The Ballets Russes in Australia: an avalanche of dancing

An avalanche of dancing focuses on the mutual fascination between performers and public to tell the story of the Ballets Russes tours to Australia presented by J.C. Williamson over a four year period until August 1940. Narrated by Michael Pate and including interviews with Irina Baronova, Kira Abricossova Bousloff, Max Dupain and Geoffrey Ingram, the video features Valrene Tweedie, the Australian born Ballets Russes dancer, talking about her experiences with the Original Ballet Russe. This co-production between Screen Sound Australia (National Film and Sound Archive) and the National Library of Australia comprises never before seen footage from the Archive’s collection, onstage performances, plus footage of the dancers in recreational mode, captured by Dr Ewan Murray-Will. The production was made possible by the assistance of Keep Dancing, an Australia Council funded partnership project between the Australian Dance Council (Ausdance), the National Library of Australia and Screen Sound Australia. Narrated by Micki Beckett.