Most recently principal dancer with the Queensland Ballet, Alex Wagner has retired from dancing after 16 years on the stage.
Where were you born?
Nowra, NSW.
Parent’s occupation?
My father was a pastry chef , boiler maker and all round fantastic dad; my mother was the chief looker-after, counsellor and wonderful mum.
What is your earliest memory of dancing?
It was in the living room watching the Cossacks turn and leap effortlessly on ABC TV. I was amazed they were doing so many turns and not falling over, yet when I tried it I would end up hugging a wall. I wanted to know why and was determined to find out. I blame them for many years of dancing.
What was your first public performance?
I think as a shadow in my local ballet school concert. The details are hazy but I do remember that I had to wear my mother’s black stockings as a costume, which made me question the whole performance thing.
What was your first important dance role?
At the Australian Ballet School I was beside myself when I was nominated to perform as a first-year with the year above. (I was literally beside myself at times when I was trying to remember the steps during the show). When I joined the Australian Ballet, to keep me out of trouble Maina [Gielgud, the then artistic director] sent me to perform the Prince in Act 2 Swan Lake that toured with the Dancers Company. As a young corps dancer I was partnering soloists and principals from the company, and I was absolutely petrified. It took years to recover, but it worked. Thanks Maina.
You performed with the Australian Ballet from 1994-8, then the Royal New Zealand Ballet from 2000 to 2004. What were your career highlights over that time?
Australian Ballet: Swan Lake Act 2 with the Dancers Company, Por vos Muero, Slipstream, Maina Gielgud’s Farewell Gala, playing as guitar duo at friends’ Japanese wedding in Tokyo with the whole of the Australian Ballet in attendance. RNZB: Dracula, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Romeo in a new production of Romeo and Juliet, and of course meeting my wife.
You then spent a year with the English National Ballet, before returning to Australia to join the West Australian Ballet. Why did you spend just a year with the ENB?
Ironically I found my personality was better suited to working in smaller companies rather than the 80+ at ENB. At that time ENB had a tough and very competitive environment that I didn’t respond to - I felt the company was divided in many ways and yet needed to be united to provide an alternative London company to the mighty Royal Ballet. So I didn’t fit in many ways.
Back in Australia, you performed the lead role of Rodolfo in Simon Dow’s La Boheme before moving the Queensland Ballet and dancing all the main “princely roles”. Was it always your ambition to dance these roles?
As a young dancer you strive to be the best, and watching the dancers you aspire to be in these “princely” roles gives you a goal and sense of purpose. I love the purity and elegance of classical ballet, and these princely roles seemed to suit my technique and style. Yet until I was older I struggled with the sense of confidence and presence that these roles demand. I also aspired to reflect the relevance these characters offered to the audience, with mixed success.
What was your career highlight while with the Queensland Ballet?
Seoul International Dance Gala remains a firm favourite. The Korean hosts were warm and inviting with the most magnificent facilities and organisation. All the dancers had an incredible technical ability. They had no idea my primary purpose there was to rein in the superb travelling ability onstage of my partner Rachel Walsh in the piece we performed, Chant la Mor. I think I got away with it.
What was the hardest role you ever had to perform?
Physically, in RNZB Salterello by Christopher Hampson. Made me feel a little icky in the tummy. Everytime we remounted the ballet it was like preparing for a marathon.
Mentally, any of the pieces by Nils Christie, the wonderful smiling assassin Annegian Sneep kept me in a state on heightened nervousness.
You have now retired because of an injury. Was it difficult to come to terms with giving up dance?
Initially, no. I was tired of being in constant pain, tired of the demands ballet makes of you personally and mentally, and tired of the struggle for personal artistic freedom that you have as a ballet dancer over what say you have in the content you perform.
Yet once my body had a chance to heal and rest I allowed myself to look back and I have enjoyed what dance has allowed me to do, but I do miss dance. As a young dancer I was always aware that this was a limited career, and made every effort to cram as much as I could in. Happily, I now excel at chair dancing.
You are now working at the Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts as the Customer Service Officer and doing a Graduate Certificate in Arts Management with QUT. What career do you plan?
I am passionate about the arts and the artists that are the very heart of our shows. The decisions made by arts administrations affect these artists every day, and I would like to get as far as I can with arts administration/artistic management because I believe artists in these positions can offer something rare and unique – empathy. That and an understanding of what they do every day and why they do it. The arts can polarise artists as well as audiences.
