Australia Dancing - Bates, Cecil (1925

Bates, Cecil (1925 - )

Stringer, Walter: Cecil Bates and artists of Ballet Rambert in Facade, Ballet Rambert Australian tour, 1947

Cecil Bates began his dance lessons at an early age in Maitland, New South Wales. He studied first with his mother, a ballet teacher who had trained with Jennie Brenan. Later he took classes in Newcastle with Grace Norman and in Sydney with Helene Kirsova. At school he studied mathematics and science and before taking up a full-time career as a dancer worked as a metallurgist in both Newcastle and Sydney.

In 1947 Bates auditioned for Ballet Rambert, which was touring Australia, and was accepted. With Rambert he began as an extra but was soon dancing soloist roles in the repertoire including roles in Facade, Plaisance, Soiree Musicale, Peter and the Wolf, The Descent of Hebe, Giselle and Nutcracker. He travelled to England with the company when they left Australia in 1949 and in 1952 became the company's ballet master. His choreographic career also began during this period when he made some works for Ballet Workshop and mounted the ballets for productions by the Welsh National Opera.

Bates then worked in London for Walter Gore Ballet dancing soloist and principal roles in many of Gore's works including Hoops, Street Games, Classical Suite, Romantic Suite and others. When Gore came to Australia in the 1950s to establish his Adelaide-based Australian Theatre Ballet, Bates returned to act as ballet master and principal dancer. Gore's company disbanded after a year and Bates settled in Adelaide.

In Adelaide Bates worked with Joanna Priest teaching and producing. He also returned to choreography producing Design for a Lament, later staged as Requiem, Villanelle for Four, Comme ci, comme ca, Seven Dances and A Fig for a King. Bates also staged in Adelaide some of the ballets he knew from his London experiences including Peepshow, Death and the Maiden, Czernyana and Facade. He eventually also established his own dance school and then a small company, South Australian Repertory Ballet. Bates was also artistic director of the South Australian Ballet Company between 1962 and 1965. This company, an offshoot of South Australia's National Opera Company, was initially and briefly directed by Leslie White. Bates was named in programs as one of the company's choreographers from its earliest seasons. He continued to teach in Adelaide for many years.

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