A unique fusion of dance, music and art. Queensland Ballet Academy presents Soirée to the Thomas Dixon Centre, Talbot Theatre, dazzling Brisbane audiences for a limited time only, so be sure to get in while you can. There is plenty to enjoy with this annual performance season and you will get the chance to witness fresh and upcoming ballet talent as Queensland Ballet Academy showcases their dancer’s best work. The Soirée sets the tone for what is to come and will leave you wanting more from Queensland Ballet Academy.

 

The Soirée kept audiences on their toes with a mixed media element that further emphasized the series of work. There were a number of links to famous visual artists, one of which is Michael Zavros, who had exhibited his work at Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art from 24 June - 2nd October. The Favorite was a fascinating art exhibit I had the pleasure of seeing earlier in the year. As such, I was pleasantly surprised to see this referenced in the performance. As the opening sentence to this review suggests, the Soirée fused traditional ballet with contemporary dance, using mixed media and stage design, with a dramatic soundscape, to further create meaning behind each of the student’s works. Adding another layer of meaning and leaving the interpretation up to the viewer.

 

The Soirée provides an opportunity to witness some of the Academy’s rising talent first hand. The Talbot Theatre venue setting allows for an intimate gathering that opens the doors, both literally and figuratively, to upcoming local talent and ultimately paves a path forward to dancing on the Queensland Performing Arts Centre stages familiar to so many of us. There will be more to come as we approach the end of the year with the Queensland Ballet Academy End of Year Demonstration and Queensland Ballet Academy Gala mid next year.

 

Duration: Approximately one hour and 40 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.

 

Queensland Ballet acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we train and perform. Long before we arrived on this land, it played host to the dance expression of our First Nations Peoples. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging, and acknowledge the valuable contribution they have made and continue to make to the cultural landscape of this country.