The Australian Ballet is about to unleash two very different productions this month.
Next week, Chroma, an exhilarating performance of live dance, will kick off its 10-show season.
Featuring the music of Mozart, Tchaikovsky and a rearrangement of smash hits by American alt-rockers the White Stripes, Chroma blurs the boundaries of traditional ballet.
Twenty-seven-year-old dancer and South Yarra resident Heidi Martin started work on the production weeks ago, training six days a week to master her moves.
Chroma brings together works from three multi-award-winning choreographers, including Wayne McGregor, Jiří Kylián and resident choreographer Stephen Baynes, who has created a piece called Art to Sky.
Martin is looking forward to performing in the piece. “It’s always such a pleasure to work with Baynes,” she said.
Chroma was originally put together by McGregor in 2006 and performed by The Royal Ballet in London.
White Stripes songs, including Aluminium, Blue Orchid and The Hardest Button to Button, have been interpreted and reorchestrated by composer Joby Talbot.
Martin has trained for her role in Chroma a little differently than how she’s used to.
“The techniques are totally different when you dance in something contemporary versus something classic,” she said.
“The different movements in Chroma means, as dancers, we need to push our bodies in a different way.
“As a member of the ballet, we are able to adapt to these different styles. It’s exciting to change up what we do as well.”
Martin is also starring in a more traditional ballet, Imperial Suite, which opens at the Arts Centre on June 20.
Suite pairs George Balanchine’s ballet Imperial and Serge Lifar’s Suite en Blanc in a double bill.
“Imperial Suite is a lot more classic and is a stunning combination of two ballets with beautiful tutus. In Chroma, there are no tutus. We wear quite simple costumes,” Martin said.
“There’s quite a focus on more of the dance and the movement side of things.
“Melbourne is very lucky to see both kinds of performances, and the stark differences between something contemporary and something and classical.”
Ms Martin began ballet classes at the age of four and trained at the Mt Eden Ballet Academy in Auckland for 13 years.
At 17, she then moved to Melbourne to join The Australian Ballet, and has been touring the world ever since.
For more information, visit www.australianballet.com.au
