In the world of ballet, challenges, like difficult dance moves, should be overcome with grace. For Joel Burke, Artistic Director of Ballet International Gala (BIG), the COVID-19 pandemic and climate events like Cyclone Alfred presented obstacles that would have deterred many, but instead became the unlikely foundation for one of Australia’s most remarkable dance success stories, based in Brisbane.
“We started in the middle of COVID, during snap lockdowns when no long-term productions were happening in state theatres like Queensland Performing Arts Centre,” Burke explains, recalling the company’s unlikely genesis. “Recently, due to the cyclone, we’ve had flooded studios and power outages.”
