David McAllister (front) and Steven Heathcote (rear), in "Gallery" choreographed by Graeme Murphy, The Australian Ballet 1987
When shooting dance, timing is critical, getting the dancers just at the peak of a leap with toes and hands perfectly positioned (otherwise the ballet mistress/master and choreographer would reject my photo). I photographed the Australian Ballet for many years and this is one of my favourite images. It’s from Gallery, choreographed by Graeme Murphy (of the Sydney Dance Company, whose work I also photographed when they performed in Melbourne). You can see in this picture the dancers performed dress rehearsal with the energy and commitment of an opening night, which is what makes this shot so dynamic and alive. David is currently Artistic Director and Steven is Ballet Master with The Australian Ballet. Both have been awarded Members of the Order of Australia (AM).
