Innholdsfortegnelse for July-August-September 2022 i Dance Australia

MUSINGS ONE of my first memories of Natalie Weir is from 25 years past, chatting with us young dancers at the affectionately named watering-hole, Aunty Sue’s, opposite the Australian Ballet’s headquarters on Kavanagh Street in Melbourne. Weir was young too, a Queensland girl from Townsville: friendly, softly spoken, down-to-earth, enjoyed a pint. She was refreshingly normal and easy-going for a choreographer, and prodigiously talented. Dark Lullaby was the piece being created, her first commission as resident choreographer of the Australian Ballet. It was a visually striking piece inspired by Goya’s etchings. It is one of over 150 pieces choreographed by Weir (she admits she has lost count!), created on a range of international and local dance companies, as diverse as the American Ballet Theatre to Expressions Dance Company (now Australasian…

Did your original career aim change from when you started your studies to when you graduated? Absolutely! I studied at the McDonald College to become a professional ballet dancer and now I’m a commerce and computer science student at the University of Sydney (Dalyell Scholar). For many years, I dedicated hours to ballet, travelling globally to experience the industry and pursue it as a career. While I still love ballet, I realised it was not the career I wanted anymore and made the brave decision to chart a new path. The dual academic and performing arts structure of the McDonald College allowed me to realise my passion for academics. Yet, the most important thing about that decision was that it was okay to change my mind and fall in love…

What is your best memory? In 2021, I worked with choreographer Paul Boyd on a piece called Intimate Dialogues. He created a new role on me for this piece where I had to portray a very emotionally angry character. This opened up a whole new perspective of vulnerability for me. It led to a deeper exploration of artistry and with the guidance of Mr Boyd and the teachers at Queensland Ballet Academy this process was a fulfilling part of the journey. It was an incredible honour to work so closely with Mr Boyd on many occasions throughout my time in the Academy. I have many special memories, however, I would have to say that performing Intimate Dialogues is one that I will cherish forever. What was one of the main…

Studying full-time dance at a specialist school can be the most memorable time of your life. Your mind is opened to new possibilities, you develop understanding of your body and mastery of your technique, you develop your craft, your art and your imagination. Lifetime friendships are forged. You share exhilarating performances and experiences with your peers that you are unlikely to forget. FOR this Guide, we asked recent graduates to describe their best memories and learnings during their student years. Some discovered new career directions; some discovered their skills could be applied in other, surprising ways. They all learnt things about themselves that were not always just about dance. Enjoy their stories, check out the schools and read Michelle Dursun’s effective studying tips.…

INSTEPNEWS | EVENTS Dance in Darwin GARY Lang’s choreography was once described by the late Australian ballerina, Lucette Aldous, as “not contemporary Aboriginal dance, but Indigenous ballet” – a description he embraces. His Northern Territory Dance Company fuses traditional dance with contemporary movement. In August, it will present his new work, Wanja (Spirit) at the Darwin Arts Festival, accompanied by Darwin Symphony Orchestra’s string quartet. Wanja is part of an extensive program which includes TWO, a duo performed by Raghav Handa and musician Maharshi Raval, and the Australian Ballet’s Regional Tour Ballet Gala, which includes Swan Lake Variations arranged by former artistic director, David McAllister. The Darwin Festival runs from August 4 to 21. Ticket reseller fined TICKET resale company Viagogo has been forced to pay a fine of $7…

INSPIRATION DANCERS are increasingly being expected to be collaborators. Whether you are a student or a professional, you will need to have the initiative and imagination to bring your ideas to projects rather than being a passive vessel. DANCE training is intense, and chances are that you have spent a great deal of your time in the studio since you were very young. As a result, you might have missed out on some of the life experiences that are as much a part of making you an artist as your dancing is. I have often been surprised by the dancers that most excite me. I am drawn to technical perfection, but the dancer I can’t stop watching is the one who brings dimension and artistry that surpasses their peers. Sometimes…

Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts 420 Brunswick Street FORTITUDE VALLEY 4006 P: 07 3569 5869E: admin@acpa.edu.auW: www.acpa.edu.au COURSES 10606NAT Diploma of Performing Arts 10607NAT Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts 101919NAT Certificate II in Performing Arts in schools program 10968NAT Certificate IV in Performing Arts Academy of Dance and Musical Theatre 1/433 Wondall Road TINGALPA 4173 P: 0416 247 220E: lyn@thetheatrefactory.com.au and lyn@admt.com.auW: www.thetheatrefactory.com.au and www.admt.com.au COURSES CUA50113 Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance). CUA50213 Diploma of Musical Theatre. CUA40313 Certificate IV Dance Teaching and Management. CUA30113 Certificate III in Dance CUA40113 Certificate IV in Dance. Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) 4/85 O’Riordan Street ALEXANDRIA 2015 P: 02 9310 3111E: admin@ampa.edu.auW: www.ampa.edu.au AMPA offers the only performance-based dance degree in NSW and caters for dancers with advanced training in…

What is your best memory of full-time studies? During my time at AMPA, I found a love of contemporary dance, which I had not been exposed to previously. I began to explore my choreographic voice and connect my mind and body through improvisation. A fond memory of mine is of lengthy group improvisation classes where we would create and then discuss movement and choreography. I think this opened my mind to the value of authentic movement and I began to experiment with different ways movement could be derived. Another memory I have from AMPA is of the numerous opportunities we had to perform (minimum three shows a year) in professional venues. I have always loved performing so this aspect of the course held great value for me. Did your original…

What is your best memory? I have a number of amazing memories from my time at the New Zealand School of Dance, but some of the best memories involve the wonderful performance opportunities I had, as well as the lifelong bonds I formed with my peers and the tutors, many of whom I have stayed in close contact with after graduation. I truly feel I owe so much to the tutors who taught me throughout my three years at NZSD, as their wisdom, mentorship and support gave me the skills, experience and confidence to be able to make ballet my career. Performing in the school’s graduation season was a big highlight of each year for me, as it always felt so special to share a part of myself with the…

What is the main overall lesson you learnt? I learnt that if you have the work ethic, determination and passion for dance, then you can achieve your goals and dreams. My teachers emphasised that if you show up every day with self-motivation, the right mindset, and express your love for dance every chance you get, you will take in as much information and knowledge as possible, and gain so many skills and attributes that you will need as a professional in the ballet industry, and for the rest of your life. I am so lucky that my teachers guided me in the right direction, and gave me so many unforgettable opportunities that have allowed me to be the best version of myself in both dance and as an individual. What…

Did your original career aim change from when you started your studies to when you graduated? Well before applying to join the Pre-Professional course, I was inspired by the work of SDC. Every season, for as long as I can remember, SDC would put on shows for school students. I would go to every single one, and I would come out of those shows breathless and in awe of their beauty, and of the athleticism, technique and artistry of the dancers. When I was accepted into SDCPPY, I joined a community of aspiring young dancers and we dreamt of being a part of an ensemble on the proscenium stage. However, during my time in PPY, this dream shifted. I was exposed to a vast number of artists from Australia and…

WHEN Li Cunxin took the helm of the Queensland Ballet (QB) 10 years ago, he was always clear about his ambition: he wanted to build a world class company. It didn’t matter that the Queensland Ballet is a state company with less funding and resources than the equally ambitious Australian Ballet company down south – there’s plenty of room in one country, after all, for more than one world class company. Ten years later, despite the two-year setback of the pandemic, Li is quietly satisfied with his progress. His business savvy, his artistic credentials, the respect of his peers and his immense personal popularity have combined to see the company’s reputation soar, both in Australia and overseas. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded an Order of Australia (AO)…

IT’S especially appropriate that Davide Di Giovanni’s last performance with Sydney Dance Company was in ab [intra], held in June. He originated the spectacular (and unusually long) duet in the work alongside Charmene Yap when it was first created on the company by artistic director Rafael Bonachela in 2018. Looking back, the creation of this duet – in what was only Giovanni’s second year with SDC – was a definite highlight of his time with the company. Furthermore, it led to an even more exciting opportunity only one year later when he and Yap travelled to France to teach “their” duet to Paris Opera Ballet stars Eleonora Abbagnato and Stephane Bullion for a gala performance. Giovanni describes the duet as being “very technical… it was based around the idea of…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING UR last article touched on why an increased amount of training may not lead to increased or improved performance and, indeed, may even cause harm. I briefly mentioned that one of these harmful effects was RED-S. It is a serious concern which not only affects a dancer’s ongoing performance, but may have lasting consequences throughout life. RED-S stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. It was previously thought of as the “Female Athlete Triad” (which encompassed disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction and low bone mass). We now know that it is a syndrome with effects which are much more widespread, affecting many more body systems, and does not need to include disordered eating. It also affects male athletes. RED-S is caused by low energy intake relative to energy…

Did your original career aim change from when you started your studies to when you graduated? As part of our career studies at WAAPA, students were encouraged to draft a five-year plan, documenting their honest ambitions for the years ahead. The path I chose to lay out at this time felt both wildly ambitious and somewhat confused, an idealised journey through to a dream company which in no way felt attainable or realistic. I saw myself as a dancer somewhat suspended between genres, versatile but not refined towards any specific direction. By the time my studies at WAAPA came to end I had embraced a new-found trust in my classical skills and began to envision a viable career in classical ballet. This short-lived ambition, while challenging, guided me into a…

What is the main overall lesson you learnt? I have so many wonderful memories of my two years at Transit Dance, but the performance aspect has to be one of my favourites. Unlike many other dance schools, we had the opportunity to perform a different show every single term. Therefore, during my studies, we showcased eight different shows, my favourite of which was either Flash!, choreographed by Kim Adam, or our musical theatre numbers choreographed by Michael Ralph in Living in the 70’s. We also had the privilege of creating two “on film” productions, and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as the lead feature in Jump, directed by Yvette Lee. Working with such incredible and inspiring choreographers to create these pieces was definitely the biggest highlight of my…

What is the main overall lesson you learnt? When I first commenced training at NCD, it was to get quality male tuition. What I was shocked about was the intensity of the comprehensive training and the level of professionalism of all the teachers. The main point of difference for NCD is the chance to perform original, new and innovative choreography. Through the full-time studies and especially during COVID lockdowns I definitely learned perseverance, discipline and determination. I learnt discipline – essential when I didn’t feel like dancing some days – determination, staying motivated when there are times you want to give up, and persistence – having the drive to keep going. Did you learn anything unexpected about yourself ? There were so many lessons I learned about myself during the…

Your best memory of your studies? My best memories while undertaking my Advanced Diploma of Dance was having two roles created for me. The first was a pas deux with Juliet Burnett choreographed by Mark Annear for our Level 8 pas de deux exhibition. The second was being involved in the creation of Leigh Rowles’s Nutcracker and dancing the title role of the Nutcracker Prince. The experiences taught me how to work with choreographers and developed my passion for a career as a Principal Artist with the Australian Ballet. What is the main overall lesson you learnt? I developed an understanding of the art form and was guided through many life lessons as I developed from boy to young adult. I had world-class teachers and mentors who supported me in…

What is the main life lesson you learnt? The most wonderful lesson I learned, through studying in a field that coincides with being a lifelong student and collaborator, is that the learning and teaching are never over. Six months after graduation there is still a plethora of information that I’m only able to implement in my own dance practice now. Some things just need more time to digest. I am eternally grateful for the analytical thinking skills I acquired: to be able to introspect, self-correct and form meaningful interpersonal relationships with others is not just helpful in my profession but also in my personal life. The main life lesson, as corny as it sounds, is how sharing and learning with others is one of the most enriching experiences you can…

What is your best memory? My time at Queensland College of Dance was nothing short of incredible. QCD gave me the best training I could have ever asked for. Nothing could have prepared me more for the exciting yet challenging world of professional dance. I was surrounded by so much talent and was continuously inspired and pushed by my teachers. I have learnt to never underestimate myself and have grown into a successful confident young woman. QCD gave me the versatility, knowledge and support that has made me into the motivated and hard working dancer I am today. My best memory from my full-time training was being on stage during QCD’s first graduation showcase in 2017. QCD became my home away from home and I am so thankful for the…