As the notices of cancellations and postponements began rolling in, our initial thinking was not to publish them – everybody knows that just about every show and theatre has closed, so what would be the point, right? However, as the numbers piled up, we realised that just seeing them on one page really does bring home the dramatic impact of the coronavirus on our dance community. So here is the list. It is not comprehensive – there would be numerous smaller shows and independent productions we are not aware of – but it is still - tellingly, sadly - very long. (Details are correct as far as was possible to determine at time of publishing)
CANCELLATIONS AND POSTPONEMENTS
(in alphabetical order by company/organisation/artist name)
Adelaide Festival Centre - Adelaide Festival Centre venues will close to the public and all performances will be suspended from midnight until April 30.
The Australian Ballet - cancelled Volt Melbourne and Sydney seasons and Anna Karenina Sydney season.
Australian Dance Theatre – closing Odeon venue, replacing live Colony with a special screening. Rescheduling planned tour of The Beginning of Nature to Europe to 2021, cancellation of Objekt collaboration with Co:3 in Adelaide and Perth in June and July.
Australasian Dance Collective – Season of “Three” cancelled.
Ballet BC's Romeo and Juliet - 10 - 14 June, Sydney Opera House.
Bangarra Dance Theatre's Sandsong, 9 - 16 June, Sydney Opera House. At present, the remainder of the Sydney season, as well as seasons in Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Bendigo will continue as planned,
Billy Elliot (Melbourne) closing ahead of its scheduled April 19 closing
Brisbane Inaugural Ballet Grand Prix - cancelled
Cecchetti International Ballet Competition not going ahead this year, moved to July 18 to Sunday July 25, 2021
Co:3 (Perth) - suspending Co:Y Program and Education Program until Term 3, 2020.
Dancehouse (Melbourne) - suspending all public activities for an initial period ending April 20.
Force Majeure youth auditions postponed.
Harry Potter (Melbourne) Performances from Wednesday 15 April to Sunday 31 May will be postponed and rescheduled. Ticket holders will be automatically moved to an alternative date from Wednesday 7 October onwards, with the same seating allocation they originally booked.
Helpmann Awards
Lucy Guerin Inc (Melbourne) – cancelling public classes.
Moscow Ballet "La Classique" Australan Tour - postponed. Will be rescheduled to 2021.
NAISDA Graduation Ceremony which was scheduled to take place on Thursday 9 April 2020 - cancelled
Next Wave Festival 2020 scheduled for May 15-31. The Festival will not go ahead as planned but instead deliver an alternative, responsive program led by artists and distributed online and in an extended form.
Queensland Ballet 60th Anniversary Gala Season - cancelled; rescheduled October 8-11. Swan Lake Melbourne tour (April 17-18), Dracula (May 8 to 23), Tutus on Tour (June 12 to July 21) - all postponed to 2021. Sleeping Beauty (September 25 - October 10) condensed to September 25 to October 3.
Qld Performing Arts Centre – theatres closed till April 30
School of Rock, Adelaide - suspended from midnight 17 March until 30 April.
Shanghai Ballet tour to Australia (hosted by Qld Ballet) - cancelled
Shrek (Melbourne) - cancelled
Strut Dance (Perth) closing till at least April 1.
Sydney Dance Company Sydney season of Bonachela/Forsythe cancelled (possibly rescheduled for later in year)
Sydney Opera House (public performances cancelled till March 29)
Tasdance - closing its Public Program, including all adult casual classes, and the School of Dance from midday, Wednesday 18 March for an indefinite period. Launching Tasdance Virtual Teaching or TDVT.
Victorian Arts Centre – closed till April 12
West Australian Ballet – postponing seasons of Genesis,The Sleeping Beauty and STATE.