Australian Ballet signs landmark LGBTQIA+ inclusion deal for staff
The Australian Ballet has partnered with LGBTQIA+ organisation Queer Town to deliver mandatory inclusion training as the company eyes the international stage.
The Australian Ballet will introduce mandatory LGBTQI+ inclusion training for staff and dancers as part of a new partnership with a leading equal rights organisation.
The deal has been signed as the company prepares for an international tour that will include countries with varying levels of LGBTQI+ acceptance, The Australian understands.
The AB would not comment on its as-yet unannounced tour schedule but confirmed it had formalised a two-year partnership with Queer Town, the Melbourne-based organisation that consulted on the AB’s acclaimed 2024 production about Oscar Wilde.
Renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s “Big, gay ballet”, Oscar, toured nationally and was notable for being the first full-length ballet work depicting a same-sex relationship as a central narrative.
The ballet, about the life of the Irish writer who was imprisoned for homosexual offences in the 19th century, also featured the first on-stage male same-sex kiss in the AB’s history.
Artistic director David Hallberg said the partnership would be transformational in terms of its international outlook.
“Our company is beautifully diverse, in background, culture, gender and sexuality. That diversity means sometimes navigating a complex landscape when we tour, as every country is different,” he said.
“Wherever we go we need to ensure everyone is safe, respected, and valued. Our partnership with Queer Town will help us navigate these complexities and ensure every staff member is touring with confidence.”
He said the primary focus of the agreement would be on formulating inclusive policies at the national company: “As one of the country’s leading cultural institutions, The Australian Ballet has a responsibility to model what meaningful inclusion looks like. This partnership is not just symbolic, it is transformative. Ballet as an art form is ever evolving, and so must we.”
Hallberg said AB would roll out Queer Town’s e-learning program to staff and institute workshops to “strengthen inclusive practice” on and off stage.
“When Oscar premiered, one headline called it ‘the big gay’ ballet, and we proudly stand by that. While the arts and ballet have long been shaped by queer storytellers, their stories have sometimes been missing from the stage in artforms like ours,” he said.
“Dance is best when it includes everyone. I think everyone deserves to see their stories on our biggest stages in our national institutions.
“I’m proud that now, if you look across the big full-length ballets in our repertoire, there is a production that centres queer storytelling. I hope we can continue pushing for greater diversity in all the stories we tell.”
Born in South Dakota and having grown up in Arizona, Hallberg made his name as a principal at The American Ballet Theatre, and later as a principal at the Bolshoi. He is regarded as one of the world’s greatest dancers.
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