American Ballet Theatre in Australia

For the first time in its history the American Ballet Theatre will visit Australia performing exclusively at the Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, from 28 August to 7 September, 2014, as part of QPAC’s International Series. Peter Pinne reports.

Based in New York, the American Ballet Theatre is the United States National Ballet Company, as named by an Act of the United States Congress, and is considered a living national treasure.

On their first ever visit to Australia their full company of 90 dancers will be performing two productions; Swan Lake choreographed by the Artistic Director of the company, Kevin McKenzie, and a triple bill featuring works by three of the modern eras greatest choreographers.

The triple bill includes Bach Partita with music by Johann Sebastian Bach and choreography by Twyla Tharp, Seven Sonatas with music by Domenico Scarlatti choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, and Fancy Free with music by Leonard Bernstein and choreography by Jerome Robbins.

The superstar cast includes David Halberg, one of the world’s most celebrated male dancers and the only American to have been appointed Principal Dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet; Paloma Herrera who has been Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre since 1995 creating many roles for the company; young Russian Danill Simkin who enjoys film star status with teenage female audiences; and Cory Stearns admired almost as much for his clean-cut-all-American looks as for his dancing, who has risen steadily through the ranks to become a Principal Artist. The company will also include the highly profiled soloist Misty Copeland, the first African American in the last two decades to be appointed to soloist at the American Ballet Theatre.

During the Brisbane season the American Ballet Theatre will be accompanied by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

On Friday August 29^th the performance of Swan Lake will be simulcast to nine regional cities and towns in Queensland: Mackay, Mount Isa, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Burdekin and Charters Towers.

The American Ballet Theatre was launched in 1939, under the Artistic direction of Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith, with an aim to develop a repertoire of the best ballets from the past and to encourage the creation of new works. During their leadership from 1940 until 1980, the company more than fulfilled that aim staging a repertoire that included Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and Giselle, plus Apollo, Les Sylphides, Jardin aux Lilas, and Rodeo. Contemporary works included; Airs, Push Comes to Shove and Duets.

Mikhail Baryshnikov became Artistic Director in 1980 and under his leadership numerous classical ballets were staged, restaged and refurbished. Kevin McKenzie was a principal dancer with the company before being appointed Artistic Director in 1992.

Over its 70-year history, the company has appeared in a total of 132 cities in 42 countries, and in all fifty states of the United States.

The QPAC engagement is the third presentation in the QPAC International Series, which has previously hosted performances by the Hamburg Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet.

Images above - Swan Lake scene shot by MIRA and Craig Salstein, David Hallberg and Marcelo Gomes in Fancy Free. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.

Two Australian dancers are part of American Ballet Theatre’s corps de ballet and will be returning to Australia for the Brisbane season. Peter Pinne had a Q&A with them before their arrival.

Duncan Lyle was born in Melbourne and began his training at Camberwell District Ballet before being accepted into the Royal Ballet School from which he graduated in 2010. He joined the corps de ballet of Boston Ballet in 2010, and later joined the corps de ballet of American Ballet Theatre in 2012.

Q. What roles will you be dancing during the Australian season?

A. Soloist in Bach Partita, and Polish Escort, an Aristocrat and all corps de ballet roles in Swan Lake.

Q. You have been with the American Ballet Theatre for two years. What has been the highlights of your time with the company?

A. I got to perform Wilfred (from Giselle) this year, which was very exciting for me. I performed Wilfred to both James Whitesides’ and Cory Stearns’ Albrechts and it was very interesting being part of their different interpretations of the role, which in turn changed my interpretation of the role.
Also, just small personal breakthroughs have been highlights. There have been about three roles in my time with the company that have terrified me and I’ve thought, “I’m actually not going to be able to do this.” But I managed!

Q. What is your favourite ballet in the repertoire?

A. This is such a hard question! MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet is such a fun ballet. One of my favourite roles to perform is in Manon (the Fop Client). But in terms of appreciating and watching I would have to say A Month in the Country and The Dream. They’re both exquisite and demonstrate Ashton’s mastery of intertwining story-telling with poetic choreography. They’re both just absolutely perfect ballets.

Q. Do you have a favourite choreographer?

A. Frederick Ashton. I think I relate very much to his aesthetic – sharp, precise footwork and liquid torso. His choreography is just so musical and there’s absolutely no other choreographer who can tell a story through the medium of ballet better than Ashton.

Q. What are you thoughts on ballet in Australia as opposed to ballet in Europe and America?

A. The main difference between ballet in Australia and ballet in America is money. Australian companies get government funding and American companies don’t – they rely on private donations and ticket sales. This means Australian companies are much more able to experiment, take risks and present more new work. I really appreciate that the Australian Ballet takes so many risks and presents so much new work. However, I don’t like that most of the classical repertoire there has been “updated” or “reimagined”. We need new work in ballet, but it really has to be new work. It’s unfair to an audience to call something Swan Lake if it isn’t Swan Lake.

Q. Is the standard as high in Australia as it is in Europe or America?

A. Definitely. In fact I think Australians hold themselves to a higher standard in terms of technique.

Q. Should there be more Government support for Ballet in Australia?

A. Of course there can always be more, but the Australian Government is amazing in its support of the arts. In America there is no government support of the arts.

Q. To have a high-profile career in ballet do you think it is essential that performers gain overseas experience like you have done? Can a dancer maintain a career based only in Australia?                  

A. I think it’s really essential for any dancer to get experience in a country other than the one where they trained just to make them a better dancer. I feel I have learned so much from having exposure to so many different styles and takes on ballet. By exposing yourself to many different backgrounds you get a wealth of information that would be otherwise unavailable to you.

Q. Your career has been based on the classical repertoire. Do you like modern dance?

A.  I do like contemporary, but I find it a little more stressful. It’s more difficult for me but I would definitely like to have more experience with it.

Q. What roles that you have not already danced would you like to dance in the future?

A. I learned two roles this season that I didn’t get to perform – the Helpmann stepsister in Ashton’s Cinderella and Demetrius in The Dream, so hopefully I will get to perform these some time in the future. Other roles I would love to perform are the Poet in Les Sylphides, Lead Czardas in Swan Lake, Carabosse and Widow Simone... among countless others!

Q. How prestigious is it to be a member of the American Ballet Theatre?

A. Very I like to think!

Q. The company tours a lot so you would have had the chance to play before a variety of audiences. Which audience responds the best to the classical repertoire?

A. I think a Japanese audience is most appreciative but they’re very polite so you won’t really know it until the end of a performance. I love playing to an American audience because if they’re loving something, they’ll let you know all the way through!

Q. How old are you?

A. 24.

Q. Is it hard to maintain a personal life when touring?

A. It’s almost easier in a strange way. When you’re on performance schedule (which you always are touring), you have less rehearsal hours. And of course all your “real life” responsibilities are gone like cooking, cleaning and laundry. But the only people you get to see are your co-workers.

Stephanie Williams was born in Newcastle and began training at the age of 8 at the Marie Walton-Mahon Dance Academy before training at the Australian Ballet School. She joined the Australian Ballet in 2007 and later spent six months dancing with the Het National Ballet in Amsterdam. She became a member of American Ballet Theatre’s corps de ballet in 2012.

Q. What roles will you be dancing during the Australian season? 

A. I will be dancing as a soloist couple in Twyla Tharps' Bach Partita and in Swan Lake as the Polish princess alongside many other roles. We don’t know exact casting until two weeks before the performances. 

Q. Have you danced these roles before? 

A. I haven’t danced Bach Partita before but Swan Lake many times. 

Q. Where? 

A. At the Metropoltian Opera house and many other places around the world on tour. 

Q. How excited are you that you are returning to dance in Australia with the American Ballet Theatre?             

A. I am really looking forward to dancing in my home country again. I am particularly happy at the fact that my grandparents will be able to come and see me dance. That will be very special. 

Q. Will your family be able to see you dance in Brisbane?

A. Yes my family will be coming to a few different shows. 

Q. Your career includes four years dancing with the Australian Ballet, six months with the Het Nationale Ballet and two years with American Ballet Theatre. What are the differences that set these companies apart? 

A. These three companies are all big powerhouse classical ballet companies. I would say the touring aspect, the inspirational ballet history, the incredible artists I dance alongside and who are at the front of the room coaching me and the Extraordinary Met season sets ABT apart. Australian Ballet is where I grew up and its facilities and medical team is world class and I love how the australian style is very unique. My time at Het Nationale Ballet was brief but beautiful. I feel they are a company pushing the boundaries with more contemporary works with access to great european choreographers. I feel so grateful that I have been able to dance in all three of these incredible companies. They have given me artistic inspiration, amazing experiences and beautiful people in my life. 

Q. What is your favourite ballet? 

A. That is a tough question. I have so many. I love the dramatic ballets that are more real. Ballets about love, loss, heartbreak, death... because these are all human experiences. We have all felt these things and can relate. Ballets like Giselle, Onegin, Romeo and Juliet, Manon.  George Balanchines' Serenade brings me to tears just listening to the music and the extraordinary connection between movement and music is transcendent for me. Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun and Wheeldons' After the rain. Incredible works. I could go on for a long time... 

Q. What is your favourite role? 

A. Giselle, Tatiana, Juliet, Manon. I would love to dance these incredible women one day. Explore their journey my way and be able to express that.  

Q. If you were not a professional ballet dancer what profession would you be in? 

A. I honestly can not imagine not dancing. It’s not something I just want to do, it is something I need to do. I am very fascinated in how the brain works so psychology interests me and I also have a big passion for wine so I like exploring that and could see myself later in life on a vineyard in france! 

Q. Do you have a favourite choreographer? 

A. No I don’t. I absolutely love working with a choreographer. being someone's muse per se and helping their vision come alive. The collaborative process is incredible to be a part of. I love working with Alexei Ratmansky for this fact. I have worked with Christopher Wheeldon quite a bit in the past which is always inspiring. I just love being in the studio with him. Working with Wayne Mcgregor was exhilerating. My brain and body were pushed to places they had never been before. Being in the studio with Twyla Tharp was a 'pinch me' moment. What a woman! I love works of Nacho Duato, Jiri Kylian, Williams Forsythe, Mark Morris, Angelin Preljocaj. The genius of Balanchine, Robbins, Ashton is something I marvel at and I have so much gratitude to be able to dance some of their creations. Caring for tradition and pushing the boundaries are the delicate mix of what I think is important in this artform. 

Q. Your resume focuses on classical dance. Do you like modern dance? 

A. I am a classical storyteller but also have this movement animal inside me that loves contemporary dance. Pushing my body to the limits and exploring more modern wacky ideas is something I love and hope to get the opportunity to do more often. 

Q. What do you hope to achieve in the future? 

A. I dream to dance the major dramatic ballets and further along work with choreographers on creating new works. In the future I really want to explore more contemporary dance. 

Q. How old are you?

A. 26

Q. Are you married or do you have a partner?

A. No

Q. Is marriage and a family part of your future? 

A. I hope so

Q. How hard is it to have a private life when one is touring all the time?

A. ABT definitely tours a lot but many of the dancers have partners outside the ballet and they make it work. I try to have a balance between dancing and ‘normal’ life because as an artist you need to draw upon life experience so I think that balance is integral. I have built a wonderful, inspiring life here in NYC with incredible friends but having said that, I have moved to the other side of the world to dance so that is my primary focus. 

Q. Do you like living in the U.S.? 

A. I do. I feel like I fit here. I have built a wonderful life in the US 

Q. What do you do to relax? 

A. I don’t really relax... I like to run to relax my mind and stop it thinking for a brief time. Tend to run every day. I also love reading and sharing food and wine with friends. They are my best attempts at relaxing! 

Q. What do you miss most about Australia? 

A. My family

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE plays at the Lyric Theatre QPAC, Brisbane.

Swan Lake - 28 August – 4 September

Three Masterpieces – Bach Partita, Seven Sonatas, Fancy Free - 5-7 September

Bookings: www.qpac.com.au or phone 136 246