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Community workshop and participation project, We All Dance, commenced this week as part of the 2017 QPAC International Series residency program that frames the exclusive main stage season from The Royal Ballet at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

We All Dance is a workshop program facilitated by QPAC across four months (before, during and after The Royal Ballet’s visit), and is set to amplify the impact of The Royal Ballet beyond their exclusive Brisbane seasons of Woolf Works and The Winter’s Tale from 29th June to 9th July 2017.

Through workshops, masterclasses, online activities, performances and community building processes designed in partnership with key community organisations, participants from Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Caboolture, and Cairns communities will be provided the chance to explore a range of dance styles and themes, working with local artists and two teacher artists from The Royal Ballet, David Pickering and Liz Foster.

Queensland Premier and Arts Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the We All Dance community events demonstrated the Queensland Government and QPAC’s ongoing commitment to fostering professional development in the arts and building communities.

Premier Palaszczuk stated “as well as positioning Queensland as a premier cultural tourism destination and attracting visitors through exclusive main-stage performances, the QPAC International Series builds on our local arts and culture and fosters cultural exchange with its community program.

“We know the value of the arts in bringing people together and contributing to the health and wellbeing of communities so I’m delighted that many Queenslanders from all walks of life will have access to this wonderful program. “

Community participants will engage with Teaching Artists from The Royal Ballet in a meaningful and fun way, exploring dance and movement from hip hop to ballet, and incorporating opportunities for self-expression, skill development, and performance. The program will also deliver professional development for the teaching artists and partner community organisations.

We All Dance will culminate in celebratory public events involving participants.

Community organisations helping to make the We All Dance program accessible across the selected communities include MDA (also known as Multicultural Development Australia), Micah Projects, Access Arts, Biddigal Performing Arts, ARC Disability Services, Your Town, Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA), Police-Citizens Youth Club (PCYC), Centacare, and InsideOutside Theatre.

QPAC Chief Executive, John Kotzas and Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet emphasise that both organisations have an established tradition of, and commitment to, learning and community participation.

Kotzas explains “this is the largest community engagement project QPAC has undertaken as part of the International Series and it’s wonderful to work with The Royal Ballet to explore and celebrate dance and movement in the community.

“We All Dance is an opportunity to create and share stories through the language of dance and movement. Our bodies and the way we carry and use them in our everyday lives projects our history, experiences and ideas and allows us to interact with other people and the world in unique and individual ways.”

O’Hare added “community outreach and engagement is extremely important to The Royal Ballet. We have an extensive learning program in the UK, engaging with a wide variety of ages, promoting dance and introducing the art form of ballet to new audiences.”

Bookending the exclusive seasons of two award-winning works by The Royal Ballet, performed for the first time outside of London exclusive to QPAC, Woolf Works and The Winter’s Tale, We All Dance forms part of the full International Series program of events soon to be announced.

The Royal Ballet’s Woolf Works and The Winter’s Tale arrive at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane for the 2017 QPAC International Series from 29th June to 9th July. 

Images: The Royal Ballet's production of Woolf Works (top, courtesy of Tristram Kenton) and the Winter's Tale (middle and below, courtesy of Johan Persson).

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