It’s a rarity to think of a ballet slipper and footy boot together, however this is exactly what has transpired in a unique collaboration which sees sport, dance and music collide. To celebrate the city of Melbourne in all its diverse glory, The Australian Ballet, in collaboration with Orchestra Victoria, has produced a cinematic clip of two ballerinas performing a short choreography in the stands of the grand Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The 2016 season opens in Melbourne, and to celebrate, we are asked to see, feel and hear the soundscapes of the city through the power of dance and music, against one of the most iconic Melbourne landmarks,
Whilst thy hallowed turf of the MCG is usually reserved for AFL games and Boxing Test matches, it has had a classical makeover. Hot meat pies and scarves have been replaced with pirouettes and pliés, with the seraphic notes of a solo violin weaving in and out.
Ballerinas Calvin Hannaford and Sharni Spencer perform a poignant piece, prancing around the chairs that zealous footy and cricket fans typically cheer their teams from. Profanities are exchanged for the stirring violin of Principal violinist, Yi Wang.
The Australian Ballet has a strong ethos to support the next generation of choreographers, with Alice Topp choreographing the piece to perfection. Topp, a dancer from their own ranks, will premiere her first main stage piece later this year in their Symphony in C program, Little Atlas.
This beautiful juxtaposition of dance and music against the pillar of Australian sport renders spine-tingling chills. And in the words of George Balanchine, we “see the music, hear the dance.”
Credits
Choreography: Alice Topp
Dancers: Calvin Hannaford and Sharni Spencer
Principal Violinist: Yi Wang
Music: Meditation. From the Opera. Thais by Jules Massenet
If you liked it, you must watch the video below:
