The Australian Ballet School: Nutcracker: The Gift of a Dream -
Playhouse, Arts Centre, 7 December -
The Australian Ballet School (ABS) students celebrated the end of the year with a production of Nutcracker: The Gift of a Dream. A frothy and fun affair, it showcased students from level one upwards and succeeded in charming its audience. This version of the ballet was created by Leigh Rowles, resident choreographer at the school, in 2002 and has proved to be an accessible vehicle for students at all levels.
The first act featured a very tidy, well-disciplined and expressive corps of young dancers from levels three and four as party children. As a group, they showed lovely performance quality, clean technique and conveyed a sense of enjoyment. ABS teachers, hamming it up as tipsy party guests, also got into the swing of the fun. Young Clara, danced by Amelia Townsend, conveyed sweet freshness and achieved a good connection with the audience.
Dancers from levels seven and eight took on duets (Harlequin and Columbine, Sky-Witch and Shadow), which contrasted sweetness with drama. Snowflakes and Icicles, also from the senior levels, were able to show some more advanced skills at times but there were moments of dullness in parts of the choreography. It did, however feature assured partnering and was, overall lovely to watch and technically confident. Chaines were smooth and lines neat, however, bourrees in parallel looked a little ungainly at times. The audience particularly revelled in the cavorting fat mousettes in this first half of the show, proving how welcome comedy is in ballet.
In Act II, there was some stand-out dancing from Adam Alzaim as the Toreador and his partner, Sophie Zoricic. Alzaim, in particular, brought attack and dash to his role and revealed elegance in his line, strong epaulement and attitude. Jack Lister looked set to impress in the same way but after the initial flourish, he wasn't given much to do. Courtney McKeown, as Cobra, displayed the flexibility and line for which this part is designed, but lifts by the four Arabians were a little clumsy, at times. (It has to be said that this is difficult partnering for young dancers). The three Russians, level seven boys, Marcus Morelli, Simon Plant and Yuji Shimizu were fabulously spectacular and had the audience cheering them on as they turned and leapt with suitable bravura. They all displayed impressive ballon and elevation, strong, suspended extensions in their split jumps and excellent unison.
The mature Clara (Hayley Donnison) and her Nutcracker Prince (Alexander Idaszak) were able to show their expressive and technical abilities in this act. Donnison showed delicacy and maturity while Idaszak remained boyish. They were both able to shine in their final pas de deux.
Miyu Katayama and Cristiano Martino were showcased as Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Katayama displayed a compact rather than expansive quality in her dancing and conveyed a reserved delicacy. Her technical proficiency and strength became increasingly evident and impressed with her series of fouettes while Martino showed elegance and a beautiful line, along with powerful tours and pirouettes.
Favourites such as the Waltz of the Flowers gave senior girls another chance to show their proficiency. Everyone loved the over-the-topness of the Old Woman and her troupe of naughty children. However, level five students didn't seem to have much scope in their roles as clowns, maids and sundry.
A very cheery and pleasing production for dancers and audience alike, Nutcracker: The Gift of a Dream did its job in highlighting the capabilities of the students of the Australian Ballet School.
- Susan Bendall
Top image: Olivia Paine as Iris (centre) and other flowers in Nutcracker - the Gift of a Dream. Photo: Sergey Konstantinov.