Monthly Archives: August 2010

George Balanchine famously stated: “I don’t want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance”. I was reminded of this quote when I had the privilege of seeing the incomparable Stephen Fry talk at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne. Regaling us with charming and often hilarious tales of discovering and pursuing his passions, at one point he recounted the scene from the cinematic masterpiece The Red Shoes in which our aspiring ballerina Victoria Page first encounters ballet company impresario Boris Lermentov:

Lermentov: Why do you want to dance?
Page: Why do you want to live?
Lermentov: Well I don’t know exactly why, er, but I must.
Page: That’s my answer too.

Fry used this analogy to exemplify the difference between mere desire and inexplicable need. Like involuntary functions as mundane but vital as breathing – for Fry, writing became his lifeblood; essential to his existence. I walked away from Fry’s talk feeling inspired and compelled to introspection. I was fascinated by this notion of want versus need and how pertinent it is in shaping one’s destiny. I also wondered whether, like an involuntary function, its manifestation is so natural, so right, that it is imperceptible, or whether someone has to experience a single defining moment to know that they are fulfilling their true calling. I’m often asked at what point in my life I decided to become a ballet dancer. My answer is always vague, a patchwork of various turning points and epiphanies (the day that my teacher Mrs Jenkins suggested to my parents, when I was ten years old, that I come in for private ballet lessons after school because she recognised talent in me; going to see Sydney Dance Company in Graeme Murphy’s Berlin aged 12; watching Alessandra Ferri and Julio Bocca perform the ‘Balcony Pas de Deux’ from Romeo and Juliet on video, aged 14; witnessing the pride and enjoyment it endlessly gave my parents and those around me and realising that I shared those feelings in my dancing). Is the fact that I am now eight years into a happy career and have been dancing for a total 21 of my 26 years enough to confirm that dancing was my lifeblood? Do I want to dance or do I need to dance?

Juliet Burnett. Photography Jo Duck

(more…)

31 August 2010

Share | 9 comments

Karen Nanasca. Photo Jeff Busby

Ask Colin: weight training

By Colin Peasley

Ask Colin

Hi Colin,
I’m 13 years old and 5’3″ tall. My mum does weight training and she is encouraging me to start doing it, as she thinks I’ve reached my ideal height and it might help me slim down and get stronger. Is weight training safe for someone my age or will it stunt my growth? Do dancers do weight training? I’m concerned that if I do start weight training that my muscles will become bulky and I won’t have a slim streamline dancers’ figure! What else do dancers do in their training regime?
Thank you!
Tess

Dear Tess,
At 13 you may not have yet reached your full height. As the height of all our dancers is much more than it was ten years ago (our tallest ballerina is 5’9”) you need not worry about growing too tall to be a dancer. As long as you are under the supervision of a professional for your gym work it should not be a problem. A good website for you to visit for diet and training tips is the Australian Institute of Sport website.
All the best,
Colin

You can email your ballet questions to Colin at hello@behindballet.com

Karen Nanasca. Photography Jeff Busby

27 August 2010

Share | Be the first to comment

Olivia Bell’s top five ballets

By Behind Ballet

Edge of night, From the studio

Since joining The Australian Ballet 15 years ago, Principal Artist Olivia Bell has performed many powerful lead roles: Clara’s dream ballerina the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, the warrior-like Flavia in Spartacus and the duplicitous Manon. After a short hiatus, Olivia returns to The Australian Ballet to perform the leading lady in red in Stephen Baynes’ At the edge of night. As she prepares for the role, Olivia shares some of her favourite performances to date.

The Nutcracker, Sugar Plum Fairy
Tchaikovsky’s score makes this magical ballet a favourite of mine. The Sugar Plum Fairy solo in act two is one of ballet’s most recognised pieces of music and, for me, epitomises the music of mystical dancing fairies. I have one particularly special memory of performing this role at the Sydney Opera House with my family in the audience as I was promoted to principal artist and presented flowers on stage by my husband, Nicholas. A moment I hold close to my heart.

Other Dances
This is a pas de deux choreographed by Jerome Robbins originally for Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Baryshnikov, two of my all-time favourite dancers. I was plucked from the corps de ballet to perform this ballet. It contains all the elements I love about dancing. The dance gradually builds up in intensity and technical complexity until it finally explodes in a flourish of fluid and luxurious movements. It also combines subtle Russian undertones that reflect my heritage. (more…)

25 August 2010

Share | 2 comments

Character dance

By Isabel Dunstan

The Nutcracker

Five artists of The Australian Ballet talk about dancing the lead roles in The Nutcracker

In Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker, Soloist Gina Brescianini steps into the shoes of the wide-eyed Clara, rides a flying goose, saves her Nutcracker Prince and travels to the Land of Sweets.
Clara is definitely one of my all-time favourite roles. She’s bright, inquisitive and wants to be involved in everything. It’s such a joyous role. From the moment the curtain goes up, you enter the stage and dance throughout the entire ballet. I love how much dancing you do, but also how magical the production is.

The Nutcracker is a magical journey from a child-like perspective, but with a range of complicated emotions as well. For me, when the nutcracker doll wakes up I think something awakens in Clara, too. She really thinks he’s dead, but he wakes up and they dance a beautiful pas de deux together. They have a real, loving friendship. Every dancer brings their own interpretation to the role of Clara but I think when a dancer is drawing their interpretation from a real place within them, and they’re expressing that, then the audience can really connect.

Damien Welch has a penchant for villainous characters. In 2009, Damien retired from the principal ranks of The Australian Ballet. This year he returns as a guest artist to play the shadowy magician Drosselmeyer.
The key thing Peter Wright told me about Drosselmeyer was that he needed to have a particular kind of authority, so that when he makes his very first entrance he’s already commanding the room. He’s been employed to entertain the kids and adults – in other versions of The Nutcracker he’s an uncle or a friend – but in this one he’s a professional musician, entertainer and storyteller. There’s even a scene where he gets paid for his services. He’s a man of complete confidence and he’s a little bit devious as well. (more…)

23 August 2010

Share | 3 comments

Sarah Thompson. Photo Jeff Busby

Ask Colin: working on a dream

By Colin Peasley

Ask Colin

Dear Colin,
I am 18 years old and I stopped ballet at the age of 13 (I started when I was six or seven), but I have totally forgotten the techniques and the moves. I was just wondering if it’s possible to restart ballet at my age; I was planning on working really hard and taking on four courses a week. Can I be a professional one day?
Many thanks,
Sabrine

Dear Sabrine,
Yes, it is possible to come back from a long layoff and regain the ballet technique but it is very difficult. It relies on the resilience of your body, its natural flexibility, and gaining the right help. The choice of teacher is very important as you need someone who can inspire you to work technically and productively. It is most important that you’re working toward achieving your goal. Although ballet companies are often age-conscious, there are a huge range of companies in Australia that you may find interesting – modern dance, jazz, commercial dance and ethnic dance companies can now be found in most major cities. Go for it! You will never find out if you can, unless you try.
All the best,
Colin

You can email your ballet questions to Colin at hello@behindballet.com

Image: Sarah Thompson. Photography Jeff Busby

18 August 2010

Share | Be the first to comment

Couture and classic costumes

By Lucy Brook

Ballet V Fashion

Fluid silhouettes, subtle femininity and an ethereal sensuality are the hallmarks of Valentino Garavani’s style. The celebrated haute couture designer’s striking, sophisticated forms and lean, graphic contours intersect beautifully with the world of dance, where Valentino, who retired in 2008, re-emerged last year to create costumes for the Vienna State Ballet. Melding couture with classic costume design, the garments for Vienna’s traditional New Year’s Concert demonstrated Valentino’s innate understanding of the dancers’ physique and his devotion to elegance, modernity and motion.

For the ballerinas, Valentino designed eight-layered dresses in blue, pink and his signature poppy-red, adorned with delicate fabric flowers – a perennial feature in his design repertoire. For the male dancers, he created a sleek black tailcoat paired with a white shirt. “It was really difficult to combine couture and the dancers’ need for movement,” he said of the project. “But I am very happy about the outcome.” (more…)

16 August 2010

Share | Be the first to comment