Students shine at Australian Ballet School annual showcase

Students of the Australian Ballet School had a chance to shine at the school’s annual showcase in Melbourne on Sunday.

Australian Ballet School Director Lisa Pavane poses with dancers from the Australian Ballet School before their Showcase performance. Picture: Stefan Postles

Their professional careers may be years away, or just over the horizon, but all students of the Australian Ballet School had a chance to shine at the school’s annual showcase in Melbourne on Sunday.

The pageant at the State Theatre featured dancers ranging in age from 12 to 20, and was dedicated to the school’s founder, Dame Margaret Scott, who died in February.

The pageant at the State Theatre featured dancers ranging in age from 12 to 20. Picture: Stefan Postles

Students filed onto the stage in The Australian Ballet School Defile, choreographed by Simon Dow, and paid their respects to the school’s founding director.

ABS director Lisa Pavane, who studied under Scott before embarking on her professional career with the Australian Ballet, said the school was establishing an endowment in Scott’s name to support Australian dancers and choreographers.

“She was very much my mentor,” Pavane said. “A number of our staff also worked under Maggie. To be able to dedicate our performances to her is a beautiful way to honour our founding director. She was so significant to us as a school.”

The ABS takes talented students from around the country and its graduates often go on to professional careers with the Australian Ballet or state companies.

The ABC takes talented students from around the country. Picture: Stefan Postles

Pavane said the showcase was previously an exhibition performance for graduating students but had expanded to allow students of all ages to take part.

It gave them an opportunity to develop their artistry and stagecraft, and families had a chance to take pride in the young students’ achievements.

“It goes without saying that the students love being on stage,” Pavane said. “We don’t do a great deal of performances, but our showcase every year allows all of our students to come together, and it’s hugely important for our audience.”

The showcase included new works by Margaret Wilson, Richard House, Leigh Rowles and Dow, and a short ballet by George Balanchine called Who Cares? The program will be repeated at the Concourse, in Sydney’s Chatswood, on Friday and Saturday.

“What I enjoy the most is the students’ exuberance and vitality, the joy that they bring, and the joy that the audience gets from them,” Pavane said. “The technical and artistic standard is very high. I sit there with the biggest smile on my face.”