Steven Anthony Heathcote AM (born 16 October 1964, in

Wagin, Western Australia Wagin is a town and Shire of Wagin, shire in the Wheatbelt (Western Australia), Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately south-east of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Narrogin, Western Australia, Narrogin and Katanni ...

) is a former Australian

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

dancer. Heathcote spent twenty-four years dancing with

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

, and twenty of them as principal artist. He has received three

Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical t ...

, two

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, that where established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were l ...

and an Australian Dance Award for "Outstanding Performance by an Individual". On

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Ja ...

(26 January) 1991 Heathcote was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, General Division, for "service to ballet".

Biography

Heathcote was born in

on 16 October 1964, the second of four children. He was schooled by Shelley Rae and

Kira Bousloff Kira Abricossova Bousloff (1914–2001) was a dancer with Ballets Russes who toured Australia in 1938 and stayed, divorcing first husband Serge Bousloff then marrying (and divorcing) James Penberthy while having a significant influence on the ev ...

. In 1980 he obtained a scholarship with West Australian Ballet Company and the following year he was accepted into

Australian Ballet School The Australian Ballet School is the premier ballet training facility in Australia, located in Melbourne. History The Australian Ballet School was founded in 1964 as the primary training facility for The Australian Ballet by Dame Margaret Scot ...

in Melbourne. Heathcote joined The Australian Ballet in 1983 and in 1987 was appointed as their principal artist. Heathcote danced for a season with the

American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, it is recognized as one of the world's leading classical ballet companies. Through 2019, it had an annual ei ...

in 1992, and has also guested with the

Royal Danish Ballet The Royal Danish Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Danish Theatre in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world and originates from 1748, when the Ro ...

and the

Birmingham Royal Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) is one of the five major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside The Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet. Founded as the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, the company ...

. Heathcote retired from the Australian Ballet in 2007 and then worked as a ballet coach, occasionally performing character roles. In 2010 he directed a production of Handel's ''Julius Caesar'', for the

Victorian Opera Victorian Opera is an opera company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company was founded in 2005 by the Victorian Government as a replacement for the Victoria State Opera. It commenced operations in January 2006 with Richard Gill as ...

. In 2012 he choreographed their production of Stravinsky's ''The Rake’s Progress''. He is a peer of

Paul Mercurio Paul Joseph Mercurio (born 31 March 1963) is an Australian actor, dancer, TV presenter and politician. Mercurio is best known for his lead role in '' Strictly Ballroom'' 1992 and his role as a judge on TV series ''Dancing with the Stars''. H ...

, Greg Horsman and

David McAllister David James McAllister (born 12 January 1971) is a German politician who has been a member of the European Parliament since 2014. He is a member of the Christian Democratic Union, part of the European People's Party. He is the current Vice Pre ...

. Heathcote appeared in the 1994 film, ''Nutcracker: The Story of Clara'', and in the 2009 feature film, '' Mao's Last Dancer''. He also appeared in the Australian teen-oriented television drama, ''

Dance Academy ''Dance Academy'' is an Australian teen-oriented television drama produced by Werner Film Productions in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and ZDF. Series one premiered on 31 May 2010, and series two began airing on 12 ...

'' (2010).

Personal life

In 1984 Stephen Heathcote played Lensky in the Australian Ballet's production of '' Onegin'' with Olga portrayed by fellow dancer, Kathy Reid (born ca. 1958). He explained, "I think that had something to do with us getting together, playing the young lovers." Initially Heathcote was a boarder at Reid's house, before they became romantically involved. The couple married in 1991 and have two children. Their daughter, Mia Heathcote (born ca. 1996), is also a ballet dancer; she started with the Australian Ballet in July 2013 and, in January of the following year, joined the

Queensland Ballet The Queensland Ballet, founded in 1960 by Charles Lisner OBE, is the premier ballet company of Queensland, Australia and is based in Brisbane. Queensland Ballet is one of only three full-time, professional classical ballet companies in Australi ...

as a company dancer. Note: Steven given as Stephen.

Awards

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the

), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Steven Heathcote won two awards in that time. (wins only) , - , 1994 , Steven Heathcote , Dance Performer of the Year , , - , 2002 , Steven Heathcote , Dance Performer/ Chorographer of the Year , , -

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heathcote, Stephen Australian male ballet dancers Living people Australian Ballet School alumni Helpmann Award winners People from Wagin, Western Australia People educated at Wesley College, Perth 1964 births Members of the Order of Australia