Ballet Intuition - Blog

Distinguished Artist - David Hallberg

Photo courtesy of The Australian Ballet image by @pierretoussaint


As a very young dancer, David Hallberg joined the American Ballet Theatre and rose quickly through the ranks to become a principal artist. He then went on to become the first American to join the Bolshoi Ballet under the title Premier Dancer. David has achieved international acclaim guesting with many of the worlds leading ballet companies including the Mariinsky Ballet, Teatro Colon Buenos Aires, Kiev Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Opera di Roma, Georgian State Ballet, The Royal Ballet London and The Australian Ballet.


He has developed numerous partnerships on stage with many world class ballerinas and his connection with Natalia Osipova is one that is unique and celebrated in the ballet world today.


After spending many months working along side The Australian Ballet's medical team, David returned to the stage having successfully rehabilitated an injury that could have ended his dancing career.  During this time he developed a connection with the company and in 2021, he accepted a position as the 8th artistic director of the Australian Ballet Company.


David has generously shared what he is looking for to suit his vision for Australia's flagship company.



'As I shape my vision for a ballet company like The Australian Ballet, I am asked a lot what I look for in a dancer. I search for ways to properly describe what that is.


The major factor is… individuality.


Individuality in movement.


Individuality in expression.


Individuality in technique.


It can take so many shapes.


We as ballet dancers, have the rigor of generations of technical refinement. The physicality of the artform has evolved to even greater heights but, the individual is what I am drawn to. How the dancer uses what they have, what they’ve trained in, in their own way. This is what makes the greatest artists irresistible. It is their path to pave. They use what is behind them, years of work, in a way that can only work of them. I urge dancers to not obey, but find their way of expressing. And when they manifest this, there is no limit to the freedom it unleashes.'


David Hallberg 2022


David Hallberg has written his first memoir in 2017 published by Simon & Schuster, A Body of Work: Dancing to the Edge and Back.

Creating Opportunity - Aesha Ash

By looka_production_77483927 • August 5, 2022
Aesha danced with New York City Ballet, Bejart Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Morphoses/ The Wheeldon Company. In 2011 Aesha founded 'The Swan Dreams Project', her aim to dispel stereotypes about black women in ballet. She continues to dispel this stereotype, In 2020, she became the first African American American female faculty member at the School of American Ballet. She is now the School of American Ballet's Associate chair of Faculty.

Dancer DNA - Fiona Tonkin

By looka_production_77483927 • July 1, 2022
Fiona Tonkin is one of Australia's most loved Ballerinas. As a ballerina she is known for her artistic genius and creating unforgettable connections onstage with her partners. Starting her career at the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Fiona went on to join The Australian Ballet Company under Marilyn Jones (Artistic Director at the time), and lead the company as a Principal Artist. She later returned to New Zealand and became Ballet Mistress at the Royal New Zealand Ballet with Matz Skoog as Artistic Director. Fiona was invited by Matz to work with him at English National Ballet when he was appointed Artistic Director and she spent a number of years as a Principal Coach there. Fiona returned to The Australian Ballet in the early 2000's and has been pivotal in the nurturing, mentoring and developing of dancers to success throughout their careers. Fiona is currently Principal Coach and Artistic Associate at The Australian Ballet.
Paloma Herrera Ballerina American Ballet Theatre

Lead with Passion - Paloma Herrera

By looka_production_77483927 • June 17, 2022
Born in Argentina, Paloma Herrera's professional career started at the very young age of 15. She quickly rose through the ranks to be named principal artist of the American Ballet Theatre at age 19, The youngest Principal Dancer in the history of the company. Dancing in many of the traditional classic ballets and contemporary works, Paloma made a remarkable impact in this art form throughout the world. Her illustrious career took her all over the world guesting with Kirov Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Colon Theater Ballet, Kremlin Palace Ballet, Ballet Teatro alla Scala of Milan, Tokyo Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba and New York City Ballet. Retiring from her career at The American Ballet after 24 years, Paloma then directed Colon Theater Ballet from 2017- early 2022. An iconic Ballerina
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