Q&A with Laurynas Vėjalis

In 3 words what does ballet mean to you?

Passion, purpose, freedom.

What would be your favourite ballet to dance?

One of my favourites to dance was Albrecht in Giselle, I had an opportunity to dance the role when I just became principal dancer at Royal New Zealand Ballet and it had huge impact on my ballet career. I also loved performing and being part of the ballet Onegin and Nijinsky.

Do you believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form?

It depends. If you live in big cities, there are multiple opportunities to watch ballet or take lessons in many different schools, but it is hard to have same access to that if you live in more rural areas. Also, ballet is well established as an art culture in Europe for example, because of that, there is a lot of support from government, community and organization so that they can make ballet more accessible, but there aren’t many countries outside Europe that values ballet in the same way. I hope ballet can become more universally accessible.

What do you believe is a typical misconception about ballet that you would like to set straight?  

It is sad fact but I have to say when people say ‘that when you work hard, you will be

rewarded’ is not always the case in ballet world. Yes, I have seen many hard-working people succeed in professional ballet career, but also I have seen many talented dancers who don’t get same opportunity as others even when they put so much effort. Ballet is a beautiful art form but sometimes ballet world can be complicated place.

What are you reading right now?

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.

One thing that most people don’t know about you?

I’m a bit of clean freak. I am constantly cleaning something.

Why is the work BWB do so important?

Ballet can be very expensive thing whether you watching or dancing. That’s why I think many people are hesitant to reach out to this industry. BWB ensures that everyone should be given an opportunity to be introduced to this wonderful art form no matter what your financial status or background is.

Favourite ballet to watch?

I absolutely love Manon. Score, emotion, musicality and technicality of Pas de Duex, it’s just beautiful masterpiece. I also love watching Dances at a gathering by Jerome Robbins, William Forsythe’s works, Bolero by Maurice Bèjart.

If you could go back to a point in time in your life, what advice would you give yourself?

Probably I will tell myself to see the bigger picture and try not to think too much or be afraid to fail. Everything will work out in the end. Enjoy the process.

You have been given an elephant! You cannot sell it or give it away, what do you do?

Hope I can have huge forest somewhere with other elephants, so that elephant can thrive in their natural habitat because that’s where they belong and they deserve the best.

Q&A with Shane Wuerthner

Shane’s dance journey began at The Kirov Academy of Ballet, where he graduated top of his class in 2004! His exceptional skill and artistry were recognised by several prestigious companies, including San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, and Vienna State Ballet. Wuerthner accepted the offer from Vienna State Ballet and joined as a corps de ballet memberin 2005. In 2012, he made a significant move to The San Francisco Ballet as a soloist. In 2014, Wuerthner joined Queensland Ballet as a Soloist, and his unwavering commitment and consistent performances led to his promotion to Principal in 2015.

Having retired from ballet in 2017 to begin a career as a personal trainer. His knowledge of dancer conditioning and passion for fitness quickly made him a sought-after figure in this field. Notably, he was named Personal Trainer of the Year before he had even completed a year as a trainer. Wuerthner's experience in fitness led him to establish Athletistry Personal Training, a venture that focused on adult ballet coaching and holistic movement practices. Building on the success of this venture, he launched Athletistry Studio, which marked his return to the ballet world in an administrative capacity.

In 3 words what does ballet mean to you?

My life’s passion

What would be your favourite ballet to dance?

My favourite ballet I ever danced was Anna Karenina by Boris Eifman. I had the opportunity to dance both the corps de ballet and Vronsky. It was an incredibly challenging ballet in which no one had the same choreography. I remember when people would get sick or injured in the corps, it would often take 4 people just to replace 1 person, and if any of the 3 principals went off they would replace the entire principal cast.

Do you believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form?

I think it has become more accessible in recent years, but it still has a long way to go. Other forms of commercial dance have opened a gateway to ballet being more widely accepted, but it still sits in an elite space that still is out of reach for many. The cost of performances and ballet training can be extremely high which places ballet in a higher socio-economic bracket. Efforts that have made ballet more accessible have included outreach programs, scholarships for talented dancers from underprivileged backgrounds, and the incorporation of contemporary themes and music to attract a younger and more diverse audience. Digital platforms have also played a crucial role in making ballet more accessible both through performances and in a training capacity as is the case with what I offer through Athletistry. Despite these efforts, the challenge remains to fully democratise ballet and make it truly accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic status, background, or geography. This requires not only addressing the financial barriers but also challenging the cultural perceptions that frame ballet as anexclusive art form. By continuing to innovate and open doors to diverse audiences and talents, I believe ballet will evolve to be more inclusive, reflecting a broader spectrum of society's narratives and experiences.

What do you believe is a typical misconception about ballet that you would like to set straight?

That it is all pink tutus and fairies. Ballet is incredibly powerful in it’s ability to portray complex societal narratives and emotions. Especially through much of the choreography done in the mid to late 20th century we see a development towards unique stories being told with deeply touching story lines that weren’t evident in the classical and romantic era of ballet. I also think ballet is seen as something only for women. As a man in ballet, the training I experienced was intense, challenging and very masculine in it’s design. I had a male Ukrainian teacher and our classes would run for 4-5 hours 6 days per week. Jumps, turns, athleticism and power were all emphasised and prioritised.

What are you reading right now?

The Book on Mental Toughness by Andy Frisella and The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene

One thing that most people don't know about you?

My first dream in life was to be a musical theatre artist on broadway. I actually didn’t like ballet very much as a child until I had the opportunity to train with a male ballet teacher named Mikko Nissinen who is now Artistic director of Boston Ballet.

Why is the work BWB do so important?

It is bridging the accessibility gap for those who would otherwise never be exposed to the incredible art of ballet. This is so essential as it is how the art form will be maintained into the future. By sharing ballet with children we build the possibility that they will become lifelong lovers of ballet if not performers or teachers who become it’s future custodians.

Favourite ballet to watch?

La Bayadere

If you could go back to a point in time in your life, what advice would you give yourself?

Speak up. I was always very quiet, and not a great advocate for myself. As a result I often ended up being a push over and this lead to me feeling unvalued. So many of the misunderstandings I had in my career could have been avoided had I communicated how I felt earlier.

You have been given an elephant! You cannot sell it or give it away, what do you do?

Teach it to dance.

Q & A with Vito Bernasconi

We had the pleasure of interviewing Vito, current soloist with The Queensland Ballet.

1. In 3 words what does ballet mean to you?

Passion, Courage, Creativity

2. What would be your favourite ballet to dance?

Sir Kenneth Macmillan’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. While I’ve performed Tybalt, Mercutio, Lord Capulet and Lead Mandolin, I’ve never performed Romeo and hopefully one day I can experience the role.

3. Do you believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form?

I believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form to watch and perform in metropolitan areas, and the more outreach we can undertake as a community, the more possibility there is to affect many more future dancers and performers in wider reaching areas of this country and the world. 

4.  What do you believe is a typical misconception about ballet that you would like to set straight?  

I have a few:

Ballet is not just for girls, it is for anyone and everyone. Ballet does not define your sexuality. MYTH: Ballet is easy. FACT: Anyone who does ballet requires a high level of physical, mental, psychological and emotional fortitude. It is an art form for the strong, focussed and determined. 

5. What are you reading right now?

I have just finished ‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ by Scott Carney, and am excited to have begun reading ‘Mr. Einstein’s Secretary’ by Matthew Reilly. He’s one of my favourite authors. 

6. 1 thing that most people don't know about you?

I hate sand out of context. Unless I’m having a beach day and able to rinse it off, it really annoys me. 

7.  Why is the work BWB does so important? 

Everyone needs art in their lives and I believe that everyone deserves to express themselves creatively and passionately in any way they wish. With the mission of bringing ballet to as many people as possible, BWB is ensuring that more people have the possibility to have ballet enriching and enhancing their lives. 

8. Favourite ballet to watch?

I have always admired After The Rain by Christopher Wheeldon. The music, Spiegel I’m Spiegel by Arvo Pärt, and choreography have an incredible symbiotic connection and it has been a dream of mine to one day perform the main Pas De Deux.

9. If you could go back to a point in time in your life, what advice would you give yourself?

I would go back to any time that I’ve had a big decision to make and remind myself, ‘Trust your instincts and follow your heart’. 

10. You have been given an elephant! You cannot sell it or give it away, what do you do?

I would call it Dumbo, Trunks or Stampy and wonder how I was going to get it up to, and fit in, my apartment! I would also be obligated to come into any awkward conversation to comprehensively and effectively express, ‘the elephant in the room’.

Q&A with Callum Linnane

c. Jeff Busby

This month we had the pleasure of interviewing the recently promoted principal artist of The Australian Ballet, Callum Linnane. Callum was accepted into The Australian Ballet School in 2008 and graduated dux with honours. He joined The Australian Ballet in 2015; he was promoted to coryphée in 2017, to soloist in 2018, to senior artist in 2021, and to principal artist in 2022. Callum was recognised as Telstra’s dancer of the year in 2016 and has delivered incredible performances as The Prince in Alexei Ratmansky's Cinderella and Vaslav Nijinsky in John Neumeier's Nijinsky amongst many others.

In 3 words, what does dance mean to you?

Necessity, expression, truth.

 Favourite ballet to dance?

My favourite ballet to dance is probably John Neumeier's Nijinsky. It holds a special place in my heart as it was the first full-length principal role I performed. I loved the movement vocabulary and having the opportunity to dive into Vaslav's psyche.

Do you believe that ballet is a readily accessible art-form?

I believe there is still work to be done in this area. For example, if you grow up in a remote area, there may not be a ballet school close enough to attend a class. And even if you do, ballet class can be very expensive for families considering the class cost, uniform, shoes etc. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as the exposure to sports one gets at school. You can send your child to school, and at lunchtime, they can kick a footy around, they can play some basketball, or they can pick up a pen and paper and draw something. I wish it were a little easier to access ballet in everyday life. The one positive is that it's easy to watch ballet online and through social media.

What is a typical misconception about ballet that you would like to set straight?  

That it's entirely feminine. Ballet requires strength and discipline. Moving your body to music has nothing to do with femininity or masculinity - it's just expressing oneself however that may be for the person.

What are you reading right now?

"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris.

1 thing that most people don't know about you?

I love listening to ASMR. It’s so calming.

Ballet Without Borders aims to allow children from disadvantaged backgrounds to experience ballet- if you had ultimate power for a day what would you do to make this happen?  

I would arrange for every single child to experience a ballet performance. So in every little town, everywhere, there is a world-class ballet performance that is free to go and watch. Maybe that will inspire the next generation of dancers who may never have even crossed paths with ballet.

Favourite ballet to watch?

This changes all the time. But right now I would happily watch The Lady of the Camellias by John Neumeier or Shoot the Moon by Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon.

If you could go back to a point in time in your life, what advice would you give yourself?

I would tell my 12 year old self to stretch more! No, I would also tell my teenage self to go lightly. Don't get so emotional about things. If you take the emotion out of things, you can approach things with a clearer mind and not get so upset and angry. This applies to life in the ballet studio and outside of the studio. And one more thing, stop worrying about what other people think.

You have been given an elephant! You cannot sell it or give it away, what do you do?

I care for this elephant, this elephant and I become the best of friends and live a happy life together.

Q&A with David Hallberg-Meet the Australian Ballet's new Artist Director

Last year, we connected with the Australian Ballet’s newly appointed Artistic Director, David Hallberg. David boasts an incredible ballet career including being a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and Bolshoi Ballet, and as a guest artist with the Royal Ballet.

Check out the Q&A below and discover David’s favourite ballet to watch and dance plus his hot tips for upcoming dancers.

---

How old are you? 38.

What companies have you performed with? American Ballet Theatre, Guest with the Australian Ballet, Former Principal with the Bolshoi.

When you’re not touring with a company, how do you stay in shape and what is your jet lag remedy? Jet lag remedy is Melatonin! And not thinking about the previous time zone.

We already know shaving is part of the ritual of getting performance-ready, any others? Nap. Eat well. Focus the mind!

A surprising thing people don’t know about you? I love a cold beer with my manager after a show in my dressing room.

A ballet you enjoy watching rather than dancing? Almost all of New York City Ballet repertoire.

Have you ever taught adult ballet before? Would you? I have not, and don’t find myself the best teacher.

When you are in the moment and it’s effortless and perfect, what word would you use to describe that feeling for yourself? As close to euphoria as possible.

What was the last gift you received and from who? Love and care. From my boyfriend.

What was the biggest mistake you have made during a performance? Not risked enough. Worried too much.

Do you have a tip that improves flexibility? Know your limits. Warm up properly. And flexibility doesn’t make a good dancer.

You are given an elephant. You cannot sell it or give it away. What do you do? Love it. Learn from it.

---

To keep up with David’s journey, check out his social media platform here. Learn more about Ballet Without Borders and our 2020 impact here. Subscribe to our newsletter to get exclusive access to future Q&As and regular updates on our growth. Ballet Without Borders: helping all children experience the joy of ballet.

Story of one of our sponsored children-Daniel

Hello Readers,

During our Penrith workshop in April this year, we spotted a talented young boy and had the opportunity to sponsor him to go to his local ballet school, Glenbrook Ballet Academy.

Daniel loves ballet. He loved our workshop so much that he tried to teach his sister some moves! He has since sat his first Royal Academy of Dance primary ballet exam.

‘'I was so excited to hear that Daniel had won a scholarship from you. He came back from the class he took so inspired and ready to take on the ballet world.

Since then he has gone from strength to strength and has been working so hard for his Primary ballet exam. He really is such a talented young boy with so much promise and potential. He has incredibly strong legs and feet and beautiful turnout and he loves to jump, all the traits for a ballet master in the making.”

-Miss Ilona, Daniel’s teacher at Glenbrook Ballet Academy

We are so proud to have been able to support Daniel in his love of ballet and look forward to following Daniel’s ballet journey.