Hassall, Nanette (1947 - )

Green, Jon: Portrait of Nanette Hassall, 2004

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Born in Sydney, Nanette Hassall trained in both classical and modern dance and was influenced in particular by the teachers at the Bodenwieser Centre in Sydney. Hassall's first choreographic work, Solus to a score by Peter Sculthorpe, won the inaugural Ballet Australia choreographic award in 1969 and following that success Hassall accepted a scholarship to the Juilliard School in New York. At Juilliard she studied with Antony Tudor, Jose Limon and members of the Martha Graham company. After graduating Hassall joined the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and toured with them in the United States and internationally.

In 1973 Hassall went to England where she performed, choreographed and taught for Ballet Rambert and Strider Dance Company. After studying and teaching at Dartington College for the Arts she returned to Australia in 1975 to join the Dance Company (NSW) under Jaap Flier. She subsequently made many works for the Dance Company (NSW) and Dance Exchange, which she co-founded in Sydney with Russell Dumas. In 1983 she founded the Melbourne-based Dance Works in order to encourage new choreography and emerging choreographers.

Hassall has taught at Deakin University, where with James McCaughey she established a intergrated performing arts program, Rusden State College and the Victorian College of the Arts. She was appointed head of the dance department, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 1995. She continues to hold that position. Hassall was the recipient of the award for services to dance education at the 2002 Australian Dance Awards.

Bibliography:

Some of Hassall's early choreographic works are described and analysed in Maria Shevtsova, 'Nanette Hassall - the art of transition', New Theatre Australia, 6 (July/August 1988), pp. 32-35.

See also: Australian Dance Awards, The ; Ballet Australia ; Dance Company (NSW), The ; Dance Exchange ; Dance Works ; Dumas, Russell

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Research Materials

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Find more about Hassall, Nanette in:

• Internet - Google
• Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
• Pictures - Picture Australia