Queensland Ballet’s (QB) Giving Day is all about supporting young dancers as they chase their ballet dreams.
The annual fundraising appeal runs from 9am-9pm today (August 8), with this year’s funds going towards Queensland Ballet’s Academy.
The academy provides all-encompassing support for its young students through a world-stage teaching faculty, musicians, allied health professionals, stage technicians, costumiers, performance showcases and scholarships.
Queensland Ballet’s Executive Director, Dilshani Weerasinghe, is passionate about supporting the next generation of dancers.
“Our Academy places our young people at centre and gives them the opportunity to combine their ballet training with their chosen academic pursuits and passions in an all-in-one integrated curriculum,” she said.
“And we are preoccupied with ensuring that their time with us is meaningful, that they interact with QB’s main dancer ensemble, have the opportunity to meet international guests and artists, as well as perform at the Thomas Dixon Centre in dedicated showcases. And of course, have the best care.”
Ms Weerasinghe said Queensland Ballet was also very aware of its responsibility as a Queensland-based training organisation, focussed on youth, to ensure it was always considering pathways to ballet.
“This is so that those who may have barriers to participation, whether they be financial, cultural or geographical, have opportunities that they may not have otherwise had,” she said.
“Our work in community, in unexpected and expected partnerships, and work with our donors and corporate partners is crucial as we develop our endeavour in this space. Ultimately the future of ballet lies in our young people and ballet’s ongoing relevance.”
The Academy’s Head of Operations, Gabrielle Johnston, said that Queensland Ballet Academy engaged with about 1000 dancers a year across full and part-time enrolments, and holiday workshops.
It also reached out to the community, with plans for ongoing engagement opportunities in the Queensland regions, as well as Brisbane.
Ms Johnston said the QB Academy funding disparity meant it must work harder to support Queensland’s emerging ballet stars.
“The QB Academy receives no funding from the Federal Government, which supports elite arts training organisations in NSW and Victoria,” she said.
“However, with support from Queensland Government’s Department of Education, Academy families, corporate partners and donors, QB Academy strives to ensure that young people who choose to develop their craft in Queensland, can do so.”
Queensland Ballet Academy Director, Christian Tàtchev is proud of what the Academy has achieved, despite the odds.
“QB Academy stands proud alongside peers around the world as an international partner of the Prix de Lausanne, the preeminent international ballet competition, widely acknowledged to have launched global careers,” he said.
“This year, the two Australians to receive awards at the Prix were QB Academy dancers. We are exceedingly proud of them and wish them well as they take their rightful places on the world stage.”
The Giving Day target is $1 million, with visionary donors generously offering to join the match-donor family, enabling a quadrupling of every dollar that is donated on Giving Day. Though donor matching, a $5 donation becomes $20, a $200 donation becomes $800, a $10,000 becomes $40,000.
This weekend the annual showcase of the rising young stars of dance, the Queensland Ballet Academy Gala is sold out.
But there will be other opportunities to watch the performers on November 29-30 at the End of Year Demonstration, and from December 5-7 when Soiree – an evening of visual art, dance, and live music is performed at the Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre.
Soiree is a collaboration with Philip Bacon Galleries, Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and a visual artist yet to be announced. Past artists include Michael Zavros and Tim Storrier.
Join the Queensland Ballet Giving Day until 9pm today by following this link:
https://www.queenslandballet.com.au/support/appeals/giving-day
