Robin Haig Lecture on Russian Ballet in Toowoomba Tuesday 24th of April

On Tuesday the 24th of April, Toowoomba will be host to one of Australia’s most famous ballet dancers, Ms Robin Haig, as she presents a lecture on ‘The Ballet Russes'(Russian Ballets).

In 1909, a group of Russian dancers, choreographers, composers and painters burst upon the jaded dance scene in Paris, appearing at the Theatre de Chatelet before a delighted and ecstatic audience. Diaghilev, the Director of the Ballet Russes believed in a total theatre concept and with a bevy of talented artists he galvanised and changed history in not just dance but in music, scenic design and choreography. Pavlova, Nijinsky, Fokine, Bakst and Stravinsky became world famous and over the period of 20 years artists such as Picasso, Cocteau and Satie collaborated in an unprecedented experiment of total theatre which continued to influence and inspire.

Robin is from Perth, Western Australia, where she received her initial ballet training. In her early teens she appeared in a number of staged productions and vaudeville shows, and at the age of 17 joined a new company, the Australian Theatre Ballet, directed by Walter Gore and based in Melbourne. In the same year, 1955, she was awarded a scholarship by the Royal Academy of Dancing that allowed her to travel to London to continue her studies at the Royal Ballet School. On graduating from the School she entered the Royal Ballet Company, Covent Garden, touring extensively to the United States and performing throughout Europe and Russia where she danced with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. She left the Royal Ballet in 1962 and worked internationally as a dancer, choreographer and teacher before becoming the director of the West Australian Ballet. Since moving to the U.S. in 1981, Robin has taught History and Philosophy of Dance, Dance in the Twentieth Century and choreographed as a faculty member at the James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia and the dance faculty at the University of Colorado. Now retired she is Senior Instructor Emerita.

The lecture will take place at The Glennie Room, The Glennie School, 248 Herries Street Toowoomba, and is part of The Toowoomba branch of the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society’s(ADFAS) 2012 lecture series. The lecture starts at 6:45 and is followed by wine and supper. Cost is $20 for visitors or $110 annually for members which includes 8 lectures for the year. For more information ring Judy Midgely on 4632 8993.

Submitted by
Michael Currie
ADFAS Toowoomba