News & Events
Recent Performances & Events
Tim O’Donnell on Time His Spent With YBWA So Far
Well my new work is almost complete and I am just having so much fun creating the work on the wonderful dancers of YB.
To be honest I was a bit worried when I first started because everyone was very shy and a lot of my work comes directly from the characters of the people I'm working with, but things changed and I quickly learned shyness was definitely not a problem with these budding young dancers! From that point on the work started taking shape quite quickly and I have been very pleased with the progress both of the choreography and the dancers.
The work I'm creating is based on a young dancer who is at the cusp of becoming a professional and the emotional journey they are put through on a daily basis. Having not too long ago been in that situation myself, I tried to think through all the things that used to go through my head. In hindsight it amazes me how quickly I could cycle through the broad range of emotions I had in my repertoire , I can clearly remember standing in the mirror before I left to go to Ballet School some mornings and feeling like I was lost in some empty void to which there was no escape, consumed with self doubt and just wanting to go bury my head in the sand (it didn't help that I am by nature a tad over dramatic... and I'm pretty sure the mirror in that bathroom was a fat mirror) but then I can also remember sometimes by lunchtime on those same days feeling on top of the world and for no reason greater than having done an extra pirouette in class or for the teacher having given me a compliment for one reason or another! So I guess my hope is that I will be able to capture the essence of those emotions throughout the various sections of the work.
I must say its been great watching all the students tackling my movement and always giving 100% (even on those late Friday night rehearsals when I can't even think straight) I look forward to the seeing the finished work on stage and I must give special thanks to Emma Sandall for assisting me throughout the process and also to "friend" and my "big swans".
Cheers
Tim
Friday 2nd July 2010
‘Threshold’ is a completely original work choreographed especially for the dancers of Youth Ballet WA by Tim O’Donnell. ‘Threshold’ is all about the movement – about playing with a classical dancers natural sense of physicality and line within a contemporary realm, moving seamlessly between different styles, and pushing to explore the limitless possibilities their bodies hold. In creating the piece Tim set out to explore the idea of pushing through invisible boundaries – the boundaries that we place in our own lives that stop us reaching our potential. The result is extraordinary – an extension of the dancers beyond their comfort zone into a whole new dimension of dance unlike anything ever performed before by YBWA.
Youth Ballet WA Dance Project, A Celebration of Dance - Piazza, Northbridge (corner Lake & James Streets), Over the weekend of 19-21 March 2010
Youth Ballet WA, together with The City of Perth and Be Active proudly present "Dance Project, A Celebration of Dance" at Piazza, Northbridge (corner Lake & James Streets) over the weekend of 19-21 March 2010.
Free Dance Demonstrations
Youth Ballet WA: performing La Corsaire
With Special guests: Wadumbah Dance Group, Indian & Spanish Performers, Belly Dancing and Special Maypole Dancing
Performance Times:
* Friday 19th March 5.30pm
* Saturday 9.30 - 1.30 and 2.30 - 5.30pm
* Sunday 12.00 - 4.30pm
A weekend of fun free dance workshops for all ages with street performers and face painting.
Youth Ballet WA Inc proudly supports a smoke free environment.
This event is proudly sponsored by Healthway to promote the Heart Foundation's Be Active message.
For good health, adults should find thirty minutes and young people at least sixty minutes of physical activity every day.
Youth Ballet WA's Presentation of 'Conquer' and Other Works, July 3rd 2009
This was a unique opportunity to see the dancers of Youth
Ballet WA in action through a wide
variety of dance forms in an informal and friendly environment.
The main attraction of the night was
the premiere of ‘Conquer’ a piece created by acclaimed
choreographer Reed Luplau especially for Youth Ballet WA.
This work is a fusion of
modern contemporary dance emphasising the exploration of
‘dancers individuality’ and the love,
passion, heartache and stress of everyday life. The evening also included solo performances by
recent Royal Academy Of Dance award recipients and Sydney
Dance Scholarship competitors, as well as presentations
of ‘Spring’ choreographed by Youth
Ballet WA director Sonya Shepherd and ‘Oneandtwo’ a contemporary
piece
created by Sharron Dalla-Costa.
This event was entirely organized by the students of Youth Ballet WA and was proudly sponsored by Propel Youth Arts WA and Healthway to promote the ‘Drug Aware’ message.
A Celebration of West Australian Arts and Culture, March 20th - 22nd 2009
Youth Ballet WA, proudly sponsored by the City of Perth and
supported by the Terri Charlesworth Ballet Centre,
presented a weekend of fun free dance classes (Classical
Ballet, Contemporary, Spanish, Indian, Salsa and Kindy Dance
Time), demonstrations and performances for ages 2 ½ to Adults,
in Forrest Place, Perth over the weekend of 20-22 March 2009.
Youth Ballet WA performed excerpts from the traditional classical ballet ‘La Fille mal Gardee’ and a new modern dance work entitled ‘Astronomy’. As well as this, there were special performances of Indian and Salsa dance from some very special guest artists. All performances and workshops were free over the weekend and with a cast of over 120 dancers, this event was very well received.
Youth Ballet WA is recognized for innovation and excellence in the artistic and technical development of gifted young dancers. All dancers train in Youth Ballet WA’s Junior Professional Programme.
For more information about future events, keep an eye on the Youth Ballet WA website, or contact Monique Douglas, Marketing and Event Manager at monique.douglas@youthballetwa.org.au or 9201 1812.
The Nutcracker, December 19th and 20th 2008
The much-loved traditional Christmas ballet tells the story of young Clara who dreams that the Nutcracker doll given to her by her Godfather Drosselmeyer, turns into a handsome Prince. The Prince takes Clara on a journey through the Land of the Snow where she meets the Snow Queen.
From there they journey to the Land of the Sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and other treats including Spanish Chocolate, Gingerbread, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea and French Marzipan.
Featuring international Guest Artists from the Bolshoi Ballet, Natalia and Yury Vyskubenko.
Perth Concert Hall, December 19th at 6:30pm and December 20th 2:00pm and 6:30pm
Spanish Soiree, November 8th and 9th 2008
“A Tribute to Manuel de Falla”
November 8th at 6:00pm and November 9th at 4:00pm
Hale School,
Hale Road
Wembley Downs
