A stage named for Helpmann welcomes ballet home

WHEN The Australian Ballet arrives in Mount Gambier on June 11, it will perform at the theatre named in honour of one of its founding figures, Sir Robert Helpmann.

Fewer than 20 tickets remain for the one-night-only event.

The program spans classical repertoire and contemporary work, including selections from George Balanchine, a reimagined excerpt from The Nutcracker, and a new piece by Lucy Guerin premiering on this tour.

Presented in partnership with The Australian Ballet School, the tour brings major works to smaller centres without compromise.

Audiences will see the same dancers and production team who perform on Australia’s capital city stages.

“There’s something truly special about taking ballet beyond the big stages and into regional communities,” artistic director David Hallberg said.

“Taking The Australian Ballet on tour is our way of sharing the magic, bringing audiences a taste of everything we love about this art form, from timeless classics to bold new creations.”

The program opens with Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, a brisk, technically exacting piece set to Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

It is followed by the pas de deux from Diamonds, part of Balanchine’s full-length work Jewels, and known for its formal elegance and clarity.

A new interpretation of The Nutcracker Act II, adapted by resident choreographer Paul Knobloch, introduces a more intimate version of the much-loved festive ballet.

It sits alongside Ground Control, Lucy Guerin’s newest work, which explores control and release in movement, pushing against the formal boundaries of the art form.

Earlier in the day, the public will have the chance to observe company class in an open session at 11.30am, with live commentary offering insight into the dancers’ preparation and physical discipline.

The company’s outreach programs will also run in other regional centres on the tour, including youth masterclasses and teacher development sessions.

For Mount Gambier, the performance is a return and a recognition.

Helpmann grew up in the town before rising to the world stage, performing with London’s Royal Ballet alongside stars such as Margot Fonteyn, and later returning to co-direct The Australian Ballet.

His legacy lives on in the company’s blend of classical tradition and bold new work, and in its commitment to reaching audiences beyond the capital cities.

Final tickets are available from the theatre.