The Queensland Ballet, founded in 1960 by

Charles Lisner Charles Maurice Lisner OBE (1928 - 1988) was a French-Australian dancer and the founder and first artistic director of the Queensland Ballet. Early life Charles Lisner was born in Paris, France. Lisner emigrated to Australia with his parents ...

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, is the premier ballet company of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia and is based in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

. Queensland Ballet is one of only three full-time, professional

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions), its ...

companies in Australia.

Performances

With 60 dancers, Queensland Ballet is a company which presents a varied repertoire of dance works. In addition to performing in

, the company tours each year to centres in regional Queensland, as well as making interstate and overseas visits. Under the artistic direction of French-born François Klaus, since 1998, the company has presented approximately 100 performances each year. Its repertoire ranged from popular classics and full-length story ballets to new works in a variety of dance styles by reputed Australian and international choreographers, as well as emerging local talents. Works such as ''The Little Mermaid'', which are designed especially to appeal to children and families, are another feature of the annual program. The company’s home is the historic Thomas Dixon Centre for Dance in Brisbane's West End. Celebrating its centenary in 2008, the building was first built as a shoe factory in 1908. It now contains four large dance studios, one of which, the Charles Lisner Studio, can be adapted as a performance venue. These facilities enable the company to offer a full range of training and community access programs. Until the end of 2012 (when Francois Klaus and Robyn (White) Klaus left the Company), Queensland Ballet offered ballet students from as young as 11 years training in the Junior Extension and Professional Year Programs, as well as in the Queensland Dance School of Excellence (a program offered in partnership with Education Queensland).

History

Lisner trained with Edouard Borovansky and danced with the Borovansky Australian Ballet prior to travelling to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

to continue his dance studies and education with the Sadlers Wells Ballet School. He later joined the Royal Ballet,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

. In 1953, Lisner returned to Australia to open the Lisner Ballet Academy, and in 1960, the Lisner Ballet Company. The company was renamed Queensland Ballet in 1962 and became the first ballet ensemble in Australia to tour to regional centres throughout Australia. In 1974, Charles Lisner resigned as artistic director and chief executive officer of Queensland Ballet, to be succeeded by Harry Haythorne. Following Haythorne's departure in 1978, founding company member and principal dancer, Harold Collins, was appointed

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...

. Collins led the company until his retirement in 1997, maintaining Lisner's commitment to the creation of uniquely Australian dance, and to forging a strong, independent, original, and visually intriguing company. Collins was succeeded in 1998 by François Klaus, a respected and experienced European dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Under Klaus's artistic stewardship, Queensland Ballet continued to expand, retaining and remaining a significant force in the Australian cultural landscape. In 1981, Roma Egan retired from the

Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson's, J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teache ...

, in order to take up the position as assistant artistic director for the Queensland Ballet. In July 2012, renowned Chinese dancer Li Cunxin was named as artistic director of the Queensland Ballet.

Dancers

Dancers of the Queensland Ballet, as of 2021:

Principal Artists

Senior Soloists

* Mia Heathcote * Patricio Revé * Kohei Iwamoto * Alexander Idaszak

Soloists

* Vito Bernasconi * Lina Kim * Georgia Swan

Character Artists

* Paul Boyd * Christian Tátchev * Greg Horsman * Mary Li * Janette Mulligan * Zenia Tátcheva * Rachael Walsh

First Company Artists

* Serena Green * Vanessa Morelli * Sophie Zoricic * Joseph Chapman * Zhi Fang * Liam Geck * David Power * Rian Thompson

Company Artists

* Lucy Christodoulou * Talia Fidra * Renee Freeman * Chiara Gonzaelz * Alyssa Kelty * Eriko Nakajima * Libby-Rose Niederer * Brooke Ray * Paige Rochester * Lou Spichtig * Isabella Swietlicki * Hayley Thompson * Laura Tosar * D'Arcy Brazier * Mali Comlekci * Shaun Curtis * Oscar Delbao * Luke Dimattina * Clayton Forsyth * Daniel Kempson * Dylan Lackey * John Paul Lowe * Samuel Packer * Edward Pope * Charlie Slater * Ari Thompson

Jette Parker Young Artists

* Heidi Freeman * Ines Hargreaves * Bronte Kielly-Coleman * Briana McAllen * Yuka Nojo * Kaya Van Den Bogert * Kieren Bofinger * Lewis Formby * Callum Mackie * Lachlan Mair * Isaac McLean * Louis Ramsay

References

External links

* {{authority control Culture of Brisbane Ballet companies in Australia 1960 establishments in Australia Performing groups established in 1960 Companies based in Brisbane