Australia Dancing - Ballet Australia (1960

Ballet Australia (1960 - 1976)

Vining Brown, Leone: John Meehan (left), Franz Vervenne and Dorothy Steane, Choreographic Seminar, Ballet Australia, 1973

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Ballet Australia, an organisation dedicated to the encouragement of Australian choreography and collaboration between choreographers, composers and designers, was founded by Valrene Tweedie in 1960. Ballet Australia gave its first performance on 17 December 1960 at Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music. Four works were shown: Tweedie’s Overture for Dancers, Ruth Galene’s Cantilena, Judith Burgess’ Bartok Sonata and Joan Halliday’s Sea Interludes. The early seasons were full-scale productions and the period 1961 to 1962 was particularly productive musically. In three seasons, eight dance works were produced using music by contemporary Australian composers. Six of the eight works were danced to brand new scores commissioned by Ballet Australia from John Antill, Nigel Butterley, Kurt Herweg, Bruce Lawrence, Richard Meale and John Milful.

The organisation was financially unable to maintain its commitment to full scale productions and by 1964 Ballet Australia performances were presented in the form of choreographic workshops. The first workshop, held on 31 May 1964 at Sydney's Cell Block Theatre, comprised Growing Pains by Ken Mansfield, Concerto Grosso by Keith Bain, Isomorphisms by Judith Burgess, Encounter by Ruth Galene, and The Consuming Flame by Brian Hokin. In 1969 Ballet Australia ran its first choreographic competition, which was won by Nanette Hassall with a work entitled Solus performed to music by Peter Sculthorpe. The choreographic competitions continued during the 1970s and winners in subsequent years were Jeffa Nicholson (If you hold on too tight - it's gone, 1970), Cathryn Short (Movement for Four, 1971), Christine Koltai (Asylum, 1972), Ian Spink (Figurescape, 1973), Arthur Turnbull (Sparesil-nom, 1974) and Ian Spink (Duet, 1976). In 1973 the organisation also ran its first choreographic seminar, which was led by tutors Franz Vervenne from Nederlands Dans Theater, Ray Cook from Australian Dance Theatre and Garth Welch from the Australian Ballet.

Valrene Tweedie resigned as president in 1975. In 1976, under its second president Beryl Mitchell, Ballet Australia presented its seventh choreographic competition and its final production, a joint season of Australian works performed by the Queensland Ballet. Works from the Queensland Ballet repertoire were Possessed by Leslie White, Clowns by Don Asker, Three Conversations by Graeme Murphy and Bouquet Garni by Rex Reid. The organisation folded in 1977.

Choreographers whose work was shown in performances and workshops by Ballet Australia include Keith Bain, Margaret Barr, Judith Burgess (Bartram), Kai Tai Chan, Margaret Chapple, Geoffrey Cichero, Ruth Galene, Joan Halliday, Nanette Hassall, Coralie Hinkley, Brian Hokin, Christine Koltai, Kenneth Mansfield, Cynthia Mayan, John Meehan and Ian Spink.

Some of the activities of Ballet Australia are discussed in 'Inspiring mentors: Valrene Tweedie and Laurel Martyn', National Library of Australia News, July 2002.

Bibliography:

Joel Crotty, 'Ballet Australia between 1961 and 1962: A Microcosm of Musical Change', Brolga, 1 (December 1994), pp. 41-57.

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Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
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