Australia Dancing - Helgeby, Margrete (1964

Helgeby, Margrete (1964 - )

de Prazer, Ashley: Portrait of Margrete Helgeby, 2001

Born in Oslo, Norway, Margrete Helgeby came to Australia early in her life. She began her dance training in Canberra at the age of five with Bryan Lawrence and Janet Karin. With Karin and Lawrence she danced in productions by the National Capital Dancers, which included taking leading roles in Coppelia, Giselle, Nutcracker and other one-act and full-length ballets. On graduation she entered the second year of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts dance program and at the end of her tertiary training was employed by West Australian Ballet, then under the directorship of Barry Moreland.

Helgeby has had a diverse career as a professional performer having danced in Australia with West Australian Ballet and Chrissie Parrot Dance Company and in London with Rambert Dance Company. As a freelance artist she has worked as a guest with the West Australian Ballet, skadada and Chunky Move and for choreographers in the United States and Germany. She has performed roles across the classical spectrum, including works by August Bournonville and George Balanchine, and has performed in contemporary works of international choreographers including Ohad Naharin, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, Per Jonsson and Christopher Bruce. She has also acted in productions by the Perth-based deckchair theatre (I am Nijinsky, 1997) and Perth Theatre Company.

In 1997 Helgeby, together with Stefan Karlsson, devised, directed and performed in Loaded, which showcased the works of Australian choreographers in a series of solos and duets. The show toured nationally and to Auckland, New Zealand, through Made to Move in 1999. Choreographers whose work was represented in Loaded were John Burtt, Elizabeth Hill, Jim Hughes, Stefan Karlsson, Barry Moreland, Graeme Murphy, Gideon Obarzanek, Chrissie Parrott and Edmund Stripe. Loaded was nominated for best performance by a company at the Australian Dance Awards in 1999 and Helgeby was nominated as best female performer.

Helgeby teaches classical ballet and contemporary dance and has choreographed works for the West Australian Opera, West Australian Ballet, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and Graduate College of Dance Prix de Lausanne entrants. She has also worked in the capacity of assistant director at the South Australian State Opera and West Australian Opera.

With Stefan Karlsson, Helgeby established co. loaded, a project based company specifically for experienced senior artists to perform and for the commissioning of original choreography from national and international choreographers. In addition to Helgeby and Karlsson, co-loaded dancers include Adam Marchant, Sue Peacock, Natasha Middleton, Sete Tele and Claudia Alessi. Choreographers for co-loaded's first season in February 2005 were Natalie Weir, Jon Burtt, Paea Leach and Didy Veldman. Helgeby was the recipient of a 2005 Australian Dance Award for her outstanding performance in co-loaded's Acqueous.

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Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection