The Dancers Company on the road again

The Dancers Company, the regional touring arm of The Australian Ballet, is on the road again in 2013, travelling far and wide to perform a dazzling triple bill of ballet gems in rural Australia.

During July and August the company will present 17 performances and travel 7,000 kilometres by bus, car, plane and truck to bring a program of mesmerising ballet to regional areas in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria.

This year The Dancers Company will perform two much-loved favourites – Paquita and Act III from Swan Lake, as well as a brand-new work – demonstrating the breadth and beauty of classical ballet.

The 2012 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award winner Amy Harris (who hails from the country town of Ararat, in regional Victoria) will guest star alongside 2008 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee Andrew Wright at performances in Mount Gambier, Geelong, Sale, Bendigo, Broken Hill and Mildura.

Mildura will also experience the stunning dancing of 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, and 2010 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee Miwako Kubota. This dynamic duo will also headline performances in Renmark, Port Pirie, Whyalla, Darwin, Alice Springs and Tanunda.

The Artistic Director of The Dancers Company, Danilo Radojevic, said audiences are in for a treat, and the very best that The Australian Ballet has to offer.

“We’ve assembled an absolutely stellar line-up of guest artists to lead the stars of tomorrow from The Australian Ballet School. It’s a diverse classical program designed to delight both ballet lovers and first-timers alike. I can’t wait for the tour bus to hit the road,”

 Radojevic said.

As part of the touring program, Paquita, the popular tutu spectacular, makes a welcome return to The Dancers Company repertoire after an absence of 22 years. This party piece packs a punch with jaw-droppingly impressive footwork, demanding the utmost technical precision from its dancers.

Also, Simon Dow, an ex-principal artist of The Australian Ballet and former Artistic Director of West Australian Ballet, is choreographing an exciting new classical work. This ballet will feature the young male dancers of the company, showcasing their athleticism and emerging artistry.

Rounding out the program is an excerpt from the most beloved ballet of all, Swan Lake. This traditional version of the dramatic Act III court scene matches Marius Petipa’s choreography with Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and includes the famous Black Swan pas des deux.

The Dancers Company comprises guest artists of The Australian Ballet and the graduating students from The Australian Ballet School. Since its debut in 1980, The Dancers Company has given 697 performances in 65 locations across the nation, entertaining over 385,000 regional ballet fans.

Local dance students who’ve dreamt of taking a class with an artist of The Australian Ballet will get their chance – a series of open classes will be held in selected venues throughout The Dancers Company 2013 tour. For further information on The Dancers Company and performances, click here. For more information on education events, click here.

The Dancers Company 2013 tour is supported by Principal Sponsor Telstra.

Photo: Andrew Wright and Miwako Kubota in Swan Lake’s Black Swan pas des deux. Photo by Jo Duck, courtesy of The Australian Ballet.