Dance diary. May 2014

  • Sydney Dance Company. The Heritage Collection

A few months ago I mentioned very briefly a project being developed by film maker Philippe Charluet in conjunction with Sydney Dance Company to preserve the choreography of Graeme Murphy, which he made as artistic director of the company over more than 30 years. Well, the project is now official and has been announced as part of Sydney Dance Company’s 45th anniversary celebrations. Sydney Dance Company says:

‘Sydney Dance Company is excited to announce that work has commenced on the editing and digitising of film and video recordings of some of the major works created by long-standing Artistic Director, Graeme Murphy AO and his Creative Associate, Janet Vernon AM.

The Heritage Collection will include re-mastered films of many full length evening works created by Murphy on the Sydney Dance Company ensemble during his 31 year tenure from 1976 to 2007, in addition to a new documentary resource of Murphy in conversation, interweaving a myriad of interviews filmed over a period of thee decades, with new footage in which he reflects on his body of work’.

What a treasure this will be for us and those who follow us in the future.

Sydney Dance Company's Salome, choreography by Graeme Murphy. Photo by Lois Greenfield
Artists of Sydney Dance Company in a promotional shot for Graeme Murphy’s Salomé. Photo © Lois Greenfield

  • Pamela Vincent and the Rambert tour to Australasia

Here is another image from the Pamela Vincent album of photographs from the Ballet Rambert’s tour to Australia and New Zealand 1947–1949. Pamela Vincent was courted in Australia by Douglas Whittaker, principal flute player in the orchestra that accompanied the Rambert company. They married in England.

Ballet Rambert in Australia, c. 1948. Collection of Pamela Vincent
Ballet Rambert in Australia. Horseriding excursion, 1948. Collection of Pamela Vincent
  • British Library and Serge Diaghilev

I was interested to find this link to a comment on Serge Diaghilev’s interest, which grew in intensity towards the end of his life, in rare books.

  • Press for May 2014 [Online links to press articles in The Canberra Times prior to 2015 are no longer available]

‘Fresh flavour but a little flat’. Review of Don Quixote, Imperial Russian Ballet. The Canberra Times, 7 May 2014, ARTS p. 8.

Michelle Potter, 31 May 2014

8 thoughts on “Dance diary. May 2014

  1. I am a first cousin of Flautist Douglas Whittaker.
    My Dad and his Mother were brother and sister.
    I met Pamela Vincent on there visit to Australia when Douglas
    passed away suddenly.
    I would love to be put in contact with Pamela and her family.
    I would greatly appreciate any assistance.
    Sincerely,
    Diana Gonzalez (nee Lunn)

  2. Diana, I will forward your email on to Pamela. I can’t give you her email address directly but I hope by forwarding your message she will be able to reply directly to you.

  3. Dear Michelle,
    Thank you so much, I do appreciate your return email.
    I too was a ballerina, learning and dancing with Ballet
    Le Francais that was set up in Sydney by Kathleen Gorham
    and her then husband Robert Pomie.
    Many thanks again,
    Diana

  4. Oh I remember Ballet Theatre le français well. I saw their shows as a student dancer and remember that tiny stage upstairs in a building, whose name I now can’t remember, close to Central Station. I remember Gorham and Pomié and also a very young Marilyn Jones. What times!

  5. Yes, great times and a long time ago now.
    It was a very old building belonging to the church near Central Railway.
    My mother made the costumes for Kathy and Robert..

  6. Dear Michelle,
    I would like to thank you for passing my messages on to Pamela.
    I received an email from her yesterday and was so very happy to have made contact with family.
    I do appreciate your help in making this possible.
    Sincerely yours,
    Diana

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