Dance

Embrace The Festive Mood With The Stars Of The Australian Ballet As They Prepare For Another Spellbinding Season

- Tamara Davis

Watching the dancers of The Australian Ballet leap into the air on cue, tackling dizzying poses with little regard for gravity, the effortlessness of it all (despite the obvious, well, effort) is thrilling to behold. And while the rehearsal studios are strictly off limits for all but a few, the company’s just-announced 2019 season offers plenty of opportunities to take in their talents for yourself.

Promising audiences “A Year of Enchantment”, the program is designed to deliver some much-needed escapism, says artistic director David McAllister AM. With works ranging from the whimsical Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to the mythological Sylvia, which will see female performers learn sword-fighting, he is confident they will captivate ballet enthusiasts and beyond thanks to a common thread. “They all contain great stories that I hope will resonate on both an emotional and intellectual level,” McAllister explains. The season will also highlight the talents of principal artist Amy Harris, who was promoted to the company’s highest rank in September after 16 years of service (McAllister broke the news as Harris took her bow on the opening night of the recent blockbuster-ballet Spartacus). “I was completely shocked,” Harris, 35, confesses. “I had come to terms with that title not being for me.”