Miracles and Dandy's for BalletLab

It's been a busy couple of months for the BalletLab team. Their production Miracle has been nominated for not 1, not 2, but 3 Helpmann Awards: Best Choreography, Best Sound Design and Best New Australian Work. But rather than twiddling their thumbs before the September 6 winner's announcement, the BalletLab team will be frantically preparing to take Miracle across the ocean to the Big Apple.

Thanks to funding from both Arts Victoria and The Australia Council, BalletLab will be premiering the award-winning Miracle at the renowned Experimental Media and Performing Arts Centre in upstate New York. Not only that; the production has scored a headline spot in their Fall Festival, Filament on October 1 and 2. The BalletLab crew are especially pleased to be returning to EMPAC, following Miracle's pivotal residential development in November 2008 with the support of EMPAC and the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart.

Back in Australia, the BalletLab team have also enjoyed a successful second development of their new work Aviary, culminating in a showing to over 60 industry peers and supporters at The Australian Ballet Studios in May. BalletLab were proud to offer five secondments on this development, including one to Australian Ballet School student Heath Cundy.

The project has also recently received significant financial investment from the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, the Besen Family Foundation and the Oliver-Affleck Fund and the Norman H Johns Trust managed by Perpetual Trustees to enable its ongoing development into 2011.

Aviary is a riot of colour with a nod to 80s fashion, music and art. Phillip Adams uses the dandy - a self-made hero/celebrity - to explore the outsider in society. Inspired by the music and ideas of French composer Olivier Messiaen, Aviary examines the common subjects of historical ballet - birds, war, masculinity and royalty - through a contemporary (and flamboyantly 80s) lense. The production pays homage to the late UK dandy Sebastian Horsley, whom Phillip was lucky enough to enjoy an afternoon tea with in January this year.

Finally, 29 emerging and professional dancers took part in BalletLab's inaugural Masterclass program this June and July. Generously supported by the Harold Mitchell Foundation, the program offered a range of activities from BalletLab's unique repertoire in an intensive studio setting. Led by Phillip Adams and his long-time collaborators, Brooke Stamp and Luke George, the four-day program of workshops were very well received.

Check out the BalletLab website for more information and the latest news.