Ballet Theatre of Queensland
Encyclopedia
Ballet Theatre of Queensland, founded in 1937 by Phyllis Danaher
MBE
FRAD
, is the oldest continuous dance company in Australia. Ballet Theatre is based in Brisbane
in the Australian state of Queensland
. It exists to provide professional performance opportunities for young people and to influence and foster dancer for present and future generations.
, Ballet Theatre of Queensland was established by Phyllis Danaher to bring dance on a regular basis to people in Queensland. Prior to its inception, ballet had only been presented by touring companies such as that of the famous Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova on an irregular basis. Danaher was determined to change this state of affairs and to provide opportunities for talented Queenslanders to shine in this area of the performing arts. Today the company founded by Danaher continues to shine presenting one full scale production per year not just at the Playhouse Theatre
at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex at South Bank
in Brisbane, but further afield at venues such as the Empire Theatre
in Toowoomba.
and Boris Bivona. The organisation receives no recurrent or operational funding from the Australian or Queensland government. Ballet Theatre of Queensland relies purely on box office from its annual production, corporate sponsors and costume and set hire fees.
The Sleeping Princess highlighted the talents of dancers from twenty-four dance schools in Queensland. All dancers were required to take part in an audition process and are mainly aged between ten and eighteen. Invited artistes make up the remaining members of the company. Dancers with Ballet Theatre of Queensland undertake individual studies and Royal Academy of Dance
examinations with their teachers. This provides the foundation for the fostering of talent that Ballet Theatre of Queensland prides itself on. Many young dancers have progressed from Ballet Theatre of Queensland to perform successfully in a range of fully professional ballet and dance companies.
Artistic Directors, Jodie-Anne White and Boris Bivona bring to Ballet Theatre of Queensland a high level of professional expertise. White has danced with the Australian Ballet and a range of European companies while Bivona is a former soloist with the London City Ballet and other companies.
, The Nutcracker
, Peter Pan
, Pinnochio, Aladdin
, Paquita
and many others. As a result a vast quantity of sets and costumes have been created which are available for hire by other performing arts groups.
Phyllis Danaher
Phyllis Danaher MBE FRAD was a dancer, teacher of dance and choreographer.Danaher was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She founded Ballet Theatre of Queensland in 1937 and was the first Queensland teacher to gain the Advanced Teachers Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance. From...
MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
FRAD
FRAD
FRAD is a device that turns data packets into frame relay frames that can be sent over Frame Relay network and turns the received Frame Relay frames into data packets. Its assembly/disassembly functionality is similar to a PAD or Packet Assembler/Disassembler, which is used for accessing X.25...
, is the oldest continuous dance company in Australia. Ballet Theatre is based in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in the Australian state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. It exists to provide professional performance opportunities for young people and to influence and foster dancer for present and future generations.
History
Predating both the Australian Ballet and the Queensland BalletQueensland Ballet
The Queensland Ballet, founded in 1960 by Charles Lisner OBE, is the premier ballet company of Queensland, Australia, and is based in Brisbane.- About Queensland Ballet :...
, Ballet Theatre of Queensland was established by Phyllis Danaher to bring dance on a regular basis to people in Queensland. Prior to its inception, ballet had only been presented by touring companies such as that of the famous Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova on an irregular basis. Danaher was determined to change this state of affairs and to provide opportunities for talented Queenslanders to shine in this area of the performing arts. Today the company founded by Danaher continues to shine presenting one full scale production per year not just at the Playhouse Theatre
Playhouse Theatre
The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt in 1907 and still retains its original substage machinery...
at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex at South Bank
South Bank, Queensland
South Bank is a cultural, educational and recreational precinct in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The precinct is located in the suburb of South Brisbane, on the southern bank of the Brisbane River.-South Bank Parklands:...
in Brisbane, but further afield at venues such as the Empire Theatre
Empire Theatre
Empire Theatre or Empire Theater may refer to:In the United Kingdom:*Empire Theatre of Varieties, now the Empire, Leicester Square, City of Westminster, London*Glasgow Empire Theatre, Glasgow*Hackney Empire, in Hackney...
in Toowoomba.
Funding, organisational and artistic structures
Ballet Theatre of Queensland is a non-profit incorporated organisation and is run by a management committee under the capable leadership of President, Christine Spencer in conjunction with Artistic Directors, Jodie-Anne WhiteJodie-Anne White
Jodie-Anne White is an Australian dancer, choreographer and artistic director of the Ballet Theatre of Queensland.- Training :...
and Boris Bivona. The organisation receives no recurrent or operational funding from the Australian or Queensland government. Ballet Theatre of Queensland relies purely on box office from its annual production, corporate sponsors and costume and set hire fees.
The Sleeping Princess highlighted the talents of dancers from twenty-four dance schools in Queensland. All dancers were required to take part in an audition process and are mainly aged between ten and eighteen. Invited artistes make up the remaining members of the company. Dancers with Ballet Theatre of Queensland undertake individual studies and Royal Academy of Dance
Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance is an international dance education and training organization, and examination board that specialises in the teaching and technique of Ballet. The RAD was established in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, and received its...
examinations with their teachers. This provides the foundation for the fostering of talent that Ballet Theatre of Queensland prides itself on. Many young dancers have progressed from Ballet Theatre of Queensland to perform successfully in a range of fully professional ballet and dance companies.
Artistic Directors, Jodie-Anne White and Boris Bivona bring to Ballet Theatre of Queensland a high level of professional expertise. White has danced with the Australian Ballet and a range of European companies while Bivona is a former soloist with the London City Ballet and other companies.
Productions and equipment
In 2008, Ballet Theatre of Queensland presented performances of The Sleeping Princess in Brisbane and on tour in Toowoomba. Previous years have seen productions of CoppéliaCoppélia
Coppélia is a sentimental comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon to a ballet libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter and music by Léo Delibes. It was based upon two macabre stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Der Sandmann , and Die Puppe...
, The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
, Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, Pinnochio, Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
, Paquita
Paquita
Paquita is a ballet in two acts and three scenes, with libretto by Joseph Mazilier and Paul Foucher. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to the music of Edouard Deldevez. First presented by at the Salle Le Peletier by the Paris Opera Ballet on 1 April 1846...
and many others. As a result a vast quantity of sets and costumes have been created which are available for hire by other performing arts groups.