West Australian Ballet Returns to Live Dance Performance June 17

As the WA State Government announces Phase 3 of their COVID-19 Recovery plan on 6 June, West Australian Ballet's world-class dancers have resumed full contact training and prepare for the return of a limited audience at a new workshop-style performance, one of the first re-openings of an arts company in Australia.

As the State Ballet Company's 39 professional dancers returned to work, Artistic Director Aurélien Scannella and Principal Ballet Mistress & Artistic Associate Sandy Delasalle noticed a certain conundrum; how could they keep the dancers creativity flowing with performances cancelled until the planned award-winning season of Dracula in September.

With the need to perform being critical to all arts performers, West Australian Ballet's Artistic staff devised CoVid Lab; a workshop project which sees dancers create either a solo or a duet to one of four music tracks while at home and when returning to the studio, however there's a twist.

The season (which has already sold out) runs at the West Australian Ballet Centre, June 17-27.

Three days later, the company's "Genesis" season will open, running until August 8, at the West Australian Ballet Centre

"It was a challenge to keep the dancers physically and mentally healthy knowing that they weren't going to perform for some time," said Scannella.

"CoVid Lab will give our dancers a great medium of expression and with a twist coming that they're not aware of, it'll really inspire their creativity and adaptability."

With nine workshop-style performances, dancers will perform their newly created solo or duet and then join Sandy Delasalle as she, along with the dancers support, connects and reworks their pieces live in front of the audience, turning two or three pieces into one for a unique performance. Each workshop will feature different solos and/or duets from the West Australian Ballet dancers.

All dancer groups were chosen depending on their situation, with those working-from-home while not in Perth creating a solo work, and the many couples or housemates within the troupe working together. Other dancers based in Perth were given access to the Ballet Studios to choreograph with social distancing adhered to.

West Australian Ballet will have strict procedures for the audience members entering the Centre including social distancing, temperature checks, contact tracing, and will have optional face masks and sanitiser available. All West Australian Ballet staff have undertaken the Federal Department of Health's online course in Infection Control Training relating to COVID-19 and the West Australian Ballet Centre has the Phase Three COVID Safety Plan certificate.

"Our first priority is always the safety of our dancers, staff and audience and we are now ready and prepared to host a small audience at the West Australian Ballet Centre due to the great management of this pandemic by our State Government and within our organisation," said Jessica Machin, West Australian Ballet Executive Director.

"The real challenge for the performing arts sector, will now be reopening our larger theatres to allow the arts and its many not-for-profits to begin their recovery, we welcome the further easing of restrictions" said Machin.

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