Queensland Ballet - Pas Magazine Issue #11

for updates.

Welcome to the eleventh edition of Pas. magazine.

It has been seven years since we performed Derek Deane’s Strictly Gershwin, and what a wonder it is to hear that golden age music floating down the halls once again as we approach our upcoming season in September/ October. Evoking the glamour of Hollywood in the ‘20s and ‘30s and featuring the Gershwin brothers’ enthralling music, it’s a ballet for absolutely everyone – Encompassing tap, ballroom, musical theatre, jazz and of course, ballet.. This fabulous production sold out in 2016 so be quick to book tickets if you haven’t already – and in the meantime, turn to page 8 for our special throwback gallery and a special sneak peek of what to expect.

Meanwhile, we’ve just wrapped up a successful season of Trilogy, in particular the stunning premiere of My Brilliant Career with Cathy Marston, and you can read all about the behind-the-scenes logistics and magic of the timeline of this Australian production from page 4. My heartfelt thanks goes to Ian and Cass George for their generous support in enabling this world premiere. From the spark of the idea back in 2016 to the stage, it was truly a huge undertaking and I’m so grateful for the support we had for it.

Explore a range of Memberships for all ages that connect, inspire, and enhance your Queensland Ballet experience while supporting the timeless artform of ballet. Members can access special ballet benefits, connect at inspiring year-round events, and enjoy curated experiences that celebrate and inspire you to uncover the magic of ballet. Whether you’re an ardent ballet lover or simply curious to discover more, it’s time to take the next step and become a member. All memberships are valid for 12 months from date of purchase – so you can become a member anytime.

queenslandballet.com.au/memberships

Acknowledgement of Country

Queensland Ballet acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and perform. Long before we performed on this land, it played host to the dance expression of our First Nations Peoples. We pay our respects to their Elders — past, present and emerging — and acknowledge the valuable contribution they have made and continue to make to the cultural landscape of this country.

ISSUE #11

WHAT’S ON July-Dec 2023

works in Bespoke

SEASON 2023

Queensland Ballet Academy Gala

11 – 13 August

Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre

Don’t miss the rising stars of dance in this compelling showcase of talent by Queensland Ballet’s esteemed Academy.

SEASON 2023

Derek Deane’s Strictly Gershwin 28 September – 7 October

Lyric Theatre, QPAC

Strictly Gershwin comes roaring back to evoke the glamour and romance of the golden age in this spectacular tribute to George and Ira Gershwin.

Presenting Partner Margot McKinney Generously enabled by the Ken Talbot Foundation.

SEASON 2023

The Nutcracker – 20 December

Playhouse, QPAC

Celebrate the most magical and popular of holiday traditions with us as Queensland Ballet presents The Nutcracker.

Presenting Partner Sealy of Australia. Generously enabled by Valmai Pidgeon and Amanda Talbot.

QUEENSLAND BALLET ACADEMY

Academy Experience Day

15 July

L’Estrange Tce, Kelvin Grove

Students currently in academic years 6-12 will have the opportunity to experience world-class facilities, take a ballet and contemporary class with the esteemed Academy faculty, and enjoy a tour and Q&A.

QUEENSLAND BALLET ACADEMY Spring School

25 30 September

L’Estrange Tce, Kelvin Grove Spring School offers dancers aged 10 to 18 years the chance to further their training with Queensland Ballet Academy’s world-class faculty as well as guest industry experts.

QUEENSLAND BALLET REGIONAL TOUR (CANBERRA)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

25 28 October Canberra Theatre Centre

Brimming with mischief and mayhem, we are thrilled to present Shakespeare’s fantastical masterpiece, choreographed by Liam Scarlett, in Canberra.

From sparksstage: to the

the timeline of My Brilliant Career

How do you create a world-class ballet production, from concept to premiere? We spoke with the creative team behind My Brilliant Career to find out.

2016, Brisbane, Australia: The conversation

On a routine trip to Australia to see family, Cathy Marston travels from Sydney to Brisbane to meet Queensland Ballet Artistic Director Li Cunxin and the Company. During the conversation at the temporary Beesley St, West End studios, Li tells Cathy he would be very interested in the possibility of a new work based on an Australian story.

2021: Technology across oceans

Over phone calls and emails across different countries, Li and Cathy decide on a 45-minute work, My Brilliant Career, to run as part of a triple bill in Queensland Ballet’s 2023 season. Cathy engages a creative team, including dramaturg Edward Kemp and Australian set and costume designer David Fleischer. Across the world using Zoom the team begin to share conversations, concepts, and vision boards.

“The journey of discovery”

Cathy: “I’ll start by finding the story, and most times work with a dramaturg and mostly this is Edward Kemp; he and I have made over 20 ballets together over about 20 years. We’ll research and discuss what it is about the story that’s drawing me in, what perspective we want to give, what our interpretation is of it, which character is telling the story, because sometimes I like to turn it upside down. Then we’ll plot it into a kind of ballet script, we’ll work with the composer and the designer, and before reach the studio the whole thing is there on paper. The other thing I’ll do is write a list of words for each character that describes their way of moving.”

After joining Cathy’s creative team, renowned set and costume designer David Fleischer dives into research for the project. Residing in Sydney, he had previously travelled to the rural location outside Canberra where the novel is set. Of the region, he says it was great to get a sense of the materiality and also what nature is doing out there. He shares this insight with Cathy and the team, and they progress to creating vision boards.

David Fleischer: “This is the first time I’ve worked with Cathy, so we went on a journey of discovery over Zoom of what our responses were visually to the work. Especially with a historic novel like My Brilliant Career I’ll start with research – and a lot of that is photographic research of the period to get an understanding of what they were wearing and how they lived. In doing that, we got to know each other’s processes and were able to move quickly to the design phase. By the end of each session, could export a document of images as a record of the conversation.”

Meanwhile in Brisbane, Queensland Ballet staff build a creative pitch to invite supporters to join the journey of this world premiere production. The presentation incorporates timelines, designs, concepts, creative names and biographies, as well as the significance of the work, and is designed to offer interested parties a comprehensive overview of the production.

My Brilliant Career is flagged as a game-changer for Queensland Ballet: a brand-new work created on an Australian company from an awarding-winning female choreographer, telling a classic Australian story about a female icon.

2019, Sydney: A spark ignites

Cathy Marston: “I was visiting my parents-in-law in New South Wales with my husband, who is Australian, and nearby where they live is this beautiful bookshop in a vineyard. I was looking through the shelves and My Brilliant Career drew my attention. I read it and the thing that really popped out to me was the character of Sybylla. She’s just so magnetic, there’s something special about her; more than the plot, it was her character specifically, and some of the other characters as well. I felt like they would be wonderful things to study in movement.”

Cathy proposes the piece to Li, who immediately loves it. Then in 2020 the global pandemic hits; travel stops, productions are cancelled, and the story is put to the side.

Storyboards, sets, and costumes

Cathy “One of the big challenges was how to interpret the Australian landscape because we wanted to feel it, but not compete with it. David is Australian so he’s been to those places, and it has been fascinating to watch how his mind has been translating it. He has come up with a structure that’s very flexible that feels like it comes from an Australian place that I can play with. It’s also about the colour and the qualities of colour that’s part of the language and flavour of Australia.”

Construction of the sets begins the year before the premiere. The sets are built in Melbourne by a company that also built sets for Queensland Ballet’s 2018 production of La Bayadère David flies from Sydney to Melbourne to spend time in the workshop informing decisions and overseeing the build. Of the sets, he says: “audiences can expect to see a beautiful kind of compressed allegory of this space.”

In Brisbane, Queensland Ballet moves into its newly redeveloped home, the Thomas Dixon Centre, and by December of 2022 has firmly settled in. Brimming with ideas from his research and workshops with Cathy and their Zoom workshops, David arrives to present his costume designs to the artistic, costume, and productions teams.

David: “The costumes are also a really beautiful part of this space. We’re building every item of clothing from scratch, so there’s a lot of fabric to source. Right now, we’re looking at a wide range of suppliers here in Brisbane, some across Australia. This phase is the exciting one where we’re looking for special things but not necessarily hunting them down. At the same time, I’ve been having discussions with the costume cutters to talk about the construction of each garment. They will draft patterns and construction garments out of a different fabric while we’re looking for the real ones.”

March 2023:

Three months from Opening Night

Cathy The Costume Department is abuzz with energy creating the full set of costumes from David’s designs. David has visited again for a four-day whirlwind trip to refine his designs, and Head of Costume Lauryn Jackson says the pieces will reflect the landscape of the time - rural 20th century Australia: think earthy tones of sand and ochre, with pops of lush navy and deep greens.

“We have dyed them and there will also be art finishing to the fabrics once the costumes are made. Our cutters have made patterns from his designs, which have a combination of period and contemporary elements to them, and once we’ve made all the patterns, we make the toiles (a test pattern created to check sizing). Some of the fittings happened online while David was in Berlin, some of them have been on film footage that we’ve sent over to him, and others have been in person during his visits. Now the final patterns are being tweaked, and the next step is to cut them in the real fabric. We’re at the part that’s getting exciting.” Lauryn says for the three casts, the team will make at least two of each of the pieces.

“At last count, there were about 100 individual pieces. Three months out from opening night, there are still many things to be done: printing, more dying, as well as sourcing some of the main fabrics, including Harry’s suit. Our aim is to have at least one of all the costumes made by the time Cathy arrives in May. At that stage, we’ll find out the casting and we can begin tweaking from there.

March 2023: The dancers and Cathy ‘Zoom’

From her home, Cathy creates material for an upcoming full-day choreographic Zoom workshop with Queensland Ballet. It includes movement demonstrations, performed and filmed by herself in a studio, which she sends to Company. Cathy then conducts the workshop with the dancers via Zoom. During their day together, she talks them through the production and the story, the sets and costumes, as well as how she works as a choreographer. She spends some time watching how the individual dancers move, and from here, she begins to create a skeleton cast which will be refined when she joins the Company in person in May.

April 2023: Hidden labels and supporter love

Each ballet company who creates a set of new costumes sews a label into the inside of each piece that says the company name, who the character is, and the dancer who will wear it. Lauryn says for My Brilliant Career they’re also adding something special. “The Foundation team approached us with a fantastic idea to show appreciation for donor support. We’re adding a second label to say

along with the individual donors’ names. It’s something we’ve often thought of doing before, but we’re doing it for the first time now as this production is a special one. Often with shows we do over and over again like The Nutcracker, we’ll actually have layers of labels on them so we can easily determine sizing by looking back to see who wore what. Some of the older ones have a nice wad of labels, like a book. I can imagine one day, the My Brilliant Career costumes will have the same.”

The enablers become a part of the story they are enabling.

Early May: Six weeks from Opening Night

The sets travel from Melbourne to Brisbane and are put in the studio for the dancers to rehearse with. Closer to the season, they will move from the studio to the Talbot Theatre, then finally to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

By the time Cathy arrives at Queensland Ballet in early May, the costumes are mostly done – apart from a few final tweaks, the sets are done, and the videographer is working with David and the music. When she enters the studio on the first day, the back end of the production has been completed.

Cathy then creates the final choreography directly on the cast – a technique which can feel quite special and uniquely collaborative to the dancers.

Cathy: “I’ll spend the first few days with the dancers just making material, not anchored to a particular scene. find it much easier to work with the dancers once they’ve got several phrases, a way of walking and standing, a few motifs they can contribute to the scenes. Then we’ll fill in the scenes and, because I’ve got the structure, it’s like colouring in a picture with movement.

“As a rehearsal tool, I’ll often ask the dancers to speak out the duets and trios, so to have those conversations with words at the same time they’re dancing. It’s really useful because it’s not just about ‘oh, we’re falling in love’, but what are you actually saying? It can be challenging for dancers but once you find the tone of voice it is automatically reflected in the body, so it’s worthwhile.”

16 June: Opening Night of Trilogy

Cathy: “On the day of the premiere, I keep busy, write cards, and it’s still always a rush in the end somehow. The card-writing to the dancers takes quite a lot of time, but once you’ve been through a creative process with people, you want to say something at the end.”

On a production day, the dancers attend their daily class, held on the theatre stage during season. Rehearsals are scheduled for the afternoon, followed by a break for dinner, dressing, hair, and make-up. Then the audience finds their velvet seats, lights dim then darken, an anticipatory hush settles over the theatre, and it’s showtime.

Support New Works

Help support this new chapter for Miles Franklin’s classic novel with a gift to Queensland Ballet. Choose a My Brilliant Career costume to support and have your name acknowledged inside the costume for its life - a personal threat connecting you with the artists of Queensland Ballet for generations to come.

Photos PG 4 Principal Artist Yanela Piñera, photo by David Kelly

PG 5 Soloist

Choreographer

‘this costume is generously supported by...’

SHALL WE DANCE? THROWBACK GALLERY

Paying homage to the big Hollywood musicals of the 1930s and ‘40s, Strictly Gershwin’s challenging choreography demands impeccable technique and versatility from our dancers, with the much-loved music of George and Ira Gershwin paired with tap, ballroom, musical theatre and jazz dance, alongside classical ballet. Choreographed by Derek Deane in 2008 for the English National Ballet, we last presented it in 2016 to sell-out audiences across the season; we can’t wait to bring it back to the stage this year. But who were the Gershwins and why was their music so influential? Read on to find out more.

Brothers George and Ira Gershwin were born in New York City in 1898 and 1896 respectively to Russian Jewish parents who had moved from St Petersburg due to the growing anti-Jewish sentiment.

They grew up in many different residences, mostly in the Yiddish district, and frequented the local Yiddish theatres as they grew older, with George occasionally gracing the stage as an extra.

At 10-years-old, their parents bought a piano for Ira; however, George was immediately drawn to playing and took the lessons instead. He was taught by acclaimed piano teacher Charles Hambitzer who wrote “I have a new pupil who will make his mark if anybody will. The boy is a genius”.

George left school at 15 to work as a song plugger in Tin Pan Alley. He published his first song When You Want ‘Em, You Can’t Get ‘Em, When You’ve Got ‘Em, You Don’t Want ‘Em in 1916, earning him 50 cents. His first hit was Swanee, composed in 10 minutes on a bus. It became the biggest-selling song of the Gershwin’s career.

In their twenties, the brothers began composing musical theatre songs. In 1924, George wrote A Rhapsody in Blue – now hailed as a hallmark in American music.

George moved to Paris shortly afterwards where he wrote the acclaimed An American in Paris. His aim was to ‘portray the impressions of an American visitor in Paris as he strolls about the city, listens to various street noises, and absorbs the French atmosphere’.

From 1924 until George’s unfortunate death in 1937, George and Ira worked together almost exclusively, creating iconic pieces of America’s musical history that include Girl Crazy and Strike up the Band. Ira continued working in film and theatre, writing standards such as Long Ago (and Far Away) and The Man That Got Away both nominated for Academy Awards.

Choreographed in 2008 by Derek Deane (renowned dancer and choreographer) for the English National Ballet, Strictly Gershwin evokes the silver screen magic of the brothers’ bygone era, giving you Queensland Ballet as you’ve never seen us before.

Book tickets now at queenslandballet.com.au/strictly-gershwin

If you haven’t seen the music and dance extravaganza that is Strictly Gershwin, you’re in for a treat when it hits the stage this September at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC.

INTERVIEW

In conversation with Laura Tosar

From her first Queensland Ballet performance in Strictly Gershwin in 2016 to the upcoming season in September, the Cuban-born Soloist reflects on her seven-years with the Company

Giselle, Act I, behind the scenes: Laura Tosar has been in 17th century France since breakfast. Hidden from view and unbeknownst to the audience, she sews a dress and chats with her mother, considering her day ahead in the village. By the time she hears that knock at the set door, she feels genuinely excited.

“From the morning wake up on a performance day, I’m already Giselle, or the Queen, or whoever I’m playing,” she says.

“I will literally take my breakfast and my tea like Giselle would – being gentle and kind and happy. Later I’ll do my makeup slowly, the way she would, because Giselle wouldn’t rush it.

“Then when there’s a knock at the set door I’m genuinely intrigued, and I’m not sure if it’s Hilarion or Albrecht, or someone else. I feel like if didn’t do all of that, it would look and feel very unnatural – not just for me, but for the audience, too.”

Creating a backstory for her characters is something the Soloist has recently poured her focus into. It’s a tip she learned from prima ballerina Alina Cojocaru (former Principal of The Royal Ballet and English National Ballet) who guest starred in Queensland Ballet’s production of Manon last year.

“I was an understudy for Manon and I learned so much from Alina,” Laura recalls.

“She spoke to us about the importance of being in character before arriving onstage, because if you try to fake it on the stage it’s not going to come naturally. The audience is not going to be drawn to you because it doesn’t look real. Little things like this make a massive difference.”

We meet on a busy afternoon at the Thomas Dixon Centre, after the first rehearsal for Cathy Marston’s My Brilliant Career. Still dressed in her rehearsal gear, Laura’s enthusiasm for Marston’s unique teaching techniques shines through.

“She’s fascinating – it was incredible,” she says.

But it’s no surprise to Laura that she’s still learning, despite discovering dance when she was four years old. She says ballet is an artform you never stop learning from.

“Especially Giselle – that’s why it has been in the repertoire for so many years; because there’s constant learning about Giselle and her character. At the end of my first show as Giselle in Cairns, they said ‘good, you’ve done your first show – now the work can be begin!”

Born in Havana, Cuba, Laura’s first love was Flamenco, until she was told she had ‘ballerina legs’.

“The first class at Pro Danza was just a little fun, but loved it. And mum said ‘do you still want to do flamenco?’ and said ‘no, I want to be a ballerina!’” she laughs.

“In Cuba, ballet is a serious sport. They started preparing me to audition for National Ballet School - a very famous Cuban ballet school, which you can do when you are eight years old. This includes private lessons just for stretching, as well as ballet classes, to prepare your body, your coordination, your rhythm and musicality.”

Laura auditioned alongside 2000 other hopefuls in a threemonth process. She was one of only 40 girls and 25 boys that made the cut.

“From there, it was very disciplined, Russian-based training. You do Grade 5 to 9 and in Grade 9, there’s a massive exam where they cut half the students, and the final three years are like a pre-professional school. From 9-12, you’re not treated like a student anymore, you do full-length ballets.”

In 2014, Laura and Patricio Revé (now a Queensland Ballet Principal Artist) were preparing for Swan Lake when they heard Mao’s Last Dancer was coming.

“We had both seen the movie and were like ‘oh my god!’” s he recalls.

“We were told that morning that Li would be teaching morning class. We had about two minutes’ notice. I remember then, he came back the next day take the Swan Lake rehearsal… we exchanged contact details and he offered me a spot here at Queensland Ballet. After finished my schooling, as was in Grade 11 at the time, and performing obligations at The Cuban National Ballet, moved to Brisbane.”

Laura’s first QB performance was Strictly Gershwin. The 18-year-old had never been to Australia before and barely spoke English.

“Everyone was so welcoming, although the Aussie accents…” she laughs.

“When I arrived Yanela Piñera (QB Principal Artist), Camilo Ramos (former QB Principal Artist, now Academy Pre-Professional Program Coordinator), and Victor Estévez (QB Principal Artist) were there to guide me, which was really helpful. I had grown up watching them when was at ballet school in Cuba.”

Seven years later, as we approach a second season of Strictly Gershwin, I ask Laura about her experience being promoted to Soloist during the 2022 Bespoke season.

“I had no idea that was coming,” she says.

“At the time I had stopped thinking about it and I completely forgot about titles, and that’s when it happened. When you concentrate on something like that you’re working towards the wrong goal, rather than concentrating on your body or your movement.”

A bout of Covid-19 saw Principal Artist Mia Heathcote miss the premiere of Greg Horsman’s A Rhapsody in Motion. Laura was chosen to learn Mia’s spot the week before opening night. Then her dance partner Alex caught Covid-19, and she helped Patricio learn his spot.

“It was a massive challenge for me, but both of us pulled it together and it went well. And after the first week everything went back to normal and was relaxed - and that’s when I got promoted. It’s good to have recognition but feel like, in this world, it’s about working hard and learning, and listening to the teachers, and having zero ego. Titles will come if they’re meant to come,” she says.

And that’s the advice she offers to young dancers, too.

“Never stop learning, never think you know,” she says thoughtfully.

“Be willing, be open, obviously work hard and look after your body. Make sure you warm up, and you cool down, because it’s a hard career on the body and bones and muscles. Ice, heat, stretch, eat well, sleep well, because when you’re injured you can’t dance.

“But never stop learning.”

See Laura in Derek Deane’s Strictly Gershwin at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre running 28 September to 7 October. For tickets, visit queenslandballet.com.au

“I’ve never worked with someone like that who is giving us words or a feeling or a movement to experiment with. It was very special.”

Words Cassandra Houghton

Photos PG 12: Queensland Ballet artist in studio

PG 13 (clockwise from top): New gymnasium;

Cold pool for dancers; Former Queensland Ballet

artist Terry Krilly and First Company Artist Liam

Geck in old gym area; Louise Drysdale, Soloist

Chiara Gonzalez, First Company Artist David

Raising the bar for wellbeing

The year was 1995 when Tony Lewis – then a Principal Dancer at Queensland Ballet – found a few pieces of gym equipment in the local council kerbside collection and carried them to the Company’s studios at the Thomas Dixon Centre. Acid-wash jeans, scrunchies, crimped hair and punk rock were trending; wellbeing as we know it today, was not. But being an elite athlete, as all ballet dancers are, he knew the equipment would be appreciated, so he set up a gym area outside studios 1 and 2 on the upper level of the old building. A dancer who had recently left the company donated a few more pieces, and the company – then comprising 26 dancers – began to use the cheap weights bench, skinny spinlock barbell, and the collection of old steel and sand-filled plastic weights.

Queensland Ballet had been a successful not-for-profit arts company for just over 30 years under four talented artistic directors, but funds for a professional gym were unfeasible at a time where dancers were doing car washes and underground fashion shows to raise money for productions.

Fast forward almost 30 years to today, and thanks to generous support, Queensland Ballet has a home to finally match its ambitions around health and wellbeing. From the dancers’ gym, to the integration of natural light and access to nature, to the dedicated studio for all our community dance health programs, Queensland Ballet is striving for the best. And with wellbeing integrated into the design and operations of the building, it’s not just the dancers and staff, but also the public that benefits from the Thomas Dixon Centre’s WELL™ accreditation ambitions. Grounded in evidence-based research, WELL’s ten core concepts across light, air, mind, water, sound, nourishment, thermal comfort, materials, community, and movement aim to provide a healthy environment, which plays a key role in supporting human wellbeing and influencing the occupants’ and visitors’ healthy lifestyle choices.

“Each day when walk into the gym can’t help but smile, especially when think of the rusty, broken equipment we had in 1995,” says Tony, who retired from the stage in 2003 and is now the Company’s Strength and Conditioning Coach.

“Our gym has everything we need. We are now able to test the dancers using specialised testing equipment. The data we gather from these tests can give us information on all the elements required in assisting them to be the best they can be. All the dancers’ Pilates and Strength programs are monitored using an athlete management system so they can track their training. We have an educated and progressive Performance Health Team that works with the Artistic staff in preparing the dancers for specific roles and upcoming seasons. It’s incredible.”

With the 2022 refurbishment, it became clear a new role was necessary. Zara Gomes, former Queensland Ballet Physiotherapist and Head of Performance Health, was the perfect fit to be Director of Health and Community. Covering health, wellbeing, and the community health programs for dancers, staff and visitors, Zara’s promotion was a natural progression.

“When first arrived at Queensland Ballet almost 12 years ago, there was only a visiting physio and massage therapist who came in a few hours a week. The vision was to set up a health team, and then once Li took over as Artistic Director, the company and his vision expanded from there,” Zara recalls.

“I set up a health team, steadily over time. It was a one-woman show from the Physiotherapy perspective for quite a while, but that vision took us from being behind some other ballet companies to now being really well positioned and providing excellent care for our dancers.

“Now we have four part-time in-house physiotherapists across the Company and Academy, as well as a strength and conditioning coach, massage therapists and a Pilates instructor. And we have a visiting podiatrist, sports dietician, and a range of external health consultants who we refer to regularly including sports physicians, GPs, performance psychologists and orthopaedic specialists covering every area of the body. It’s an amazing support system.”

As well as overseeing the performance health team, Zara advises on the WELL certification which requires regular staff trainings, repeated quality testing, and ongoing data reporting, as well as recertification every three years.

“It’s not a box we can tick and forget about, it’s an ongoing commitment that needs to be upheld,” Zara says.

And will it make a difference?

“Absolutely. I think it already has,” she says. “The WELL concepts have been embedded into the design right from the beginning so the building is built this way not just to look attractive or to be architecturally innovative. All those concepts of natural light, water and air quality and the connection to nature have been planned the whole way through and I think they’re almost intangible, and yet it makes a different to the environment and how you feel working here and visiting.

“Then there’s all the aspects of WELL that aren’t the built environment; it’s in the programs we run –the educational commitments to our staff on health and wellbeing, and the support we offer, and our community programs like Dance for Parkinson’s, Ballet for Brain Injury, and the Ballet for Seniors, Yoga and Pilates classes. And all of this will be increasing steadily, tailored to people’s needs.”

Meditation classes and even a dog-friendly office policy have been trialled successfully, while targeted workshops for topics like nutrition will continue regularly.

“It’s a tricky thing to try and satisfy everyone because every individual is different, but think the more input and ideas we get, the more successful it will be,” Zara says.

“We could have renovated the Thomas Dixon Centre without the WELL considerations and goals and it would have been a less expensive project. But a lot of those concepts, we had already been working towards and so the WELL requirements help us with detailed guidelines about how to make it happen. We genuinely want to improve health and wellbeing across QB and those who engage with us. If people feel well, happy and healthy, they’ll be more productive, fulfilled and creative.”

One year since the move to the Thomas Dixon Centre, Zara says it’s often the little things that have given her personal satisfaction.

“I was involved in the early planning stage with the architects, and for the first couple of months after we moved in I would look out through the glass windows of the Physio treatment space and into the gym with its beautiful natural light and exposed brickwork and just think, this is exactly how envisioned it,” she recalls.

Power, Zara Gomes and Former Company Artist Edward Pope in old gym area

Photos courtesy of Queensland Ballet staff

Zara Gomes Director of Health & Community

Tony Lewis Company & Academy Strength Coach

“To see the Company enjoy it, and to see that it works functionally and well – that’s very satisfying.”

The future of wellbeing

BEHIND THE SEAMS GALLERY

What was the inspiration behind the dreamy, plum-toned costumes in our Season 2023 brand shoot? We spoke with Queensland Ballet Costumier Beth Cordwell and And Costume Performance Manager/ Associate Designer Zoe Griffiths to find

out.

When designers Beth and Zoe were given a brief to design and construct costumes for the Season 2023 brand shoot, there was one imperative: the colour plum. From here they sought inspiration from the diversity of the dancers, selecting flora native to their cultural backgrounds and creating dresses that were spontaneous, flowing, unpredictable, and beautiful.

What was the initial design brief?

Beth: We were given a colour – plum, plus some reference images of a few things, such as a silhouette or the way a fabric fell. It was quite open-ended, which is why we started creating the floral theme. Being inspired by the dancers was quite nice, but you have to give yourself your own rules to stay within, which helps to keep you focused.

Tell us about the stories behind the costume pieces.

Zoe: Because we’re a very multicultural company, we wanted to hone into the backstories and origins of the dancers. We were thinking about beautiful things that could represent where they are from. Neneka (Yoshida) is from Japan, so we chose the Cherry Blossom to inspire her dress. Lucy (Green) is Australian so we used the Protea. Her dress incorporated crinoline, which is often used in millinery and had a stiff base so that when we hugged it in around her waist it created this amazing shape, then with tulle over the top there was this great texture. Yanela (Piñera)’s dress was inspired by the Cuban Orchid, and it spilled out into different levels. We found out about Mia (Heathcote) later, so we channelled the energies of those three pieces into hers. She was a real combination: beautiful organza flowers, the fullness of the skirt which channelled Yanela, and pleated tulle on her bodice from Lucy’s.

What was your creative process?

Zoe: First and foremost, they needed to have that practical element because they’re still partnering, they’re still dancing. Often, like to work backwards – pick up a fabric and go from there, so we started doing a little of that. We knew we wanted to play with the pleated tulle we found, but it was in cream so I had to dye it. Then Beth brought in her beading techniques as we wanted to get those textures in there, still allowing the dancers to feel great in it.

Beth: For Zoe and working in costume and backstage at the theatre, we see the dancers onstage and also offstage, so we know them quite well. We felt like we were best to be inspired by the dancers themselves because they are such incredible artists and athletes, so we looked at each individual dancer as people as well as what they bring to the stage. And a flower grows and blooms, which was quite a nice point to begin with.

Was there anything special or unique about the fabrics and materials you used?

Zoe: We sourced most of it locally, supporting a few local bridal fabric stores which was fantastic. The dyes and paints we used were from within Australia, and the beads were also from a local store, which was great as well. Then it was a matter of manipulating those fabrics in a way that we could keep the story going.

How did you carry the theme over to the men’s costumes?

Beth: We built beaded straps for the men’s black tights because we realised we wanted that plum to be incorporated into everyone’s outfits. When designing for dance, the movement needs to come first, so I think the tights provided a nice clean look, but with the exciting addition of beaded straps.

Best thing about the project?

Beth: That it meant something to the dancers. When we shared our stories with them their eyes lit up and they loved how the outfits had been made for them and about them, really. remember Lucy saying she was so inspired during the day to try new things in front of the camera because she was wearing this outfit that she loved. And I think that’s the best thing to hear, as a designer, that the person you are dressing loves it. They’re wearing it and they feel strong and confident in it, which is great.

Zoe: The dancers’ feedback was the best: they said they all felt really empowered and strong and beautiful in what they were wearing. And I think that’s the best possible feedback – as long as they liked it and felt good in it, that’s what mattered.

Does Queensland Ballet offer this creative opportunity for every season launch?

Zoe: This was actually the first time! It was really exciting when they approached us, and I’m so glad we got to be a part of it. I think it’s important they use local designers or incoming students or talent. It’s a nice platform to champion local designers.

Circle member

My Journey to the Charles Lisner Circle

“My interest in the Arts began many years ago as a teenager in my country of birth, Canada. I grew up in a small town in Manitoba who annually held an arts festival and as a student participated as part of school groups.

Later, while studying Education, my interest in the Arts was extended as had the opportunity to usher at live theatre venues in Winnipeg. My university degree was a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Drama. began to not enjoy live theatre as became so critical, being an expert with my studies, but fortunately found the Royal Winnipeg Ballet which became infatuated with. enjoyed it for its beauty and capability to move me emotionally, but I didn’t want to know any of the background/techniques of ballet or dancing. Through my teaching, did however become involved with folk dancing.

Your story is our story.

When I migrated to Brisbane in 1975, became an audience member of Queensland Ballet. later joined ‘The Queensland Ballet Friends’ for the social side of ballet and soon became involved with the committee who helped raise funds through various activities as well as help cater Opening Nights and other functions. I stepped back from my involvement in the Friends for a number of years and have in the past few years again become a QB Friend member in honour of the committee legacy.

Queensland Ballet over the years has given me much joy through taking me away from the humdrum of daily life and allowing me to experience the ‘magic’ on the stage. This, over the years made me realise that for this to continue, not only for me but for future generations, my contribution through a legacy would be of assistance. I hope that my legacy will help Queensland Ballet to continue their work with young dancers in both the Academy and the Company.

If ballet has brought you great joy in life, have you considered leaving a gift for Queensland Ballet in your will? Join us, as we look to the future with optimism.

Your decision to leave a gift for Queensland Ballet in your will is a powerful legacy for future generations to enjoy the beauty and wonder of ballet in Queensland.

By making a bequest to Queensland Ballet, you help us continue to:

- present world-class productions and collaborations

- provide the best facilities and resources for artists and communities to thrive

- deliver community, health and education programs which offer hope and aspiration for all, across Queensland

- enrich lives through the magic of ballet for generations to come

Gifts left for Queensland Ballet are invested in perpetuity and interest from these funds is used to support our artistic, community and training programs. By notifying us of your bequest, we are enabled to plan with integrity for future generations to enjoy remarkable ballet experiences and ensure Queensland Ballet’s place in an artistically vibrant community.

Named in honour of our founding Artistic Director, the Charles Lisner Circle acknowledges those who have made a legacy commitment by including Queensland Ballet in their will, and represents a special group who believe in the ability of ballet to enrich lives. Through intimate and tailored experiences, we are able to celebrate and enrich your personal engagement with the artform during your lifetime.

We warmly welcome the opportunity to start a conversation with you, in confidence about your journey and your role in Queensland Ballet’s history. Your bequest is a powerful and lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy the beauty and wonder of ballet in Queensland.

Please call Tonia Looker, Foundation Manager - Philanthropy and Bequests, on 07 3013 6660 or email foundation@queenslandballet.com.au

For more information, visit queenslandballet.com.au/support/bequests

Peter Myska Charles Lisner

Our vision is to continue to share the transformative magic of dance with future generations to enjoy our artistically vibrant and meaningful artform. Queensland Ballet is built on the foundation of the many lifetimes of passionate people who believe in the value and ability of ballet to enrich lives.

“I had the rare opportunity of founding an institution which will make a lasting contribution to art and give pleasure to countless millions long after I have gone.”

- Charles Lisner

The Charles Lisner Circle

As a lover of the Arts and Queensland Ballet in particular, may I suggest that you leave a legacy in your will to Queensland Ballet so that future generations may enjoy the experience of observing the Company as you do. By becoming part of the Charles Lisner Circle, you will meet like-minded people.

Queensland Ballet Academy

Behind the scenes of an Audition Day

A prestigious ballet academy with international acclaim, Queensland Ballet Academy’s annual auditions attract young dancers with big dreams from all over the world. As we embark on the 2023 auditions (held from June to September), we sat down with Academy Alumni and Jette Parker Young Artist, Alisa Pukkinen and Pre-Professional Program dancer Max Jones, who both successfully navigated the process - to find out what happens on the day, how they prepared for the moment that changed their lives, and some exclusive behindthe-scenes tips!

Tell us a little about yourself and how you found your way to Queensland Ballet Academy.

Alisa: I’m originally from Adelaide and had met Paul Boyd (Academy Ballet Master and Resident Choreographer) and a few dancers from the Company when they taught a masterclass in the city. remember feeling so comfortable, I decided getting into Queensland Ballet would be my goal. When the offer came, it was an instant yes!

Max: grew up in Coffs Harbour and moved to Newcastle when I was 15 to study dance full-time. At 16, auditioned for the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Illinois, and was offered a full scholarship for two years in their conservatory program. When COVID hit, returned home and auditioned for Queensland Ballet Academy’s PreProfessional Program and have been studying here since.

What is your audition day routine?

Alisa: Food is an important routine for me. The night before, I’ll have a big bowl of pasta. On the morning, like cooking eggs for protein, knowing it will help sustain me for the day. Right before the audition, always have a banana. Mentally, I like to know the schedule off the top of my head because if I’m stressed, know it will translate into my performance. In the morning I make sure have ample time to get ready and warm up.

How do you feel about artistry vs technique vs passion?

Max: I’d say it’s important to work on your technique and artistry every day during company class. Performing onstage is also a big thing – it’s important to have had that experience prior, because they like to see that you’ve had a variety of experiences.

Alisa: That’s why the Academy’s Pre-Professional Program is great because we often get opportunities to work alongside the Company in mainstage productions. Having those experiences on your resume will always be helpful when auditioning. Plus, seeing the professional dancers is very inspiring and makes me want to work even harder.

Did you know:

How do you move past mistakes?

Alisa: It’s just something you have to learn over time.

The more mistakes you make, the easier it is to get over them because you realise how little they actually mean. Everyone makes them – even Principal Dancers, but they just keep dancing and look beautiful doing it. There’s no point getting caught up in it – you’ll lose focus and it will affect your performance.

Taking every audition experience as a growth opportunity

Alisa : Recently one of my teachers told me that even if nothing comes out of an audition, you’ve opened a door, put your name out there, and made yourself seen, which is just as beneficial because who knows who you might meet later down the track. One audition can turn into so many possibilities in the future.

Max: Auditions are a great way to meet people. You’re in a room full of talented people from around the world you can make connections with. Imagine that!

academy.queenslandballet.com.au

• Queensland Ballet Academy currently has international students from Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea

• Queensland Ballet Company exclusively sources child performing roles for productions such as The Nutcracker from our younger Academy students

• 48% of the Queensland Ballet Company are Academy and Queensland Ballet’s former training programs Alumni

• The Academy is a partner school of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne competition

• Our Pre-Professional Program dancers gain invaluable experience performing in Queensland Ballet productions and stand-alone seasons throughout the course

• 100% of our Upper School Level 1 Classical cohort in 2022 were offered a place in the Pre-Professional Program in 2023

• 10 out of 12 of Queensland Ballet’s Jette Parker Young Artists in 2023 are graduates of our Pre-Professional Program

Queensland Ballet is grateful to our Presenting Partner, Margot McKinney, for the 2023 Season of Derek Deane’s Strictly Gershwin.

commitment to creating the perfect collection of jewels mirrors our dedication to always pursuing the best.”

queenslandballet.com.au

“Margot’s

Li Cunxin AO, Artistic Director