STEP, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch. Got it?...Going on. And… Turn, turn, touch, down, back, step, Pivot, step, walk, walk, walk. Right! Let’s do the whole combination. Facing away from the mirror. From the top. A-Five, six, seven, eight!” (Lyrics by

AUDITIONS! We all know what that means – heightened emotions, and just a little stress and nervous energy! While this may be the typical experience for most dancers, we can learn to use these emotions in a positive and productive way. In this article

METRO Arts has announced Queensland's newest dance festival, Dance24: poised to spark creativity for the the arts industry, community and dancers alike. The festival will take centre stage over two weeks at Metro Arts in Brisbane's West End, from May

MATT West may have risen from teen hoofer to internationally acclaimed director and choreographer – but he still leads with the values he learned as a dancer. West’s professional career began at age 13 touring the US with Disney. Among many triumphs,

Y ou came to Australia from Ukraine in 1993. Would you like to share the reason why? My mother migrated in the hope of a better life. The USSR had fallen and it was an unstable time. I was eight and we settled in Sydney. Tell us your story with ball

FROM the formal arrangements of a classical pas de deux, to the fluid weight of body-on-body in a contact improvisation session, to the playful partner work of swing dance, touch is an integral part of many dance forms. It’s also a teaching tool, an

THE first time I saw Naiara dance, I was blown away by her passion and talent. It's not just about her skill though; there's depth to her that shines through in every move she makes. What sets her apart is how she immerses herself in the dance, tappi

1 What is the largest group you've worked with? My project Us And All Of This has a cast of 100 community dancers. It’s a sculptural performance that invites people of all ages to move together in an act of radical slowness. The performance’s premier

THE 2024 program for Melbourne's Rising festival has been announced, with a vast array of new music, art and performance. Held over 16 nights from the beginning of winter on June 1, the festival will feature 105 events, more than 480 artists, 23 spec

Courses: Full Time Classical Ballet Course (Contemporary, Spanish and Jazz included) Auditions by private arrangement throughout the year. www.alegria.com.au Course titles: After-School Classes for 3-16 year olds, Part-Time Training Program for 12-

WHEN Li Cunxin unexpectedly announced his retirement as Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet (QB) due to ill health, speculation was rife about who would replace him, as under his direction the company had soared in popular and critical reputation.

MAIN THEATRE, ADELAIDE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS REVIEWED FEBRUARY 2024 There was much to appreciate in these interesting mixed bills. CHOREOGRAPHER Lewis Major presented a number of productions during the 2024 Adelaide Fringe, Rich Mix and Maliphant x Ma

WHILE auditions are still obviously an important mainstay of a dancer's professional life, there are many more ways to increase your chances of getting a job than just turning up to a cattle call. It would be wonderful to leap straight from school to

"THERE are so many good dancers out there,” states Emily Molnar, the Artistic Director of Netherlands Dance Theatre (NDT). She knows what she's talking about. Every year more than a thousand hopeful dancers audition for the famous company. NDT is mad

IF you are serious about dance as a career, then it is likely that at some stage on that journey you will do an audition. Auditions are the dancer's equivalent of a job interview. In this issue we show the various forms auditions can take. They have

RAMBERT Grades, a new contemporary dance syllabus focused on fostering creativity and self-belief, was launched in Australia in 2022. The inclusive contemporary dance framework, established in 2020, is a joint venture between the iconic Rambert Dance

LEANNE Benjamin, OBE, AM, has been appointed the new Artistic Director of the Queensland Ballet, replacing Li Cunxin. A former principal ballerina with England’s Royal Ballet, she is a celebrated dancer, internationally acclaimed for her superlative

AS we enter the new year with dance companies and artists raring to present their wonderful creations, it is heartening to note a new report released by Live Performance Australia (LPA) showing that audiences have bounced back since the pandemic. LPA

PLAYHOUSE, ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE REVIEWED DECEMBER 15 It is really a genius move to leverage the appeal and Aussie flavour of such a well-loved story and at the same time hand the young dancers some wonderful opportunities to interpret these favouri

KYLE Page and Amber Haines, Artistic and Associate Artistic Directors respectively, of Dancenorth, make a dynamic, charismatic duo. Their professional partnership has supported the creation of many bold and highly acclaimed new works since their arri

EXAMS are a rite of passage for students as they progress through their dance syllabus. Though not compulsory, they are a recognised method of assessment against set standards. They can provide a range of positive outcomes, with students emerging wit

“WE start listening when we stop waiting to speak.” A pause, then Akram Khan repeats himself: we start listening when we stop waiting to speak. I hear him, but it takes several moments for the gravity of his words to land. The pithiness is disarming;