Mount Gambier teen ballerina Holly Allison recently danced her way onto the Palais Theatre stage in Melbourne to perform the world-renowned Swan Lake with the prestigious Victorian State Ballet company.
Holly was one of around 40 youth ballerinas to take to the stage for the first act which included juniors, intermediates and seniors.
She has previously performed in the company’s senior production of Snow White and the youth performance of Sleeping Beauty.
“I liked the Snow White one a little bit better because I was in it a bit more, but I really enjoyed Swan Lake because I got to experience watching the company and working with them and I thought that was really cool,” she said.
Holly said her inaugural performance of the ballet classic was a success.
“It went really well. We got there and we did a spacing rehearsal and then we did a class with the company and then we got to do dress rehearsal,” she said.
“Then we went and had dinner and then it was performance time.”
“Since we were only in the first act, we got to watch acts two, three and four from the audience and that was really cool because we got to see all the company and how that worked.
Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake tells the story of young Prince Siegfried who falls in love with Princess Odette.
Odette and her companions transform into swans under the spell cast by evil sorcerer Baron von Rothbart.
Following previous sold-out seasons, Swan Lake returned to the Palais Theatre stage this year by the Victorian State Ballet with traditional choreography by Marius Petipa and re-staged by director Michelle Sierra.
The Victorian State Ballet said the group was very proud to bring the timeless and superb classical ballet treat to audiences again across Victoria and interstate.
With a cast of internationally recognised artists, this year’s Swan Lake brought the superb ballet technique of Petipa’s original choreography plus original choreography blending the re-staged version by Sierra.
Holly rehearsed in Melbourne four days a week for two weeks and then once a week for three weeks prior to the big performance.
The Victorian State Ballet company’s pre-professional program is an initiative to provide students around 18-19 years old with the highest level of classical ballet training in technical and artistic skill for today’s dance industry standards.
The 15-year-old said she is considering the Victorian State Ballet company’s pre-professional program and hopes to audition for the next Victorian State Ballet performance.
“I think I am going to do some of the classes with the pre-professionals when I get a chance and the next production they do. If it works out with my schedule, I think I’m going to audition for that,” she said.
