The Melbourne Ballet Company was launched in May 2007 and has established itself with the presentation of:
Project One "In Paradisium" June 2007
Project Two "Balanced Perspectives" March 2008
Project Three "Scarce Resources" May 2008
Project Four "Emerge" December 2008
Project Five "believe" May 2009
Project Six "Moment of Inertia" December 2009
Project Seven "Infinite Space" June 2010
The company’s repertoire has been acclaimed not only for its inventive choreography but for its dedication to every aspect of theatricality. The company creates 3-4 original programs each year. The works are broad in style ranging from large scale ballets to small and intimate, from narrative to abstract. The common thread with all works presented by Melbourne Ballet Company is the uncompromising standard of excellence and dedication to producing works with a professional command of every aspect of staging. This includes not only the high calibre of the dancers employed but the design, music, costumes and lighting of every performance.
Melbourne Ballet Company dancers showcase athletisium, great technical ability and bring to every rehearsal and performance artistry and incredible dedication to the art form. The dancer\choreographer relationship and exchange is a crucial partnership in the creation of new works for Melbourne Ballet Company.
The company has an ongoing commitment to develop audiences for dance. The company has developed educational programs for school students and offers workshops, master classes and summer/winter school programs for the young dancers of Melbourne.
View the latest Melbourne Ballet Company Show Reel featuring works by Resident Choreographer Simon Hoy and choreographers Sharon Fernandez, Tim Harbour and Robert Kelly on http://vimeo.com/6173041
AWARD WINNERS
PROJECT SEVEN 'Infinite Space'
Maurice Lacroix Spirit of the Arts Award
for "Project Seven" Simon Hoy
Open Classes available 7 days a week for professional dancers and dance students.
Limited places available to join our daily Company Class during our seasons for Professional dancers.
VENUE- CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL THEATRE
Masterclasses and Company Classes are available for dance students from
5 years- Advanced during each performance season. Limited places in
each class. Bookings essential. Please email
info@melbourneballetcompany.com.au for a booking form.
MELBOURNE BALLET COMPANY REPERTOIRE
Choreographer -Simon Hoy
Motion Transend Music by Frederic Chopin
Focused on Aspects of Light Music by Dmitri Shostakovich
Submerged Music by Samuel Barber
Placement Music by Claude Debussy
Infinite Space Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Stuck in Perpetual Motion Music by J.S Bach
In Paradisum Music by Gabriel Faure
Choreographers Simon Hoy and Robert Kelly
In One Day Music by Antonio Vivaldi
Drenched Music by Arvo Part
Choreographer Robert Kelly
Behind The Half Door Music by Mozart, Arvo Part and Karl Jenkins
Choreographer Remi Worthmeyer
Tadzio Music by Benjamin Britain
Impromptu Fantasy Music by Chopin
Choreographer Timothy Harbour
Tenement Music by John Cage
Choreographer Sharon Fernandez
Wall 2 Wall Music by Beethoven
Premiere Amore
2XU Music by Phillip Glass
Choreorgaphers Damian M.G and Rita A.B
Keine Ahnung Music by C.J Harrison
Choreographer Simone Pulga
No Consensus Music by Simone Pulga
Choreographer Justine Miles
Phases
REVIEWS "INFINITE SPACE"
Review: Melbourne Ballet Company, Infinite Space
By Grace Edwards on Jun 08, 2010 in Dance/Theatre/Comedy, Featured
It is a tough call to ask a young ballet company to improve with each season. But Melbourne Ballet Company proves it is possible, with their latest project, Infinite Space.
As usual, the company presented a programme of four short works: three pieces by resident choreographer Simon Hoy, including an extended remount of the titular work, and one by regular guest choreographer, Robert Kelly.
The opening piece, Hoy’s On Air, which explores “the delicate balance we seek in life, and the complementary qualities of male and female”, is a work of utter simplicity. Dressed in elegant gold tunics and aided by minimal but effective lighting, On Air maintains a strong choreographic emphasis. Filled with lunges, flowing lines and well-timed gestures, it was beautiful to watch, and the dancers handled the choreography well despite a slightly messy start. The premise of the piece provided perhaps more food for thought than its relatively old-fashioned treatment by Hoy, but On Air is nonetheless a thoroughly enjoyable creation
Robert Kelly’s Virtuoso, set to J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerti, treated the importance of title, status and achievement. Far more stylised than any of Hoy’s pieces, Virtuoso featured two seductive trios of dancers set in opposition to each other through a dramatic red and black colour scheme. The rapid-fire abstract choreography of this piece had real potential to engage Bach’s music in an intelligent dialogue, but required more attack from the dancers; at times, they seemed slightly uncomfortable with the more complex transitions required in Kelly’s piece.
Hoy’s Between Dark and Daylight presented us with a contemporary vision of the grief felt by Swan Lake’s Princess Odette. Whilst the piece lacked the particularly magical quality of the classic, it successfully utilised contemporary gestures to emphasise the Swan princess’s sadness and anguish, and managed to find its own voice choreographically. But the highlight of the evening was the remount of Infinite Space, a celebration of the driving forces of hope, doubt and belief. The dancers, having performed the work a number of times now, seemed well-rehearsed, and again, the unaffected simplicity and lyricism of the piece was uplifting.
Overall, the programme was much stronger than in previous seasons. One of the joys of seeing multiple seasons of the Melbourne Ballet Company has also been to watch the younger dancers grow in confidence and artistry. The company is growing a strong core of performers, and this can only improve in coming seasons. Hoy too is improving; his only danger is settling into a pattern of predictability on the back of his instinctive approach to choreography.
The signs are positive for the Melbourne Ballet Company; with seasons that are gaining in strength and acclaim, the company is ready to take on a more daring approach to contemporary ballet.
Melbourne Ballet Company, Project Seven — Infinite Space, June 10-13, 7.30pm, Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran. For more information, visit www.melbourneballetcompany.com.au
Project Seven: Infinite Space
REVIEWED BY JORDAN BETH VINCENT THE AGE
June 7, 2010
Melbourne Ballet buoyant
Melbourne Ballet Company Chapel
off Chapel, Prahran, June 10-13, 7.30pm
WITH Project Seven: Infinite Space, the
Melbourne Ballet Company can boast not only a cast of proficient
performers, but a resident choreographer in Simon Hoy whose movement
signature is lyrical, generous, and optimistic - somewhat reflective of
the buoyant spirit of this young contemporary ballet company.
The evening begins with Hoy's On Air, a work as
sweet and sentimental as its accompanying Debussy music. Although
slightly old-fashioned in costume, style, and musical selection, Hoy's
choreography allows his talented cast scope for the expressive upper
body arcs, gorgeous extensions, and soaring lifts that make watching
(and performing) ballet a joyful experience.
Virtuoso, choreographed by Robert Kelly,
features two vampy ballerinas, a sinister impresario and a distinct
melodramatic flavour. This exploration of title, status and achievement
features complex and abstract movement patterns that, unfortunately,
appear too underrehearsed to make a punchy impact.
The highlight of the program is Hoy's Dark before
Daylight, which draws on ballet blanc classic Swan Lake for
inspiration. After he betrays Odette at the ball, Prince Siegfried
chases her to the lake. Odette's pain is mirrored by her fellow swans
who writhe and roll like waves on the sea, rise drunkenly to their
points, and fold back layers of white tulle feathers in sisterly
solidarity. Accompanied by Elgar's powerful Cello Concerto, this
romantic ballet homage is lovingly referential to the original without
being unduly derivative.
With seven seasons under its belt, a strong cast of
dancers from which to draw, and a growing fan base, Melbourne Ballet
Company is primed to take some more aesthetic risks and push the
boundaries of contemporary ballet.
Ticket Prices
Performances
MELBOURNE ARTS CENTRE
PLAYHOUSE THEATRE
December 3rd 7.30pm,
December 4th 1.00pm & 7.30pm
CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL
Performances December 8th- 12th 2010
Chapel off Chapel Theatre
12 Little Chapel St
Prahran, 3181
Phone (03) 82907000
Or book in person at Chapel Off Chapel Theatre
USA
The Melbourne Ballet Company will be performing a guest work choreographed by Robert Kelly at the Dance Teachers Expo in Las Vegas August 8th 2010 at the Red Rock Theatre for the Opening Night celebration.
Artistic Director Alisa Finney will be teaching guest classes in Las Vegas from August 8th-11th.
VERSACE - GOLD COAST
Melbourne Ballet Company will be performing at the 10th Birthday celebration of the Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast on September 15th 2010.
Email us for a timetable of student Masterclasses in December for dance students from 5 years to professionals.
COMPANY CLASS FOR PROFESSIONALS
Opportunities for professional dancers to join the daily MBC Company Class commencing October 9.00-10.30am Monday-Friday and Saturday 11.00- 12.30. Email for dates and to book in.
Upcoming Auditions
Contracts available for highly trained classical dancers.
Sydney Audition
Date- Friday 3rd September 2010
Venue- Sydney Dance Studios
Time- 10.00am-12.00noon
Melbourne Audition
Date- Sunday September 12th 2010
Time- 2.00pm
Venue- 309 Doncaster Road
North Balwyn, 3104
Please email us to receive
audition application form
and send headshot and CV.
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