Australian Ballet 15 Minutes of Fame Workshop

Guess what !  I have danced on stage at the Opera House and learnt some of ‘Checkmate’

There were about 25 of us of all shapes and sizes. Some of the participants were obviously dance students with Bloch bags and gear, some not .This time we learnt the black pawns dance from de Valois ‘Checkmate’. A most wonderful time was had by all. For those of us with dance training – marvellous !

Once we had been signed in , dumped our gear in the first few rows of the stalls , changed our shoes ( or not – some wore socks, some had ballet shoes ) and were on stage ,Colin Peasley – the Ballet’s Artist in Residence and Red King in the current production-  gave us some back ground information about the ballet ( the first production was in 1937)and some fascinating facts  for example de Valois lived in three centuries , told stories of how the original sets and costumes had to be left behind when the Sadlers Wells Ballet ( as it was then – now the Royal Ballet ) had to be evacuated from Holland and how the work was given to the Australian Ballet in 1986 in honour of Sir Robert Helpmann ( his last performances were in 1986 as the Red King in this work ) .We also  learnt that it was only in 1986 that gloves as part of the costumes for the pawns were reintroduced for the first time since the 1937 production.

With Stuart Macklin on piano Kismet Bourne  then taught us some of the steps of the black pawns dance  (glissade, tendu - repeat three times ,changement etc ). The difference between the black and red pawns were stressed as they have distinctly separate arm movements for example. We were lucky enough to have the special chequerboard floor as part of the set ( by E McKnight  Kauffer) still down to dance on ( ‘Checkmate’ was the last work of the matinee that had just finished) and  the’ flats ‘ surrounding us . We rehearsed and repeated several times learning small segments and then putting i t all together ran through it several times. Sometimes we faced the front of the auditorium, sometimes we turned and faced the Red King’s throne at the back. The final pose had some of us older, stiifer people standing rather than gracefully posed on the floor. Towards the end Colin showed us some of the hats worn by some of the characters in the ballet (eg the Black Queen, the Red Knight etc ).He talked about the costume preservation and conservation and how some of them are very awkward and difficult to wear.

Then we rehearsed the dance one last time following behind Colin and Kismet and then they watched us perform it. Then alas we had to leave as the stage had to be set for the evening performance.  

A wonderfully challenging and exciting time .