Raising the Barre DANCE ACADEMY ON THE SMALL AND SILVER SCREEN

Dance Academy, which ran for three seasons on the ABC from 2010 to 2013, is one of Australia’s most successful cultural exports in recent years. The television series, produced by Werner Film Productions, has aired in around 180 territories, attracted a substantial fan base worldwide, and received both local and international critical acclaim. Thanks to this success, Dance Academy has made the rare leap onto the big screen: released in Australia in April this year, Dance Academy: The Movie (Jeffrey Walker) stands as the storyline’s epic conclusion, tying up the loose ends left by the series. The feature is also a test of the show’s enduring global appeal, as well as of its lasting impact on Australia’s screen industries.

The series follows ambitious young dancer Tara Webster (Xenia Goodwin) after she lands a place at the prestigious National Academy of Dance. Leaving her rural home for the sparkle of Sydney, Tara quickly cements her place as one of the academy’s most promising dancers. In the finale of the show’s third and final season, however, she slips during her audition for the National Ballet Company and breaks her back; the lucrative contract that had been a lifelong goal thus slips out of her grasp as well. Tara’s career is