Australian Ballet chasing Billy Elliots of the bush
Blundstones are soon to be traded in for silk slippers as a new initiative spearheaded by the Australian Ballet aims to spread the love for the classical art in bush towns across the country.
It’s an endeavour evocative of Billy Elliot, as hundreds of regional students prepare to plie and arabesque beside some of the country’s greatest ballerinas.
With its Let’s Dance initiative, The Australian Ballet aims to ignite a love for the classical craft among young students, blurring boundaries between stage and scrub. It’s a move close to artistic director David Hallberg’s heart, given his decorated dance career began in a small American town known as the “gateway to Mount Rushmore”.
“I grew up in a small town called Rapid City which most Americans haven’t even been to,” says the South Dakota-born danseur noble, whose humble beginnings saw him leap into the spotlight as principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and the Bolshoi Ballet.
“We can always consume videos – and there’s rabbit holes of amazing art online – but what’s so valuable is seeing things in front of you and having these experiences brought to life. Who knows, we may even inspire the next star of one of our shows.”
Canvassing eight classrooms across South Australia (Renmark, Tanunda, Port Pirie and Whyalla), Victoria (Bendigo), and NSW (Goulburn, Newcastle and Wagga Wagga), the grassroots project will involve an immersive ballet experience for students, culminating in a special performance of Sleeping Beauty Act III at their local theatre.
Such a democratisation of the dance form will allow students the chance to rehearse with teachers of the prestigious dance company, gain a backstage look at prominent performers and observe dancers in the throes of rehearsals for the coming season.
Supported by primary sponsor Telstra, it coincides with the 40th year of the Australian Ballet’s regional On Tour program, staging a bespoke repertoire of shows for rural audiences.
For the director behind the widely praised reimagination of Swan Lake, touring regional towns has been intrinsic to his vision for the company – and with it, a level of joy unmatched by metropolitan crowds.
“I’ve lived in Australia for 3½ years now and the excitement we witness from these regional audiences watching dancers of this calibre performing – there’s little comparison,” he says.
“We can’t have this expectation that people can afford or have the time to come to the big cities and we can’t just sit pretty in the big theatres. We need to come to them.”
Alita McMenamin, principal, brand, network and sponsorship for Telstra, echoes the sentiment, saying the arts “needs to overcome geographical boundaries, and let everyone access the experience”.
“These students won’t have to travel hundreds of kilometres anymore to see what it’s like to be a professional dancer – they’ll be inspired in their own classroom,” she says.
The tour runs from June 19 to July 17, with one special student selected from each country school to experience a day in the life of a professional dancer at The Australian Ballet Centre in Melbourne.