Find out more about Australia’s national ballet company
www.australianballet.com.au
The Australian Ballet is one of the busiest ballet companies in the world with around 200 performances each year in major cities and regional towns across Australia. From Launceston in Tasmania to Darwin in the Northern Territory, The Australian Ballet spends most of the year on tour.
The 72 dancers are supported by a team of professional and enthusiastic dance, music, technical, medical and administrative staff as well as company management.
The Australian Ballet was established in 1962 and in 2012 celebrates 50 years of bringing professional ballet to the people of Australia. The first 50 years has seen the company expand to include a regional touring arm, The Dancers Company, regular overseas tours and a Dance Education Ensemble, with over 40,000 school children taking part the arts education program since it began in 2006. The Australian Ballet also hosts a free outdoor performance which is in a different location every year.
One of the core aims of the company is to ensure that all Australians are given the opportunity to participate in and to value dance as a form of learning, artistic expression, health and recreation.
Audiences can now watch The Australian Ballet on TV, at free live sites and interact with the company and its dancers online via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
The Australian Ballet works closely with The Australian Ballet School, sharing rehearsal space in the same building. Level 8 students are given the opportunity to tour with The Dancers Company and graduates are often given contracts to dance for the professional company, giving the students their first step towards realising their dreams of becoming a principal artist.The Australian Ballet is based in Melbourne. Rehearsal studios, wardrobe and administration are located in The Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre, on Kavanagh Street near the Arts Centre. A brand new production centre is being built in Altona, Melbourne. The centre will be used for creation, maintenance and storage of scenery, props, lighting and costumes for all of the company’s productions.
The Australian Ballet is supported by corporate and government sponsors, individual donors and a dedicated audience throughout Australia and the world.
Did you know?
• In 50 years, 7000 metres of fabric netting have been used to make over 700 tutus and the dancers have used 250,000 pairs of pointe shoes
• The smallest item to go on tour is a pair of earrings and a false moustache. The largest item was the pumpkin carriage from The Sleeping Beauty.
• The Australian Ballet has a repertoire of 389 ballets by 144 choreographers. The ballets are both traditional and contemporary.
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