Australasian Classical Gala

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As the lights dimmed inside Perth Modern School on the final evening of the inaugural Australasian Classical Gala, it became immediately apparent that this was far more than the conclusion of a four-day event. It was a celebration of collaboration, artistry and opportunity, bringing together young dancers, leading educators and internationally respected artists in a performance that reflected the Gala’s vision of connecting aspiring performers with the wider dance world. Throughout the week dancers had immersed themselves in masterclasses, seminars, scholarship auditions and workshops, all designed to prepare them not only for competitions, but for sustainable professional careers. More than 80 scholarships, over $90,000 in scholarship opportunities and benefits, approximately $20,000 in prize money and direct pathways to international schools and companies demonstrated the event’s commitment to education as much as achievement.

The Gala performance itself embodied that philosophy. Sharing the stage were artists from West Australian Ballet, Youth Ballet WA, WAAPA ECU, John Curtin College of the Arts, the ACG Choreography Project and a live finale by Perfect Alibi. A featured pas de deux by West Australian Ballet artists Benjamin Anderson and Mayume Nogurami provided a fitting centrepiece, while choreography by Luis Martin, Zoica Tovar and Xin Ong showcased the creativity that had flourished throughout the week.

The calibre of artistic leadership assembled for the inaugural Gala was equally impressive. The artistic panel, adjudicators and choreographers included Darren McIntyre, Zoica Tovar, Emilia Jovanovich, Luis Martin, Melissa Boniface, Suzanne Arrigo, Shane Wuerthner, Xin Ong, Slava Tutukin, Christian Luck, Justin Rutzou and Sonya Shepherd, representing an extraordinary breadth of professional knowledge and experience. Rather than simply adjudicating performances, these artists became mentors, coaches and guides, sharing their expertise with dancers from across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Among those mentors was internationally respected educator Zoica Tovar, School Director of The Washington Ballet, whose classes quickly became a highlight for many participants. Every exercise was thoughtfully planned, every correction purposeful. “I prepare the class,” she explained. “I have a purpose in the class.” For this particular session that purpose centred on the foundations of turning, transitions and placement, skills that she believes underpin almost every classical variation. “My intention was to try to explain how to do a correct piqué arabesque. Placement was very important for me yesterday in class, and clean steps because that’s what they need to present in competition.”

Perhaps even more striking than her technical expertise was the way she engaged every dancer in the room. Rather than focusing solely on those standing at the front of the studio, Tovar moved continually through the class, ensuring every student received personal guidance. “I believe in individual instruction,” she said. “Not every dancer needs the same corrections, so I try to go around the barre and make them feel, ‘This is your correction. This is what you have to improve.'” It is this investment in each individual that has earned Tovar such enormous respect throughout the international ballet community. “I believe when I do that, they’re going to progress quickly.”

Even within a brief fifteen-minute private coaching session, Tovar saw enormous potential to transform a performance. Rather than altering choreography, she focused on helping dancers present their very best interpretation. “The entrance, the presentation at the beginning is very important for the judge because that moment shows how the dancer is going perform throughout the variation,” she explained. “I’m not going to switch the choreography. I want to help that dancer do their best in that choreography.” It was a philosophy built on refinement rather than reinvention, empowering dancers to understand not only what they were performing, but why.

For many participants, those differences in teaching style were immediately noticeable. Mariia Prokopenko, who travelled from Russia to attend the Gala, described the experience as both refreshing and inspiring. “It’s really interesting and different than in Russia. I learned something new, and I really enjoy it,” she said. Reflecting on the contrasting approaches to training, Mariia observed, “Here, you are more concentrated on your emotions, that you enjoy the dance. In Russia, you must be really strong in your technique, and less attention to your emotions. So I love when you can just dance.”

The Australasian Classical Gala also represented a personal milestone for the young dancer. Having discovered the event through social media, she travelled halfway across the world to challenge herself in a way she had never experienced before. “I have never been in competition with a solo, so it’s my first time, and I just really want to challenge myself here,” she explained. Beyond the dancing itself, Australia became part of the experience. “Australia is really interesting country, very beautiful, so I really like to dance here and meet people here.”

Those sentiments echoed the broader purpose of the Australasian Classical Gala, an event created to build bridges between dancers, educators and institutions across borders while placing equal value on mentorship, wellbeing and artistic development. By bringing together internationally respected educators, world class scholarship partners and young dancers eager to learn, the Gala demonstrated that opportunity extends well beyond the presentation of awards. It lies in every correction, every conversation, every connection and every performance that encourages a young artist to dream a little bigger.

As the final curtain fell and the audience rose in applause, the atmosphere throughout the theatre spoke volumes. The inaugural Australasian Classical Gala had delivered an unforgettable evening of exceptional dancing, but perhaps more importantly, it had laid the foundations for something much greater, a vibrant international community united by a shared belief that talent deserves opportunity, wherever it may be found.