One Day Intense Workshop with Vicki Attard, Former Principal Artiste of The Australian Ballet and Former Interim Director of The Houston Ballet Academy
For Bookings - Please Contact Vicki by Clicking Here
Cost: $100AUD Per Student Including Vicki’s Complimentary ‘My Pointe’ DVD/CD - Priced at $80
Minimum of 15 Dancers Required
Ages 12-16
Pointe Class 9-10.30am
(An Introduction to Vicki Attard’s My Pointe DVD Program)
Foundation Class 10.45-1pm
(Vicki Attard’s bespoke class designed to achieve a solid classical ballet foundation in order to enhance all areas of technique. This lengthy class includes a 40 minute intense barre, centre, pointe work and foundational allegro), specifically designed to address bad habits due to the repetition and slow tempos.
Lunch 1-2pm
Repertoire Coaching for Corps de Ballet 2-4pm
(Act II Wilis excerpt - 10 minutes, with the primary focus of achieving the cohesion of corps de ballet training).
Vicki Attard comes from Mackay, Queensland, where she studied ballet with Dawn Armstrong and Betty Meskell before her acceptance into The Australian Ballet School.
In 1985 she joined The Australian Ballet and was promoted to Coryphee in 1987, Soloiste in 1991, Senior Artiste in 1992 and Principal Artiste in 1993. She joined Sydney Dance Company for its 1989 season and rejoined The Australian Ballet in 1990.
Vicki performed all principal roles and many and varied leading roles during her 15 year career with the Australian Ballet. Vicki retired at the end of 1999, and immediately undertook and received a Graduate Diploma in Dance Instruction.
Early 2001 saw Vicki assisting Stanton Welch in re-staging Madame Butterfly with The National Ballet of Canada for the ballet’s North American debut, and subsequent American seasons with Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet. Later in 2003 Vicki oversaw the final staging of Madame Butterfly for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and once again re-staged Madame Butterfly for The Australian Ballet in 2011.
Vicki has been instructing at many major Sydney institutions over the past 19 years and has produced her own unique pointe programs, entitled ‘My Beginner Pointe’ and ‘My Pointe’, which are all- encompassing programs specifically designed for young dancers and dance teachers alike, covering the safe dance practices and aesthetic components involved in the instruction of pointe work.
Most recently Vicki was appointed Interim Director of the Houston Ballet Academy by it’s company Director Mr. Stanton Welch AM. She maintained the position for 2 and a half years where she oversaw 1,000+ students, 7 full time faculty members as well as co-managing the second company HBII.
Vicki continues to instruct and adjudicate within Australia and abroad.
Testimonials
“Vicki Attard was one of The Australian Ballet’s most accomplished Ballerinas. The marriage of her technical ability and great emotional artistry, lead to powerful performances that remain in many of the roles she created the benchmark for dancers who have followed. Since leaving the stage, Vicki has shared her knowledge through teaching the next generation of young dancers, and now through this DVD will be able to share her insights with an even wider audience.”
David McAllister, Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet
“Vicki Attard and dance are synonymous. She is a principal dancer of charm and immaculate technique and an insightful teacher of classical ballet and performance skills. All combined in the one vivacious package. What’s more – I like her.”
Colin Peasley OAM, Education Manager, The Australian Ballet
“Inspiring, exacting, precise and aiming for perfection, Vicki Attard is – quite simply – a great teacher.”
Valerie Lawson, Dance Writer and Author