<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>330343</docID> <postdate>2024-10-06 08:02:44</postdate> <headline>Sixty years of ballet history ‘pointe’ to the future</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-330344" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20241001161268096898-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>The Australian Ballet School, which is marking a major milestone, is famous for pushing boundaries. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Belad Al-karkhey</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Seasons may come and go, but Australia's top ballet teachers prefer their students keep their feet firmly on the ground and on pointe for the future.</strong></p> <p>As the Australian Ballet School celebrates 60 years, classical teacher Andrew Murphy says the institution's anniversary gala is not just an opportunity to look back, it's also a time to look forward to what's next.</p> <p>"Pushing boundaries is something that we're all trying to do," he said.</p> <p>"You have to take tradition and... make sure it doesn't hold you back."</p> <p>The school, established in 1964, is the national centre for classical dance training, producing several iconic dancers performing across the globe.</p> <p>A number of school alumni will return to the stage, joining 40 students aged 16-20 in an end-of-year spectacular of both new and familiar performances, including the Four Seasons.</p> <p>Graduate student Jai Fauchon is performing in the summer segment of Four Seasons, which pays homage to the school's history and celebrates its vibrant future.</p> <p>Yet it's his original piece, Gracias a la vida, to be showcased at the gala, that has the 20-year-old feeling nervous about the audience's reception.</p> <p>"It's a bit daunting, but I am so honoured for such a privilege," Mr Fauchon said.</p> <p>"To be able to be a small part of the history of the school is really exciting."</p> <p>His first choreographed performance, which translates to 'thanks to life', was designed as a reflection of the trials and triumphs during his time at the school.</p> <p>"The piece is about finding the good within the bad, and being grateful even when it's hard to be," he said.</p> <p>"(At one point) I started to doubt whether I actually have anything to offer, so getting over that was something I had to battle with a bit."</p> <p>Understanding self-worth as an individual is the most important lesson Mr Murphy teaches his students.</p> <p>"We've got to understand... where the art form is going and really understand where (the students) want to take it, because they are the future," he said.</p> <p>"They're the ones that can break barriers."</p> <p>As the curtains close on Mr Fauchon's training, the true performance begins as job-hunting and auditions replace classes.</p> <p>"I think as humans, we're designed to be creative... we have that need and ambition to create," he said.</p> <p>"Even if I'm not always making the best or the newest stuff, it's still this hunger in me to see what I can come up with."</p> <p><em>The Australia Ballet School's 60th Anniversary Gala Performance takes place at Melbourne's Regent Theatre on Sunday.</em></p> </body>