From Kyogle to Academy of Queensland Ballet; Liam Sullivan’s dance journey.

At just 13 years old, Liam Sullivan is already living his ballet dream. The talented student from the Academy of Queensland Ballet will perform in Soirée, featuring in a new ballet by Academy choreographer Paul Boyd, and will also appear in The Nutcracker at QPAC this festive season.

Liam’s journey began only a few years ago in Kyogle, NSW, when, at the age of 10, he started tap and ballet lessons with Sophie McAuliffe at the McAuliffe School of Dance. His natural talent was quickly evident. In January 2025, after attending the Academy’s Summer School, Director Christian Tatchev recognised his potential and offered him a scholarship to train at the Academy.

Now settled in Brisbane, Liam is thriving both in the studio and the classroom. A straight-A student at Kelvin Grove State College, he has impressed his teachers with his discipline, enthusiasm, and maturity.

Liam is also very clear about his future, “I want to be a principal dancer, then a director like Mr Christian and Mr Ivan,” he said, referring to Academy Director Christian Tatchev and Queensland Ballet’s new Artistic Director, Ivan Gil-Ortega.

It’s a sentiment that beautifully mirrors Ivan’s own words as a young dancer when, at just 14, he was accepted into the prestigious John Cranko School in Stuttgart. “I want to be a principal dancer, then a director of a company.”

A full-circle connection, and a promising beginning. Congratulations, Liam, and welcome to the Queensland Ballet family.