Meet Corps de Ballet dancer

Ella Havelka

Introducing Ella

Born in Dubbo, Ella is a descendant of the Wiradjuri people. She graduated from The Australian Ballet School in 2007 after touring with The Dancers Company. Ella made her first appearance with Bangarra Dance Theatre in Fire – A Retrospective in 2009. Between 2009 and 2012 she danced with Bangarra in Mathinna, of earth & sky, Belong, Spirit and Terrain. In 2012, Ella performed in Australia and New York with Bangarra and The Australian Ballet in Warumuk – in the dark night, a collaborative work created by Stephen Page for The Australian Ballet’s 50th anniversary celebrations. She joined The Australian Ballet in 2013. Ella, a documentary centring on Ella and her dance journey to date, was released at the 2016 Melbourne International Film Festival.

repertoire highlights

  • Pink Pas de deux in Jiří Kylián's Forgotten Land 2016
  • Spanish Dancer in Stephen Baynes' Swan Lake 2016
  • Stomper in Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room 2015
  • Lead Hungarian in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2015
  • Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère 2014
  • Eclipse in Stephen Page’s Waramuk – In the Dark Night 2012 

You may not know

Ella likes to practise traditional Aboriginal basket weaving; she also paints, and designs Lino prints. Some of her work is on display at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery.