Strategic Plan
About Us
The Australian Ballet
The Australian Ballet has been inspiring and delighting audiences since 1962 and is Australia’s national ballet company. A not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee, it is funded primarily through its own commercial and fundraising activities. It also receives funding from the Commonwealth, NSW and Victorian Governments, through the Australia Council for the Arts, as a Major Performing Arts Company. The Australian Ballet’s wholly owned subsidiary, Orchestra Victoria, provides orchestral services for Opera Australia and Victorian Opera as well as for The Australian Ballet.
Enriched by our country’s most talented dancers, we tour far and wide each year and have won fame at home and internationally for our uniquely Australian style, which is athletic, authentic, bold and expansive.
Moving effortlessly between the great classical works and the best of contemporary dance, including new commissions from both home and abroad, The Australian Ballet offers the nation transformative experiences through the power of our performances and our example of excellence.
“A classical company of depth, style and unified spirit.” — Sydney Morning Herald
The Australian Ballet presents performances each year in capital cities, regional centres and schools around the country. It is the resident ballet company of the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne. The company regularly tours to major international cultural centres.
The Australian Ballet is based in Melbourne at The Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre, which also accommodates The Australian Ballet School. It provides facilities and services to the School and the two companies enjoy a close relationship, including collaboration on artistic projects such as regional tours. Each year, talented graduates of The Australian Ballet School are selected to join The Australian Ballet; around 75% of company members are graduates of The Australian Ballet School.
Did you know?
Click on the topics below to read interesting facts about The Australian Ballet. For more detailed information, please view our Annual Reports.
Corporate facts
Company founded 1962
Total number of employees 285 (including Orchestra Victoria)
Number of dancers 79
Number of musicians 62
Year commenced international touring 1963
Number of countries toured internationally 37 (88 cities in 5 continents)
Honorary life members
The Australian Ballet’s Honorary Life Memberships were created over 25 years ago to recognise and honour exceptional artistic, administrative, governance, management, fundraising, philanthropy or voluntary services made to the company. Honorary Life Membership expresses our appreciation for all that the recipients have done to further the interests of this company, our dancers and ballet. We celebrate our Honorary Life Members by acknowledging them in our publications, on our building, on our Honour Roll, and from time to time at events of The Australian Ballet.
Past and present Life Members of The Australian Ballet
Dame Peggy van Praagh DBE
NR Seddon AO CBE
Sir Ian Potter
Sir Robert Helpmann CBE
Mr Noel Pelly AM
Dr HC Coombs
Ms Ila Massy Burnside
Mr John McCallum AO CBE
Sir Robert Southey AO CMG
Lady June Porter
Mr John Calvert-Jones AM
Mr Colin Peasley OAM
Lady Primrose Potter AC
Dame Margaret Scott AC DBE
Lady Marigold Southey AC
Ms Josephine Woodgate OAM
Mr FW Millar AO CBE
Elizabeth Albert
Mr Robert O Albert AO RFD RD
Mr Timothy KF Cox AO
Ms Maina Gielgud AO
Mrs Lynnette Harvey
Dr Valmai Pidgeon AO
Mr Kenneth R Reed AM
Mrs Roslyn Packer AC
Mr Graeme Murphy AO
Ms Janet Vernon AM
Mrs Diana Ramsay AO
Mr Ian McRae AO
Ms Marilyn Rowe OBE
Mr Peter Clemenger AO
Mrs Joan Clemenger AO
Mr Peter Smedley
Ms Julie da Costa OAM
Mr David Crawford AO
Professor John Rose AO
Mrs Barbara Duhig
Ms Marilyn Jones OBE
Mr Christopher Knoblanche AM
Mr Stephen Baynes
Mr James Cousins AO
Mrs Sarah Murdoch
Mrs Toni Cody
Mr William Bowness AO
Mrs Frances Gerard AM
Mrs Susan Morgan
Mrs Beverley Brown OAM
Mrs Barbara Marrett
Mrs Toni Cody
Mrs Mary Barlow
Ms Robin Campbell
Mrs Judy Connor
Mrs Libby Cousins
Ms Lucette Aldous AC
Mr Hugh Colman
Mr Ronald Hynd
Mr Stuart Macklin
Mr Robert McCormack AM
Telstra
Francis Croese
David McAllister AC
Susan Chisholm
Ian Hicks AO
Greg Khoury
“The Australian Ballet is a company of the highest caliber” — Huffington Post