Some of the world’s most renowned principal ballet artists will be visiting the Sunshine Coast for the first gala of its kind in Australia since the pandemic.
The Sunshine Coast has been chosen as the exclusive regional destination for the Ballet International Gala (BIG) after its shows in Brisbane in June.
Hailed as ‘one of the most talked about ballet galas in the world’, BIG’s Sunshine Coast shows in July will feature principal artists from the San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Astana Opera.
The vision of three young Queensland-based producers, Khalid Tarabay, Beck Phillips, and Joel Burke, along with Mackay Productions, founded by Nicholas and Julian Mackay, has created this rare opportunity for dancers to return to the stage and bring the live performance aspect back to this beautiful art form.
Julian Mackay, hailed as a young Apollo by Russian dance critics, is a Principal Dancer with the San Francisco Ballet.
Not only will Mr Mackay be gracing the stage for a riveting performance of Swan Lake, but he is also a co-founder of Mackay Productions, the production company responsible for the creative direction behind BIG.
Nikisha Fogo, a Swedish ballerina, will be joining the star-studded group of international talent.
After a seven-year career with the Vienna State Opera, Ms Fogo has joined the San Francisco Ballet as their first black principal ballerina.
Lauren Lovette, an esteemed principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, will be premiering her new choreographic work exclusively for BIG.
Toni Maticevski is a Melbourne-based Australian fashion designer. He is known for his elaborate, frothy gowns, intricate skeleton dresses, and shredded silk separates.
Mr Maticevski is currently stocked in over 35 countries worldwide and over 100 department stores, boutiques, and online platforms.
Adamzhan Bahtiyar, a principal dancer with the Astana Opera and gold medallist of the Moscow Ballet Competition, was launched into stardom after his performance in Yuri Grigorovich’s legendary ballet, Spartacus.
Joel Burke is not only a director of BIG but a performer as well. Mr Burke is a Queensland Ballet Academy graduate and Francois Klaus and Robyn White award recipient. He will be performing a pas de deux from Le Corsaire.
The evenings will open with a Welcome to Country followed by a performance from the Bangarra Dance Theatre Alumni.
The Ballet International Gala has released exclusive tickets to Sunshine Coast residents for its regional performance at the Badderam Eco Luxe Resort and Spa site in Buderim for the 2nd of July 2021.
Tickets are available at www.balletinternationalgala.com
