The australian ballet exists to inspire, delight and challenge audiences through the power of its performances. Jul 10, 2015 voting has closed for the 2015 telstra ballet dancer peoples choice award ako was born in nagoya, japan in 1991. The sydney city youth ballet company performed its 2015. Meet 2015 telstra ballet dancer award nominee ako kondo ako was born in nagoya, japan in 1991 and at the age of three began her training at shiho kanazawa ballet studio.
A commitment to artistic excellence, a spirited style and a willingness to take risks have defined the company from its earliest days, both onstage. Matinee was danced by ako kondo as suger plum fairly with her husband, chengwu guo danced as nutcrasker prince. Nutcracker was a beautiful and magical end to the australian ballets 2019 season. The australian ballet school, 2 kavanagh st, melbourne 2020. Here is yagp alumna, the australian ballet principal dancer ako kondo, performing a variation from paquita. Sep 24, 2018 australian ballet principal dancers, ako kondo and chengwu guo, share their love story and perform live in the studio. I am annual ticket holder of australian ballet at opera house and this time i saw matinee and night of first day. The nutcracker adelaide casting the australian ballet. She was promoted to principal artist in april 2015 following her debut as giselle, becoming the australian ballets first japanese principal artist.
Apr 18, 2017 i am about to guest with the shanghai ballet for swan lake at the regent theatre. Australian ballet sends alice down the rabbit hole for its biggest show yet. There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded. Christmas ballets from young dancers in melbourne and. Ako kondo, principal dancer of the australian ballet, photo by justin ridler. Ty kingwall the australian ballet in 2020 australian. Australian ballet principal artist ako kondo on swordfighting and her lead role in sylvia. This is no fairytale, but a radical rethink of tchaikovskys ballet in which. While much of petipas choreography remains intact, the design elements of the. In addition to 80 exceptional dancers, the australian ballet employs master craftspeople and leaders in injury prevention, dance education, marketing and philanthropy as well as an orchestra of 62 musicians orchestra victoria.
Tchaikovskys gorgeous score is, of course, a perennial pleasure and the australian opera and ballet orchestra performed it superbly under guest conductor andrew mogrelia. Katherine rooke and alexander kozarycz in the arabian dance from queensland ballets the nutcracker. The production will be presented at the concourse, chatswood from tuesday 15 december to sunday 20 december, and will feature special guest performances from. Apr 15, 2015 ballerina ako kondos day of having all her dreams come true. Voting has closed for the 2015 telstra ballet dancer peoples choice award ako was born in nagoya, japan in 1991.
The australian ballet sydney 2020 all you need to know. See the australian ballet s coppelia in select cinemas on 19 april 2017. It is my first time guesting with another company for the full length ballet. His promenades en tournant with ako kondo were assured and i want to see this level of assurance consistently in lifts by slightly shifting his centre to be rock solid in his support. Top 5 reasons adults avoid ballet class and why you should go anyway ballet for adults. In 2007 she was awarded the australian ballet school tuition scholarship, which was announced at the youth america grand prix. Sep 30, 2016 ballet dancers guo chengwu and ako kondo engaged the fairytale engagement of 2 of the australian ballet s principal artists. This is the biggest prize available specifically to a dancer in australia. Matinee was danced by ako kondo as suger plum fairly with her husband, chengwu guo dan. The australian ballet reserves the right to change the casting at any time in the event of unforseen circumstances. The 24yearold is the first japanese dancer to be promoted to the companys most senior position. The australian ballet has named ako kondo as its first ever japanese principal artist.
Sep 02, 2019 australian ballet principal artist ako kondo on swordfighting and her lead role in sylvia. Heres a small curation of some stunners from the australian ballets costume department. Australian ballet the sleeping beauty melbourne, state theatre 15 september 2015 au. Benedicte bemet adam bull brett chynoweth chengwu guo amy harris robyn hendricks kevin jackson andrew killian ty kingwall ako kondo. The telstra ballet dancer award has been made annually since 2003, in support of the aspirations of the australian ballets elite young dancers. Fittingly, our season will culminate in harald landers thrilling and masterful homage to classical ballet, etudes 1948 as we showcase queensland ballet today, under current artistic director, li cunxin ao.
Meet telstra australian ballet dancer award nominee ako kondo. The sydney city youth ballet company performed its 2015 season of the nutcracker at the concourse theatre, chatswood. At just 24 years of age, ako kondo says shes been offered the. Australian ballets newest star from japan sbs news. Heres kathleen in costume for the melbourne cup, 1962. The role of sylvia was danced by ako kondo and she brought nuance and character development to the role.
Ako kondo appointed australian ballet principal artist. Today, it is recognised as one of the worlds major international ballet companies. Transcript from world news radio the australian ballet is welcoming its first japanese dancer to the role of principal artist. Whilst on tour the australian ballet will perform at two major festivals in china,the 2015 dance festival of the national centre for the performing arts in beijing, and shanghai international arts festival.
In 2014 she moved to melbourne, australia and joined the australian ballet school. Mar 22, 2017 a day goes for 24 hours, and i do ballet for 10 hours without ballet, my life is not complete. Kondo beams with burgeoning beauty at auroras birthday. Australian ballet principal artist ako kondo on sword. Ako kondo rehearsing etudes the australian ballet, 2012. As the 24yearold japanese dancer ako kondo made her curtain call after giving her final performance in the title role of australian ballets production of giselle yesterday evening, artistic director david mcallister took to the stage of the sydney opera houses joan sutherland theatre to. Ako kondo the first japanese principal of the australian. Ako kondo benois2018 nominee, australian ballet and and kevin jackson benois2018 nominee, australian ballet, duet from cinderella, music by sergei prokofiev, choreography by alexei ratmansky. She was promoted to principal artist in april 2015 following her debut as giselle, becoming the australian ballet s first japanese principal artist. In 2005 ako won second prize at the japan grand prix, and in. The fact that wrights production, which has been in the australian ballets repertoire since 2007, seems ignorant of this conversation is problematic.
Her promotion was announced on stage at the sydney opera house last month after a performance of giselle in which ako danced the lead role partnered by her professional and reallife romantic partner, principal artist chengwu guo. The principal of the australian ballet ako kondo talks about the nutcracker, prior to her performance in melbourne from 2nd to 10th june 2017 at arts centre melbourne. Ballerina ako kondos day of having all her dreams come true. Australian ballets ako kondo lifted up where she belongs. Nov 10, 2019 kondos ongoing turns and arching as shes held high are masterful. I have written before about sir peters take on this muchloved christmas ballet, in both its onstage and film productions, and the features i enjoyed on those other occasionssuch as its moments. The australian ballets ako kondo and chengwu guo photography ally deacon. The nutcracker australian ballet nov30 2019 matinee bolshoi1ken.
Theres only so much artistic mileage you can get out of tradition. Every year, the australian ballets dancers go through around 8,000 pairs of pointe shoes, and each ballerina has her own unique way of customising her shoes. Shes playing the role of the grandmother, to colin peasleys grandfather, in our sydney season of the nutcracker. The australian ballet presents volt at the sydney opera house 1. With a feast of baroque extravagance that would please the sun king himself, david mcallisters new sleeping beauty for the australian ballet is destined for a long life in the companys repertoire. With as lavish a staging as can be seen in any genre of performing arts in australia, john f macfarlanes design for this peter wright production is as much a. Superstar ako kondo brings her pristine technique and absolutely delightful presence to the sugar plum fairy. Ako kondo and andrew killian in the australian ballets 2016. Nominees are selected by the australian ballet and previous award winners. There have been times when i couldnt stand anymore. The australian ballets ako kondo in the sleeping beauty photography kate longley ballerinor skonhetsfotografering tornrosa victorian klanningar mode the australian ballets bendicte bemet and cristiano martino in grand pas classique. Of course, its the perfect time to celebrate assertive women and in ballet no less. The australian ballet 2017 season by the australian ballet. The australian ballet presents a year of beauty 2015 season ballet in studio a rose by any name.
Benedicte bemet as psyche is also a roundly realised character. Featuring australian ballet principal guest artists ako kondo and chengwu guo. Principal artist ako kondo is leaping through the sharp moves of diana and acteon in rehearsals. But its the opulent design and staging of sylvia which sustains a choreography which is often predictable and generalised, cramped by so many distracting pulls on our focus. Hopefully when the nutcracker makes its inevitable return, it will be welcoming to more audiences. The nutcracker is lucinda dunns first production as artistic director of sydney city youth ballet. Robyn hendricks from port elizabeth, south africa, recentlyappointed principal artist ako kondo from nagoya, japan, and amanda mcguigan from summer hill, nsw. Ballerina ako kondo has been promoted to the principal rank of the australian ballet after a performance in which she danced the lead role opposite her reallife partner chengwu guo. Ako kondo rehearsing etudes the australian ba ballet. Apr 15, 2015 there have been times when i couldnt stand anymore. Apr 16, 2015 the australian ballet has named ako kondo as its first ever japanese principal artist. At three years old she began her training at shiho kanazawa ballet studio.
Ballet dancers guo chengwu and ako kondo engaged popsugar. Brendan esposito the 24yearold, who was born in japan, has been with the. Australian ballet principal artist ako kondo on swordfighting and her lead. And then back with my company, the australian ballet, for the nutcracker at the sydney opera house.
The nutcrackeraustralian ballet nov30 2019 matinee youtube. Ako kondo appointed principal artist of the australian ballet. The award has helped catapult the careers of some of the australian ballets brightest stars, with seven former winners being promoted. The role offers opportunities for comedic sweetness earlier and displays greater depth over the course of the ballet. Nutcracker, the australian ballet, state theatre, wednesday september 18th 2019 nutcracker, the australian ballet, state theatre, wednesday september 18th 2019. Sep 17, 2015 australian ballet the sleeping beauty melbourne, state theatre 15 september 2015 au. Mao started her dance training earnestly under the guidance of kiyoko kimura. Some highlights during her training include performing with the australian ballet in graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara in 2017, and maina gielguds giselle in 2019. Each time i enter a theatre a childlike awe engulfs me, just as it did on my first visit to the ballet. Australian ballet name ako kondo as newest principal artist. Youth america grand prix yagp alumna ako kondo australian. The nutcracker ballet on behance ballet posters, dance.
This staging of sir peter wrights nutcracker was a beautiful and magical end to the australian ballets 2019 season. Designed by john f macfarlane for peter wrights production, our tutu is a showstopping confection that takes our costume department a full month of work to make there are five of them for different casts. The australian ballet is the largest classical ballet company in australia. Australian ballet principal dancers, ako kondo and chengwu guo, share their love story and perform live in the studio. Principal artist ako kondo will perform the lead role on opening night. The australian ballet presents upwards of 250 performance and 1,700 education and audience engagement events each year. Artistic director for the australian ballet david mcallister said it was the biggest production ever staged by the company. This staging of sir peter wrights nutcracker was a. Australian ballet sends alice down the rabbit hole for its. The australian ballet s ako kondo writes from the companys 24th international tour. In alexei ratmanskys cinderella, created for the australian ballet in 20, the heroine is whisked to the ball not by a mundane coach, but by the sun, moon and planets. Ako kondo 2015 telstra ballet dancer award nominee. In graeme murphys reimagined nutcracker, clara is a prima ballerina, and the highlight of her career is dancing the sugar plum fairy before the tsar. Princess dianas wry words resonate in graeme murphys reworking of swan lake for the australian ballet, premiered in 2002 seven years after her interview with martin bashir, and five years after the paris car crash in which she lost her life.
Early this month australian ballet principal artist ako kondo added the role to her repertoire with a performance that revealed many individual touches while having room to deepen. Ako toured with the dancers company in 2008 and in 2010 joined the australian ballet. The australian ballet had programmed graeme murphys new ballet the happy prince for sydney this month, but when murphys illness forced its postponement, the sydney slot was filled with maina gielguds muchloved production of giselle. The australian ballet s newest principal ako kondo. At just 24 years of age, ako kondo has become the australian ballets newest principal artist. Cherished on every ballet world stage, the nutcracker can be enjoyed at any time of year, especially as presented in the australian ballets decadently sumptuous production. You dont have to be five years old, or even to have the nutcracker hardwired into your childhood. The australian ballet is one of the worlds premier ballet companies and has delivered extraordinary performances for over 50 years. I was lucky enough to see ako kondo and chengwu guo make their debuts as prince siegfried and odetteodile at. Designer jerome kaplan let his imagination soar in creating a suite of costumes for the celestial beings. Alison mcwhinney english national ballet all performances.
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