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On the Road

Since 1980, the Australian Ballet's National Tour (or really, the Dancers' Company as everyone calls it), is a much anticipated event for the graduating students of the Australian Ballet School. Simulating the company experience, it is a chance for the graduating class, all on the cusp of entering the professional arena, to showcase their skills in the hope of catching an artistic director’s eyes—and with that a professional contract for next year. It is also a chance for the Australian Ballet’s artistic director to test the company’s rising stars in more senior roles, an audition process of sorts, as they jostle for promotions within the company. The tour traditionally goes not just to regional centres, but also to rural Australia, allowing the country’s most talented dancers to be seen far and wide.

Performance

The Australian Ballet's National Tour

Place

Civic Theatre, Newcastle, Australia, July 13, 2024

Words

Claudia Lawson

Samara Merrick in the Australian Ballet's National Tour production of “The Sleeping Beauty.” Photograph by Lindsay Moller

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This year, four unique works were on offer for audiences. On opening night in Newcastle, the first work was George Balanchine’s “Allegro Brillante.” Bright, brilliant, and energetic, the Australian Ballet School performed like a well-oiled machine. Gorgeous chiffon skirts sailed across the stage, and while there were a few wobbly legs, this didn’t dampen the sheer joy of the work. Well-rehearsed synchronicity was on show, with a breezy lightness that embodies Balanchine’s choreography. Standouts were Olivia Harris, surely a shoe-in for the company next year. 

Larissa Kiyoto-Ward and Mason Lovegrove in “Allegro Brillante” by George Balanchine. Photograph by Jonathan van der Knaap

Next was “Swan Lake’s” Act II pas de deux. Performed by Australian Ballet dancers Larissa Kiyoto-Ward and Mason Lovegrove, it was a mesmerising performance, performed with the technique and delicacy it deserves. Kiyoto-Ward’s performance was enthralling, with quivering arms and a suppleness to her leg and neck lines, she perfectly portrayed the white swan’s fragility. A star on the rise.

Samara Merrick and Sara Andrlon in “Circle Electric: Prologue” by Stephanie Lake. Photograph by Peter Foster

The third work was Stephanie Lake’s “Circle Electric: Prologue.” Lake is the Australian Ballet’s newest resident choreographer, with this work being her first for the Australian Ballet, which they debuted earlier in 2024. While the work displayed the dancers' range, with the audience full of budding ballerinas dressed in tutus and tiaras, it was arguably too grounded a work for the night. Despite that, the work, without a narrative, displayed the adaptability of the dancers, Davi Ramos, Annabelle Watt and Amy Ronnfeldt the clear standouts.

Cameron Holmes in the Bluebird pas from “The Sleeping Beauty.” Photograph by Lindsay Moller

After interval, the students of the Australian Ballet School performed Act III of Marius Petipa’s “The Sleeping Beauty.” A clear crowd favourite, the students showed off their best in the many variations surrounding the wedding of Princess Aurora and her Prince Desire. Led by rising star Amy Ronnfeldt, she carried the work with a grace and maturity far beyond her years. Other standouts on the night were Annabelle Watt in the Bluebird Pas De Deux, and among the students, Eliza Hickey, who captivated the entire night.

Claudia Lawson

Claudia Lawson is a dance critic based in Sydney, Australia, writing regularly for ABC Radio National, ABC Arts, and Fjord Review. After graduating with degrees in Law and Forensic Science, Claudia worked as a media lawyer for the ABC, FOXTEL and the BBC in London, where she also co-founded Street Sessions dance company. Returning to Sydney, Claudia studied medicine and now works as a doctor. She is the host of the award-winning Talking Pointes Podcast.

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