The Australian Ballet Visits Griffith On Its 60th Anniversary Tour

There’s no denying that a 60th anniversary deserves some celebrating.

The Australian Ballet, together with The Australian Ballet School, will take its 60th-anniversary celebrations on tour this July and August with a diverse program showcasing a brand new work alongside some of the artform’s greatest and most-loved repertoire.

Audiences will be delighted to see excerpts from The Sleeping Beauty Act III, The Vow by Lucas Jervies and a new work by Stephanie Lake, commissioned by The Australian Ballet for this tour.

The tour will provide an opportunity for audiences outside the capital cities to enjoy the magic of dance in their hometowns and is expected to reach up to 15,000 people living in regional Australia.

A fairytale come to life, The Sleeping Beauty Act III revisits Tchaikovsky’s celebrated score and features breathtaking costumes by Hugh Coleman.

Lucas Jervies’ The Vow is a new Australian production commissioned for On Tour, exploring the complications of love and partnership.

The Australian Ballet has been touring the country, visiting towns and cities since its inception in 1962 and welcomed The Australian Ballet School as a tour partner in 1980.

The Australian Ballet’s Executive Direct, Lissa Twomey said The Australian Ballet had toured the country bringing exquisite productions to communities that might otherwise never tet the opportunity to attend live ballet performances for 60 years.

“Since 1980, when the tour became a regular part of the company’s yearly programming, The Australian Ballet has delivered over 800 performances in 71 locations, travelling approximately 10,000 kilometres each year by bus, plane, car and truck to engage with audiences in major cities and towns,” Ms Twomey said.

Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David Hallberg said taking The Australian Ballet on tour was a vital link to audiences around the country.

“Many of our dancers’ careers were cultivated in dance schools across the nation and we hope our performances will inspire kids in Australia to explore dance with The Australian Ballet,” Mr Hallberg said.

Through the theme of dance, The Australian Ballet On Tour will engage with the broader community with the company’s Education and Outreach team offering immersive, creative, collaborative and inspiring programs for ballet fans of all ages, including Dancing Story (3 to 5 year olds), STEAMDANCE (primary and secondary schools), Youth Dance Workshops and ballet classes for adults and seniors.

The Australian Ballet On Tour will appear at Griffith Regional Theatre on Wednesday, August 9 at 7:30 pm.

You can catch a unique, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to prepare for a performance, for free, as the dancers take a class on stage and fine-tune their technique ahead of the main event.

• Topics:

• Performing Arts