At the northernmost point of Hamilton Island is qualia, a resort where the sun shines, the waters are crystal-clear and yachts can be spotted from the shore. A small group from The Australian Ballet were lucky enough to travel to qualia last weekend for a very special event – Pas De Deux in Paradise – where guests were treated to a three-course dinner, a Q&A session with dancers, and an exclusive outdoor performance. With the Whitsundays as their backdrop, dancers performed pas de deux from beloved ballets Nutcracker – The Story of Clara, Swan Lake, After the Rain © and El Tango. Donna Demaio witnessed the magic.

Principal Artist Rachel Rawlins declares, “Success is the best revenge,” revealing that as a ten year old she was told: “you’re too short to be a dancer”.

Rachel’s revelation during a scheduled Q&A session opens the floodgates to a stream of anecdotes at Hamilton Island’s qualia resort on the eve of the spectacular Pas De Deux in Paradise, a showcase of some of the most beautiful classic and contemporary pas de deux in a unique and breathtaking outdoor setting.

Rachel wasn’t the only one sharing thoughts, fears and aspirations with a captivated crowd that listened while devouring a divine dinner of smoked mackerel, lamb loin and layered Valrhona chocolate with caramel candied almonds. Principal Artists Lucinda Dunn and Robert Curran and Senior Artist Andrew Killian were also fielding questions, perched on stools at the resort’s Long Pavilion restaurant.

Lipstick, perfume and a Tic Tac are Lucinda’s three pre-performance must-haves. Andrew describes the painstaking hours spent pinning up his shoulder-length hair before each performance for five years. “Since I’ve cut it, better roles have come along,” he grins.

“The fiendish Sleeping Beauty” is Lucinda’s most challenging role.

Andrew craftily avoids answering, “Have you ever dropped a dancer?” While Robert furnishes the room with: “For someone to launch themselves from the other side of the stage and trust you to catch them, well, that’s an honour and a privilege. Their life is in your hands.”

“Chatterbox” Lucinda, (a nickname she earns over the weekend) notes, “Millions of people dream to do what we do”.

When the four dancers take to the open-air stage the following night, performing pas de deux from Swan Lake, Christopher Wheeldon’s  After the Rain © , Graeme Murphy’s Nutcracker – The Story of Clara and Stephen Baynes’ El Tango another set of dreams is realised. For the dancers and the audience.

Donna Demaio, Arts and Entertainment Reporter for Radio 3AW and Fairfax Digital

Image: top, Lucinda Dunn and Andrew Killian. Photography James Morgan. Below, Rachel Rawlins and Andrew Killian in El Tango. Photography Andrea Francolini