DIARY OF AN EMERGING CHOREOGRAPHER
In 2019, Dance Australia, in collaboration of the Sydney Opera House and the Australian Ballet, initiated the first Emerging Female Classical Choreographer project, in recognition that the women choreographers in the ballet world are a rarity. From about 50 entries, Amelia Drummond, a Canberra-born dancer who at the time was dancing in Germany, was the lucky inaugural recipient. She received a residency at the Sydney Opera House, where she began her creative process with pupils from the Tanya Pearson Academy, after which she took up a commission to present her work in the Australian Ballet’s Bodytorque: Atelier season, which ran for five performances in Melbourne. Amelia kept a diary of the whole process.
JUNE 4
Hi, I’m Amelia – it’s nice to take you on this adventure with me!
One of the first steps for me was choosing a beautiful piece of music to inspire me and to choreograph to!
Until I started choreographing I didn’t appreciate the detail that goes into sourcing and approving music, and how complicated the copyright laws and protections are.
I received a list from The Australian Ballet’s music director, Nicolette Fraillon, with 30 options, all of which may be played live. (The music will be played by a small ensemble of Orchestra Victoria – I’m very excited about that!!) When I listened to Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin’s work, I got a special feeling. I was swept up into the beauty and simplicity of her composition. I had to choose her work, as I know that music sets the mood of how you, as the audience, will interpret my piece and the feeling you will take away.
There were a few different variations of
