By Rain Francis.

Starting to think about full-time dance training? Now more than ever there are some fantastic options out there – and they may be closer than you think. Gone are the days when you have to move to Melbourne or Sydney to get the best training. While there are some amazing courses offered in these two cities and a wealth of dance opportunities, don’t dismiss the high quality training options offered elsewhere – staying closer to home could be a good option for you.

One of the most important factors in staying closer to home is of course having your loved ones near. “The family can directly manage all aspects of their child’s development and training, providing hands on love and support,” says Canberra Dance Development Centre Director Jackie Hallahan. This means having a helping hand with everything from your day-to-day living tasks, to just having a shoulder to cry on when you are exhausted or frustrated.

“Dancing full time can be very demanding physically, mentally and emotionally,” says Beth James, director of Western Australia Conservatoire of Classical Ballet. “For a young student, having these demands – as well as living on their own without family – and having to go home to cook, clean, and prepare after an exhausting day can be tough. And of course, having your friends close by on your day off can be just what you need to keep a healthy balance away from dance.” Although you will make lots of new friends wherever you study, it’s wonderful to be able to keep in touch with your established friends – and not just on Facebook!

“In our experience, most students find the transition from high school to 30 hours a week of intensive training somewhat overwhelming, especially throughout the first term,” agrees Phil Talbot, CEO/Director of Principal Academy of Dance and Theatre Arts in Perth. “By being close to home they have the support of family members to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle and cope with stress, especially at assessment time.”

Canberra Dance Development Centre full time student Georgia Powley. Photo by Greg Primmer.

It is perfectly normal to find the transition to full-time training difficult. Besides dealing with a new environment, new people and the physical and mental stresses of such a full-on workload, if you’re living away from home there are additional pressures. It might be the first time you’ve had to do your own food shopping, transport yourself to the studio, pay bills and deal with other everyday realities. After a long day of training, it’s likely that all you’ll want to do is have a bath and then vegetate on the lounge room floor. This is where unhealthy habits can start to creep in, such as living on ‘convenience’ food. Living at home can give you more stability, so you are freer to put all your energies into your training.

Another thing to consider is money. Full-time training can place a large financial burden on you and your family, and training closer to home can help ease that considerably. Though it may be tempting to leave home and head for the big smoke, try to be realistic about the pros and cons.

Living at home can save thousands per year on rent and other living costs. And if you are living away from home, you’ll be paying much more to live in one of the bigger cities. Unfortunately, getting yourself into debt early on can really affect your future. “It’s not just the family – the student takes on the financial burden as well and this can interfere with decisions made down the track,” James explains. The reality is that you may not be able to travel to auditions or afford to do all the classes you need to after graduating.

Hallahan agrees, adding, “[Staying at home means that] the students’ parents may be able to invest more money in their child’s training rather than on additional living costs.” So if there’s any way to avoid getting into debt – or placing strain on your family’s finances – it’s advisable to investigate and consider these options.

Australia’s most successful dancers didn’t all come from the schools in the big cities. Terry Simpson Studios in Adelaide turned out Remi Wortmeyer (The Australian Ballet and Dutch National Ballet), Nicola Leahey (Compagnie Thor, Belgium), Jesse Scales (Sydney Dance Company) and Nicola Wills-Jones (Royal Ballet, Flanders). Graduates of Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in Perth have worked in Western Australian Ballet, Queensland Ballet, Australian Dance Theatre, Expressions Dance Company and many international companies.

There are also some world-class dance companies outside of Sydney and Melbourne. Adelaide has Australian Dance Theatre and Leigh Warren and Dancers, Townsville has Dancenorth and Launceston has Tasdance, just to name a few. Making yourself known to these companies while you’re training – either through secondments or taking company class – can be a great way to build relationships which may lead to employment after graduation. Also, if you are considering a career as a choreographer, do some research into the local grants available from your state’s branch of Ausdance, or from your regional council. Sometimes, being in a smaller centre can actually be an advantage; there are less people vying for the same funding dollars. So, make the most of all your area has to offer.

Of course, I’m playing devil’s advocate here; there are also advantages to flying the coop. The truth is that no matter where you choose to study, you will find a way to make it work, and to get absolutely the most out of every opportunity that comes your way. Your full-time training will be one of the most challenging things you will ever do, but it is also an exciting time which will pass you by far quicker than you can imagine!

Be sure to check out Dance Informa’s 2014 Full Time Dance and Auditions Guide, out this July. The Guide lists the best full-time schools and courses across Australia.
To check out the 2013 Full Time Guide, click here.

Former Australian Ballet principal Robert Curran has moved from centre stage to the wings; but don’t for a moment think he doesn’t mean it anymore.

By Paul Ransom.

When you have dedicated the best part of your adolescence and adult life to dance what do you do when you slide off the tights for the final time and vanish into retirement? Former Australian Ballet principal Robert Curran didn’t have to wait long to find out.

Following his 2011 swansong, Curran was looking forward to a sabbatical. “I made the decision last year that I would take twelve months off just to get some distance between myself and performing, but I only really lasted about two months before I was desperate to get back in the studio and be part of the creative process again.”

Fast forward a few months and Curran found himself joining forces with one of Australia’s most recognised choreographers, Stephen Page, and taking on the role of Rehearsal Director with the country’s peak indigenous arts company Bangarra Dance Theatre.

It may sound less glamorous than dancing Siegfried or being an artistic director, but for Curran his new side-stage career represents a gilt edge opportunity to get to grips with the inner workings of a major, touring company. “My take on this whole situation is that I’m being given an opportunity to learn and observe,” he says, “and if I’m lucky transfer some of those learnings across to my own creative ambitions.”

But of course, Bangarra is not just any company, as Curran is quick to acknowledge. As a ‘white’ Australian, he is all too aware of the company’s pivotal role both as a creator of contemporary indigenous stories and as a guardian of first nation culture. “I’m facilitating something that is not my place culturally to interfere with,” he concedes, “and I definitely don’t think these things are over-played. There are cultural sensitivities. There are language barriers too. There are an enormous amount of aboriginal tribes and dialects and Bangarra can’t represent every single one of them – but they need to be sensitive. They need to do things correctly. They need to ensure that what’s put out there isn’t just thrown together.”

However, as Rehearsal Director, Curran’s role is more practical and personal than political. His dailies include scheduling, fitness training, working on technical strength and providing overall pastoral care for the company’s 14 dancers. It’s hands-on and can be quite intense.

“When you’re talking to a dancer about what they perceive are their weaknesses and what they need to work on, there’s really an enormous amount of trust that comes from that level of personal disclosure,” he explains.

Robert Curran with Lucinda Dunn, when dancing with The Australian Ballet. Photo by Georges Antoni.

In the physically strenuous world of professional dance the ‘welfare’ issues are mainly corporeal. “As the abilities of the dancers increase so do the risks to their physical well-being and health,” he notes. “Because we keep putting greater demands on dancers – everything has to be more exciting and interesting – that really takes it out of them.”

Now that he finds himself in the role of care giver, rather than receiver, Curran is able to reflect on his own career through a new prism. Looking back over his years with the nation’s flagship ballet company, he now recognises how well The Australian Ballet’s backroom staff looked after him as a dancer. As he recalls it, “They definitely got me into performances and into rehearsals that otherwise I would not have been able to do.”

Having once flirted with the idea of becoming a doctor, Curran is perhaps a natural caregiver. However, he is also a creative being with ambitions to front a company one day. For him, Bangarra is a port of the way to that destination. In the meantime, he admits, there is plenty for him to learn; not the least with regard to the company’s cultural mission.

Whereas some might consider Bangarra’s aboriginality a convenient marketing device, Curran argues strongly that the company is anything but token. “Bangarra is sooo not commercial and mass produced. This is a company that is so closely linked to their forty thousand year old culture; it’s just that they’re telling their stories today.”

Indeed, the struggle to keep history alive and relevant is not a new thing for Curran. “For me personally that’s a very valuable lesson because ballet has the same issues. For Bangarra the challenge is to overcome that touristy plastic token thing, whilst ballet is fighting the pointe shoe, tutu, Sleeping Beauty phenomena.”

On a recent trip to remote communities in Arnhem Land, Curran was able to witness first-hand the life of a traditional society. “I would daresay that most of the Australian community will never have the kind of experience I had up there,” he suggests. “It was incredibly special to be able to go out into the communities and witness ceremonies that no other white Australian would be able to see. It was incredibly nerve wracking for me.”

Meanwhile, back in the rehearsal studio in Sydney, Curran has his hands full with getting the company’s new show Blak ready for its world premiere season. In a sign of just how ground level his new role is, Curran reveals that his main job right now is working with Blak’s co-choreographer and dancer Daniel Riley McKinley. “Actually, that’s been my real focus; to make sure that he’s fit, that he does enough rehearsals and makes sure his body is ready.”

Whatever the cultural context, it seems, the dance must go on.

Photo (top): Robert Curran. Photo by Greg Barrett.

By Rain Francis.

Two students from the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) will represent New Zealand at the Assemblée Internationale 2013 (AI13) in Toronto in April. Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) is hosting eighteen professional ballet schools for the seven-day festival of classes, performances, forums and professional development. Second year NZSD students Jarrah McArthur and Tynan Wood will perform Jeffrey Tan’s Façade at the international gala. The work, created for Singapore Dance Theatre and first performed by the NZSD in 2004, was chosen because it locates the School within the Asia Pacific region.

The schools invited to the AI13 are those with whom NBS has a long-standing history of cooperation over the past 20 years, including the New Zealand School of Dance.

Following an exceptional launch season in 2012, The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) is thrilled to announce their six centre North Island tour of Language of Living this May and June. The company makes a one-night-only return to Auckland’s Aotea Centre before hitting the road to premiere the show in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Whangarei, Orewa and Warkworth.

One of the most inspirational dance productions of last year, Language of Living is a diverse programme of exquisite works. Earthy, witty and beautiful, the 2013 programme features a selection of choreography by New Zealanders Michael Parmenter, Shona McCullagh, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Justin Haiu and Ashleigh Coward, and international artist Anne Teresa De Keesmaeker. For venue and ticketing information visit www.nzdc.org.nz

New Zealand School of Dance students Jarrah McArthur and Tynan Wood rehearsing Jeffrey Tan’s ‘Facade’ to be presented in Toronto at the Assemblée Internationale 2013

Dance was very much part of the launch for Boosted, the Arts Foundation’s brand new crowd-funding platform, on March 21. The New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) and Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ) have created the very first dance projects asking for public support on Boosted; the NZSD for support to put its Choreographic Season on stage in May and DANZ to produce a 20th anniversary-edition of DANZ Quarterly this year.

The Arts Foundation has established Boosted to build a new generation of arts donors. It is the only genuinely philanthropic crowd-funding website for arts projects in New Zealand. Boosted enables donors to select projects they would like to support with donations of $5 or more. Visit www.boosted.org.nz to watch the videos for these two projects, to donate or to share them with your networks.

Sharni Spencer is one of six dancers to have been nominated for the Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards 2013. Sharni, who dances with The Australian Ballet, trained in Wellington at the New Zealand School of Dance. While in New Zealand she received the SODA scholarship as well as picking up the Solo Seal and Isobel Anderson Award. Sharni joined The Australian Ballet in 2008 after graduating with a New Zealand School of Dance Certificate in Dance Performance.

Following a sold-out tour in Germany, Black Grace now brings its masterpiece Vaka to Wanaka and Queenstown. Exploring the idea of a raft as a metaphor for hope, Vaka was met with a standing ovation and rapturous applause upon its performance in Europe. Its initial 25-minute showing has now evolved into a stunning 60-minute masterpiece since its return to New Zealand.

Black Grace will be joined on stage by a select group of Southland’s young people, following an intensive week of workshopping with the company.

New Zealand Dance Company presents ‘Language of Living’. Photo by John McDermott

The Royal New Zealand Ballet‘s Made to Move tour has been met with positive feedback from critics and audience members alike. The triple bill consisted of Javier De Frutos’ The Anatomy of a Passing Cloud, Andrew Simmons’ Of Days and Ethan Stiefel’s Bier Halle. In The Listener, Francesca Horsley wrote that “the Made to Move programme epitomises all that makes the company remarkable – daring, talent, passion.” The company is now en route to China, where they will share Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s beautiful production of Giselle with audiences in Suzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou.

The Wellington Fringe Festival Awards were held recently, with the Best Dance Award going to How to Make Friends and Still Appear Normal by Natalie Maria Clark and Black Sheep Productions. Natalie also won Best Newcomer. Also nominated for the dance award were Feet of Clay by Livia MacPhedran and Clay Feet Dancers and Gizza Hoon by Pinwheel Dance Theatre.

At the Auckland Fringe, Ross McCormack won Best Performance in Dance for his appearance in Amanimal (Rifleman Productions), which also won Best Production in Dance.

Short+Sweet is back and taking registrations now. Check out www.shortandsweet.org.nz. It’s the festival’s 4th year in Auckland and this season will be the inaugural year of a musical theatre addition, to be called Short+Sweet Song. The festival is held at The Herald Theatre in Aotea Centre, Auckland, from May 28 –June 30.

Photo (top): New Zealand Dance Company presents Language of Living. Photo by John McDermott.

State Theatre, Melbourne
March 22, 2013

By Rain Francis.

In a dusty old box in a storage unit somewhere there lays a copy of American Ballet Theatre’s Don Quixote on VHS. Though its format is now teetering on extinction, the battered little tape is anything but forgotten. Filmed in 1984 and starring the incomparable Mikhail Baryshnikov and Cynthia Harvey, it was my entertainment of choice in the hours between school and ballet practice. I knew every nuance of it like the back of my hand and never got bored with watching it.

Hearing that The Australian Ballet was staging Rudolf Nureyev’s version of Don Quixote this year, my expectations were sky-high. Thank goodness I wasn’t disappointed.

The structure of the ballet is perfectly balanced; the fun and dynamics of Act 1 and 3 are enhanced by a hypnotic, dreamy Act 2. Principal Artist Amber Scott was as close to flawless as a human being can get; a smart choice for the Queen of the Dryads. Corps de Ballet member Benedicte Bemet as Amor was a standout, exquisitely bird-like and cherubic.

In the lead roles of Kitri and Basilio respectively, Principals Leanne Stojmenov and Ty King-Wall shone. They weren’t able to top my memories of Harvey and Baryshnikov, but taking this production purely on its own merits, it would be impossible to find fault with these two outstanding current artists.

Coryphée Garry Stocks was hilarious as the ridiculously foppish Gamache, but it was Soloist Brett Simon’s Don Quixote who really stole the show for me. I was actually in awe to discover at the end that the title role was played by a relatively young soloist and not a veteran of the stage. Simon has a truly unique gift to convey both emotional depth and story. His interpretation of this rich and important character felt like his own, rather than a reproduction of a past artist’s, and this made him the only aspect of this production to truly exceed my expectations.

This year marks 75 years since Nureyev’s birth and 20 years since his untimely death. Don Quixote, with all its colour, flamboyance and happy energy is such a positive tribute to this magnificent artist.

Photo: Lana Jones and Daniel Gaudiello of The Australian Ballet in Don Quixote. Photography Georges Antoni. Make up by Napoleon Perdis

$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 Rain Francis.

Rudolf Nureyev was one of the single most influential people in the history of dance. This year marks 20 years since his untimely death, but also 75 years since his birth. In celebration of this great man, many special events, gala performances and tributes are taking place worldwide in 2013. There has been so much written about him, and he has become something of an enigma. But what was he really like? We ask two professional dancers who knew him personally, Frederic Jahn and Patricia Ruanne.

Jahn and Ruanne are both involved with The Nureyev Foundation, and worked with Nureyev for many decades during their illustrious careers. In Patricia’s case, this relationship began in 1964, when Raymonda was presented at the Spoleto Festival in Italy, during the epoch when Margot Fonteyn’s husband was shot. For Frederic, it began in 1969, when Rudolf staged Don Quixote for The Australian Ballet.

How well did you know Rudolf Nureyev?

Frederic Jahn
I began to know Rudi better when we were working on Romeo and Juliet. I had worked with him before, as a very young corps de ballet member of The Australian Ballet. I was cast as the Old Don in Don Quixote, as Helpmann’s second cast, so I was privy to a lot of personal information, which was a tremendous learning curve in stagecraft.

Rudolf advised me to go to Europe, indicating that I should benefit from a wider professional platform than could be found in Australasia. This interest in a young dancer’s future was typical of the generosity he showed to fellow artistes. In my mind, I didn’t understand why he should single me out, but he clearly recognised some potential in me that I didn’t know I had. These ‘good old days’ were the platform of our relationship.

We discovered that most of the time he was by himself in London when he was choreographing Romeo and Juliet. Everybody thought that being a celebrity, he was wined and dined every night, when in fact he was just in his flat by himself. We would drop by and go to lunch or dinner. We established a close relationship, but I don’t know if we could say we were real friends. I felt he had trouble trusting people, and rightly so, as many used him for their own political ambitions, and still continue to do so.

I once dressed him in Italy; the dressers were scared of him so the management asked me if I would do it. I was the interim Ballet Master in Naples for the time Nureyev was there. I felt I was a friend, and it felt just as if you were helping a chum next to you do up his costume. The performance was already 20 minutes late, and a public of 3000 excited Italians were all clapping in unison to get the open-air show going. Italians can be very rowdy. He wasn’t going to be rushed, and the more noise they made, the gigglier he became. The management was knocking at the door, and I had to keep telling them he needed a few minutes more, at which point he said, “Ricky, have you heard the story about Bear and Rabbit sitting on edge of the wood?” I said I hadn’t, and he proceeded to tell me this scatological tale. We both left the dressing room giggling like schoolgirls, passing the fuming theatre management. Needless to say, when he came on stage, the audience was in a frenzy. He had in fact calculated that being late would drive the audience to this point, and he would give a performance that would be, for many people, a life-long memorable event. I felt that incident bonded us, and became the origin for many dinnertime anecdotes.

Rudolf Nureyev and Patricia Ruanne

Patricia Ruanne
I came to know him as well as he would allow. We had a good working relationship as dancers, and certainly he never gave me personally any ‘grief’ as a partner, which was not always the case with other dancers!

This agreeable understanding intensified once I went to join him in Paris. There was much discussion about the development of his dancers and I began to learn things on an entirely different level. Equally, he was always generous enough to listen to my thoughts on a subject, acknowledging that being on pointe was one asset he had never mastered. His demonstration of professional respect and affection to both myself and also to Frederic when he was there was naturally very helpful towards the Paris Opera dancers’ perception of us.

He frequently asked me to be hostess to his host at his home in Paris, so I met some fascinating people and we had a lot of fun. He couldn’t bear pretentious posturing; some folk were never invited back, or we would retire to the kitchen on the pretext of checking whether his cook was drunk yet, and try to dream up some plausible excuse for getting rid of someone who was boring him to tears. His proposals were generally along the lines of something dreamed up by Sweeney Todd; rather gory, but very funny. Lord knows what his guests made of the shrieks of laughter echoing from the back pantry!

He trusted me quite early on with the knowledge of his illness, and I spent every Sunday with him once he was obliged to be hospitalised towards the end of his life – something I remain glad to have been able to do.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about him?

Frederic Jahn
That he was bad tempered and rude and had no respect for others. He was not. It takes two to tango. Rudolf reacted to how people reacted to him, full stop.

Patricia Ruanne
I agree. I have seen him explode, but it was never without just cause. He had no time for laziness, indifference or lack of commitment to our profession. ‘Wasting time’ appalled him, given the brevity of a dancer’s performing life and he was incapable of understanding a lack of enthusiasm for anything related to the stage.

What was his greatest legacy?

Patricia Ruanne
This is an almost impossible question to answer. For my generation – and those who were able to see him perform at his best – there will forever remain the image of just how much can be accomplished by sheer hard work, dedication and never falling into the trap of believing your own publicity.

Personally, I think the strongest link to future generations will be the fact that he was also a great teacher, and instilled this care for others into so many younger dancers, some of whom are now directing companies. Watching them coach dancers in roles they once performed themselves, one can see the influence of Nureyev quite clearly.

He once said to me, when I was struggling with an exceptionally difficult company who appeared incapable of coping with his challenging choreography, “Are they doing the best they can? If so, and even if it’s not the standard you would like to see, you have to love and respect them for giving all that they are capable of.” I think that says a lot about the kind of man he was, and I try to apply this great advice always.

What can students today learn from him?

Patricia Ruanne
Don’t waste time – there’ll never be enough of it. Never give up on yourself. Always work to the best of your ability, but don’t let yourself sink into a depression when in a bad patch. Just keep at it – it will come back if you don’t frustrate yourself mentally. Keep your sense of humour and care about yourself.

Rudolf did not have a perfect physique and had to overcome many technical problems. Nonetheless, he had the most sensational career. It’s a perfect example of belief in self, dedication and determination.

For more information about Rudolf Nureyev and the list of tribute events taking place this year, visit www.nureyev.org.

Photos courtesy of Frederic Jahn and Patricia Ruanne. Top photo: Rudolf Nureyev and Frederic Jahn in rehearsal.

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. 

By Rebecca Martin.

Two of Stuttgart Ballet’s rising stars, Daniel Camargo and Elisa Badenes, journeyed to Melbourne to perform at The Australian Ballet’s 50th Anniversary Gala late last year. They performed the first piece of the night, choreographed by Stuttgart Ballet’s own Demis Volpi. It was a challenging contemporary piece that highlighted the dancers’ exquisite bodies and technique.

Ultimately though, it was their performance later in the evening of the Don Quixote Act III pas de deux that blew the audience away and exhibited why Stuttgart Ballet is one of the world’s greatest companies.

Dance Informa caught up with Daniel and Elisa upon their return to Germany following a tour to China with Stuttgart Ballet.

Tell us a little about your dance training.

Daniel Camargo
I began my dance training in my native country Brazil at the Guaira Ballet School in Curitiba. In 2005, I participated in the Youth America Grand Prix and met Tadeusz Matacz, Director of the John Cranko School, who invited me to come to Stuttgart. At the John Cranko School I studied with Petr Pestov, a great teacher who influenced me very much. In 2009, I joined the Stuttgart Ballet.

Elisa Badenes of Stuttgart Ballet in Don Quixote.

Elisa Badenes
I started at age 11 at the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Valencia in my home country of Spain. My teacher was Rafael Darder.  In 2008, I participated in the Prix de Lausanne and received a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School where I studied for one year. In 2009, I auditioned for the Stuttgart Ballet and joined the company.

What was it like to perform for The Australian Ballet?

Daniel Camargo
Amazing. The entire company was very nice and welcoming. Of course it is always interesting to see how different companies work. I found the Australian Ballet to be like a big family with lots of positive energy.

Elisa Badenes
It was very nice and a lovely experience. Everyone was working so hard and it was clear from the atmosphere that it was a very important evening for the company. The staff and the dancers made our stay really enjoyable and comfortable.

What did you think of Australia and of the dancing?

Daniel Camargo
Melbourne was fantastic and in general the country reminded me of the USA in terms of the “wide open spaces.” Everything seemed very new and the mix of architectural styles was impressive. The people are very friendly. 

Elisa Badenes
I always wanted to travel to the “other side of the world,” so this was a dream come true for me! Everything was exciting. We really loved the people.  Unfortunately we didn’t have much time to travel around but when we left we had a very positive overall impression of Melbourne. The level of the dancers was very good and it was especially nice to see how supportive the audience is of the dancers.

What is your favourite piece to perform?

Stuttgart Ballet’s Daniel Camargo in Don Quixote

Daniel Camargo
So far, definitely the full length Don Quixote!

Elisa Badenes
It’s hard to say…. I just love all the pieces I have danced so far.

Do you prefer traditional ballet or modern pieces?

Daniel Camargo
Both. I love the traditional pieces, the classics, as well as contemporary works. It is the most challenging to be involved in the creation process for brand new works, but it is very exciting.

Elisa Badenes
I simply can’t choose because the biggest pleasure is to be able to do both. I can’t imagine dancing just classical or just modern. I love dancing different styles and different works. That is one of the big pleasures of our job, that we are changing roles, characters and styles.

What would you do if you weren’t a dancer?

Daniel Camargo
Sports – soccer, skateboarding or snowboarding.

Elisa Badenes
I could imagine studying, but it would surely involve the arts or a profession where one has contact with many people.

Top photo: Stuttgart Ballet Soloists Daniel Camargo and Elisa Badenes. Photos courtesy of Stuttgart Ballet.

Glen Street Theatre, Sydney
November 30 2012

By Linda Badger.

Sydney City Youth Ballet brought us a delightful production of the Christmas classic, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. With all its festive charm, it was the perfect way to start the last few weeks leading up to the biggest celebration of the year.

A beautifully adorned stage with great details evident in the set, props and costumes was revealed in an opening scene created to take guests on a journey of fantastical proportions, into the imagination of a little girl named Clara.

Choreographically adapted for a young cast who were playing most of the lead roles, this was a very good show for a student-based production. Under expert direction, and with a scattering of professional and ex-professional dancers, this show was overall an entirely entertaining and delightful experience.

The opportunity to be involved in a full-length production for young dancers, whether they are hoping to one day make dancing their chosen career or not, is priceless experience and training. With mostly seamless set changes and many overlapping roles within the casting of the ensemble, the company and its crew should be applauded for a job well done.

There was opportunity for much talent to be showcased, with a rotating cast for the lead roles, so that more than one group of dancers could have their moment to shine. The guest artists included past Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy student Halaina Hills, who is now a dancer with The Australian Ballet. She danced beautifully with her pas de deux partner Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, also with The Australian Ballet.

The strengths of the production were definitely the visual design aspects, with much detail and a sense of authenticity about the costuming, sets and props. Complimented by the commitment to the acting of the roles played by the students, there was not a dead moment, and not a cast member not fully engaged. This drew us in as an audience and kept us wanting to see what came next, even for those who have seen this particular ballet multiple times.

Weakness came unfortunately in the technical side of the dancing, across all ages of the student body involved. There were many beautiful lines with students trained to create exquisitely lengthened arabesques and développés, but transitionally, much was left much to be desired. In saying this, however, one must remember that these were mostly students and hopefully with continued guidance their understanding of the movement will be developed more fully in the years to come.

There were some extremely strong technical dancers scattered amongst the lead and ensemble roles, notably the dancer playing the doll in the opening scene and the young dancer portraying Clara in this particular cast. They were exciting to watch.

Musicality was strong most of the time, but there were moments where it could have been better utilised. This is most likely a skill set still in the development stage.

Overall, this was a sweet and entertaining ballet. It was very family friendly for those of all ages. The young cast was talented and performed with a strong sense of conviction. I really look forward to seeing all that the future holds for the young dancers in the SYCB Company.

By Rain Francis.

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

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

Andrew Killian

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

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

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

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

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

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

What was your first role as Principal? 

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

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who is your favourite choreographer?

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

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

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

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

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

What do you love most about your job?

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

Daniel Gaudiello

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

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

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

What was your first role as Principal?

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

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

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

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

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

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

Which roles are high on your wish list?

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

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

For every up there is a down.

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

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

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

An actor or marine biologist.

Do you have a favourite TV show?

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

Who is your favourite choreographer?

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

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

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

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

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

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

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

What do you love most about your job?

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

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