Ballet Theatre of Queensland

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.

History

Predating both the Australian Ballet and the 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 at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex at Southbank in Brisbane, but further afield at venues such as the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba.

Funding and 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 White 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.

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 Coppelia, 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.

External links

* [http://www.btq.org.au/ Ballet Theatre of Queensland]