The Australian Ballet has announced the appointment of Steven Heathcote as ballet master and repetiteur.
Heathcote is no stranger to dance audiences, or to the Australian Ballet. He began his stage career with the company in 1983 and retired 24 years later. For 20 of those 24 years he was a principal artist. During this time he also performed as a guest artist with American Ballet Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet and the Marjinksy Ballet.
While he officially retired in 2007, Heathcote has returned to the Australian Ballet many times since, in both guest artist and coaching roles.
Artistic director of the Australian Ballet, David McAllister is thrilled to welcome Heathcote back to a formal position with the company. “Steven and I moved from Perth together as teenagers to join the Australian Ballet School," he recalls. "Since then we have both made Melbourne and the Australian Ballet our homes. It feels right that we will once again be working together as the company prepares to launch a new season and explore the possibilities of the art form. Steven is a brilliant teacher and mentor. He will be an enormous asset to the dancers of the Australian Ballet, both present and future.”
Heathcote will commence working in his new position in time for rehearsals of the company’s next season, La Bayadère, which will open at Arts Centre Melbourne on 28 August. The production will then head to Sydney in November.
Below: Heathcote as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. Top: With Simone Goldsmith and Lynette Wills. Photo: Branco Gaica. Bottom: With Madeleine Eastoe in Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake. Photo: David kelly.
