Table of contents for April-May 2019 in Dance Australia

WITH the setting transported in time to 19th century colonial India, Greg Horsman’s new take on La Bayadère made its premiere with Queensland Ballet last year. Now the work is travelling to Perth to be presented at His Majesty’s Theatre by the West Australian Ballet (WAB), from May 9 to 25. “La Bayadère is one of the iconic classical ballets. Greg has done an incredible job modernising the story line but audiences will be pleased to hear many of the best-known scenes, like The Kingdom of the Shades, will remain true to the original choreography,” says WAB artistic director Aurélien Scannella. “The Kingdom of the Shades is a gorgeous moment in the ballet. It really is one of the all-time iconic moments in classical ballet, a scene so visually impacting…

QUEENSLAND’S The Farm will be presenting a new work at the Bleach Festival on the Gold Coast this April. Entitled Throttle, the work unfolds in a makeshift drive-in at Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, the headlight beams of audience members’ cars cutting through the darkness of the otherwise abandoned field. Audience members will tune into a dedicated radio station as the unsettling story begins to unfold in front and around them, with car stereos broadcasting eerie instructions and sound effects. Throttle expands on ideas first explored in the company’s 2009 dance-thriller roadkill. “roadkill was the first time we explored the horror genre in a dance context; an outback horror that left some audiences so freaked out they asked to be escorted to their cars at the end of the show,” says co-creator Gavin…

THE Queensland Ballet (QB) is presenting a triple bill of works, “The Masters’ Series”, that brings together three master choreographers’ creations – two well-known, the other brand new. George Balanchine’s Serenade and Jiri Kylian’s Soldier’s Mass will share the bill with a work created exclusively for the company by Trey McIntyre. This award-winning choreographer has his own company, Trey McIntyre Project, based in Idaho in the US, but has also freelanced for more than 20 years, with works in the repertoires of many major ballet companies. His new work for the QB promises to “investigate the depths of human nature and the qualities that bridge the gaps between us”. The Masters Series will run from May 17— 25 at the Playhouse, QPAC.…

WHEN Jana Castillo received the 2018 Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer, it was a double vindication. The judges described her performance in Australian Dance Theatre’s revival of the late Tanja Liedtke’s Construct as “astonishing”, fusing “strength, flexibility and the ability to illustrate raw and empathic emotions in ways which left audiences and critics in awe”. For an Australian country girl who had spent most of her dancing career in New Zealand, such recognition from Australian peers was sweet. Sweeter still though was the acknowledgement of her dancing prowess from judges who did not know that she suffers from a movement disorder that has at times left her struggling to walk, let alone dance. Castillo first heard of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) when she was studying…

IT was my 94th consecutive plié (approximately) that changed my life, and 24 years later, that mystical day still leaves its imprint. I remember standing at the barre on a cloudy afternoon at Auckland City Dance Centre’s studios – my first full-time dance school – obsessively practising the “perfect” plié. After hours concentrating intently on maintaining my turnout muscles, squeezing body and mind to exhaustion, something clicked... What happened next might seem like hyperbole, but I felt like time and space slowed a fraction. My plié felt free and perfectly engaged and, quite unexpectedly, I was performing ballet’s most technically demanding elements with ease and sure precision. Seven pirouettes en dehors, then eight, held on demi-pointe this time! A beautiful, high double tour, fifth-to-fifth – I had never done that…

FOR young Gold Coast dancer Jackson Smith-Leishman, the future is so full of opportunities, the only challenge is which one to seize. The 14-year-old full-time student at Amanda Bollinger Dance Academy (ABDA) has recently returned from overseas, having taken up scholarship opportunities with both the Royal Ballet School in London and the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco. The two scholarships were awarded during the Youth America Grand Prix, in which Jackson competed in 2018. The trip caps off a stellar 2018 for Jackson during which he won a plethora of awards for ballet, repertoire and choreography at a range of eisteddfods, including the Brisbane Performing Arts Challenge, the Gold Coast Eisteddfod and the Sunshine Coast Eisteddfod. He says one of the other highlights of 2018 was “achieving the highest score…

“THE best few months of my life,” is how 16-year-old Jasmine Henry describes her time at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia. The 16-year-old took up a full time position at the academy in St Petersburg in September, 2018, and has since been adapting to the Northern hemisphere climate as well as the Russian language. Her teacher, Sergey Pevnev from the Pevnev Ballet Academy in Perth, accompanied Jasmine to Russia in May. She undertook classes at the Vaganova Ballet Academy with Assistant Director, Maria Gribanova, after which she successfully auditioned. Jasmine says life at the academy “has been surprisingly adaptable because of the welcoming people and staff”. Three mornings a week she attends Russian language classes, followed by two hours of classical ballet. “After, I’ll have an hour and 45…

2019 marks Garry Stewart’s 20th anniversary at the helm of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT). It’s been a time of prolific creative output for Stewart – during this time he has created over 18 original works for stage, screen and public spaces. In addition, the company under Stewart has earned an international reputation. To honour his outstanding contribution to the company, and to Australian contemporary dance, ADT will present “Anthology”, a  retrospective program showcasing his best-loved works. The program includes highlights from Birdbrain, G, Proximity, Devolution, Be Yourself, The Age of Unbeauty and The Beginning of Nature. Presented at ADT’s home theatre, The Odeon, the season includes a preview on April 4 and Fundraiser Gala on April 5. More: www.adt.org.au…

1 2019 Australian Dance Awards cancelled Dance Australia staff were shocked to learn that Ausdance National has announced the cancellation of the 2019 Australian Dance Awards (ADAs). www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/2019-australian-dance-awards-cancelled 2 VCA appoints new Head of Dance The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) has announced Carol Brown as the new Head of VCA Dance at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/vca-appoints-newhead-of-dance 3 Postcard from Dancenorth Jenni Large writes from Vancouver, Canada and Stanford, America. “Greetings Friends...” www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/postcards-fromdancers-dancenorth-s-jennilarge…

ON 18 March, 1927, the Governor of Western Australia relied on the 1905 Act to declare the City of Perth a prohibited area for Aboriginal people, particularly affecting Noongar people who lived and worked there. They could not loiter, had to be there on particular business and were required to have a pass for work and entering a town. There was a six o’clock curfew. Raewyn Hill, in collaboration with Mark Howett, has drawn on this dark part of Perth’s history for her next work for Co3 Australia. Called The Line , this dance-theatre work draws on the boundary line that demarcated a prohibited area in central Perth for Aboriginal people between 1927 and 1954. The Line “shifts and shudders with the strength of contemporary voice,…

IF you’re a young woman aspiring to choreograph ballets, history might have you feeling lonesome. Beyond the great Bronislava Nijinska (1891-1972) and the indefatigable Ninette de Valois (1898-2001), whose 20th-century masterworks are still performed today, audiences and dancers alike can be hard pressed to recall the names of female choreographers who emerged from within ballet. Perhaps Sweden’s Birgit Cullberg (1908-1999) might make your list, or England’s Andree Howard (b. 1910), whose sensitive, atmospheric works were widely praised before slowly disappearing after her sudden death in 1968. Add the Paris Opera’s Janine Charrat (1924-2017) and the Bolshoi’s Maya Plisetskaya (1925-2015) and the list lengthens, little by little… But now, can you think of a woman who choreographed ballets before the 20th century? Hmm… struggling? Well you may. From gnawing prejudices about…

Garry Trinder received the Insignia of a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to dance in 2013. He is associated with many international ballet competitions including the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, the Japan Grand Prix in Tokyo and the Youth America Grand Prix in New York. Since 2011 Garry has assumed the role of President of the Jury for the Asian Grand Prix ballet competition in Hong Kong. He is on a panel dedicated to creating international uniform preselection guidelines for auditions.…

THREE vastly different works made up the international dance component of Wendy Martin’s final program as director of Perth Festival. Martin’s championing of inclusivity and her experience in locating current dance gems has been a gift to Perth audiences. A visceral, relevant and powerful program, each work saw much post-show conversation in its challenging of paradigms. The Nature of Why, presented by The British Paraorchestra ( February 21), is a generous and open-ended work that led the Perth audience literally onto the main stage of the State Theatre Centre to experience close hand the interplay between dancers and musicians. Invitational from the outset, the co-directors urged us to enjoy an individual experience and to expect to miss things along the way. “Stay with us,” they prompted, as we mingled with…

UNDAUNTED on opening night by a cruel, hot easterly wind gusting through the gum trees in the middle of one of Perth’s energy-sapping summer heatwaves, this performance of “In-Synch: Ballet at the Quarry” (reviewed February 8) triumphed against the elements. Each of the four short, exceptionally well-performed contemporary works in the program – X-It, The Sofa, In-Synch and Reincarnation (a collaboration with Co3 Australia) – had something unique and rewarding to offer. Black structured surrounds framed the stage, which is situated within the three walls of a limestone quarry site, with the larger, centre structure also providing a screen for projections. West Australian-based lighting designer Michael Rippon’s intuitive, creative lighting complemented the aesthetic imagery throughout. Finnish choreographer Johanna Nuutinen’s work X-It opened the program. This is an intriguing, very engaging…

A new book celebrating the life of an early mover and shaker in the Australian dance world has recently been released. The Jeanne Montez Story, written by Marnie Walters-Burgess, tells the story of Jeanne Montez (1916 – 1997) and her contributions to the development of ballroom dance in Australia. The child of performers, Montez started her performing career in Melbourne but also made contributions to the dance scene in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Her list of credits, partners and performing venues charts the course and development of the genre across a period of 70 years. In the later years of her life, Montez introduced the practice of teaching ballet to Australian Rules footballers. “A strange mix perhaps, but she taught them the techniques required to improve their jumps…

Eight Australians were chosen to compete in the competition. They were: Noah Benzie-Drayton (Perth School of Ballet); Lily Carbone (Classical Coaching Australia); Ruby Cross (Amanda Bollinger Dance Academy); Grace Humphris (National College of Dance); Tyler Lindsay, (Perth School of Ballet); Jade Mitchell (Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School); Chloe Reynolds (National College of Dance); Hyo Shimizu (The Conlan College); and Samuel Winkler (Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School). Of the total contestants, 21 were chosen as to compete in the finals, among them Noah Benzie-Drayton. The eight prize winners were: Mackenzie Brown (US), Gabriel Figueredo (Brazil), Sumina Sasaki (Japan), Yu Wakizuka (Japan), Shuailun Wu (China), João Vitor Da Silva (Brazil), Alexandre Joaquim (Portugal) and Mio Sumiyama (Japan). On Sunday February 10 all candidates had the opportunity to participate…

THE Australian Ballet’s “Verve” triple bill of contemporary ballet returns to the stage this April for a season at the Sydney Opera House. Accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra, this program has a choreographic range that spans rising star Alice Topp, mid-career choreographer Tim Harbour and veteran Stephen Baynes. Resident choreographer at The Australian Ballet (TAB) since 1995, Baynes has made over 20 works for the company. His Constant Variants, one of the three works on the “Verve” program, premiered in 1997 and is known for its elegant neoclassical style and sculptural formations. Topp, who joined TAB as a dancer in 2007, has created four works for the company’s “Bodytorque” seasons and her latest work Aurum had its world premiere in the Melbourne season of “Verve” in 2018. Aurum is…

WE are saddened to hear of the death of Edna Busse, OAM, in her hometown of Wagga Wagga, NSW, on January 2, 2019, not long after her 100th birthday. Busse was truly one of Australia’s first homegrown ballerinas. Born and trained in Melbourne, she joined the school of Edouard Borovansky and appeared with his company from its beginnings around 1940, becoming the first of his Australian-trained dancers to attain ballerina status. She danced the role of the Odette in the first of of the company’s productions of Act Two of Swan Lake, partnered by Serge Bousloff. She danced lead roles in the company’s repertoire, including the Black Swan in Borovansky’s unique “Australiana” ballet of that name, and became particularly admired for her portrayal of Swanilda in Coppelia. She was a…

Exercise bands create an increasing resistance throughout the movement to allow the dancer time to focus on the shortening and lengthening component of a contraction. Controlled resistance combined with focus on core stability and postural alignment ensures the dancer builds strength. Resistance training is low impact, therefore reducing strain on joints, protecting joint capsules, cartilages and ligaments. It is not just for stretching. The resistance builds through the move to a maximum point, then reduces progressively with a controlled release. This controlled form of strength work fits ideally with the dance philosophy of movement combining controlled strength with reciprocal lengthening. I recommend exercise bands for resistance training to younger dancers and those new to strength training. It allows for a progressive and safe increase in load, developing the appropriate control…

Early bird or night owl? Matthew: Night owl, but this might change as my wife Reika (also a dancer with WAB) and I are expecting a baby (in April). Oliver: Night owl. Favourite food? M: Japanese, although I will eat anything. O: Seafood. Favourite ballet? M: The Firebird – I love the music. O: Manon. Favourite past-time outside the studio? M: Watching sport and spending time with friends. O: Cooking. If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be? M: Doctor. O: Photographer.…

Katti Lanner was a trailblazer who deserves to be far better known to dance lovers. Born in 1829 and trained at the Vienna Court Opera, she was dubbed “the Taglioni of the North”, and travelled extensively throughout Europe and to America. Lanner was lauded for her performances as Giselle and Fenella in La Muette de Porticii. She also led her own company of dancers before securing her reputation as a choreographer. In 1887 she was appointed ballet mistress of London’s music hall, the Empire Theatre, where she produced no less than 36 ballets, while also creating dances for pantomimes, the Italian opera, and for open-air performances at the Crystal Palace. Catering to her era’s taste for spectacle, Lanner’s ballets ran the gamut of fairy ballets, orientalist fantasies and boisterous up-to-date…

DON’T worry! Below we answer those tricky questions you were not sure to ask. When and why do I have to start wearing a dance belt? The simple answer is whenever you are ready! For young male dancers under 12 years old, I recommend the dance briefs you can buy from dancewear specialists. A good option is a pair of tight speedos, as they will do a similar job. However, once you turn 12, you need a dance belt for support and general dance safety. At this age classes get quite technical and include more jumping, which is why it becomes important to make sure everything is in place (if you know what I mean). Without a dance belt, the moves you perform could be uncomfortable and result in pain…

THE biennial Alana Haines Australasian awards (AHA) are back again this Easter at their usual venue at the St James Theatre in Wellington in New Zealand. Claiming to be the largest such competition in Australasia, this year’s event has attracted 670 talented candidates between 11 and 17 years of age vying for a total of NZ$400k in prizes. Adding to the already extensive list of international scholarships and cash on offer, this year the AHA has introduced a new award: the Supreme Gailene Stock Award – NZ$7000 for the “supreme winner” out of either A or B Group. The late Gailene Stock, who was director of the Australian Ballet School and the Royal Ballet School in London, was a head judge of the first AHA in 1991 and continued to…

THE 47th Prix de Lausanne, held in Switzerland every year, took place from Februray 3 to 9 and as usual presented plenty of outstanding moments. From 363 video selection entries as well as the pre-selections and invitations, 81 candidates from 19 nationalities were invited to attend. Seventy-four eventually competed. Australia was again strongly represented with nine candidates (eight competing). At the official press conference, Stéphane Lagonico, the organiser of the event, mentioned Australia as one of the repeatedly and unfailingly strongest nations regarding entries and selected candidates. New Zealand was represented by Stella Byers from Mt Eden Ballet Academy in the Girls Junior group. For the 2019 Prix, the age limit was raised to the former age limit of 15 years. Kathryn Bradney, the Artistic and Executive Director of the…