The Australian Ballet School is the premier

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 ...

training facility in Australia, located in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

History

The Australian Ballet School was founded in 1964 as the primary training facility for

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 ...

by Dame Margaret Scott.

Location

It is part of the Australian Ballet Centre, which is located in the

Melbourne Arts Precinct The Melbourne Arts Precinct is home to a series of galleries, performing arts venues and spaces located in the Southbank district of Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia. It includes such publicly-funded venues as Arts Centre Melbourne, National ...

, Southbank in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Governance and funding

The school is a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

, with about a third of its income provided by the

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

, about a third by tuition fees (33%), and the rest via

philanthropy Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

, corporate support and

box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...

. It is one of eight "national elite training organisations" funded by the

Office for the Arts The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA), formerly Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (DITRDC), is a department of the Australian ...

as part of its or

ARTS8 Performing arts education in Australia refers to the teaching of different styles of creative activity that are performed publicly. The performing arts in Australia encompasses many disciplines including music, dance, theatre, musical theatre, circ ...

(Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence) group of colleges.

Education

The Australian Ballet School is a

registered training organisation A registered training organisation (RTO), in Australia, is an organisation providing Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses to students, resulting in qualifications or statements of attainment that are recognised and accepted by indust ...

. The Australian Ballet Company draws 95% of its dancers from the school, and many graduates dance as principals and soloists around the world. Offered are: * an eight-year course from age ten for gifted students. * after school program (Levels 1–3), for students between 10 and 13 years of age. Classes take place after school hours and on Saturdays. * interstate/international training (levels 1–4), for students between 8 and 14 years of age who are gifted in dance but live interstate or internationally. There are only limited spots in level four for gifted students that are not yet ready to leave home. * full-time program (Levels 4–8), for students between 13 and 19 years of age. Level 4 is taken in conjunction with academic year 9 at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School-VCASS (across the road from the Australian Ballet Centre). Half the day consists of dance classes and the other half consists of academic classes, Monday to Friday. Half a day of dance classes on Saturday.

Audition process

Once a year, the Australian Ballet School conducts preliminary auditions for the After School Program (students aged 10–13 years), Interstate Training Program (students aged 8–14) and the Full-Time Program (students aged from 13 years) in Melbourne,

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

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 ...

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

and

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

. The preliminary auditions involve a short physical examination, to evaluate if the dancer is physically suitable for a career in classical ballet, and a classical ballet class, modified so the dancer can demonstrate natural coordination and musicality. Successful applicants for the After School Program and Interstate/International Training Program are notified in the weeks following these local auditions. For the Full-Time Program, a National Finals week is held in Melbourne. This is an intensive audition process. The finalists spend three days being examined by the School's dance teachers, doctor and physiotherapists to determine their suitability for full-time study and a career in classical ballet. Interstate or international students may initially audition by video for the Full-Time Program. If successful, they will then be asked to audition in Melbourne during the National Finals week. Successful candidates are notified in the fortnight following the National Finals. The audition for the Full-Time Program involves a simple class where the instructions set by an Australian Ballet School Official are easy to understand and follow. If on the day they are found to be suitable, they are then invited to spend three days of examination through classes. It is then when the school decides whether they are willing to offer the auditionee a place at the school.

The Dancers Company

The Dancers Company was set up in 1980 as an integrated part of

under the direction of the Associate Artistic Director. Students from the Graduate Year (Level 8) who meet the required dance standard are selected to perform with the Company throughout regional Australia.

Directors

* Dame Margaret Scott DBE (1964–1990) *

Gailene Stock Gailene Stock CBE AM (28 January 194629 April 2014) was an Australian-born ballerina, teacher and Director of the Royal Ballet School in Covent Garden. Early years Gailene Patricia Stock was born in Ballarat, Victoria. She was the second of ...

AM (1990–1998) *

Marilyn Rowe Marilyn Patricia Rowe (born 20 August 1946) is the first graduate of the Australian Ballet School to be appointed its director, in 1999. Dancing career Rowe was born in Sydney, New South Wales and became a principal artist with The Australian Bal ...

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 ...

(1998–2014) * Lisa Pavane (2015–present) ()

Notable alumni

References

External links

*
The Australian Ballet
{{Coord, display=title, -37.821801, 144.967594, type:edu_region:AU Ballet schools Educational institutions established in 1964 Dance education in Australia School, Australian Ballet 1964 establishments in Australia Dance schools in Australia Ballet in Australia History of education in Australia Performing arts in Melbourne Buildings and structures in the City of Melbourne (LGA) Southbank, Victoria