Celebrating 10 years of Li Cunxin AO

2013

A vision to create momentum

· All Brisbane performances sold out
· Tripled season ticket sales
· 160% rise in philanthropy and sponsorships from 2012
· Established Ben Steveon's The Nutcracker as an annual Christmas tradition, a ritual embraced by world-leading ballet companies across the globe
· Established live orchestral music for all full-length ballets through major philanthropic efforts

2014

Rising to the challenge

· Launched the Jette Parker Young Artist Program enabled by Jette and Alan Parker through the Oak Foundation
· Queensland Ballet presents the Australian première of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo & Juliet. Only a small number of companies around the world have been granted permission by Lady Deborah MacMillan

“It was my dream to see Queensland Ballet perform a work by the late, great Sir Kenneth MacMillan. I am so very grateful to Lady Deborah MacMillan for having trusted the Company to do justice to one of his most spectacular works, Romeo & Juliet.”

2015

Enriching lives through ballet

· First Queensland Ballet tour to London

“There are moments of great pride as I look over the last three years. One such moment was when the curtain went up on Peter Schaufuss’ La Sylphide at the historic Coliseum Theatre. Over seven performances our dancers made their mark upon the world stage. The tour was an unforgettable experience for us all, including the enthusiastic group of supporters who were able to join us.”

· Greg Horsman’s The Sleeping Beauty breaks Queensland Ballet box office records

2016

The golden age for Queensland Ballet

· Queensland Ballet rebrands its training programs and establishes the Queensland Ballet Academy with Christian Tátchev as Academy Director, recognising the extent of the Company’s commitment to nurturing young talent and training excellent. The strength of the program reflected in the growth of enrolments
· Queensland Ballet presents Midsummer Night’s Dream - a co-production with Royal New Zealand Ballet renowned choreographer Liam Scarlett
· Derek Deane’s Strictly Gershwin becomes the Company's highest selling production to date

2017

A year of love stories

· Swan Lake smashes the previous box office record set and becomes the highest box office record ever achieved for a single production
· Li returns to the stage for The Nutcracker – his first appearance for 18 years since his retirement

“Eighteen years after retiring from the stage meant a lot of work to get back to performance fitness - mentally and physically. I think the most enduring impact of this return to the stage for me was a renewed appreciation and respect for our dancers and what they do every day.”

Every ballet starts with a dream

· November was a milestone moment for Queensland Ballet that saw the Company stage productions simultaneously in two countries, speaking volumes about the growth in size, capability and talent. On the same night in November, we opened both A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Shanghai and the contemporary season of Bespoke at home in Brisbane.

We are bold in our vision

· New world-class Queensland Ballet Academy facility begins construction at Kelvin Grove State College
· Inaugural Giving Day results in more than $2.17 million raised, used to fit out the Academy with ballet barres, pianos, sound equipment, physio and Pilates equipment, and other apparatus the young dancers required
· Reinforced commitment to programming new Australian works, including children’s ballet The Little Green Road to Fairyland by Paul Boyd, co-produced with Queensland Music Festival
· Queensland Ballet presents Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo & Juliet

A year of memories

· Following the postponement of Season 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Queensland Ballet launched 60 dancers: 60 stories
· The project raises more than $1 million to ‘Keep the Magic Alive’ while the Company is unable to perform due to pandemic restrictions
· New state-of-the-art Queensland Ballet Academy facility opens its doors with an official ceremony attended by Education Minister and McConnel MP Grace Grace, the Governor of Queensland, and Kelvin Grove State College Executive Principal Llew Paulger

A triumphant return to the stage

· Queensland Ballet returns to the stage to audience and critical acclaim with the 60th Anniversary Gala, after the postponement of Season 2020 to 2021
· Li announces plans for the new Roy and Nola Thompson Production Centre on the Gold Coast, after purchasing land at Yatala thanks to a generous donation from the philanthropists
· Queensland Ballet signs two-year partnership with Home Of The Arts (HOTA), further cementing a presence on the Gold Coast

· The redeveloped heritage building, the Thomas Dixon Centre, set to open mid-2022, becoming Brisbane’s new cultural hub; the home of Queensland Ballet; and the first performing arts building in the world to be WELL-accredited

“I think what motivates me on a daily basis is not conforming to mediocrity. It’s easy to say well, I’ve done it, I’ve done more than other people, I can stop now. But I just think life is too short, and I’d like to make as much of a contribution as I possibly can in my lifetime.”