The Little Mermaid - Japan Tour

JAPAN TOUR

Queensland Ballet made its first-ever visit to Japan in April, when the Company presented François Klaus’s The Little Mermaid in Osaka and Kobe.

The tour came about as a result of negotiations co-ordinated by the Osaka and Brisbane offices of Austrade, the Australian Government’s export development agency. Initial discussions about the Japan tour were held in September 2006 when Queensland Ballet’s General Manager, Judith Anderson, participated in a Brisbane City Council trade mission to its Sister City of Kobe and the Greater Kansai region, co-ordinated by Austrade.

NHK PlanNet Kinki (formerly NHK Kinki Media Plan), part of Japan’s national broadcaster, was impressed by the visual originality of Queensland Ballet and the fact that the Company had never performed in Japan before. After NHK representatives travelled to Queensland to see the Company perform in March 2007, the decision was made to stage two performances in Osaka, and a third performance in Kobe.

François Klaus was very keen to take the Company to Japan since he visited the country himself on two occasions as a star of Hamburg Ballet in the 1980s. “Japan has a long and honourable tradition of performing arts. Because artists and the arts are accepted and respected as part of everyday life, audiences there are very open to ‘imported’ performing arts, such as ballet,” said François.

François Klaus, along with Artistic Associate, Robyn White, and four Company dancers, also presented a successful workshop at OtemaeHigh School in Osaka, and the Company was officially welcomed to Kobe at a function hosted by the city.

The Company’s tour to Japan also provided a wonderful opportunity to showcase other Queensland creative talent to one of the most important Asian markets. Innovative, award-winning, Brisbane-based fashion label, BORA provided Principal dancer, Rachael Walsh, with some of their pieces to wear while well-known local jewellery designer Chelsea De Luca provided Company Dancer Clare Morehan with some of their vintage style costume jewellery pieces.

With an inaugural tour to Europe in 2006, followed by a return tour in 2007, performances in Singapore and Korea in 2007, and the Japan tour in 2008, international touring is now very much a part of the Company's annual activities. 

Queensland Ballet acknowedges the generous support of Brisbane City Council, Tourism Queensland and Schenker Logistics in making the tour possible.