and New Zealanders Aurelian Child-de-Brocas (male gold), Kaena Ahern (female silver) and Ariana Hond (female silver and Audience Award).

The prizes were awarded by an illustrious judging panel of three: David McAllister AM, Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, Li Cunxin, author of the best-selling autobiography Mao’s Last Dancer and newly appointed Artistic Director of The Queensland Ballet, and Christopher Hampson, internationally renowned choreographer and newly appointed Artistic Director of the Scottish Ballet.

Dance Informa’s Grace Edwards spoke to Harry to congratulate him on his latest achievements and gain an inside look into his competition experience.

Congratulations on your silver medal Harry! How did you feel when you realised you had won a silver medal?

Thanks! It was a huge shock actually, especially because even before the competition I had heard from another girl who had entered the Genée the year before that the panel didn’t have to award medals unless they felt the standard of competitors was adequate. For instance, there were years where the gold medal hadn’t been awarded at all. So yes, it was a shock, but honestly it wasn’t even the best part of the whole experience.

What were your favourite aspects then?

It was really fun performing onstage for the finals. We had had rehearsals just before, so it was nice to actually do our solos onstage at the St. James as we’d already been on there.

And definitely getting to know all the people from around the world and doing class with them. I wish that we could have swapped around a bit more so we could have gotten to know even more people because we were always with the same group, but it was still good. I wish the whole thing was longer too!

For all those thinking of entering the Genée this year, what did you have to do to enter and prepare?

For the Genée there wasn’t actually an audition to go to, so the application process was fairly rigorous. You had to write down past scores from all your exams with the RAD and hand over photocopies, write down who your teachers were, your nationality – everything.

After my Solo Seal exam I had a good month or so to prepare with my teachers. The other Genée entrants from VCASS and I coached our solos every Saturday and sometimes throughout the week. Apart from my “dancer’s own” solo and the commissioned solo, we all had to learn the rest once we got to Wellington. I danced the Royal Ballet’s version of the Black Swan Pas De Deux, the Act III solo from Swan Lake, because I had already learnt it from my preparations for other competitions.

What was your schedule like?

The guys’ timetable was actually very lush and had lots of breaks because we were a smaller group. On the first day we met in the foyer at 7am for breakfast, as classes began at 9am. We had ballet class each day first, for which we were split into three groups as there were 71 of us. Our schedules all involved one of three things: variation coaching, solo coaching or dancer’s own [self-choreographed solo] coaching. So this went on for about five days until Wednesday the next week.

Then we had the semi-finals, which involved a ballet class as a warm-up. We performed a ballet class onstage, and the next day we had our variation and “dancer’s own” to perform.  The three judges judged that and afterwards they announced the finalists.

Following that, on Friday, it was just the group of five of us receiving coaching through our solos because Saturday we had the actual final. We were up quite late that evening because there was an after-party after that!

You had to perform a commissioned solo by Adrian Burnett as part of the competition. What was that like?

Yes, we all had to learn Adrian’s solo. The solo was really cool. It was fairly classical and had heaps of jumps in it, so on the first day it was really exciting. But once we got to the end it was pretty suicidal because it needed so much stamina!

What was it like creating your own solo?

It actually took me ages to choreograph my “dancer’s own” solo because I hadn’t choreographed much ballet before. We got to choose our own music, so I used music from the movie Pina. It was really difficult for me, but it was a good experience.

How did you celebrate?

Pretty much by doing nothing, because I was tired by the end and also, my knee was quite sore because I have tendonitis. So, I just wanted to rest. We all had a little party in the dorms after we went back to the hotel and that was a release from it all, which was nice. There wasn’t much celebration when I went back home, it was just about having holidays. The experience itself was the reward really.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m looking forward to joining the Level Six boys at The Australian Ballet School this year and taking advantage of all the facilities there as I’d like to improve things like my upper-body strength for pas de deux. I’d also love to try and audition again for the Prix de Lausanne. If something amazing did happen and I actually got into the Prix, the prize money I’ve won from the Genée would help me pay for flights without having to worry my parents. Otherwise, it will probably end up as a long-term deposit, maybe for an audition tour at the end of my training. I’m just saving up at the moment for anything that might happen in the next few years. As for long-term plans, I’m not too sure yet. I’m just keeping my options open at the moment and seeing what happens. I’ve still got a good three years of training to go to figure that out!

Photos courtesy of Harry Davis. 

State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne
October 31 2012

By Rebecca Martin.

The Australian Ballet has come a long way since it took to the stage hot on the heels of the Borovansky Ballet back in 1962.  Our national ballet company may only be 50 years old, but it has a rich history of new and old works, and has consistently been comprised of talented and versatile performers.

It is surprising then, that The Australian Ballet chose to commemorate 50 years by holding a gala of international performers rather than showing off our own fantastic company.  Perhaps it was designed more as a treat for audiences to expose them to what the rest of the world has to offer.

The first act of the night comprised a series of modern and traditional pas de deux, starting with Overture, an exhibition piece choreographed by The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director, David McAllister. It saw the full company on stage in classic white tutus for the women and white tights for the men.  I found myself bursting with pride during that piece as I watched the dancers smiling and resplendent in their strong technique and assured artistry.

Stuttgart Ballet’s Demis Volpi first choreographed a piece for the Noverre Society’s Young Choreographers – which is that company’s version of the AB’s Bodytorque – in 2006 and has been a choreographer on the rise ever since.  His piece, Little Monsters kicked off the international part of the gala, and highlighted the intricate, quirky, physically challenging, and emotionally thoughtful trademarks of Volpi choreography.

The National Ballet of China gave us the Act II Pas de Deux from Giselle.  While ably danced, this pas de deux is one that doesn’t stand well when taken out of context from the rest of the ballet.  The Love Pas de Deux from Carmen Suite was next, performed by Mizuka Ueno and Naoki Takagishi from the Tokyo Ballet.  The role of Carmen is an exciting and seductive one, yet Ueno failed to set the stage alight in her portrayal.

Daniel Carmago and Elisa Badenes of Stuttgart Ballet. Photo by Jeff Busby

Enter, Julie Kent from American Ballet Theatre.  Undoubtedly the star everyone had come to see, she performed the bedroom Pas de Deux from Manon with all the joy of a young woman in love.  Her technique and lines are flawless, and she was ably partnered by The Australian Ballet’s own Adam Bull, who clearly shared Kent’s joy.  The pas de deux was over far too quickly and left us wanting more.

The virtuosic Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux was next and was brilliantly performed by local dancers Lana Jones and Kevin Jackson.  Jones has the right amount of ballon and quick foot work to excel in this piece, and Jackson was all technical perfection and brightness on stage as always.  This was a definite highlight.

The stars of the night, however, were undoubtedly Elisa Badenes and Daniel Camargo from Stuttgart Ballet who returned to the stage after Little Monsters to dance the famous Wedding Pas de Deux from Don Quixote.  Both only corps de ballet members, Badenes and Camargo showed the audience why Stuttgart Ballet is truly one of the greatest companies in the world.  Camargo was flawless in his execution of the many jumps and turns, and was a strong partner.  Meanwhile, Badenes had glorious long legs around her ears and held every balance of the difficult pas de deux with aplomb.  The one-handed presage lifts drew gasps from the audience (myself included) when Badenes hovered at the end of Camargo’s arm in a perfect split in seconde.

After witnessing such a spectacular performance, it was disappointing then that the second act brought us a lackluster performance of Etudes.  The ballet itself has some wonderful moments, particularly the opening scene and the diagonal jetes later in the piece.  The piece seemed to drag on a little and the company looked tired by the end.

Nonetheless, the gala was a fabulous night of diverse dancing and reminded us of the high caliber of our national ballet company.  Bring on the next 50 years!

Top photo: Artists of The Australian Ballet, 50th Gala, photo by Jeff Busby.

The 2012 Genée International Ballet Competition, organised by the Royal Academy of Dance, will take place in Wellington, New Zealand from 6-15 December, in association with the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand School of Dance.

The Semi-finals (12-13 December) and Final (15 December) will be staged in the magnificent St James Theatre, the city’s leading venue for opera, dance and major musical shows and home of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

“It is with great enthusiasm that we look forward to welcoming the RAD and the Genée International Ballet Competition to the home of the RNZB at the St James Theatre here in Wellington in 2012. Wellington is a vibrant city that is passionate about arts and culture and will provide a wonderful backdrop for this exciting competition.” Amanda Skoog, Managing Director, Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Finalists will compete for a coveted gold, silver or bronze medal, as well as significant prize money, in front of a judging panel of top ballet professionals including David McAllister, Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet, Li Cunxin, Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet and author of the best-selling autobiography Mao’s Last Dancer, and Christopher Hampson, Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet. New Zealand-born choreographer, Adrian Burnett, will create two exclusive variations (male and female) which will be premiered at the Final.

The Genée International Ballet Competition, fondly known as ‘The Genée’ is the RAD’s flagship annual event and is named after Dame Adeline Genée DBE, co-founder of the Association of Operatic Dancing, as the RAD was then known.

The competition originated quite humbly in 1931 as the ‘Adeline Genée Gold Medal’ and was introduced as an additional incentive for candidates who had passed the Solo Seal examination. Felicity Garratt was the first recipient of this award with a silver medal and then a bronze medal added in 1934 and 1956 respectively, and both gold and silver medals introduced for male dancers in 1938. The award continued to progress and develop into a competition format and remarkably it has taken place almost every year since 1931, even during the Second World War. In 2002, however Luke Rittner, Chief Executive, took the landmark decision to hold the competition outside London in order to embrace its international spirit taking it to Australia where Sydney Opera House played host to a record number of candidates. Following that success the Academy did not look back and the Genée has been presented in many cities across the globe.

Another event running alongside the main competition is the Genée Dance Challenge, a national dance challenge for young dancers across New Zealand, which will be held on Friday 14 December at St James Theatre.

Tickets for the Semi-finals, Final and Genée Dance Challenge are available from the Ticketek website at premier.ticketek.co.nz

Sydney Opera House has unveiled a vibrant and eclectic program for Spring Dance 2012 – Australia’s only international festival of contemporary dance – curated by Rafael Bonachela.

Brimming with energy, and with an international flavour, the two week festival will be a celebration of movement, infused with Rafael’s spirit and his passion for dance. The festival, which will take over Sydney Opera House’s Western Foyers, includes an evening of four world premieres, three Australian premieres and offers up an assortment of dance and music styles to Spring Dance audiences.

Running from 20 August – 2 September, this year’s festival will get off to a sizzlingly sensual start when Sydney Opera House welcomes back Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. He will perform on stage for the first Australian presentation of Dunas, created and choreographed with renowned flamenco dancer María Pagés who will perform in Australia for the first time.

TAO Dance Theatre. Photo by Matthew George Johnson

The French choreographer Mourad Merzouki and his troupe of 11 dancers from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro will take Sydney by storm with their energetic fusion of hip hop, capoeira and samba with their double bill Agwa and Correria. By contrast, Beijing’s TAO Dance Theatre will also make their Australian debut, presenting the elegantly pared-back dances Weight x 3 and 2, set against the music of legendary minimalist composer Steve Reich.

Sydney Opera House and Sydney Dance Company will shine a light on female choreography with the world premiere of Contemporary Women – a series of four innovative works created by female Australian choreographers and performed by Sydney Dance Company’s dancers. The pieces, currently in development, will be further illustrated by a specially commissioned film and photography exhibition in the Western Foyers by Peter Greig.

Also celebrating home-grown talent will be Clouds Above Berlin choreographed and performed by Antony Hamilton and Melanie Lane; and iOU dance solo series which will showcase the best of Sydney’s independent dance scene.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and María Pagés’ Dunas. Photo by David Ruano

Spring Dance curator Rafael Bonachela said, “From the intellectual and innovative to the joyous and lyrical, there will be so much on offer at this year’s Spring Dance. For dance aficionados there will be some beautiful yet rigorous work presented by some truly inspirational artists. And for those people walking the streets of Sydney who don’t yet know that they love contemporary dance – we’re going to find them and welcome them to our community of dance lovers!”

Executive Producer Jonathan Bielski added, “We invited Rafael to lead Spring Dance not just because he is an artist of international acclaim, which he is, or because he is the most charming man in Sydney, which he most certainly is, but because he is a gifted programmer of other artists’ work and this talent is rare.”

Spring Dance will be accompanied by a series of on-site events including post show Q&As and artist-led masterclasses. The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David McAllister will lead a free outdoor ballet class and there will be a free jazz class taught by Rafael Bonachela and Ramon Doringo.

For the first time, the festival will be documented by a photographer in residence, Justin Ridler – keep an eye on the Spring Dance blog to stay up to date with his behind the scenes images.

There will be a one-off free film screening of Rudolf Nureyev and Robert Helpmann’s 1973 performance of Don Quixote for The Australian Ballet, introduced by David McAllister, offering a rare opportunity to revisit the first official public performance in the Sydney Opera House Opera Theatre.

The documentary film Never Stand Still, made at the Jacob’s Pillow festival in Massachusetts, will be screened at the Drama Theatre, offering an insightful glimpse into the world of dancers and choreographers. Tickets are $15.

Tickets for Spring Dance performances are only $35 and can be purchased via sydneyoperahouse.com or by phone on 02 9250 7777.

Top image: Mourad Merzouki’s Agwa and Correria

By Dolce Fisher.

The Australian Institute of Classical Dance (AICD) has been running the International Ballet Awards since 2009. This year the event will take place in Adelaide on October 6^th and 7th.  Formerly it has been held in Perth with young dancers enjoying great success on and off the competition stage, such as former second place winner, Satoko Konishi of Japan who is now dancing with the Houston Ballet company, in America.

The AICD was formed in 1991 by a true lady of dance Marilyn Jones OBE, with the vision to encourage all facets of classical dance in Australia. The International Ballet Awards provide major assistance to students wishing to pursue further dance education and become professional dancers, with the outright winner receiving a cash prize of $7,500. The second place dancer wins $2,000 and the third place getter takes home $1,000.

The competition is open to dancers from the age of 15-21. The AICD International Ballet Awards follow a similar structure of other popular scholarship competitions. The dancers must participate in a class viewed by the judging panel, perform a classical repertoire solo and a contrasting contemporary solo. This year the judges consist of the AICD’s Artistic Director Marilyn Jones, The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David McAllister and Leigh Warren of Leigh Warren & Dancers.

The major sponsor for the awards this year is Westminster School, a prestigious, private R-12 school based in Marion, Adelaide. The school’s massive contribution and support for the event is vital. The school will provide the theatre for the performances and onsite accommodation for the dancers at a very reasonable price of $45 per night, with meals ranging from only $12-$25. Taking part in scholarship competitions of this nature is often extremely expensive, but with an entry fee of only $65, the low cost to compete in AICD’s Awards is a huge draw card for competitors.

This event is not to be missed by young and serious dancers pursuing a career in the industry. If you didn’t know about this chance to enhance your future it’s not too late. The closing date for applications is not until August 31. The AICD’s South Australian representative, Barbara Komazec says “we want the dancers to enjoy the event”, so hurry up and get involved.

For further details contact www.ballet.org.au

By Dolce Fisher.

Sydney Opera House
July 22 2012

What another successful year for the McDonald’s Ballet Scholarship, held by Sydney Eisteddfod! Once again an array of young talent graced the Opera House stage competing for individual and jazz troupe honours.

If you are not familiar with the amazing opportunities that are associated with the scholarship the overall Ballet Scholarship winner receives a prize of $18,000 and the runner up takes home a prize of $12,000. Both dancers also receive a photographic portfolio sponsored by WinkiPoP Media, Bloch Vouchers and the amazing opportunity to take class and view rehearsals with many of the world’s leading companies.  These prizes help propel the young talent into exciting careers in dance.

Kelsey Stokes as Giselle

After judges Rani Luther and Colin Peasley viewed 144 entrants and went through a tedious process of elimination, they chose just six finalists that continued into the final classes and then performed at the Sydney Opera House where the Australian Ballet’s David McAllister joined the judging panel.

This year’s outright winner was the gorgeous Kelsey Stokes. Currently based in Queensland, she is a student of Prudence Bowen Atelier. Originally from New Zealand, her whole family showed their support for Kelsey’s dreams by relocating to Australia just so she could study under Miss Bowen’s guidance.  This move definitely paid off! Kelsey performed her classical solo, Giselle’s Variation Act 1, with a gentle innocence and an enormous amount of control and her contemporary solo showed her versatility.

Runner up, Aaron Kok, hailing from McDonald College’s Australian International Ballet Academy in Sydney, was well deserving of second place. He showed the most maturity of the male finalists. In his variation, ‘Prince Desire’ from Act 3 of Sleeping Beauty, he showed much elevation. His contemporary solo was also strong with wonderful expression that made him a stand out amongst his male counterparts.

As the evening is somewhat of a gala performance, the packed Concert Hall also enjoyed the Open Age Jazz Finals and a series of guest performances selected from this year’s dance eisteddfods.

Aaron Kok performs contemporary

The Jazz Finals made for a tough competition with every group packing the stage with dancers in tight unison. There were a couple of more creative performances from Paws and Ev & Bow, but unfortunately creativity didn’t seem to be what the judges were after this year. All the place getters were what you’d usually expect from a large group competition performance: kicks, leaps, turns and way too much acrobatics.

First place was awarded to Brent Street Group B for their piece Control and Village Performing Arts Group A came in second. Their tight, fast choreography was packed with great moments and was very entertaining. Third place was awarded to the Newcastle’s National College of Dance.

Dubbo Ballet Studio

The guest performances were packed with young talent. The Dance Spot gave a delightful ballet performance to Tchaikovsky’s Serenade.  Winners of the Open Age Lyrical Group dance division, Dance Junction, gave us a taste of our Anzac history with Only 19 and North Shore Prep School made everyone giggle with their hip hop number. From the student performances, the highlight was Dubbo Ballet Studio’s open contemporary group dance inspired and set to music from the movie, Mrs. Pettigrew Lives for a Day. It was full of fun and laughs and was very entertaining. The choreography came across as though it was quite simple, yet it actually had much detail.

Former scholarship winner Stephanie Hancox, now dancer with the Bavarian State Ballet, performed an excerpt from The Taming of the Shrew with partner Matej Urban. Both performed their character roles wonderfully and it was well received by the audience. With the evening somewhat of a gala it may have been nice to see a piece of repertoire that had a bit more bravado.

The Scholarship’s experience and exposure definitely helped propel Stephanie Hancox into her dream as a dancer and Australia should be proud to be exporting dancers of such a high standard. We hope that this year’s winners and finalists will be just as successful.

Top photo: 2012 Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Ballet Scholarships finalists. Back row: Kenji Wilkie (Alegria Studios, NSW), Brydee Lyttle (Christine Walsh, VIC), Charlotte Price (Sonja Shepherd,WA), Laura Atencio (Tanya Pearson, NSW), Aaron Kok (McDonald College, NSW). Front row: Kelsey Stokes (Prudence Bowen, QLD), Liam Morris (Christine Walsh, VIC) and Robyn Begg (Beth James, WA)

By Rain Francis.

State Theatre
June 9, 2012

The best dance companies from all over the country assembled at Arts Centre Melbourne for The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary gala, and it was an absolute treat. The variety of offerings truly showcased the depth and breadth of artistry nationwide; there really was something for every audience member – unless your thing is tutus, because there wasn’t one in sight.

The evening kicked off with the West Australian Ballet’s, Ombra Leggera, choreographed by Artistic Director Ivan Cavallari. It was performed by Daryl Brandwood and Andre Santos, two very different dancers who worked together beautifully. Quick, playful and a bit cheeky, this light-hearted duet was a superb display of technique.

By contrast, Don’t by Brisbane’s Expressions Dance Company was dark and powerful; an “exploration of the emotional power of words”. Dramatically lit and costumed in monochrome, it depicted three couples and their struggles to communicate. From the opening solo under a dappled spotlight, to the electrifying partner work, Don’t was engaging from start to finish.

Tasdance presented a short film, Momentary by choreographer Anna Smith. I was excited to see this offering from our friends across the Strait, although this perhaps wasn’t the best setting for the film. It was hypnotic and mysterious, but I think some quality was lost somewhere along the way – projecting onto the big screen did not seem to do it any justice.

Unsurprisingly, it was Australian Dance Theatre that brought the most innovative present to the party. They performed an excerpt of Be Your Self – an exploration of the human body and the concept of the ‘self’. Whatever combination of methodologies they are getting into over in Adelaide these days, it is a winning one – these performers are verging on superhuman. Having now seen two excerpts of this incredible work on the State Theatre stage, I hope Melbourne will be honoured with the full shebang sometime soon.

Dancenorth presented a brand new work, Fugue, choreographed by Artistic Director Raewyn Hill.   Inspired by Spanish bullfighting and the “dancing plague” of 1518 (where people allegedly danced themselves to death), Hill set out to “embody both a feeling of relentless and a communal experience.” This was achieved through the use of unison; the cast of eight moved in a constant swarm – which is no mean feat, especially in a piece so athletically challenging. The Sass & Bide costuming, although glamorous, seemed to swallow the dancers up and detracted from the intricacy of the movement. Ravel’s masterpiece Bolero, with its gradually building energy and repetitive structure was a fine choice to express the themes of the dance.

Another high point of the evening was Queensland Ballet’s excerpts from Cloudland, choreographed by Artistic Director Francois Klaus. The two pas de deux were performed flawlessly by Rachael Walsh and Keian Langdon, to Almost Like Being in Love and No Moon At All. Normally not a fan of choreography to music with lyrics, I was not bothered in this case, perhaps because I was swept up in the romance and pure beauty of the dance.

An excerpt from Rafael Bonachela’s 2 One Another, Sydney Dance Company’s contribution to the programme was, as expected, technically exquisite. The work explored human interaction, although the stimulus had been abstracted to a point where this fact became largely unrecognisable. Still, the combination of phenomenal dancers, innovative choreography, powerful music and beautiful costumes, lighting and staging made this another winner from Sydney Dance Company.

Tim Harbour’s new work for The Australian Ballet, Sweedeedee, painted a sentimental picture of a family. It was performed with grace and charm by beloved former Principal Artists, Justine Summers and Stephen Heathcote, as well as two Australian Ballet School students, Lennox Niven and Mia Heathcote, Stephen’s daughter. The stage was set (by Benjamin Cisterne) with an oversized washing line complete with white sheets, which were worked effectively into the choreography. Harbour’s movement in this piece was refreshingly uncomplicated, with clean lines and a gentle pace. Funny, sad and sweet, the stories it told were enriched by folk songs played live, with the Musical Direction of Chong Lim. Lexi George’s costumes were a standout, as was the magnificent lighting by Cisterne.

In his programme note, Artistic Director David McAllister cited David Bowie as the inspiration for the naming of this gala. Let’s Dance confirmed that dance is very much alive and well in this country. And judging by the spectrum of creativity and skill in the industry, it seems that Australian dance is set, like Mr. Bowie, to continue to reinvent itself, and only get better with age.

Top photo: Sydney Dance Company presents 2 One Another.

By Rain Francis.

This month, Australia’s preeminent dance companies will unite for a very special occasion. As part of The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary celebrations, Arts Centre Melbourne will host Let’s Dance, for 11 performances only. This is a unique opportunity for dance lovers to see the very best of the best, from every corner of the country.

“In our 50th year I wanted a program that recognised that dance is a thriving part of our cultural landscape. From stages to school halls, thousands of people are dancing across Australia every day,” says Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister. “It was also a chance to bring the Australian dance family together to celebrate and to share the wonderful companies of our nation with lucky Melbourne audiences.”

The headliner of this un-missable gala season is the premiere of Tim Harbour’s Sweedeedee. Also presenting new works are Raewyn Hill and Natalie Weir, Artistic Directors of Dancenorth and Expressions Dance Company, respectively. Performing works never before seen on a Melbourne stage are Australian Dance Theatre, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company. To top the evening off, Tasdance will present a short dance film.

To find out more about what is in store, I spoke to each of the companies involved in Let’s Dance.

Mia Heathcote, Steven Heathcote & Tim Harbour. Photo by Georges Antoni

Company: The Australian Ballet
Title: Sweedeedee
Choreographer: Tim Harbour

Australian Ballet devotees are in for a rare treat with Tim Harbour’s brand new ballet. Sweedeedee sees a return to the stage of beloved former principal artists, Justine Summers and Steven Heathcote. Himself a former Senior Artist with the company, Harbour has shared the stage with the pair, but this is the first time he has choreographed on them.

“Justine and Steven formed a partnership that was particularly cherished by audiences”, Harbour explains. “They both have a deep resonance on stage that I want to tap into. While neither is at the height of their virtuosic powers any more, they are both still beautifully vivid movers.”

The notion of the “Australian dance family” described by McAllister became the starting point for Sweedeedee. Playing the children of Summers and Heathcote will be two students from The Australian Ballet School – one of whom is Heathcote’s actual daughter, Mia.

Harbour has aimed to create something that is fun for cast and audience alike, as well as being a vehicle for this particular, unconventional cast. “I knew I wanted to create something that two dancers in their forties and two mid-teen children could deliver,” he says. “Steven, Justine and myself are all parents now and that has informed the piece too.”

Sweedeedee will be performed primarily to a collection of folk songs, including numbers by Woodie Guthrie and Leonard Cohen, played by a live band. With sets and lighting by Benjamin Cisterne, costumes by Alexis George and projections by Lily Coates and Gavin Youngs, this promises to be a sensory delight fit for a 50^th.

Dancenorth "Fugue"

Company: Dancenorth
Title: Fugue
Choreographer: Raewyn Hill

Inspired by Spanish bullfighting, performed to Ravel’s legendary Bolero and costumed by Sass & Bide, Fugue is sure to be quite a spectacle. Raewyn Hill describes it as “a relentless, trance like experience”, with seven dancers moving as one and pushed to their absolute physical extremes.

Hill researched extensively for this new work, and notes that “the bullfight is often referred to as a metaphor for a fight between mankind and death.” She has aligned this concept with the story of the ‘Dancing Plague’. This mysterious event allegedly occurred in Strasbourg in 1518, when people spontaneously began to dance and continued for days, some even to their death.

“The dancers have really embraced the challenge, and they give phenomenal performances,” says Hill. Be ready to be mesmerised by this exciting premiere!

Company: Expressions Dance Company
Title: Don’t
Choreographer: Natalie Weir

Natalie Weir’s brand new work Don’t is developed from a piece called Scripsi Scriptum, which explores the art of communication and the written word. “I thought the duet was very powerful”, says Weir, “and wanted to work further with the idea of a singular word and its emotional resonance.”

As with all of Weir’s work, which tends to explore “human emotion and connection”, the ideas presented in Don’t are ones to which we can all relate. As the choreographer notes, “sometimes we wish we could take back the things we say to each other. We forget the power that a word can have, its impact on others, and how easy it is to interpret or indeed, misinterpret.  The concept behind Don’t is very simple, but beautiful and quite sad at times.”

Australian Dance Theatre's "Be Your Self". Photo by Chris Herzfeld

Company: Australian Dance Theatre
Title: Be Your Self (excerpt)
Choreographer: Garry Stewart

Be Your Self is a work that has been informed broadly and from vastly different viewpoints. Amongst their eclectic training and development schedule, ADT often engages in meditation practice. Initial sessions were led by a Buddhist monk, who discussed with the company the nature of ‘self’ according to Buddhist principles. Garry Stewart also consulted with a professor of physiology about the ways in which emotions are connected to the body and “how the hormonal system interacts with the brain neurologically and chemically when we experience certain emotions.”

The resulting work is an “exploration of the human body as the starting point for defining the concept of self.” ADT performed a snippet of Be Your Self at the Australian Dance Awards in 2009, and Melbourne audiences were, of course, blown away. Though we’re yet to be treated to it in its entirety, I bet we’re all looking forward to getting another glimpse of this incredible creation.

Company: Queensland Ballet
Title: Cloudland (excerpts)
Choreographer: François Klaus

A sell-out at the 2004 Brisbane Festival and loved by European audiences, Cloudland takes us back in time to the iconic Brisbane ballroom that was popular from the 1940s to the 1980s. “When I was creating the ballet we were overwhelmed by responses to our calls for information”, says François Klaus. “People sent in delightful anecdotes, photographs and even CDs relating to their experiences at Cloudland. This story was very important to Brisbane life for a lot of people.”

Melbourne audiences will be treated to two lyrical pas de deux: Almost Like Being in Love and No Moon at All. “It’s a lovely production with beautiful sets, costumes, and music”, says Klaus. “The themes of love and nostalgia have universal appeal – the story is local in one sense to Brisbane, but people anywhere can relate.”

WA Ballet's Daryl Brandwood & Jayne Smeulders in Ombra Leggiera. Photo by Jon Green.

Company: West Australian Ballet
Title: Ombra Leggiera
Choreographer: Ivan Cavallari

Inspired by the lyrics from the aria Ombra Leggiera in Meyerbeer’s Dinorah, the dance evokes a dialogue with a shadow. It was originally a solo created for Daryl Brandwood, who would interact with movements projected onto a screen. “It was to have been staged in this format at the Quarry Amphitheatre”, says Ivan Cavallari, “however once we were there, it became obvious that the complex projections would be technically unachievable. Thus it became, overnight, a pas de deux!”

Ombra Leggiera is just one instalment in a trilogy of works set to arias sung by the illustrious Maria Callas. “For the moment I have choreographed the first two arias”, says Cavallari, “but I’m still undecided about the third.” So watch this space!

Company: Sydney Dance Company
Title: 2 One Another (excerpt)
Choreographer: Rafael Bonachela

Prior to a Melbourne season of 2 One Another in November this year, Sydney Dance Company brings a segment of its most recent work to Let’s Dance.

2 One Another celebrates “relationships, interactions and the sheer beauty of the human form”. Developed in collaboration with the young Australian poet Samuel Webster, it was enthusiastically received by Sydney audiences in March.

The Daily Telegraph’s Vanessa Keys calls it “an awakening, a major turning point for Bonachela”. Jill Sykes of the Sydney Morning Herald agrees, naming it the choreographer’s “best since he became Artistic Director.”

Company: Tasdance
Title: Momentary
Choreographer: Anna Smith

“Momentary is truly a short moment in time, a glimpse from what has been and an instant of what might be”, says Anna Smith. The short film is a development of Quiescence, one of Smith’s earlier works, which was born of the Conceiving Connections Research project in 2000.

An investigation of the poem Gum Trees Stripping by Judith Wright, Momentary identifies eucalyptus bark as a reflection of human experience. “[The bark is] a skin that reveals a history that often outlives our own”, says Smith. “People have wrinkles, scars and marks on their skin because they have experienced the elements of life.”

Bringing to life the rich, colourful imagery of Wright, Smith hopes that the film reminds viewers to see the beauty and wisdom in growing old, and to “appreciate and take notice of what surrounds us.”

Let’s Dance runs from June 7 to June 16 at Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre.
Book through www.australianballet.com.au or call 1300 369 741

Top photo: Principal dancers Rachael Walsh and Keian Langdon of Queensland Ballet perform the Cloudland pas de deux. Photo by Ken Sparrow.

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