Australian dancer and artistic leader Robert Curran is going to be in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on a short-term contract as Ballet Master & Rehearsal Director for the upcoming summer season at the Ancient Theater. He will be working alongside Artistic Director Mariana Krancheva on a new production of Swan Lake, as well as performances of Anna Karenina and various musicals and operas. This engagement marks an exciting step into the European dance community for Curran, following a distinguished dancing career in Australia and significant artistic leadership experience in the United States.
Curran's journey to international leadership is a compelling one. After a successful dancing career with The Australian Ballet, from which he retired in 2011, and further experience as a rehearsal director with Bangarra Dance Theatre, he transitioned into artistic leadership. Armed with a Business Degree from Monash University and a Diploma of Elite Dance Instruction from The Australian Ballet, he took on the role of Artistic Director of the Louisville Ballet in Kentucky. This was a significant appointment at a renowned and celebrated company, the seventh oldest ballet company in the U.S., where he steered the company through artistic endeavors and challenging times, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, with his upcoming engagement in Plovdiv, Curran continues to contribute his extensive experience and passion to the international dance landscape, bridging his Australian roots with European artistic endeavours.